 proudly we hail from New York City where the American State begins here's another program with a cast of outstanding players public service time has been made available by this station for your army to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Army program is a bright comedy of service life best seen through the eyes of a baseball fan that's right sports fans you better get a ticket for a choice eatin the bleachers because today's story is titled spring is here the first battle will be up in just one moment but right here I'd like to kind of pitch a few real interesting words out to you young fellows out there today you young men of America have an excellent opportunity to learn a trailer to assure your future the many fine technical schools of the United States Army are training men in such interesting fields as radio radar meteorology mechanics electronics many many others over 150 to be exact you can become a qualified technician trained to do an important job and what's more important to do it right so for full details about a real exciting career you visit generous United States Army recruiting station remember team up with the army and you team up with success on November 9th 1953 the United States Supreme Court rule that baseball was still a sport not a business this ruling came as no surprise to the millions of Americans who pursue their interest in baseball to the exclusion of everything else to them the only business about America's national game is the business of waiting for another season to come around to these millions the worst crime ever perpetrated on man is winter but spring eventually does come for Americans millions the first crocuses poke their heads to the sudden earth such lesser pursuits as basketball ice hockey an indoor track get crowded off the sports pages by news of sore shoulders rookie performance charts and strange predictions there's a growing awareness that winter is over at the opening day of another baseball season is almost upon us the 416 transport battalion is stationed 40 miles north of Osaka Japan their normal activity is heavy-duty trucking moving supplies up and down the Long Island Peninsula but off-duty hours has spent well let the story tell itself out of way Chuckie boy we gotta put a pair of blinders on this boy so you can't find a plate to save his life okay I guess that's his story again this season no pressure yeah wind it up okay Chuckie boy hit the showers that'll be enough for today so what are we gonna do now I'll I hadn't been transferred back to the states we'd have done it sure this year look the only way we'll ever win that all island championship is if they send Ernie Jones to Japan any Jones yeah didn't you hear he ain't gonna be with the Yankees this year he's in the sun stop dreaming even if he did come here what would he be doing with a bunch of truck drivers what's wrong with truck drivers 416 transport battalion is an honorable group you sound like a boy scout look be realistic the thing we got to find is pitches good pitches scouting around talk to the cooks the company question we don't come up with a guy who can chuck that apple we might as well be playing fiddle to me he's coming he's coming to Japan to the 416 pinch me pinch me I must be great who's coming where Ernie Jones of the Yankees is coming here no no sir help me it's for real I was in the clerk's office counting around and my as you know he's a little guy in there he tells me Ernie Jones of the Yankees is coming here still can't believe I checked I checked how did you check I saw the roster the roster a new personnel assigned to the company and there he was earnest Jones from bugs flat Arkansas biggest life itself bugs flat Arkansas I can't be the same who else are there two Ernie Joneses you know they just don't publicize the fact that he's my place called bugs flat you know I was look we haven't got time for that if he's Ernie Jones we're in those lugs from headquarters company take a look at this guy's fastball no no I never got the New York but I heard that last game at a 52 series on the radio you remember that do I remember I was there I had a seat right behind home plate I could watch the hop on this fastball he struck out the last eight men in a row last night he went through the whole lineup I never seen a guy with more on the board and he's coming here hit the Osaka oh it's a dream that's what it is dream Maya says if I commit to the company office once more he's gonna report me to the loot center okay forget it I want to know what's happened with Jones what's he been Shanghai ain't left the states over a month ago Zorders had him report to a soccer day before yesterday should have taken him this long to report up from the city right probably them public relations guys from command holding them up you know for pictures and stuff like that you're right great picture comes to the islands like this you're out of Japanese are about baseball your army wants to publicize it I ain't seen nothing in the papers a sod you you don't suppose those guys down at headquarters company got them transferred in there they couldn't have yeah that's right they don't even know he's here they think he's still pitching for the yank excuse me fellas but it's just a 416 transport battalion yes sure is who I