Prior to Wagner....Connie Mack & Eddie Plank were the anti-Tobacco BB guys

[tedzan]

Honus Wagner has been championed as the anti-Tobacco guy. However, Wagner was a heavy cigar smoker. Be as it may, Wagner was
preceded by Connie Mack, who was a stronger anti-tobacco advocate. Connie talked the talk and walked the walk. He did not smoke or
chew tobacco; and, discouraged his players from smoking.
Furthermore, Connie was very much against alcohol and strictly frowned upon his ballplayers imbibing in it (especially before an important
game).





It is quite interesting that Connie Mack was not featured in any of the major tobacco card sets during the 1909-1912 era (see note).
While quite a few of the non-playing Managers were included (Dahlen, Patsy Donovan, Duffy, Griffith, Jennings, McGraw, etc.) in T-sets
of that era.
Could Mack's absence from these 1909-1912 era sets...T201, T202, T204, T205, T206, T207, T213, T215, T216...be attributable to his
anti-tobacco stand ?

NOTE....here are some of early 20th Century BB card sets featuring Connie Mack......

1902 W600
1909 M101-2
1910 E96 Philadelphia Caramel
1910 E98
1910 E104-1 NADJA....honoring the Philadelphia A's 1910 World Champions
1910-11 M116
1911 Rochester Baking (D359)
1914 Texas Tommy Type 1 (E224)
1914 Texas Tommy Type 2 (E224)
1914 Cracker Jack
1915 Cracker Jack
1916 M101-4
and
1911 Cullivan's Fireside scrap tobacco (card fronts are identical to the E104-1 issue....honoring the Philadelphia A's 1911 World Champions)


This scenario has all the stuff that we have read about regarding Wagner's anti-tobacco claims. OK, why is this most popular Manager not
featured in all those popular T-sets.....tell us your take on this subject ?


TED Z

[GoldenAge50s]

My though would be, that is the EXACT reason! It may be that his stance was so well known that he wasn't even approached or considered for inclusion.

[Buythatcard]

Anti smoking? Here is Honus in 1951.

[Matt]

As I understood it, Honus was anti kids smoking - he felt it was an adult activity. He didn't want kids buying cigarettes to get the cards.

[Trl3789]

Matt-

That was my understanding as well.

[tedzan]

DITTO kiddo....for Connie Mack.

Mack was always anti-tobacco for all ages. Wagner was not the first guy to say make this claim.


TED Z

[wonkaticket]

More Honus smokes...?

[chaddurbin]

reccius wagner! that's old school gatorhal right there...the leland's reprint probably worth big bucks by now also.

[tedzan]

Eddie Plank was one of Connie Mack's favorite guys. Eddie was a farmer from Gettysburg. Eddie did not smoke, nor chew tobacco. And,
he seldom drank alcoholic beverages.

Eddie drove the opposing teams crazy with his slow and deliberate style of pitching. A complete game pitched by Plank would go 2 hours.
That was considerably longer than most typical games played in the early 20th Century.






TED Z

[tedzan]

Opening Day of Shibe Park on April 12, 1909 was a grand occasion. This brand new stadium (later re-named Connie Mack Stadium) boasted the
largest seating capacity of that time.
A capacity crowd of 30,000 fans packed Shibe that day....and, cheered their A's as Eddie Plank coasted to an 8-1 victory. Doc Powers caught
the game, as he had caught 205 of 282 games that Plank pitched since 1901. Eddie Plank preferred Doc as his battery mate.
In the 7th inning, Doc felt a sharp pain in his gut, but continued playing. Upon entering the clubhouse at the end of the game, he collapsed. At
the hospital, Doc's ailment was diagnosed as a severe intestinal blockage. Two weeks later he passed away. Like most of Connie Mack's players,
Powers was a College graduate (Holy Cross). He also attended Notre Dame Univ. He lived in Louisville, KY (hometown of his wife, Florence, and
their three daughters).





TED Z

[Leon]

Had to revive this thread as I came across this rare Stevens Firearms "smoking" version of Connie Mack ....oh the irony!!

[tedzan]

......did you draw that cigarette in his mouth

Someone back about 100 years ago did. I have two very reliable sources that contradict that picture.....

First, an excellent, well-researched, and well written Biography of Connie Mack (by Norman Macht).

And, my interesting conversation with Connie Mack's Grandson, former Florida Senator Connie Mack III.
I met him at the Philadelphia A's Historical Soceity banquet 11 years ago. In the course of our lengthy
conversation, we talked about baseball, politics, and his Granfather.....including his Grandfather's card
collecting interests and the fact that he did NOT endorse or partake of any form of Tobacco.





Connie Mack III signed my A's Golden Jubilee program.



TED Z

[Leon]

Hi Ted
No doubt Connie didn't like tobacco. It is only meant as a joke and no, I didn't draw the cigarette in his mouth. I can't draw that well!! I was just going through some scans today and thought it was funny especially given this recent thread. (which is very good btw)...see ya in a few days!!