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THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF PEPPER PAIRE:

ROMEOS AND JULIETTE

By John B. Holway

One night in 1952 I got five hits and drove in seven runs. The headline next day read, "Connie Wiesnewski Hit Five Times by Pitcher." I had refused to go out with Heinie Martin, the sports writer, and he never forgot it.

In the winter I worked in Howard Hughes Aircraft Company. He used to visit the lab reguarly. He called us by our first names, and I thought he was going to ask me out, he kept talking about movies and asking me if I knew any good restaurants. But he never did.. If he had, I might be a millionaire now -- yes, and with a lot of psychological problems.

In 1953 Bill Allington was our coach. He was TOUGH -- "mean" is more like it. He was a handsome man, lean and wiry with beautiful silver wavy hair. He had a reputation with the ladies, and I think he wanted me on the list.

One night I had a bunch of my old buddies up to my room, along with some local guys. We were dancing and drinking beer, a hot, humid night, and some of the guests were sitting out on the roof. There was a knock on the door, and there stood Bill.

I guess a couple of beer cans had sort of rolled off the roof -- accidentally, of course -- and hit a taxi cab, and the cops called Bill. He broke up the party and told me if I didn't have anything to do on a hot night, I could visit him in his room. I told him it would never get that hot.

From that time on, I noticed my playing time diminished.

/// Next: Pepper and Double XX ///

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