Interview with Peter P. Castiglione, September 7, 1991

Partial Transcript: Mr. Castiglione, how did you get into professional baseball?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Castiglione describes how he first got into baseball, beginning with his high school experience.

Keywords: Arkansas-Missouri League; Baseball school; Carson (Mo.); Family; Greenwich (Conn.); Greenwich High School; High school; Hutchinson (Kan.); Jimmy Jordan; Orlando (Fla.); Pirate scouts; Scouts; Sports; Western Association

Subjects: Baseball; Pittsburgh Pirates (Baseball team)

Partial Transcript: In high school, I played hockey. I was a goalie in the Greenwich High School hockey team...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione shares his remembrances of school, neighborhood, and sand lot games during high school.

Keywords: Bottle cap games; Fielders; Goalies; Hockey; Ice skating; Neighborhood sports; Sand lot ball; Sand lots; Swimming; Town leagues

Subjects: Berra, Yogi, 1925-; Minor league baseball.; St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: ...If you can hit a bottle cap, you can hit a baseball.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes how his childhood games prepared him for Minor League baseball and playing defensively for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Keywords: "The wall"; 1953; 1954; Defensive players; Ozzie Smith; Philadelphia (Pa.); Short stops; Tony Lucadello

Subjects: Baseball players; Minor league baseball.; St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: Of your parents, if not both parents, which one was the most cerebral, the one that, uh...

Segment Synopsis: Castaglione describes his parents' goals for him when he was growing up. He shares some brief background on his father's experiences playing baseball and going to college.

Keywords: Brunswick; Careers; College; Fathers; Fordham University; Frankie Frisch; Goals; Italian background; Parents

Subjects: New York (N.Y.)

Partial Transcript: ...It was baseball all summer long, somebody playing.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes how he was initially signed to play in Hutchinson, Kansas.

Keywords: Hutchinson (Kan.); Interstate highways; Isolation; Meal money; Money; Pay; Prices; Room and board; Salaries; Santa Fe Railroad; Towns; Travel

Subjects: Baseball; Baseball players

Partial Transcript: A widowed lady and there was uh, three of us ball players, Harvey Beaster, and, uh...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses various players he knew while he was playing baseball in Hutchinson, Kansas.

Keywords: 1941; Cot Deal; Eddie Barnette (??); Harvey Beaster; Joplin (Mo.); Muskogee; Springfield (Mo.); Topeka (Kan.); Unorthodox stances

Subjects: Minor league baseball.; St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: What, what kind of fields did they have?

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes the fields he played in in the early days of his career. He also describes class C baseball players and his initial impressions of the other players' skills.

Keywords: "Skin fields"; Baseball fields; Class C baseball; Grass fields; Infielders; Storms; Strategies

Subjects: Baseball; Baseball players

Partial Transcript: You got a lot of tips. Uh, fielding, positioning, uh, percentage baseball you know. Little by little, you start to pick up things of that sort.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes his learning how to play baseball better and the refining techniques he used. He also discusses the managers of the team.

Keywords: AAA; Baseball tips; Buzz Arlett; Fielding; Johnny Gooch; Percentage baseball; Pitching; Positioning

Subjects: Baseball managers; Major League Baseball (Organization)

Partial Transcript: Then all of a sudden, you went back to Class D.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes his return to playing Class D baseball in the Georgia-Florida League.

Keywords: Class D Baseball; Georgia-Florida League; Pye Trainer (??); Sports injuries

Subjects: Baseball; Baseball players

Partial Transcript: Now, in the Georgia-Florida League, you had, uh, uh, Thomasville, Cordele...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes his playing in the Georgia-Florida League.

Keywords: Home stays; Pay; Salaries; Southern United States

Subjects: Florida; Georgia; Georgia-Florida League (Baseball league); Southern States.

Partial Transcript: I was Class B, so I knew I had jumped, so...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes his moving up to Class B baseball in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He talks about his training, which was conducted at Newbury College in South Carolina. He also compares the throws used when playing third base to those used when playing short stop.

