 Proudly, We Hale. New York City, where the American stage begins, here is another program with a cast of outstanding players. Public service time has been made available by this station for your Air Force to bring you this story, as proudly we hail the United States Air Force. Do you know what's going to happen to you today? Something may occur in the very next minute that can change the entire course of your life. It happened that way to Kenny Clayton, but it took him three years before he realized what had hit him. You'll meet Kenny Clayton in a story about baseball and the Air Force, titled, It's All in the Arm in Just a Moment. But first, here's important news for all ex-service men. You may be qualified to enlist in the United States Air Force at a higher grade and at higher pay than you realize. Yes, the United States Air Force has instituted a new policy that offers big new benefits to veterans of all the armed forces. The Air Force needs men who are experienced in critical skills required to keep America's air defense strong. If you have training in these skills, the Air Force wants you and they'll put you right on the job. For full details, write or visit your nearest Air Force recruiter right away. Ask him for the folder for prior service men. You'll see how you can put your service gain skills to work to your best advantage. Remember, you've earned credits toward a fine retirement in the service, so protect your initial investment as an airman. Today and tomorrow, you're better off in the United States Air Force. And now we present the first act of the proudly we hail production, It's All in the Arm. You ever wake up in the morning and feel that this is going to be your day? Well, that's how I felt in the morning of August 30th, 1953. To begin with, it was my birthday. I was 21 years old. That wasn't the reason I felt so good. I can't explain it, but I was feeling like $1 million in the bank tax-free. I said to myself it must have been on a day like this that Edison decided to invent the phonograph or Henry Ford decided to build his first automobile. I sprang out of bed something I don't normally do and in 30 minutes I was showered, shaved, dressed and in the dining room of the hotel having breakfast. Even Millie the waitress looked like a movie star, all 250 pounds of her. And for once she brought me the eggs easy over and the bacon was crisp. Gonna win today, Mr. Clayton. Out of the way I feel right now, Millie. I could pitch a no-hitter. Oh, I bet you could, Mr. Clayton. Hey, what's this Mr. Clayton bit? Oh, it's okay to call you Kenny when you're pitching down here in double A, but now that you're going up to the majors, I want to get used to calling you Mr. Clayton. Well, what makes you think I'm going up? Well, guess who checked into the hotel? Marty Ross. Ross? Mm-hmm. What's he doing here in Twin Falls? You sure? Well, I only seen him once before in my life, but him I'll never forget. He leaves a dollar tip. Yes, sir, Marty Ross, number one scout for the socks. Gee, I wonder who he's come to look at. Chump. You, who else? You know what your record's been so far this season? 17 and 3. If them bums had went and got you some rums, you could have been 20 and 0. Yeah. Oh, I know it's going to be that kind of a day. And Ross will be watching too. My arm never felt better, even the little things are going for me. Good hot sun that we wear on those white shirts and the center field bleachers. Just enough of a breeze to work against your curveball. Hey, I better get out to the park. Here. Here you are. Hey, you out of your mind? What's this? It's a tip. But you can't afford to give me no dollar. Why not? I got to start getting ready for the majors, don't I? Yeah. Well, good luck, kid. I know you're going to make it. Any, Marty Ross will be sitting behind the dugout. He's here just to look at you. Yeah, Skipper, I heard. I was kind of hoping he'd come down in a day and play in the Eagles. I sure hate to start you against all them left-handed power hitters. I can have them fanning the breeze too. Keep the curveball low and away. Anything you say, Skipper, yeah. I sure hope you got it today. Don't worry, Skipper. Today I know I got it. Man, did I have it. They were beating the ball into the ground or popping it up. That is when they weren't missing it altogether. I kept watching Marty Ross in his seat behind the dugout. He must have been feeling just about as good as I was because he was leaning back, happy and relaxed, puffing away on his cigar. Then in the seventh, with us leading one-nothing, we ran into trouble. The ump gave me a bad call in a 3-2 pitch and I walked a man. Then Wilson couldn't find a handle on a perfect double-play ball and everybody was safe. And the next hitter had to pick just that spot to get lucky with a little broken bat single over the infield so I had bases