By Evan Mugford
At the age of 89, Mr. Red Sox is still leading the league in sacrificing his time for the betterment of his team. An MLB All-Star in 1946 whose lofty .307 lifetime average escalated him into one of baseball's toughest outs, Johnny Pesky has made a living out of hard work while keeping the best interest of others in the forefront. He has been with the Red Sox organization for 58 of his 70 years in baseball, and from stints in media to lending his time with the Jimmy Fund, Pesky has made it his mission to instill a sense of pride and faith into Boston's clubhouse well beyond his playing days — a rare trait that has seen countless others simply walk away.
Along with the Lowell Spinners and Wally the Green Monster, Pesky made a visit to Michael's Harborside yesterday afternoon, and after a long day of signing autographs, taking pictures, and telling stories, he was gracious enough to lend his time to the sports desk of The Daily News.
Mr. Pesky, how did you earn the nickname 'The Needle'?
"That's on account of my nose. Got that back in high school. Needle nose. It doesn't bother me. Why would it? I'm not a pretty guy. Guys have had worse nicknames. I actually kind of like it. It adds character."
You were recently awarded an honorary doctorate from Salem State College. What was your response?
"It was very flattering, of course, but why it ever happened, I'm not sure. After I was asked, initially, I asked the lady who approached me, 'Do you really want to do this?' She said, 'Of course. Your name is pretty good in baseball.' I thanked her and explained that it could have been a lot better.
"But I'm very flattered. I have a much younger brother living in Oregon, Vince, who has a degree and is in education and when I told him about this, he was quite pleased, of course. It was a nice gesture on the school's part and I was really quite surprised. I'm just very happy about it."
What is your take on steroid use and the role it has played as of late?
"All we ever took was an aspirin tablet. These players, in the last 10 years or so, they can do what they want, but if you need a stimulant to play this game — there's something wrong. Of course, it is up to the individual.
"Really though, it was never available to us. Not that we were all pure and clean, but if we had a problem, we'd go to the doctor and just have it taken care of.
"It's a shame because it's clearly hard on the body, and if they don't realize that, you're just making your life shorter. Really, you just don't need that stuff. Unless you're taking something like a vitamin, that's fine, but these things like steroids, it just doesn't make sense. God gave you a talent. Use it."
Things have clearly changed in baseball since the 1940s and 1950s, but I'm sure there have always been certain egos to contend with. How has the team dynamic changed?
"Ted Williams was the game's greatest hitter, and DiMaggio was in New York at the time, but baseball was a lot different in those years. You just didn't have all of the same distractions.
"In the '40s and '50s, you just didn't have the same amount of personality clashes in those years. Not like you do today. Some of those guys today, you can't play without them, but back in my years, if you had that attitude, they'd just say, 'Well, there's the door.' It seems to be harder to enforce certain players. If someone breaks the rules, they just shouldn't be allowed. But when you have guys that are making six and seven figures, you just can't do that as easily."
When you aren't doing public appearances and commercials, what do you enjoy doing most?
"Well, of course I'm still employed by the Red Sox and they ask me to make appearances. But lending my time to affairs like that of the Jimmy Fund, those are really what I enjoy most. The Red Sox, as far as I'm concerned, is the best organization in baseball. They treat their players well, and of course we've had some goofy guys, but we've always had more good guys than crazy guys. There have been some great players to come through this system.
"The Boston area is great and it's always been like that. I went to Detroit and that wasn't bad — a good stepping-stone for me — and I worked for the Pirates for a couple years, but then I came back to the Red Sox and I'm just glad I'm here."