can sit down and put on my shoes but I got a long way to Trump I sure can't do much with these city shoes where did you well I guess you call it oh soccer man that's some war you're out of your mind that's almost 50 miles 50 miles well now that certainly does explain why I've been two days of coming you mean to tell me you've been walking steady for two days all sucks that ain't more than a good stretch of legs down home we go down there that far to the general store what did you do for job well the folks in East Park sure do take kindly to a man in uniform and that rice they got almost as good as Paul grows on the marshland down in Arkansas did you say Arkansas I sure did not not bugs flat Arkansas well saints alive now how'd you know that they just ain't too many folks ever heard of bugs flat ain't no bigger than a small size P-Patch Marty it's him you're Ernie Jones Ernie Jones of the Yankees now it's just like you two got powers to see what ain't rightly there I certainly am Ernie Jones I knew it was him I knew it was him all the time hey Ernie boy welcome to the 416th glad to have you with us what's the Yankees losses our game that goes for me double boy Ernie Jones of the Yankees Yankees I didn't think I heard you right at the first time we don't have nothing to do with Yankees down our way see great-grand path he fought for the confederate all of the minute now let me get this straight your name is Ernie Jones and that's right from bugs flat Arkansas you say you ain't never played with the Yankees now stranger you're pushing your luck a bit there is folks in bugs flat would have found them fighting words I know it's such it was just too good to be good you're excuse me fellas but I got to be reporting in I take it that long low building as a company headquarters all in any just answer one more question you know anything about baseball but now that's right funny you should ask that because I don't not a darn thing see we ain't got much land down the home and what we do have is either marshland or rolling up and down a hill they ain't nothing you'd call level land but one of the fellas in town he went to Little Rock once and seen the game he come back to bugs flat all hit up like a fever got him and decided we all got to play this new game baseball well sir he sent away to the mail order house and he got a bat and a ball and a catcher's mask and he lined us up on the slope in front of Murray's place and we got the idea right enough and we had a rouser going for inning or two but then you know what happened no what well Jeremy Daniels he was a pitching and trumpet Martin was at the back so Jeremy he wound up and he threw the ball like he was trying to win one of them cupidows at the county fair and trumpet hit that ball carplunk like that well sir it taken off trumpers mighty strong boy and it rode right up the mountain quite a spell to and it landed right in Nellie Chester's yard right next to her goat well sir that goat swallowed the ball meantime trumpet Martin he started to run and he runs so far and so fast he had been seen in bugs flat to this day anyhow mayor Phillips he got mighty upset when he heard about camper and how the goat died so we just don't play much baseball around bugs flat no more besides ain't too much level land oh well I'll be seeing you fellas around yeah yeah I'll be seeing you round find out just back it up a bit well Ernie leave it there it's alive it's spring airs enough to set up and to fly I was back home now more to give me a big dose of sulfur and molasses like it here on Ernie oh yes sir I sure did find a home in army you'll sign these invoices I just about wind you up for today you know it's kind of funny about Japan but the green in them hills exactly the color we got in our heels back in Arkansas hey she'll see oh hi what do you say money all right that's fine we lost again last night I'm sorry yeah that makes it pretty straight hi Ernie how are things in the hills hi Sarge top luck size but things are bound to pick up you can't lose them all who says we can't but you lie we should be holding up the whole league from the bottom hill Billy if you was only the real Ernie Jones I ain't no hillbilly knock it off Sarge Ernie's a good kid he helped it there two guys named Jones okay she'll see I guess you're right sorry Ernie but hearing your name on the company roster kind of raised my hopes forget I even mentioned baseball Sarge and you know I've been thinking we do a lot of rock hunting well Danny I don't want to be late for chow we'll see you later no now serious Sarge I'd like to help if I can you got me as you like to know how I'm a rock hunter and I'm clogged gable well see I gotta prove it to you prove what Ernie you see down home powder and bullets is pretty expensive stuff so less we're really getting something for the table we go rock hunting you already said that nothing let me show you first I pick up a sizable rock like this now see him to crow circling up there give it you're not gonna hit those I'm sure it up going try and hit one of them here they come you got them yes that's rock hunting I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes you do that any time you want well I don't always hit them square between the eyes but it's mighty rare that I don't at least fuss little