loaded, nobody out. I looked over at Ross. He was chewing nervously on that cigar now. And actually, I wasn't feeling too badly at all. So Ross wanted to see if I could work out of a jam too. And I did. I got a force play at the plate, a strike out and a pop-up. Ross was blowing big happy smoke rings now and it was that way to the end of the game. Eftwood, Ross came down to the locker room. Good game, son. Thank you, Mr. Ross. Keep your bags packed. You'll be in the big town in less than a week. I gotta hunch that curve ball of yours is gonna pitch the socks all the way to the pendant. The socks? You belong there. Oh, what a birthday present. August 30th. What a day this has been. I was in the jalopy driving back to the hotel. I was thinking of a big steak, a little home to mom and maybe a movie. I was thinking about the socks, the brand new world of the major leagues. I saw her. I saw the little girl out of the corner of my eye. She was up ahead standing on the curb. I couldn't believe she was going to run out in front of my car to chase her ball. A woman on the sidewalk must have screamed. The little girl just stood in the middle of the road looking at me. She was scared stiff, she couldn't move. I jammed on the brakes, but I knew I could never stop and tie. I twisted my wheel as hard as I could. I saw the telephone pole coming up at me. I knew I was gonna pile up against it. The last thing I remember saying was, I'm glad I didn't hit that kid. Well, at least I didn't hit the kid. Yeah. I spoke to the doc, Kenny. He says you're okay. We, uh, had to take the car to the junkyard. Yeah. Well, it was overdue anyhow. Sure, sure. Well, you see the job you'll drive next year. Doc says you're lucky. No busted bones, nothing like that. Little girl her name's Mary Jane Harrison. She says she's sorry. Well, I guess that's the brakes. Funny kind of day, wasn't it? I woke up in the morning. I could have sworn I had it made. You still got it made, Kenny. You gotta hear in a couple of days. Something hurt you? Yeah, I skipped with the shoulder. Which shoulder? Which do you think? Got a funny kind of pain in there. I never felt anything exactly like it in my life. Ah. It'll go away, you see. I hope so, Skip. I sure hope so. Because if it don't... Well, I didn't go to the socks that year. I didn't even finish the season of Twin Falls. The pain kept staying inside the shoulder. I saw doctors took treatments all winter. Nothing helped very much. Following year, I reported the Twin Falls for spring practice. On the very first day, I knew I didn't have it. Every time I tried the first ball, my arm felt dead, and when I tried to snap off the curve, I'd get the twinge in my shoulder. Some days would be better than others, but it was never really the way it used to be. I saw Mr. Ross sitting in the ballpark a few times that year, but he hadn't come down to look at me. Well, I think you're done wise to enlist, kid. Maybe if I get away from baseball long enough, you know, give the arm a rest. I'll keep in shape. Sure you will. You think I can't make it back, huh? I never said nothing like that, Kenny. You'll see. Kenny... my own boy's in the Air Force, you know. And... well, it could be a good career. I mean, you could learn things there, like maybe a trade. I remember when we first signed you up, you come to us out of a technical high school. You were always mechanically inclined. Well, thanks for all that confidence in me, Skipper. I'm your best friend, Kenny. I see the way you try to throw that ball these days, and it kills me. And I know what all the doctors tell me, too. Well, then listen to what I tell you. You'll see me again in four years. I'll be back. I'll fool you. All of you. That decision to join the Air Force was the best thing that could have happened at the time. Basic was hectic, and he wanted to keep me too busy to feel sorry for myself. And I put in for jet mechanic school. Why not? It would be good to have something else under my belt, just in case. I was finally assigned a ship at Air Force Base in Texas. That was a break. I could have been sent to one of the cold places just as easily. But here it was warm, and maybe that sun would bake the miseries out of my arm. Hey, Kenny, you want to listen to this, baby? I heard it, Tom. Isn't that Lieutenant Cassidy's ship? Yeah. Check out the fuel line again. Wait, I'll give you a hat. I don't want to hold you up, Kenny. It's almost chow time. So we'll be late. What's the difference? Hey, Kenny, is it true that all you did was play baseball all your life? Yeah, that's true. Where'd you learn so much about jet engines? Same place you did at school. How's the arm? Never felt better. Maybe it's the climate. Maybe it's because I've been away from baseball over three years. Oh, I forgot to tell you. Right after chow, Sergeant Breslin's invited everybody who wants