Mack attended Case School of Applied Science, now known as Case Western Reserve University, where he was known as an outstanding football player, earning the nickname the "Case Ace.[1]" In fact, he was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1938 NFL draft, but declined professional football to play his passion of baseball.[1][2] After playing semipro baseball, we was eventually scouted and signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1938.
Mack ended with a .966 career fielding percentage and helped complete 597 double plays. He saved Bob Feller's 1940 opening dayno-hitter with a diving stop on the final out. After the 1946 season, Mack was traded to the Yankees by new Indians' owner Bill Veeck.[4] It was one of many deals orchestrated by Veeck, but in it Cleveland obtained pitcherGene Bearden, who would pitch the Tribe to the 1948 pennant as a rookie.
