Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-07
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ;, FRANCE; ,rA~u
Memories Are Made of This
By FRANCIS sTANN

remembers best is coming to washington as rookie
winning IA and almost pitching the Senators to the
League pennant The part would like to forget
the years that followed when he his kester
in the bulpen while the rust his accumulated.
I'm guy who has to work. Marine said in the
Phllies' training camp IF club works whether it's
in the majors minors, usually win"
Remember Marine Pieretti? He's the little Highlander
the Senators bought in 1s45 after Perett had IS
games for Portland wartime pitcher they called him.
A stopgap until the big boys marching home.
"And when they did come back" Marine shrugged as
he poured himself into his uniform nobody bothered
to could beat than 4Fs That fellow in the
next is the first in II who is going to give
a chance"
Manager Mayo Smith of the Philes the fellow in
the next room, and he that Pieret a. going
to receive opportunity 1--WE followed him since he
went back to the Coast League Smith said, land
sonay secuted him when he pitched in the Cuban Winter
League Personally think he start, relieve and win
for us" Il
# $3.50 za@
PIERETTI is A BETTER pitcher than in As,
Smith thinks Hes got slider and sinke the Phlies
manager said he keeps the ball low He 10 games
Sacramento last bought him conditonaly
Physically Pierett has changed little since he first
Joined There smatterng of gray in his
short black hair his body remains that Of junior
grade weight-fter holdover from his youth when the
Iaanborn Marine conked steers over the head with an
8-pound sledge hammer in a San Francisco abbator
do you remember the rs race?" he asked 1--WE fooled
Mr. Griffith by making a for the pennant He had
leased his park to the Redskins and we had to finish
home four days early Remember how we sat
at home and hoped that Detroit would lose in ST. Louis
we'd tie for the top?
"our final game September %. 1t was my Gath
birthday pitched and beat the Philadelphia Athletics
AS. That my 14th win.
"I never started again until September co. 1896 almost
exactly one year later Then beat the White Sox.
TO A MAN WHO thrves work Che pitched an in
credible 1851 innings in the Pei the last Ave seasons) it
was patiently unfair and unwise not to use him. But the
Cnpo and
Marine also pitched sparngy although over one
stretch he beat Washington three times running
81 came up with arm in 1s4s," Pierett said.
Cleveland gave me cup of coffee in so and sent
back to the Coast had my operated on and for the
next 16 games pitched with novocaine In It, Then
didn't need the stuff any more and won 81 games in the
last five seasons. That's better than IS year.
IT think Mayo is right when he says I'm better
pitcher now takes injury to teach a
guy how pitch When young used to try to take
care every hitter by myself Now I'm older and realize
there are guys behind who will handle just about
everything they get their hands on"
For such little man (5-foot-7 1873 pounds Marine
still throws uncommonly fast ball and in his youth
he threw nothing but hard ones Swift as they were
Pieretti got his Jumps occasions.
THERE WAS ONE MEMORABLE night in ls45 that he
remembers II beat the Yankees and feeling pretty
cocky he said "On the way to the dressing room man
who had been talking to ossie Bluege, our manager,
stopped me-
'''son' he said how can such little fellow throw
hard?
"'I eat the spaghetti I said, and walked on.
"'Do you know who that was? guy asked me- That
was Walter Johnson
81 felt terrible went back and apoogized.
az didn't know who you were Mr.. Johnson, said
"'Thats all right, son. he said. When you get old
like am, people forget you
"He was real nice man. You could tell that he was
very sick, too"
ON THE STRENGTH of his IA wins rookie, Marine
returned Grhs original contract In the winter Of
46 and asked for raise Nothing happened
lone day" Piereth said IT read in San Francisco
paper where Mr. johnson had died wrote check for $40
and mailed it to Mr. Griffith, along with note asking him
to buy flowers.
"a few days later received letter. In it was new
contract This voluntary raise, Mr.. Griffith wrote.
also returning check which arrived too late
buy flowers for Walters funeral have endorsed the
check back to you Keep it, and If you need money
help while am living this piece of will bring It,
ANY young ball player who would do small thing
like you did must be deserving"