to come over to his office. What for? You know, the time passes before you know it. Our hitch is going to be over, and Breslin's going to explain about re-enlisting. Oh. Look, you know, it's a good deal. I like it. It could be great for you, too. You're considered top guy in the outfit. Everybody likes you. You could get places in the Air Force. Yeah, I got to find out about something else first. Listen, Kenny, I don't know much about it, but I remember reading the papers, you know, when it happened. Now, you know, I wrote for the Sox and the sports writers were talking about you those days. How you were a sensation down in the minors. How you were coming up, and we're going to win the pennant, and then... Well, then they published what the doctor said. Well, I think she's okay now. Let's go to Chow. Kenny, I'll just say this, and then I'll shut up forever. You're a lucky guy. It ain't everybody who can lose out on one career and then find a brand-new one where it can be good, too. Nobody says I lost out yet. I'm going to find out once and for all. Maybe even today. I walked over to the field where the base team was holding practice. I reported to the coach. He told me to warm up. The minute I gripped the ball, I knew I felt good. I started throwing them in nice, relaxed, and easy. My control was perfect. The rest must have fixed up my arm. I started to throw harder. I began breaking off curbs. Everybody came over to look. I could see the heads nodding. I was on the road up again. My comeback had just begun. The batteries for today's game prepare an Air Force Base Edgar's and Stanley for Shepherd Air Force Base Kenny Clayton and Sonesky. My fast ball was alive. My breaking stuff was shaving the corners. My control was never bad. It was like the day so long ago in Twin Falls when Marty Ross had come down to scout me. Only today, nothing bad was going to happen later on. I knew it. I just knew it. That night, I wrote a long letter to the skipper and I went to bed early. I dreamed I was with the socks playing against the Yankees. I had a no-hitter going. And then suddenly, out of a clear blue sky, a pain shot through my arm. It was a terrible pain. As though somebody was hauling it in a vice and... and it was twisting. Twisting. Tom! Tom! Tom, my arm! It looks like it's on fire, right? Right here, below his shoulder. Rub it, will you? Right there. Keep rubbing it. Okay. Does it feel any better? I hope I can stand it till morning. Tom, what happened? What happened to my arm? You are listening to the proudly we hail production of It's All in the Arm. We'll return to our second act in just one minute. But first, when you make an investment, you want it to pay off, right? Well, man, how about those years you invested in the service, learning skills, gaining experience valuable to yourself and your country? You can make those years pay off in big dividends today by becoming a member of the United States Air Force. Yes, if you've been in any of the armed forces, you may be eligible to enlist in the Air Force in a grade that will be a pleasant surprise. You see, the Air Force needs men skilled in certain important fields, and you may be just such a man. If so, the Air Force offers you an opportunity to put your previous service experience to work and to collect on those credits you've earned toward comfortable retirement. Your Air Force recruiter has a folder full of details, so write or visit him right away. Ask for the prior service man's folder, and you'll know why today and tomorrow you're better off in the United States Air Force. And now for the second act of the proudly we hail production of It's All in the Arm. Well, Major, what's the verdict? I've sent to the hospital in Twin Falls for a copy of their record. Their findings agree with ours. Translating it from high-sounding medical terminology, you have muscle damage there. Apparently it improves with rest, but severe use such as throwing hard keeps aggravating the condition, then it flares up in no uncertain terms. Will it ever get completely better? I don't know, Clayton. It may. It may not. I wish you'd give it to me straight, Major. I don't think it will ever completely recover. Of course, that's only one man's opinion, but, well, let's find out. I'll put you on a course of physiotherapy. Now take this slip and go down the corridor, turn left, and you'll see the sign on the door. Report to Sergeant Harrison. Thank you, sir. I think you're a lucky man, Clayton. Lucky? Why, sir? Maybe I'll tell you someday. Or maybe I won't have to. I'm looking for Sergeant Harrison. I'm Sergeant Harrison. Oh. Do you have a slip from Major Gordon? I'll take it, please. Well, we'll start easily the first day. Do you see the handle attached to that pulley? Yes. Well, take hold of it, and now just pull up gently and let it go down. Easily, that's it. Do you feel