Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-20
WIN, LOSE OR
UKAW BY FRANCIS s1ANN
Fear Strikes Out

LAKE WORTH, Fla, Feb 2O-Probably never in the
history of baseball there story like Jim Persals.
Maybe you've read the notable book Fear Strikes OUT In
it Piersan superb defensive outelder for the Red sox
admitted he lost his memory for entire Now it is
movie that Paramount is releasing and Jim, sitting just
off the first Worths tournament champions
talking about it.
1T really isn't baseball movie" Persal said "and I'm
not trying to plug it, either because don't figure any
profits it may make But preview and it's
ably accurate picture human interest story The kid who
plays Tony Perkins, does whale of ob He is ball
player and he left handed BESIDES but after all the
and the story that inspired it isn't really baseball said"
In the spring of 1852 the gifted Persa reported to BoS
tons training camp at Sarasota Fa registered at the hotel
desk and then drew complete blank Lacking shortstop
that Manager Lou Boudreau put Persa the spot
lie played the born but can't 1t by jim
Il don't remember playing short once" Piersa said
Hold it minute. Once made throw that struck base
runner the back. There rhubarb came out of
the fog momentariy Later after got WELL Gil McDougad
of the Yankees told that he the who hit by
my throw"
PIERsALLs is ONE of the strangest and yet heart
warming stories in baseball On opening day in Washington
in SO he the Red sox shortop He made all the plays
charging the balls straight at him. going deep into the HOLE
handling the relays from the oueld and batting we'll But
he doesn't remember doing all this.
"One day-ths after recoveredPhil Rizzuto said
to Jm looked like natural at shortstop Now that's
praise from Caesar but looked at him blanky Shorstop?
didn't even know that I'd played the position
I'm the movie Joe Cronn is the field manager, not Boud
Lou wanted Paramount money but Cronn, like Mr.
XaWkey, donated.
they operated and am eternaly grateful
"Cronn and Yawkey were wonderful to me when was
sick AS general of the Red Sox Cronn shipped
to Birmingham in SO because nuisance hit
339 down there although don't remember it, squrted at
umpres with water pistol and did lot of crazy things but
didn't know it. My mind a complete blank Later
learned that had done those things My wife kept
paper clippings, which was allowed to read"
THE GoobLooKING FRENCHMAN from Waterbury
Conn, hospitazed in the summer of So A head
honop N ipfor
from Mexico Anyway, he talked like Des Arnez"
Jim says, land he wonderful BY october sprung
and Mr. Yawkey sent me to Sarasota early in the winter
Of 49,"
The book that made into movie? made notes
after each day. Still do When I sat with AL Hrsch-
berg who wrote the book, simply handed him what I'd
scrawled"
Piersa one Red Soxer who has no complaints against
the omes criticized Boston press Those guys kind
to me- Jim declared. I'm 49, after I'd come out of my
trance was hitting only 100 for two months None of the
Boston newspaper guys got on neck and the fans in
Boston wonderful.
81 had hard time and that was in Washington
was playing centerfeld and there guy in his cups
keeps talking to
you're crazyp he yelled. You are really crazy,
Then knew was all right. didn't blow up The
words bounced right off me-"
THE INTERVIEWER ASKED, Weren't you a little rough
on your dad in the book? You made him an OGRE
I was rough on him in the book. In the movie he's
portrayed in charitable light Actually here is what
happened-Dad was good guy who didn't have much and
wanted to do better than he SO he sort of pushed
and sort OF resisted But during and after my sickness we
grew together, II you know what mean. Dad and are
closer today than we've BEEN"
One thing Persa didn't mention is that on the occasion
the Griffith Stadium customer kept calling him crazy Jim
made what might have been the play Of the year WASH
ington There was tw-ngh doubleheader and PiersaIl
made six hits although they secondary Importance
Persall actual caught home run for putout!
Jim Lemon hit the ball. 1t was headed for the CENTER
field stands Piersal took peek raced back and with
leap ne hooked his right hand the top barrier With
his gloved hand he caught the ball. More astounding was
tne iact that Persa practically took the ball out of his
hecklers lap.
This Is very frank young man, Persa. Voluntarily
he says i've been asked I'm afraid OF recurrence Sure
am It's like when you break leg You wonder you'll
break 1t again."