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Show . SPOfi T LIGHT 1 Connie and Lonnie and Mack By GRANTLAND RICE SEVENTY-FOUR years ago kid of 13 saw Aristides win tha first Kentucky Derby. His name is Matt Winn, now nearly 88 years old. Seventy years ago, another kid showed up in one of the minor mi eastern ball parks, possibly Pittsfleld, as a lean, lank scrawny catcher. His name is Connie Mack, now 86 years old. Also some 70 years ago a high school kid did some pitching and play- new shoots are stronger and livelier live-lier than ever. My soul is more luminous lu-minous when my body powers begin be-gin to fall The snows of winter may be on my head, but the sunshine sun-shine of eternal spring It In my heart." This is the answer to Winn, Mack and Stagg "The snows of winter may be on their heads, but the sunshine sun-shine of eternal spring is in their ; hearts." They never look behind. They look only to the days and yean ahead. The past is dust. It la only tomorrow that matters. This keeps 'em young. The Big Year Unless an unexpected Jolt arrives at some early date, Messrs. Winn and Mack both figure that 1949 may be the best year either has ever known. Colonel Winn la certain that his Derby will lure more than 100,000 spectators into his stands, and set a new mark. There seems to be grave doubt in many centers that any Kentucky Derby ever drew 100,000 Tans. Two years ago this doubt waa expressed In loud tones. I asketf Colonel Winn for the correct figures. "I'll tell you," he said. "Tell those who doubt the figures that I will be glad to bet $10,000 that we had 100,000 or more spectators, and if they care to take the bet, I'll guarantee to prove it to their complete com-plete satisfaction." No one cared to take the bet. Derby Day at Churchill Downs la beyond description. You can call the place a madhouse and then retire. But for all that, it is a terrific ter-rific show, due largely to tradition and the showmanship of Colonel Matt Winn. The amazing feature Is that so many take their beating, year after year, and come back for more. So far as competition goes, 1949 has everything It takes U build up Interest with the possl bility or probability of a big. well-balanced field. The next two weeks will tell us more about this. In the same way, Connie Mack believes be has a good chance to win the American league flag again. He makes no pennant predictions, pre-dictions, but he will explain to you that if one or two things happen, his Athletics will be in front at the finish. He fully expects to be running run-ning one-two-three down the stretch in September, and this time he s equipped with reserves to handle bad breaks. ing end before he Grantland Rice entered Yale. His name is Alonzo Stagg, also set at the tender age of 86. Here are three men who might have the slogan, "Life can begin at any age, but it only warms up In the 80s." For Matt Winn is handling the production act for the 75th Kentucky Derby, the greatest of them all in the words and mind of this Incredible turfman. At the same time, Connie Mack Is dreaming of bis 10th pennant, actively In charge of ball club that has chanee to win with just a few lucky spins from the wheel of chance. And with Messrs. Winn and Mack featured entries in racing and baseball, Lonnie Stagg is actively helping young Lonnie, his son, to teach the young men in a Pennsylvania Pennsyl-vania college how to tackle, block, run and throw passes. Here are three men who can lay claim to a total of 260 years and are not only actively connected with sport, but in two instances, Winn and Mack, with the biggest shows of the year. This has never happened before. be-fore. Certainly no two men at the ages of 86 and 88 have played such leading roles In sport, and Stagg, at 86, Is probably prob-ably In better condition than either. At a party one night in Los Angeles An-geles two years ago, I recall the block that Stagg put on the burly Curly Lambeau, explaining some play, as the big man, then coach of the Green Bay Packers, showed his astonishment, Connie Mack said, "I think I'll leave for my seat before I get killed." It was Victor Hugo who wrote, in effect "I feel in myself the future life. I am like a forest that more than once has been cut down. The |