Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 107, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1918 — ANGRY FANS DO NOT SCARE CONNIE MACK [ARTICLE]

ANGRY FANS DO NOT SCARE CONNIE MACK

Athletic Manager Is Only Leader Who Dare Defy Bugs. Bqueamishness Not Found In Human Filament From Philadelphia V/hen it Comes to Disposing of Moat Popular Player. One of the distinctions wrenched from a reluctant fate by the indomitable Connie Mack is that of being the only leader In baseball history with nerve enough to defy home fans by selling popular players. Only recently was presented the spectacle of Branch Rickey worrying himself "«ick over the problem of what to do with a fabulous offer for Hornsby, a player who may prove to be overrated* or who may be caught In the draft age ere the 1918 campaign is over.

Common sense told Rickey that the absurd money proffer ought to be snatched up without debating the matter for more than a wink’s time, yet fear that the fans would accuse him of Wrecking the club’s pennant chances forced him to put" all thoughts of selling Rogers into the background — against his better judgment, it may be. No such squeamishness was to be found in the human filament from Philadelphia. Connie swung his mace on a world’s championship machine and wrecked it before the very eyes of the astounded mob. He has continued to dismantle it ever since, has jdenuded it of almost the last vestige of its former greatness. He survives, he has a bank roll and owns an inexpensive team and will be financially fortified better than most of its rivals. If the worst comes because of the war. However, Connie had his clientele on the trip when he smashed and battered down this great baseball club. He knew before he began the destruction that there was no comeback at him because of a third and even less enviable distinction that had attached to his Athletics—that of having been the only world’s championship team in modern history to go through the season a loser! Back into the teeth of the Philadelphia fans Connie hurled it, when reproached for breaking up his team. “What do you care?” he snarled. “I gave you a world’s championship club and you wouldn’t patronize it. Good night !" No St. Louis clubowner, about to sell a star, would have the moral support of a similar lack of popular interest to fall back upon. St. Louis fans have always given St. Louis clubs splendid support at the slightest encouragement. That’s why Rickey decides to keep Hornsby instead of the $65,000 more or less—that Weeghman threw on the table.