Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-04
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ;, FRANCE, ,7Auu
One Mans Story

SARASOTA FLA MAR. A visitor who has followed
baseball on the Potomac only casually must
that there is uncommonly large alumni body
cavorting in Boston Red Sox uniforms Quite happily, it
might be noted
There is Jackie Jensen, in 1855 drove 116
runs to be cohoder of the American League title And
Mickey Vernon, twice batting champion and the Wash
ngon Senators only 800 hitter last Bob Porter
field positively beamng in his duds and even the
normally dour Johnny Schmitz and Tommy Implicit look
satisfied.
1t is we'll for Chuck Dresser conductor cashenics
at Orlando miles away that he is not person
renowned for thin skim Except for Jensen all OF the other
fugves from Washington regard themselves as having
been liberated from Cal Grif1th's little dynamo.
Last year lost for me-" Porterhed was
saying Il would rather not try to explain"
visitor tried another tack. What" he asked pointing
to B-o-s--o-n spelled the pitchers chest docs
that stand for?"
more and money" Porterfeld grinned.
IT WAS NO GREAT secret that Portereld schmitz and
Maury McDermott, who escaped to the Yankees, were
unhappy under Manager Dresser m this much for the
fellow" Portereld conceded, che knows his baseball But
that year-a lost year-as far concerned
Bucky Harris who rescued Bob from Kansas City
in 1851 Portered became the Senators biggest winner In
1885, indeed he became the American Leagues leading
pitcher with % wins 10 losses Last under Dresser
he slumped to 10 wins II defeats. e4
IT don't want to the prevented from pitching
better Bob said, carefully refraning from mentioning
by TITS just that couldn't get out Of rut
with him.
"I tried to win, don't get wrong. The Washington
club treated fine. The fellows nice bunch of
guys If they couldn't hit much dunno maybe twas
his style Of handling players That seemed wrong to me-
COUPLE OF WRITERS from New York. fresh off an
interview with McDermo and therefore unsurpassed pressed
Bob for details
when did you decide that 1855 wasn't going to be
happy year for you?" he asked
Bob kicked with his spikes II guess the FIRST
day reported to orlando he replied II guess it
of too much letter T. in his vocabulary Shucks the
first day reported worked from $3.50 in the morning
until 43O in the afternoon didn't object to the long
workout My ear must have been bent too long"
Porterfed is liking the idea OF pitching for club with
such htters Ted Williams, Jensen, Billy Goodman and
Vernon "They spell out runs" he mused
What will those added mean in games you hgure
to win?"
Eight TO- I'd guess" Bob said. II might hit that
eftfeld fence in Boston few times myself
NEVER A LUCKY PITCHER, Porterfed thinks things
are coming way last During his he has suf
arm broken head with several clusters and
other injuries But got to feeling that
jinxed anything like that he said When you feel
that way you might as well quit
How did you learn Of your trade to Boston?" inter-
viewer asked Did the Senators call your
mo. I at home in Princeton, w. Va, when Burt
Hawkins of Washington Star phoned He started by
saying
Bob, start packing. You've been traded
"'That'S greatp burted out. Where do co.?
""To the Red Sox, he Said and man, felt great
didn't where traded just long but
Boston was better than expected"
did you telephone Vernon of the others involved
in the trader"
mo" Bob grinned "but sent Vernon wire of
graulatons long afterward received the kind
Of wire from Vernon Those two kilograms crossed each
transmission"