Let's go for four in this sequence of stories, even if we start wandering away from Zeke Bonura and Jimmy Dykes.
This one is from the creation of Connie Mack's support staff in his dotage. Mack and former star Al Simmons are talking contract.
The elderly Mack: "You know, Al, that there will always be a place for you with this team."
Simmons: "Yeah, but would you make sure your sons know that?"
Showing posts with label Connie Mack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Connie Mack. Show all posts
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Sunday, January 28, 2018
The Sunday Funnies
Having told a couple of Zeke Bonura stories, let's milk Jimmy Dykes -- almost certainly the source of those two -- for another.
A bit of background: Dykes had a long playing career, mostly with the Philadelphia Athletics -- he held the Athletics franchise record for games played for decades until Bert Campaneris broke it in Oakland -- and was part of the core of Connie Mack's second dynasty.
The 1929-31 Athletics won two World Series and lost the third in seven games. Dykes wasn't at the level of Hall of Fame teammates Lefty Grove, Jimmy Foxx, Mickey Cochrane and Al Simmons, but he wasn't far off. (Neither were Max Bishop, George Earnshaw, Bing Miller and Mule Haas; it was a legitimately great team.)
But it was the Depression, and Mack sold off his stars after losing the 1931 Series -- Grove and Foxx to the Red Sox, Cochrane to Detroit, Simmons, Earnshaw and Dykes to the White Sox. A few years later, Dykes became the player manager with the Sox, then transtioned to bench manager. He held the job through World War II, then got canned during the 1946 season.
Dykes never finished higher than third with Chicago, but was regarded as a good manager; the sense was that he got more out of the limited talent he had than most would have (probably true). Meanwhile, the aging Mack was presiding over a continuing decline in fortunes in Philadelphia. The 1946 A's went 49-105, and the team had lost at least 90 games every year but one in the decade.
While nobody could fire Mack -- he also owned the team -- and he was determined to get 50 years in as manager, his sons knew they had to do something.
So they rebanded some of the dynastic disapora. Cochrane returned to serve as general manager. Simmons was brought back for the coaching staff. And Dykes was offered a position as "associate manager." Mack, well into his 80s, would be, in effect, a figurehead; Dykes would be doing the day-to-day work. (Dykes got the team back above .500 the next three years.)
The deal was struck, and all that remained was the formalities. Dykes was ushered into Mack's office to be reunited with the old man who had launched his career so many years before.
"Jimmy," Mack began, "I can't afford to pay you what you deserve."
"Jeeze," replied Dykes, "do we have to pick up right where we left off?"
A bit of background: Dykes had a long playing career, mostly with the Philadelphia Athletics -- he held the Athletics franchise record for games played for decades until Bert Campaneris broke it in Oakland -- and was part of the core of Connie Mack's second dynasty.
The 1929-31 Athletics won two World Series and lost the third in seven games. Dykes wasn't at the level of Hall of Fame teammates Lefty Grove, Jimmy Foxx, Mickey Cochrane and Al Simmons, but he wasn't far off. (Neither were Max Bishop, George Earnshaw, Bing Miller and Mule Haas; it was a legitimately great team.)
But it was the Depression, and Mack sold off his stars after losing the 1931 Series -- Grove and Foxx to the Red Sox, Cochrane to Detroit, Simmons, Earnshaw and Dykes to the White Sox. A few years later, Dykes became the player manager with the Sox, then transtioned to bench manager. He held the job through World War II, then got canned during the 1946 season.
Dykes never finished higher than third with Chicago, but was regarded as a good manager; the sense was that he got more out of the limited talent he had than most would have (probably true). Meanwhile, the aging Mack was presiding over a continuing decline in fortunes in Philadelphia. The 1946 A's went 49-105, and the team had lost at least 90 games every year but one in the decade.
While nobody could fire Mack -- he also owned the team -- and he was determined to get 50 years in as manager, his sons knew they had to do something.
So they rebanded some of the dynastic disapora. Cochrane returned to serve as general manager. Simmons was brought back for the coaching staff. And Dykes was offered a position as "associate manager." Mack, well into his 80s, would be, in effect, a figurehead; Dykes would be doing the day-to-day work. (Dykes got the team back above .500 the next three years.)
The deal was struck, and all that remained was the formalities. Dykes was ushered into Mack's office to be reunited with the old man who had launched his career so many years before.
"Jimmy," Mack began, "I can't afford to pay you what you deserve."
"Jeeze," replied Dykes, "do we have to pick up right where we left off?"
Monday, July 20, 2015
More on team histories
I had intended to continue the "contemplating" series today with an examination of the starting rotation, but after watching too much of Sunday's fiasco I can't bring myself to do it.
So I'll chase this minor tangent instead.
Last week I beefed here about the Twins paying short shrift to their Washington era roots, and specifically the legendary Walter Johnson. On Sunday evening this tweet crossed my timeline:
They're obviously just talking the Oakland era for the Athletics -- which is now a fairly lengthy one, since the A's have been there since 1968. Because the A's were also the team, in an era so long ago even I hadn't been born yet, of one Connie Mack. Mack managed the A's for 50 seasons, 1901 through 1950, winning 3,582 regular season games, copping nine pennants and five World Series titles.
It obviously helped Mack that he was the team owner down the stretch of his managerial run. He hung around a lot longer than he otherwise would have; his last truly good season was 1932, when he was already 69 years old and his three-time pennant winners fell to second place. Then came 18 seasons of, basically, lousy teams. They pulled his career record well below .500. (With three seasons as Pittsburgh manager before the American League was born, Mack has a record of 3,731 wins and 3,948 losses. Both are records that are unlikely to be approached.)
Connie Mack in his day was a legend, and to leave him off the franchise managerial list because the franchise was on the other side of the continent in his day is, again, to deny history.
So I'll chase this minor tangent instead.
Last week I beefed here about the Twins paying short shrift to their Washington era roots, and specifically the legendary Walter Johnson. On Sunday evening this tweet crossed my timeline:
Bob Melvin won his 368th game with the A's, tying him for 3rd on team's all-time list with Ken Macha. Art Howe - 600, Tony La Russa - 798..
— TwinsRadio (@TwinsRadio) July 19, 2015
They're obviously just talking the Oakland era for the Athletics -- which is now a fairly lengthy one, since the A's have been there since 1968. Because the A's were also the team, in an era so long ago even I hadn't been born yet, of one Connie Mack. Mack managed the A's for 50 seasons, 1901 through 1950, winning 3,582 regular season games, copping nine pennants and five World Series titles.
It obviously helped Mack that he was the team owner down the stretch of his managerial run. He hung around a lot longer than he otherwise would have; his last truly good season was 1932, when he was already 69 years old and his three-time pennant winners fell to second place. Then came 18 seasons of, basically, lousy teams. They pulled his career record well below .500. (With three seasons as Pittsburgh manager before the American League was born, Mack has a record of 3,731 wins and 3,948 losses. Both are records that are unlikely to be approached.)
Connie Mack in his day was a legend, and to leave him off the franchise managerial list because the franchise was on the other side of the continent in his day is, again, to deny history.
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