New-York tribune., 1918-05-12
Fcnce-Buster Realizes Anlbi-
ton in Becoming One
of Yankees
By Wood Ballard

In the great American pastime.
Ping was a big part of the show that
afternoon on the old hilltop grounds
OF the New York American leaguers.
He played to the gallery, which in
baseball parlance means the bleachers.
And A;ad.d the ps gallery gGds ksd ssad it ths and
popular with the New York fans who
sit in the sun seats, no matter in
what uniform he appeared. This is
one of Pings big assets. He is the
Corse Payton of baseball.
There Is an anthropoid stoop to
Pings broad shoulders, which seems
to lengthen his long, dangling arms,
which dangle the more as he trots to
and from his place in the outdeld,
head lowered and wagging from side
to side. And in unison with dangling
arms and wagging head Pings power
1ul jaws are ever opening and closing
On big wad of gum. BY these signs
one may always recognize Bodie.
These characteristics may have been
affected in his early baseball days to
attract the attention of the gallery,
for Ping is something of an actor.
However, they are a part of him nav
therefore, please Ping. If the boxes
or the orchestra have any interest for
Bodie he hides the fact fairly we'll.
Explains His Nickname
All of US have name wished on US
early in life and we usually know
where to place the responsibility. Very
few Of US are handed a moniker later
unless we know from where it comes.
From Francisco Pezzolo to Ping Bodie
is q long way, about as long as from
Tipperary to Berlin, but Ping plays
just as good, or bad, baseball under one
name as the other. Frank S. Pezzolo
he is in private life and he was born
in Frisco in 1887. Ping Bodie is his
stage name. Ping needs stage name.
Pezzolo wouldn't look we'll in box
score.
"My folks bought a house when
was a youngster from a man named
Dwyer," says Bodie in explanation.
"The Dryers had boy, Jack, about my
age, whose nickname was Ping. When
we moved into the house and Jack
moved out he left the Ping behind him
and the neighbors hung it on me. AS
for the Bodie l don't know. Some bloke
must have wished 1t on me when l be-
gan playing ball. Anyway, by this
time it's mine. | couldn't get rid of
1t If / wanted to-"
Bodies personality also has much to
pOSSO66C6
even temper that wins. He is con-
genial, a great mixer and likes to talk,
and he can be entertaining in base
ball way.
And Bodie is ball player who plays
the game for the love of it. He is en-
thusiastic about his work and jealous
of his records. He is product of the
sand lots Of Frisco and began his pro-
fessional career as an infelder in 1905
in the California outlaw league. After
one year he was transferred to the out
the San Francisco club of the Pacific
Coast League.
Batted Way to Fame
Any fan on the Coast will tell you
what great ball player Ping is. In
tional fame when he piled up thirty
home runs to his credit during the sea-
son. 1t was at this time that he at
tracted the attention of Jimmy Cal
lahan, with the result that Ping was
drafted and the next year wore the
spangles Of the Chicago White Sox.
1t was quite some journey from Tele-
graph Hill to the White Sox. And yet
Ping made it.. His most ambitious
dream was realized-he was now big
Lacquer. Telegraph Hill. be it known,
Is that section Of San francisco where
Ping was reared; the Little Italy of the
Pacific Coast capital 1t was there that
Ping had his first dreams of baseball
fans while he played under the shadows
Of the bluffs which make Coogan's
rocks dwindle into insignihcance in
comparison.
In those days the pitcher was COM
PEELED to stand away up on the hill
side and toss the ball to the batter
down in hollow 1t took mighty
swailop to produce base hit, and un-
less the runner was unusually fast the
ball would bound back into the first
baseman'H init before the batsman
could arrive at the initial station. It
was there that Ping developed those
powerful arms and shoulders which
have done him many u good turn since
he became member Of the select few.
Walked Ten Miles to Play
And then came the intersectional
gameS of the Frisco gangs, when the
gang from Vallejo Street would travel
al! the way from Telegraph Hill ten
miles across to the Mission to clash
with the gang of Butchertown. Ping
was in his glory in those days. The
ten miles meant little or nothing. There
was ball game at the other end. If
the gang couldn't jump trucks or
wagons they walked. These were the
early training days Of young Bodie.
he was ready for his work when heI
reached Chicago. And he made good.
The first two years bodie was with
the White Sox he was big success. |
He was drawing card from a box
office standpoint. He didn't make
thirty circuit clouts, but he made thir-
teen the first year and seven the Sec
ond and be batted .2SS and .294. After
that Ping began to fade. Some saw he
had trouble with Callahan. It is GER
tain that there was friction on th6
team. Tho result was that at the
close of the 1914 season Bodie went
back to, the San Francisco club to re-
sumo his fence-breaking, and this he
did with vengeance.
with the Coast League during the
years 1915 and 1916 Ping went back 10
his old habits. His home run wallons
were nineteen and twenty rcspectivcfv
and he landed on the ball for averau 90,
OF .S2h and 1903. He was such demon
with the ash that Connie Mack recalled
aim from the bushes and put him IN
Work In the outtield for the Athietics
Ihat was last year. Ping was tho sams
oic iavorite every time he came In the
soio Grounds. He batted for an nv.
erage OF POI, better than any memher
Of the Yankee team, and led the lsso,a
with thirty-two assists.
Husgins Man@uvres for Pinr
When Miller Huggins was engaged
20 manage the New York Americans His
nres efforts were devoted to strcn 9Th
cnang tho weak spots In the club Of
the year before. Among the thtro. + ~