feathers I mean my boy all is forgiven I think we got a little surprise in store for the rest of the bums in our league it's very simple you put the glove on one hand hold the ball in the other no no no just the other way around how's that sir fine just fine hey Pete all up your mitt is a target yeah that's fine now when he just wind up and throw find up why did I it's very simple just loosen your muscles up a bit by swinging your arm around and when you feel like you can't hold that ball no longer let it fly the object is to hit Pete's catches mitt just like you hit that crow right between the eyes okay well you mean hard like me just just rear back and throw hard as you want okay sure just like you say right Pete yeah she comes you are listening to the proudly we hail production spring is here and we will return for our second act curtain in just one moment today you're rapidly expanding United States Army needs intelligence young men with ability and ambition men intelligent enough to recognize the vital need for a strong armed force men with ability enough to be trained in the necessary job men with ambition enough to secure the future for themselves and their loved ones well now tell me fellas does this description fit you can you qualify for full information on how you can fit in with the finest you check with your nearest United States Army recruiting station remember team up with the army and you team up with success if the battle of Waterloo was one of the playing fields of eating then most certainly an insight into America's future greatness can be called from the rallying cries in the left field stands at Ebbett's field baseball is not America's national game without reason speed action skill fair play these are all keynotes to the American character and these are all part and parcel of the game of baseball most of all though there's a resolute determination to win just ask any baseball fan who's going to win the pennant and he'll shout the glories of his own team at the moment though halfway around the world from Ebbett's field on the island of Honshu no one is shouting the glories of anything or any one for the game is yet to start sorry I'm scared whoever I'd have an American soldier being scared yeah who all you got to do is get out there and pitch just the way I taught you right there but not too hard you throw them as hard as you want just mix them up a bit you hide ones of you soft ones and if you don't get in the trouble you might even try coven one or two just like I showed you people call them for you all you have to do is throw well okay Marty only I'm only doing this because I sure feel so bad that I ain't the real Ernie Jones the one for that I beat dirt if I'd go out there in front of all the fellas in this silly suit Ernie am I gonna have trouble with you oh yes not okay any boy this is it your big chance I'm not told me there'd be days like this and a boy Ernie you look great out there just great I knew you had it you said it's you sure does he's got them eating out of his hand oh I'm tired don't let down now any boy it's only the top of the six how many more of these here innings I got to go it's only three more and at the rate you're going it should be a cinch I ain't gonna make it I got a feeling right here I ain't gonna make it Ernie you're up 19 now if I just didn't have to swing that big stick up there I just might be able to muster up enough muscle tone to tolerate these last few what you call them in and Ernie no one's asking you to be another Ted Williams who's Ted William if you better get going then I'll just take your time don't even lift a bat off your shoulder okay what do you think such is he gonna do it's a miracle he's come this far tell me if this kid is an example of the breed of rookie the army is getting we got nothing to worry about yeah they're booing him for not swinging a platter he's got more guts than any ten of those guys watching he's holding that bat like a hockey stick he makes a good target he don't turn around a bit he's gonna get winged give Kelly the punch sign let's try and get a man on when Ernie's out of there okay you know that guy's got great eyes I could have taught him how to bat two of that time Marty he's he's clutching his pitching on stand back your bulls what are you trying to do my to my boy his pitching on Marty he says his pitching arm is broken only do Marty when we don't tell G and Ellie to warm up I know what was too good to be throw it just know it hey you look funny what do you mean I look funny I mean walking up and down a car to that way you look just like one of them expecting father's you always see the movies that I feel like an expectant oh you shouldn't you get the news or what's going on in there look don't make no difference he's through for the season whatever condition is on listen you know sometimes I think that's all you've got in your mind baseball he opens your head up that's all they find inside just one home plate I feel responsible for this kid I talked him in a way look Saad he talked himself and wouldn't you know him in his rock hunting hey you're up huh the game come out we won it on cover the scratch symbol of the eighth doctor didn't put a cast on your arm no he says it's just bruised not and go back to regular duty anytime I want to