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•i*ver the GLORY ROADMemorable DaysIpsas a Joe hasJFifrfc Connie MackBy JIMMY ISAMLNGERVeteran Baseball WriterIkerthi*[ oilThelenttherom1 bet in theThe Philadelpka Baseball Story is C«a* nie Mack.-. . . At long last the “Dream Game” is to be played in Shfl* Park, sometimes called the House That Mack Built.” . . . Which1 jfl brings to mind pleas*; ant memories of the many highlights in my career as a baseball’ writer, nearly * all of them in some way con- nected to the Grand Old Man of the Duk mond, Coanie Mack..;Before I retired W “Pickwick Acres,” my comfortable 1 o d g e in', the Maryland hills,-I enjoyed the privilege of being closely associ-JIMMY ISAMINGEB (right) at his home ^Connie Madkat Pickwick Acres, Fawn Grove, Pa., with ot 35 years j was Stoney McLinn, his brother-in-law, who the Sage of Shibeshireis also a veteran Philadelphia scribe. in the hours of his out-; standing triumphs andnearly all the incidents in our National Game that thrill me, when I recall them, had a Connie Mack angle. - .I am confident the proudest day in Connie Mack’s baseball- wac when the fans of the nation voted him the honor of directing the AJl-Stars of the American League in that first “Dream Game” played in Chicago on July 6, 1933. He was to match strategy with hi* old rival, John Joseph McGraw, who was named leader of the National League’s All-Stars. * .For a long time, a question often asked Mack had been: “Whatcould you do with a team made up of the nine brightest stars in theAmerican League?” The first All-Star Game gave the famous diamond tactician the opportunity to test his theories concerning the direction of a team of stars against the best talent and brains the: National League could assemble. It was an assignment that put the Baseball Maestro, then 70 years old, on his mettle. . .Mack had only two members of his own Athletics on his squ?d —Jimmie Foxx and Lefty Grove—and Connie told his players befoie the game that he was out to win, that it was against his instincts.to change a winning combination, and if his starting team went into the lead and kept it, he would make no substitutions. The American League All-Stars won that first game, 4 to 2.An All Mack Team of All-StarsNow that I have time on my hands, and little else, I am often asked to name my all-time, all-star team. I don't flatter myself by thinking I could do that job to everybody’s satisfaction. However, here’s an unique team of stars that gain the honors in any “Dream Game.” Every player listed, at some time, accepted orders from Connie Mack as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics.How’s this for an infield: Larry Lajoie, Jimmy Collins, Eddie Collins and cither Jack Barry or Jimmie Foxx? Yes, both Jimmy il Collins, perhaps the greatest of all third basemen, and Lajoie played [] under Mack in the Quaker City. I don’t think you could improve ’ much on an outfield composed of Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker and Al • Simmons, who once played together as the flychasing trio in Shibe r. Park. And with Navy Lieut. Gordon Stanley (Mickey) Cochrane to« . i». i . T. • • • . «. *L m « « %« / Jdo the catching, and three pitchers named Rube Waddell, Chief Bender and Lefty Mose Grove—well, don’t you think my All-Star, jAll-Mack nine would form a real “dream team?”Connie has never told me so, but I believe he considers bis A’# with the Mclnnis-Collins-Barry-Baker infield as baseball’s greatest team. I agree w’ith him, having in mind the “inside ball” which had to be played in those days. And my nomination for the outstanding manager of all-time is one Cornelius McGillicuddy, more familiarly known as Connie Alack.Built Two Great Teams on* Different PatternsConnie Mack has been the master builder of baseball machines. It was my privilege to watch him assemble the parts for two teamJ ho! of smooth-running Athletics of different types, each adopted to the
Newspaper Details
St Louis Sporting News
St Louis, Missouri, US
Thu, Jul 08, 1943
Page 12
Full Page
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NY, USA 17 Aug 2021
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