World War II Chronicle: December 20, 1942
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Eddie Rickenbacker tells his story of drifting across the Pacific Ocean on the front page… George Fielding Eliot column on page 12… War’s 172nd week summarized on page 29… On page 31, Fort Knox tankers are undergoing tests on endurance in extreme heat and cold conditions…
Sports section begins on page 35, featuring an interview with Philadelphia Athletics owner and manager Connie Mack on who he considered the greatest all-around ballplayer. He named Jimmie Foxx, Jimmy Dykes, Babe Ruth, Nap Lajoie, and — going all the way back to the 1880s — Charley Ferguson. The Grand Old Man of Baseball is two days shy of turning 80 and began his pro career catching for the Washington Nationals in 1886.
If you’ve ever wondered where the Oakland A’s elephant came from, here’s the story: John McGraw was player, manager, and part owner of the American League’s Baltimore Orioles, but was suspended during the 1902 season. He defected to the National League’s New York Giants and, while bad-mouthing the American League, specifically targeted the Philadelphia Athletics who were putting up big money to sign talent. McGraw called the A’s a “white elephant,” meaning that while the club looked impressive, all the expensive contracts would sink the team. Mack had a sense of humor so the elephant became adopted the elephant as a symbol for the team and became a logo on their jerseys.
Mack was famously reserved and McGraw was famously rowdy. Both had Irish immigrant fathers who fought for the Union in the Civil War and were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1937. Mack is the all-time winningest manager with 3,731 and for nearly a century McGraw’s 2,763 victories put him in second place (Tony LaRussa surpassed his total in 2021). Mack thought so highly of his rival’s managerial skills that he said, “There has only been one manager — and his name is McGraw.” The two managers faced each other three times in the World Series: McGraw beat Mack in 1905, but Mack defeated McGraw in 1911 and 1913. McGraw retired in 1932 but was called back one last time in 1933 to face Mack in baseball’s first-ever All-Star Game…
Looking back to baseball in 1902, the sport looked quite different than it is today. The American League was only in its second season (hence the nickname “junior circuit” to the National League’s “senior circuit”) and the first World Series wouldn’t be played until next year. Back then, the Cleveland Indians were called the Bronchos (next season they become the Napoleons, named after Nap Lajoie). The Yankees didn’t even exist yet; the New York Highlanders are formed in 1903 after the collapse of the Orioles when McGraw takes many of his players with him to the Giants. The Boston’s Red Sox are the Americans and the Braves are the Beaneaters. The Brooklyn Dodgers are the Superbas. The Chicago Cubs go by the Orphans.
“District Fighting Men” on page 65…
Evening star. (Washington, D.C.), 18 December 1942. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1942-12-20/ed-1/
