The Daily Alaska Empire

PARKER GOING TO STICK WITH CONNIE'S TEAM
Duke's All-American Gridder Quits Books for Season of Baseball

By J. P. McKNIGHT
MEXICO CITY, April 6.—Football made Clarence (Ace) Parker famous—but he likes baseball better.
Duke University's 1936 all-America backfield star has put off getting his college degree to try out for Connie Mack's 1937 Philadelphia Athletics.
He has been shaping up nicely, too, down here under the hot Mexican sun, and, were it not for the brilliant Wally Moses who recently came to terms, Parker might well be playing right field for the Macks this season.
Even so, it seems likely Parker's name will adorn the Athletics roster, for Mack, building for the future, likes the 24-year-old collegian's looks.
"I'll take baseball over football any time," the soft-spoken lad from Portsmouth, Va., said as he made ready to take his cut in batting practice.
"When Mr. Mack offered me the chance to take this training trip with the team, it didn't take me long to decide to drop my books. I'll go back to Duke to finish up next winter."
While Moses held out for more money, Parker got his opportunity to play with the regulars in exhibition games down here.
The result was quickly evident in his increased self-confidence. Fast on his feet, quick of reaction, sure of muscular coordination, the Southerner covered acres of territory in right field, rifled unerring throws to the infield and ran bases to Mr. Mack's entire satisfaction.
He had, in the earlier stages of training, one weakness: He hit too often at wide, high balls.
Two fellow Duke products and brother Sigma Chi fraternity members—First-baseman "Chubby" Dean and Third-baseman Bill Werber—got to work on him, however, with the result that Ace has been looking 'em over to better purpose.