MR. BASEBALL

[Music] this chapter Mr Baseball the story of Connie Mack it was a day in 1949 Connie Mack was being honored for his lifetime of service to baseball to him the Applause of the fans was as familiar as their cat calls in his his long eventful career he had heard both often born during the Civil War Connie Mack began playing baseball when Army Fort still guarded the Western frontier against raiding Indians by 1886 when folk still rode in buggies and horse cars he was a professional ball player catcher for the Washington Senators in 192 when the Wright brothers were solving the problems of flight Connie Mack won his first pennant it caused far more excitement than the first flame flight in history then in 1910 for cone macket was a crucial pennant and World Series he had gone deep into debt to build a new baseball stadium to keep the seats filled with paying fans he needed a championship team Mack had done his best his pitching star was the great Chief Bender another fine pitcher Jack kums Jack Barry played shortstop Eddie Collins was at second and Home Run Baker at third although underdogs in that World Series the A's trouts the Cubs Connie had his first World Champ Championship the Philadelphia fans went wild next year cheered by the fans Connie led the A's to another pennant in the world series of 1911 his opponents were John J McGraw and the New York Giants Connie's man won he repeated the victory in 1913 again beating mcra on the Giants that made Connie ma the first manager and baseball to win three World Series the future looked good you were happily married and ranked with the greatest managers of all time but a year later it was all swept away a rival League tempted your players with large salaries facing Financial ruin you sold your stars it was that or bankruptcy Eddie Collins went first sold to the Chicago White Socks Jack Barry sold to the Boston Red Sox home run Baker sold to the Yankees your famous infield gone the A's plunged to the bottom of the American League with the Athletics in last place empty seats at the stadium the fans called you a team wrecker you didn't argue quietly you began to rebuild in the process you made mistakes a rookie pitcher named Babe Ruth was offered for sale chief you were short of cash and turned him down instead you searched the sand lots for youngsters to develop you found one in peppery infielder Jimmy Dykes but in 1920 down South for spring training you decided that way was too slow you would buy the players who could make the Athletics a pendant Contender even if it meant going into debt year by year new stars were added to the roster the best pitchers you could buy the best catcher the most powerful hitters in 1927 the greatest star of the mall joined your Club The Immortal Tai Cobb cob salary is 70,000 a year but he was worth it now after 13 lean years you were ready to make a bid for the American League pennant the season of 1927 began you soon learned it would not be a year of Victory you were competing against an invincible team the New York Yankees with Babe Ruth lashing out 60 home runs an alltime record the Yankees finished first they looked capable of continuing their record-breaking Pace indefinitely had the huge sum spent to rebuild the Athletics been wasted it was ironic to recall that Babe Ruth could have been on your team you are now 65 years old it seemed that for your remaining years in baseball the Yankees would always stand between you and the pennant Connie Mack had been discouraged in 1927 but two years later the Athletics faced the Chicago Cubs in the World Series pitching Ace Lefty Grove had won 20 games the batting lineup contained great Sluggers Bing Miller Mickey Cochran Al Simmons Jimmy Fox with Grove on the pitching staff were Quinn Walberg RL and eraw an outstanding [Music] team the first game of the series was played before president Herbert Hoover there was one big question as Mack and Chicago manager Joe McCarthy shook hands who would be Connie's starting pitcher he chose Howard mty a has been the fans were amazed but empy struck out 13 Chicago hitters a new world series record the Athletics won the first game with ease and went on to capture the series after 16 years the world championship the applause was sweet to Connie's [Applause] ears Philadelphia expected another world championship in 1930 and the city was not disappointed but in 1931 it was a different story in the world series that year the Athletics faced the St Louis Cardinals Connie's men were favored to win but on the Cardinal team was a lad named Pepper Martin the sports Riders had nicknamed him the Wild Horse of the O age living up to his nickname Pepper Martin ran wild in that World Series the A's pitching Aces Grove and eraw were helpess against him Martin hit almost at will ran the bases like a madman and was Flawless in the field the Athletics fought back tied the series they could still win but in the last game sparked by Martin's heading and Fielding the Cardinals Triumph it had taken Connie Mack 13 years to return to the top of the Heap that World Series defeat was the beginning of his slide back to the bottom Connie went back to Philadelphia and troubled a depression gripped the country unemployed men sold apples in the streets money was scarce and Connie couldn't meet his high salaried payroll sorrowfully he broke up his greatest team L Simmons his great Slugger was sold infielder Jimmy Dykes was sold pitching Stars left a Grove and George eraw sold his star catcher Mickey Cochran sold Jimmy Fox one of the greatest Sluggers of all sold they had to go one bright spot in the picture with Babe Ruth you sailed to Japan in 1934 leading a team of American League stars to play against the nipones you received a royal welcome the Japanese rightly regarded you and Ruth as Giants of the game the Bambino demonstrated his batting form he missed the first ball then slammed one of his mighty homies but it was only a pleasant [Applause] interview 1937 President Roosevelt tossed out the first ball to start the new season you were 74 years old had the time come to quit not yet you wanted to win one more penal spring training 1939 still pursuing that last pennant could you fashion a pennant winning team out of these players you tried hard but didn't succeed during that season you were taken seriously ill in Boston back to Philadelphia and the hospital was this the end was the Grand Old Man of baseball through it looked that way but you recovered the years rolled by now it was 1946 in spring training you combed the newcomers for material to whip into a championship combination but it was the same old story no Sluggers like Fox and Simmons No pitchers like Lefty Grove you showed the rookies how to handle the ball but you knew before the season began that there would be no pennant this year 1950 you faced the inevitable 88 years old you gave up managership of the Athletics to an oldtime star Jimmy dkes you couldn't have that last pennant but you could look back on a lifetime of unequaled accomplishment in baseball you had received many honors your wife had reason to be proud from Judge Landis to president will harage the leaders of baseball had proclaimed you their peer your old friend Geor M Coan had written the PO pop song in your praise you were Philadelphia's outstanding citizen your work had received International recognition in 1949 the United Nations named you as Sports father of the Year to you had come the highest honor the national Pastime can bestow a place in baseball's Hall of Fame there on a plaque listing The Immortals of the game is the name of Connie Mack placed there in recognition of your half century of leadership although you had never won that last pennant you received something far more precious the title Mr [Music] Baseball the greatest drama was brought to you by the General Tire and rubber company and your friendly General Tire Dealer who sells America's top quality General Tires and tbes leave with us next week at this time when the General Tire and rubber company and your General Tire Dealer presents another chapter from the greatest drama