he says I shouldn't try pitching for the rest of the summer though that's that I guess so I mean just wanted to tell you I'm sorry I got you in all this oh sorry that's that's mighty nice of you saying you're sorry like that which weren't no reason to well I know I hadn't been so fired up about any Jones of the Yankees coming you're making me sick Sarge there's having that Yankee here really make that much difference to you and the rest of the fellas yeah I guess it does any no one likes to lose especially this year you see when I heard that the big Liga was coming I bet Sergeant Kawasaki over the headquarters company my whole fellow pay that we would finish out of his guys this year and all cause this Yankee hey if you tour through making Google eyes of each other anytime we was getting back to the barracks well hold up Pete just a minute Ernie my great-grandpop would sure be fired up if he saw some consign getting a drop on me you saying any well I swore I weren't going to tell you this tell me what I mean I can hit them birds better from the nether side from what I'm much better rock hunting with my other arm what I never fuss the feathers from my left it's always right between eyes well I swan sorry that's the way you'll be getting the sound just like the folks down home this is the old ballgame witness wouldn't we're in for sure you know what enough yet sorry just my 35th straight game I see your pepper in there any boy since we started using the other arm again we've been all the late and haven't we alternating switch in arms one game on one arm in the next game with the other we've got no reason to complain besides the season's almost over sure I'm glad of that I thought it never is great just great burning them in a mile a minute even when they see them they can't hit him that's my boy did you double your bets like you said you was going to double them triple them how can we mess the old 17 and stretcher any my boy just flex your muscles we got no muscles left to flex finish this one and you got the whole weekend the rest the weekend yet a far east playoffs no start on Monday I thought we was finished after today any my boy which is beginning we get the oil island under our belts then we win the far east championships in off the Germany for the army world series we got 40 50 games left to play and I got to pitch them all I'm counting on you any my boy I'm talking about you any last of the night burn it in boys what are you single in time for all you've got to do is get this last guy out now we can go home I ain't gonna make it this is unnatural my throwing myself around this way my body is a crying for help I think I pitched my last bit oh come on any boy you you got it in you use your other arm for a while I just did oh this is no time to stand around join you got two strikes on them give them a fastball on the inside we're home it just ain't no fast any I'm counting on you to come through for me alright sorry I'll give her a try while I'm coming through for you not sure like you know whether I'll be able to come through for myself level it's the big one any boy put it right here right the old man boy right I know he says we can go in if we don't stay too long we don't disturb okay hi sorry Pete hi any did we win a serge yeah any we win after that bull count you it took one long bounce out in the center field with the Mario courted and he got the man sliding at the second I wouldn't have made it no way doc says I'm suffering from the complete exhaust he was pretty angry when he heard about my pitching all him game well if you think he was angry you should have heard the captain yeah it all right not even a scratch I just captain claw Marty he was abused and privileges he's got Lewis who works over the ammo dump manager in the team now you still can't see what I've done wrong that's the captain he'll tell you well when you get out of this service well good pitches are hard to come by wait a minute sorry hold it I do thank you and I certainly do appreciate you thinking of me in this way but I've decided that the army is going to be my career for a long time to come besides doc will say and I got the extraordinary eyesight and he says I should be out on the rifle range instead of wasting my time on the ball field so when they let me out of hospital what I'm going to do is I'm going to put in for the range of training I guess is no use trying to talk you out of it is there well no aspect not well the dodges loss is the army's game young ladies between the ages of 20 and 33 who are college graduates you are eligible for an executive career in the United States Army if you can qualify for a direct commission in the women's Army Corps you will have many career fields from which to choose personnel and administration legal and legislative civil affairs and military government many many others you ask your local army recruiter about how to start your career on the right side of the desk the executive side this has been another program on proudly we hail presented transcribed in cooperation with this radio station proudly we hail is produced by the recruiting publicity center in New York for the United States Army and this is Richard Hayes speaking inviting you to tune in the same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail