The Bismarck Tribune

St. Louis, Oct. 9.-(AP)-Early in the spring of 1928 there stumbled into the lobby of the St. Louis Cardinals' hotel in Avon Park, Fla., a haggard, grimy, travel-stained youngster who looked anything but a ball player.

His hawk-like face with the flashing black eyes was smeared with dirt and there were cinders in his dark, tousled hair. Just about the last swagger he could muster was in his slightly bow-legged stride as he marched up to the surprised desk clerk.

"Tell Bill McKechnie," he announced with a weary grin, "that his new center fielder has arrived."

Sunk deep in an easy chair a few feet away, his face buried in a paper, Bill McKechnie, then manager of the Cardinals, raised his eyes at the sound of his name. He looked from the husky figure of what might have been a hobo to the inquiring gaze of the desk clerk. He moved his head a trifle from side to side and retreated again behind his paper.

"He's not here just now," the desk man announced, "but I'll fix you up with a room."

Joins Club

Thus it was that John Leonard Martin, world series hero, joined the Cardinal ball club. He had spent the money sent him to pay his fare from Oklahoma City to the training camp. He had to ride the rods of freight trains to get there.

A hot bath changed his appearance considerably and he was back at the desk again, looking for McKechnie.

The first fellow he met who would talk to him was an old friend, Blake Harper, owner of the Fort Smith club in the Western Association. It was Harper who had greeted Martin as follows when he appeared for work at Ft. Smith years before:

"What's your name?"

"Johnny Martin."

"Nope," said Harper. "You're 'Pepper' Martin. There are too many Johnny's in the league now."

And that was the way he got his name. Martin went out to the practice sessions and hung around the edges, sneaking in a catch here, a slug at the plate there, when he could horn his way in. He belted a few to the outlying districts and he dragged down flies on a dead run. McKechnie gave in. He called the youngster in and offered his hand.

Tells Truth

"You're Pepper Martin," he said, "our new centerfielder. I'm McKechnie. I guess you were telling the truth."

"What do you think of the series?"

Martin was asked recently.

"Well, I think it's great. We're winning, ain't we? And what a break for me. Playing in a world series in my first year in the majors. Why some good players spend a whole lifetime in these leagues and never get in a world series."