Baseball in his blood

Lifelong fan recalls highlights

By Neil Martello

The weather is nice, the sun is warm, and the grass is green. I’m going to have some fun and go out and watch a baseball game. My dad took me to my first professional ball game in April 1954 at Baltimore Memorial Stadium. The hometown Orioles were playing the Chicago White Sox (the Orioles won 1–0). I loved the experience and haven’t stopped cheering…I was a fan for life.

In 1963-64, I played American Legion Baseball for Kelly Post 174 and played at Herring Run Park — the same fields that Hall of Famers like Reggie Jackson and Al Kaline have played on. I even worked for the Orioles while I was in high school (Baltimore City College). I was working as a parking lot attendant. It was a lot of fun.

Let’s go back to the 1860s, when baseball fever boomed in America. I read a story that goes like this: Abraham Lincoln was playing baseball in 1860 when a message arrived for him during the game. He told the messenger not to interrupt him while playing. He found out later that the message read that he had been nominated for President by the Republican Party.

On June 19, 1846, Alexander Cartwright brought the New York Knickerbockers and the New York Nine together at Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey (the home of Frank Sinatra) to play the first game of baseball under his rules. He was called the father of baseball. By the way, New York Nine won 23–1.

The Longview-Kelso area has always been a hotbed for baseball and softball, from the early 1920s to the present, including the Cowlitz Black Bears, who came to town in 2010. They play from June through August. They attract the top collegiate players to play at David Story Field, on the campus of Lower Columbia College in Longview.

I have seen a lot of local players make it big, play over the years. For example, Rick Sweet, from Longview. In 1983, while I was working at a group home, he sent me some box seat tickets. I took a group of kids, and we saw him hit a home run, the last home run he hit in the majors. He played catcher for the Seattle Mariners and is still coaching young players today.

Trevor May grew up in Kelso, and pitched for Kelso, and is currently pitching for the Oakland A’s.

Jason Schmidt was raised in Kelso and pitched for the LA Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Atlanta Braves.

Wes Stock was born in Longview, and I saw him pitch for the Baltimore Orioles. On May 26, 1963, he did something that I believe no other Orioles has ever done. He won two games in one day. In those days, they would play a doubleheader. You’d buy one ticket and see two games. Wes won both games.

Photos, clockwise from left: Neil Martello in 2012 in Las Vegas with Wes Stock, who pitched for the Baltimore Orioles in the 1960s, and later served as pitching coach for the Seattle Mariners; An early baseball game in Longview; Cowlitz Black Bears at LCC’s Story Field, about 2010, and still going strong.

I met Wes in 2012 while having breakfast in Las Vegas. I was wearing an Oriole T-shirt, and Wes came up to me and asked me if I was an Orioles fan. I said I was, and then he told me he had pitched for the Orioles in the 1960s. He was a nice person, and we talked for about 35 minutes. He gave me a rundown of what the old Orioles were doing. Wes was the Seattle Mariners pitching coach from 1977 to 1981.

Danny Ainge was from Eugene, Oregon, and played baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays, but made his mark as a professional basketball player and a coach for the Boston Celtics. Some ballplayers also from Oregon are Dave Kingman, Mickey Lolich, Ryan McKenna, and Wally Backman.

Softball was very big in the Longview-Kelso area after World War II. One famous local player was Eddie Feigner. The strong-armed Marine barnstormed all over the world for 55 years. His team was called “The King and his Court.” His team had only four players; Eddie was the pitcher, and they had a catcher, first baseman, and shortstop. Eddie was so good he could throw a softball more than 100 miles an hour behind his back, between his legs, blindfolded from second base. I saw him pitch in 1964 in Baltimore.

Richard Moore from Castle Rock told me this story recently, about a group of all-stars in 1975 who played against the King and his Court on a field next to the Longview YMCA (It is a parking lot today.) “I got a hit off him and I believe it was a bloop single, just barely getting over the infield, but the next day’s paper made it sound like it was a line drive bouncing off the centerfield fence.”

Eddie said late in his life, “I hope they think of me as an honest, sincere performer who always puts on a good show.” He retired from pitching after suffering a stroke in 2000. His pitching records remain unbelievable, even to this day.

Humphrey Bogart once said, “Leave your troubles at home and go see a ball game.”

Baseball gets in — and stays in —your blood. Baseball can have a hold on your imagination and will always remain unique, but remember there’s always the next game, wait until next year, but I never stop cheering… I’ve been a fan for life.

Kelso resident Neil Martello has lived in Cowlitz County for the past 48 years. For fun, he takes classes at LCC, and may be found at local baseball games at any levels.

You can trust your care to the staff at Longview Orthopedic Associates, the Lower Columbia’s most experienced and best trained orthopedic team.

LOA physicians have treated professional and college athletes, introduced new surgical procedures to Cowlitz County, and provided training to other surgeons throughout the United States. Most importantly, they are there to serve the needs of local patients on a daily basis.

From joint replacement procedures and sports medicine care to arthroscopic surgery and general orthopedic treatment, Bill Turner, Jon Kretzler, Peter Kung, A.J. Lauder, Jake McLeod, and Tony Lin can provide the solutions you need to lead your best life..

LOA is located at Pacific Surgical Institute, with MRI and physical therapy services available onsite for your convenience.

Northwest Gardening

Story by Alice Slusher

In extreme heat’s grip, Tomatoes face trials, for sure, Find solutions here

Growing tomatoes in extreme heat and dry conditions

The last couple of summers have been a real challenge to gardeners. The extreme heat waves and exceptionally dry conditions create problems that make it difficult to grow healthy tomatoes. Here are some of the most common issues and the solutions. I don’t have a crystal ball, but it looks as if this summer is shaping up to be another hot and dry one!

1) Problem: Leaves and fruit sunburned

Solution: Loosely drape a shade cloth, row cover, or even a bed sheet over the plants during the hottest times of the day. Don’t wrap the plants up, though, or you will bake them. Air needs to circulate, so create a tent with sawhorses or t-bars.

Problems: 2) Fruit cracking and splitting 3) Blossom end rot. Keep your soil evenly moist. Soil that is too dry or too wet can make calcium unavailable to the plant and cause blossom end rot, and fluctuations in soil moisture can cause the delicate skin to split.

Solution: Don’t let your soil dry out completely. Appropriately regulated drip irrigation systems are the easiest way to control consistent soil moisture, but don’t just “set it and forget it.” Check your soil moisture frequently; your soil at 6 inches should be moist, like a mostly wrung-out sponge. Your plant will need more water as it grows, especially in hot or windy conditions. Mulching your plants will help to keep the soil moisture from evaporating. A couple of inches of untreated grass clippings work well as mulch.

4) Problem: Flowers dry up and fall off; no new tomatoes for a couple of weeks

Solution: With temps in the 90s, pollination can’t happen. Not as much insect activity, either. Help pollinate the flowers by buzzing the blunt end of your electric toothbrush on the flower or stem.