a twinge in your shoulder? And how? Try it again. Slower. You have a first name, Sergeant Harrison? It's Agnes. Well, mine's Kenny. Get a rhythm into that. Very slowly. One and two. And up. And down. One and two. Could I rest a minute? I feel like I just pitched 18 innings. All right. Well, the Major said I was lucky. Now I see why. Who figured someone like you could turn out to be Sergeant Harrison? Back to the pulley. One and two. One and two. Tell me, is it Mrs. Sergeant Harrison? One and two. I'm only asking. It's Mrs. Sergeant Harrison. One and two. All right, that's enough. How does your arm feel? Rough. The arm needs absolute rest for at least a couple of days. I'll have to put it in a sling. Well, you can't do that. Why not? I was going to ask you to come to the service club tonight. How can we dance with my arm in a sling? All right, would you like to go to the movies? Thank you. I saw the picture. How about dinner in town? I'm on a diet. Well, if you're going to keep finding obstacles, we'll never get anywhere. Report back here tomorrow at the same time. We'll try some heat treatments. How about dinner tomorrow night? Persistent, aren't you? Sergeant, I have just begun to fight. Well, that's how it always was with me. When things happen, they all happen at the same time. This is Sergeant Agnes Harrison now. About 22, and I'm knocked out. You know how it is when you meet a girl. If she's the girl, that first look gives you the entire story. Well, I had to report to her every day. I could tell she liked me, but somehow I couldn't get anywhere. She was pleasant enough, but strictly business. She wouldn't even go out for a cup of coffee. At first I was afraid there was some other guy, but my buddy Tom was going steady with one of her friends, and so I found out there were no attachments. Well, every day it was the sun lamps, the whirlpool, the exercises, but no conversation. One day as we were finishing up, the major walked into the room. How's the arm, Clayton? Feels pretty good, sir. Been resting it? Yes, sir. Well, that's the expected reaction. We'll continue the treatment, Sergeant. Yes, sir. The arm is fine, but the patient is miserable. I've got no morale. I'm not getting anywhere. I think you're showing excellent progress. Not with you. I've got you down here for the same time tomorrow. I won't show up. Why not? Not unless you go out with me tonight. Well, I, um, I've got a date. With whom? Well, really, Clayton. Now look, you like me. I know you like me. The way you're working me, the time you're putting in. This is my assignment. It's line of duty. Sure it is, but I can tell when somebody is giving it that little bit extra. My arm is back, and it's thanks to you. Well, the first day I walked in here, you just kept away from me. I don't mean you were supposed to throw your arms around me, but it seemed you wanted to do everything you could. And yet you always wanted it to be Airman First Class Clayton and Sergeant Harrison. There are times when I think you're afraid of me. Listen, I'm not a bad guy. If you'd only give me a chance. Excuse me, I have to go to the supply room. Aggie, what is it? Why can't we get to know each other better? Kenny, do you remember a little girl named Mary Jane Harrison? Mary Jane Harrison. Yeah. A little girl who ran in front of your car that day? Small world, isn't it? She's my cousin. Funny, I never thought to ask. That little girl changed your whole life, Kenny. Well, is that what was bothering you? It wasn't your fault. Hey, maybe it's fate. You see, you're the one who brought my arm back. We're even. What time do I call for you tonight? Kenny, I, um, I understand Tom is reenlisting. Are you? Do we have to talk about it? You insisted, Kenny. I wanted to keep it casual and strictly business. You wanted to get on to important things. Now, I have a right to know, haven't I? I want to play ball, Aggie. I never wanted anything else as far back as I can remember. You don't know how hard I worked for it, how I practiced, kept in shape. I can understand, Kenny. It isn't the fame and all that money. It's being a part of it, even in the worst days, right after the accident. I could never believe deep down that it was really over. I tried to reconcile myself to something else, but I have to go back, Aggie. I know I can make it. Kenny, I know you can't make it. What? You heard me. You can't make it. Yeah, I heard you. I heard you the first time. You were right. We should have kept it on a last name basis. One thing a guy expects from a girl is a little bit of faith in him. I've got you down for the same time tomorrow, Clayton. I'll be here, Sergeant Harrison. How is Clayton doing, Sergeant Harrison? Nicely, sir. He's been following your orders to rest the arm completely. He says the pain is completely gone and it feels strong again. I'm afraid that won't