Evening star., 1939-08-08
D. C.. Youth of II PoroIIeIinq
FeIIer's Early Career With
Sensational Victories
BY LEWIS ATCHISON.

Another major league pitching
star whose career at this stage par
allels the diamond saga of Bob
Feller, sensational Cleveland hurler
Is on his way up the golden ladder
If the recent mound efforts of IT.
year-old Joe Wells are a criterion
And if the fulfillment of the prom
Use he shows depends on ambition
and determination the kidll make
the grade with pleAty to spare.
A southpaw blessed with a long,
loose arm that whips the ball plate
ward with smoking speed, an arm
that seems never to tire, young Joe
has two burning ambitions. and the
more important is to be big league
ballplayer. He'd like to go to COL
lege, too, having been graduate
from Woodrow Wilson High last
June, but If going to college inter-
feres with his diamond career he'll
pause in the pursuit Of higher edu-
cation.
Father His Coach.
To have a true parallel of the
Feller success story we need father
to coach the son, and we have in
Joe, sr., a strapping individual who
owns seafood and poultry business,
a hearty laugh and store of base
ball knowledge that stands young
Joe in good stead. Papa Wells was
third baseman, but he dons the
heavy mitt whenever Joe feels like
chucking a few, and has taught the
boy more than a few tricks. Joe, sr.
did most Of his playing down in
Cuba, but that's getting ahead of
the story.
Young Joe. who pitches at pres
ent for Holbrook Dairy chalked up
one of his most notable victories of
the season last Sunday, bringing the
Virginia Red SoX to a grinding halt
with four-hit, 90 performance
His opponent was Tommy Doonis,
no slouch himself on the mound.
Three weeks ago Wells famed 18
Naiman Photographer batters and
parted with solitary bingle in going
10 innings to IL stalemate. The
week after he famed % BerWyn
batters, was nicked for only two hits
and scored 90 victory.
He stopped the White Oaks nine
OF Fredericksburg, Va, and only last
week in night game brought Lu
Blues Schoolboys up short with a
one-hit effort. tanning 81 men and
winning by 100. His record for the
season is II victories against two
defeats. which is pitching IN any
mans league.
Papa Wells says the boy literally
lives baseball, although he still finds
time for an occasional game of ten
mis- and is fair golfer. He thinks
Joe might be better in these sports
if he concentrated on them, but Is
content to let him follow his natural
bent for baseball.
Had Hot Career in Cuba.
The senior Wells spent the better
part of his playing days at third for
the old Antilla, Cuba, professionals.
and it was a hot job IN more ways
than one because he managed the
team. 1t was q road club that toured
the island, playing wherever it could
obtain bookings. And big Joe
chuckled yesterday when he recalled
that some of the games ended to
the staccato of pistols handled by
angry Cubans. The proper way to
protest an umpire's decision in those
days was to shoot at him, 1t seems.
Fortunately. the Cubans' aim was
no better than their tempers, ana
casualties were few.
Incidentally reminded the
father, Joe was born in Cuba while
was American Consul at Antilla."
so he never can be President"
we remembered from our civics.
Its all right with joe" his dad
laughed. He'd rather be big
league pitcher