A sports scribe goes along and meets quite a number of individuals in his career such as Don Bacon, the manager of the highflying Clinton C-Sox. Unless a survey contradicts the statement, Don's C-Sox are leading the nation. When his club came to the Davenport Muny Stadium Tuesday night, it had won 13 out of 14. When it departed Wednesday night the score was 14 nut of 15. "You can't be that good as a manager," I cracked to Don in his dressing room at the stadium. "Man, I knew you when you battled for a job as a shortstop-second sacker in this park. "What has happened to you in the meantime?" He had nothing but a good chuckle. Lver near ot iuck ana a line combination ot Kiasr ne snoi back. Well, that's a nice way to put it, as the manager of the leading team in the Midwest League did. Don started in Organized Baseball in 1955 at Colorado Springs in the Chicago W hite Sox chain. He had attended Oklahoma State for two years. He forsook the collegiate field when the White Sox bent a finger his way. He was a third baseman then. He went to shortstop which position he held with Waterloo in 1956. In 1957 he spent his time between Colorado Springs and Davenport, and in 1958 he was a shortstop with the local club. "So you were shifted around, huh?" I mentioned. Don, a very likable young fellow, shook his head in agreement. "I played shortstop with Charleston and with Lincoln in 1959," he stated. "Then in I960 I was in voluntary retirement." He was debating with himself whether or not he should continue in baseball. "I had to make a decision, and I did," he said at the Muny Stadium. "I could not forget baseball. That was my game." In 1961 he played third base and second at Charleston, and in 19fi2 he was at second base with Savannah, Georgia, of the Double AA Sally League. Then came the step. "How come you became a manager?" I asked. "Wouldn't it be easier selling bonds or owning a taxi-cab service?" Don, a fellow with a ready smile, agreed it might be. "But there is something about baseball that gets ut jour blood," he explained. "When the bug bites you, that's it." Don might have continued as a player for a few more years. The parent club, the Chicago White Sox, was willing. "I talked to Glen Miller (the farm director of the Sox) one day," Don stated. "I mentioned a few things about staying in baseball. "One day I got a call from him, and so here I am as the j manager of the Clinton C-Sox." Took a look at the trim individual. No tummy bulge on him. Personally I don't think he has put on a pound since his playing days at the Davenport Muny Stadium. " As of this interview, Don Bacon is 5 feet 9 and ISO pounds. And, at age 27, he is one of the youngest managers in Organized Baseball. "How are you taking all these things?" was the next question I IPORT CHATS