Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-19
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW .r FRANCE, ,1Auu
Red Badge of Courage

IN THE 1852 AMERICAN LEAGUE opener the Boston
Red Sox defeated Washington to o. with rookie short
stop who performed WE'LL Especially when it
dered that he always had played centered More espec
ally since it has disclosed that Jim Piersa did
know that he played 50 until the following August
when he woke strapped to bed in the violent Of
the Westborough State Hospital.
This and other details of of the most remarkable
baseball history brought to light in Fedr
Strikes OUT Little Brown Coz, courageous intelligent
yet story of baseball player who
staggering Odds Written by Persa and Al Hrshberg,
it strikes this reader major work in the literary sports
field.
Piersa made countless headlines during the
he played played wild antics confused,
dismayed angered other ball players including team
mates although they delighted the fans No one knew that
he sick boy who since the age OF Is had suffered con-
slant and often violent headaches because he did not know
how relax and to relieve the intensity with which he
played games.
THERE CAME ONE DAY that spring. Persall discloses,
when he Sporting News that Manager Lou Bou
intended experiment with him at shostop in train
ing camp 1t convinced Piersal that the Red Sox didn't
him. that they hoped he would fall that they intended
to him back to the minors otherwise dispose OF him.
After making up his mind to report to Sarasota,
Persa capulaed when his father and his old high school
COACH Bill Tracy begged him not to quit Il told Tracy I'd
60 But I'll fool him and Boudreau and everyone else I'll
go there without my elder glove! han stop every
You can't work out without glove didn't tell
Tracy I'd just promised him I'd report to the
bali club the special training school, When
they that don't have my glove they'll know mean
And so he did and January Is, 1852 approaching the
Sarasota Terrace Hotel where the Red Sox live in Florida
this is how he was thinking This-ust before the big
blackout few minutes later
WHY AM so nervous? I know exactly what I'm
going to do. I'll check in and go upstairs to my
won't talk to anyone except maybe my roommate I'll
have roommate of Maybe he won't be in yet Then
pretty soon I'll CALL maybe from Boureau of the
coaches and they'll tell what time report to Payne
Field
hope it's this afternoon so can get this all with
I'll be given uniform, and I'll get into it. The boys will
be pretty quiet this first day. nobody will notice I'm not
talking to anyone. After while We'll out on the field
Then Boudreau will say
"'Okay Piersal you go to shortstop.'
"And I'll say But don't have glove. How can
go to shortstop?
"And he'll say glove? Then you can't work can youp
"And I'll say NO. can't work.
"And he'll say Well. you might as well go home then!
"And I'll say, might we'll.
And he'll say We really don't want you anyhow. This
business Of shifting you shorstop just let you know
don't want you around"
HE PAID THE TAXI driver PiersalI remembers, and
moved into the hotel lobby with his hat pulled
head lowered and
That's all he remembers of the 1852 season.
The rest he had to learn bit by Bit starting in August
first from the pychiatrs later the wife and mother
Of his four children, and lastly from long
paper clippings How the batting practice pitcher loaned
him his glove and he the job How he had fist fights
twice in the day with Billy Martin of the Yankees
the clubhouse with Maury McDermott then team
mate How he told reporters being back to Brn-
ingham while Clyde volmer remained that Voller can't
blow his nose" How he used to mock and mimick Dom
DiMaggio and abuse umpres surprised him, and did
dozens Of other antics.
took very courageous and intelligent young man to
tell this story not only in print but time after time
gratuousy front of hundreds others who also
from the inner darkness 1t privilege be able
that one knows Jim Piersall