last. I see by the base newspaper that he's slated to pitch next Saturday. There's a boy who just won't give up. I just don't know how you can tell him the truth, though. It can't be done, sir. I tried. Oh? I see. Well, I suppose he'll go through life trying to recapture an impossible dream. That's too bad. He could be very happy in the Air Force. He's got all the makings. Major Hughes. Oh, have him come in. He's here for his final report. You want to stay? If you don't mind, sir. Well, how do you feel, Clayton? Great, sir. Well, I suppose you can find all kinds of pleasant things to tell yourself, Clayton. Unfortunately, I'm in a different business. I'm a doctor and I've always told my patients the truth. Well, what are you going to tell me? What every doctor has been telling you since the day of your accident. Your baseball career is over. The least strain on that arm will aggravate the old injury. Maybe you'll become used to the pain, but those muscles won't. It'll become worse and worse. And in time, your arm will be completely useless. You won't even be able to comb your hair. That's the truth. Well, now you're on your own. Excuse me, I have to make the round of the wards. Do, uh, do you want to go for a cup of coffee, Kenny? He sure gives it to you straight, doesn't he? Well, that's the best way, isn't it? Well, he could be wrong. They could all be wrong. Kenny, would you come with me for a minute? What, where? Let's get Tom and a couple of gloves and a baseball. What for? Let's prove something once and for all. That's about the distance from the pitcher's mound to the home plate, isn't it, Kenny? Yeah, but what do you... Throw a few to Tom. Easy at first, then hard, with everything you've got. Go ahead, Kenny. Just do what I tell you. Okay. I warmed up with Tom. The arm was good. The ball went where I wanted it to. Aggie kept saying... Harder, Kenny! Throw harder! I did. The ball was alive. It smoked. Then I realized something. It wasn't that my arm felt good. It was just that it felt numb. Rest had silenced the pain. After a while, the numbness would go away and the pain would return. It would stay with me forever. Maybe I could hang on as a relief pitcher in the lowest minor leagues and knock around with the semi-pros, but I'd be kidding myself. I kept looking at Tom as I threw the ball to him. He was a friend I had made in the last three years. I had 20 friends like him in the outfit. And I could hear Aggie's voice. Harder! Throw harder, Kenny! I met her here, too. I can't always be lucky enough to meet a girl who is so much for you that she'll tell you the truth, even if it means you're going to drop her. And what the medical major said that first day... You're a lucky man, Clayton. Sure, I'm lucky. I lose one career. I've got another. I can go places in this outfit. And I hated to admit it to myself, but I had been acting like a kid whose ice cream cone splattered on the sidewalk. I was crying about spilled milk. I said to myself, Kenny, you're 24 years old now. It's time you grew up. All right, let's call it a day. Hey, Tom, would you take the gloves and the ball back? Okay, I'll put them in your foot locker. No, turn them into special services. I won't be needing them anymore. I'll see you at the shop tonight. Well, that depends. I think we ought to go out to dinner tonight. I'll break my diet just this once. Sure, but we better hurry up and get married so you can cook anything you like. Kenneth Clayton, are you asking me? I'm not asking you, Sergeant. I'm telling you. For weeks now you've been telling me off. And now that we're going to spend the next 20 or 30 years together in the Air Force, get used to spending half that time listening to me. If you're an ex-serviceman experienced in a critical skill needed to keep America's air defense strong, you're in luck. The Career Incentive Act opens up new opportunity in the Air Force to veterans of all the armed forces. Yes, if you possess one of the skills the Air Force needs, you may qualify for the United States Air Force, and in a grade there will be a pleasant surprise. The Air Force needs men skilled in many important fields, so put your service-earned experience to work to your best advantage as a member of the Air Force team. Make the credits you've earned toward a comfortable retirement pay off. For complete details, write or visit your Air Force recruiter. Ask for the special Prior Serviceman's folder. See what a return to the service as an airman can mean to you. Today and tomorrow, you're better off in the United States Air Force. This has been another program on Proudly We Hail, presented transcribed in cooperation with this station. Proudly We Hail is produced by the Recruiting Publicity Center in New York for the United States Air Force. This is Ralph Rowland inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly We Hail.