Keywords: Brooks Robinson; Class B baseball; Danny Taylor; Harrisburg (Penn.); Interstate League; Lancaster (Penn.); Newbury College; Short stops; South Carolina; Third base

Subjects: Baseball; Kell, George

Partial Transcript: Where, where, where... you know, you hit, um, m-- most of the time, you were hitting somewhere between...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione shares his hitting philosophy, also describing some of the changes seen in baseball today, such as the rules regarding high strikes.

Keywords: Artificial turf; Baseball diamonds; Grass; High strikes; Hitters; Kell, George; Line drives; Slaps

Subjects: Kell, George

Partial Transcript: Where were you on December 7th, 1941?

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione recalls where he was when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He also talks about the ensuing draft during World War II.

Keywords: Bombings; Brothers; Draft; Enlisting; Enlistment; Harrisburg (Penn.); Navy; Pearl Harbor; World War II

Subjects: United States. Navy.; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: ...On our team, there was a, Roy Slint, who was a pitcher. He went up with the Pirates. I'm just trying to...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione talks about other players he knew who went up to the Major Leagues.

Keywords: Bill McClure; Joe Collmitt; Roy Slint; Wilmington (Del.)

Subjects: Major League Baseball (Organization); Pittsburgh Pirates (Baseball team); St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: Again your travel, through all this period of time, mostly was by bus, is that right?

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes the long bus rides he took while traveling to games, and discusses meal money during his travels.

Keywords: Breakfasts; Bus rides; Bus travel; Greasy food; Meal money; Sleeping on the bus; Travel; Western Association

Partial Transcript: Tell me about your three years in the service, how you got in and what you did, sort of briefly?

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes his enlisting in the Navy, and his experiences in boot camp and technical school.

Keywords: Boot camp; Boston (Mass.); Destroyer Escort Crowder; Great Lakes; Mickey Cochrane; Norfolk (Va.); Radio School; Reese; Rizutto; University of Wisconsin Madison

Subjects: Basic training (Military education); United States. Navy.

Partial Transcript: ...about two, two months at Great Lakes, and I was assigned to a radio school at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes his time in Norfolk, and seeing other Major League baseball players playing at Norfolk Naval Air Station. He also discusses his radio duties.

Keywords: Destroyer Escort Crowter; Hometowns; Long Island Sound; Norfolk Naval Air Station; Physical education; Radiomen; Seamen; USS Crouter (DE-11)

Subjects: Major League Baseball (Organization); World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: How long were you with the, the, uh, was it the Crouter?

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses his duties on the Crouter in the Solomon Islands, escorting ships.

Keywords: Destroyer Escort 11; Escorting ships; Guadalcanal; Guam; Kamikaze; Kamikaze attacks; Portland (Ore.); Solomon Islands; USS Crouter (DE-11)

Subjects: World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: I knew... a couple times we came and, uh, c-- heard that certain players were, you know, on certain ships...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses Major League baseball players who were in the navy, as well as his duties as a radio operator on the Crouter.

Keywords: 1st class; 2nd class; Aircraft carriers; Discharge from Navy; Drinking water; Friendly fire; Pacific Ocean; Physical education instructors; Salt water; Tankers; USS Crouter (DE-11)

Subjects: Baseball players

Partial Transcript: So, you went back home when? In April, or, uh...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses his leaving the navy and reporting to an early camp at El Centro, California. He shares that he had doubts about his ability to play baseball after three years in the service.

Keywords: Early camp; El Centro (Calif.); Returning servicemen; Self-doubt; Servicemen

Subjects: Baseball; Baseball players; Pittsburgh Pirates (Baseball team)

Partial Transcript: What did, what did you done for instance in the winters when, before the war? What kinds of jobs had you gotten, if anything?

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione talks about his working in a grocery store in high school and during the off-seasons before the war.

Keywords: Family businesses; Grocery stores; Jobs; Leaving home; Off-seasons; Winter; Work

Subjects: Baseball

Partial Transcript: We now, spring training, then, you had early spring training, and that opened up what, in February?

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses his early spring training after his return from the service, and how he was somewhat out of practice. He also talks about Frankie Frisch.

Keywords: Frankie Frisch; San Bernardino (Calif.); Selma (Ala.); Spring training; Stichey; Umpires

Subjects: Baseball umpires; Pittsburgh Pirates (Baseball team); St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: So also, you know, another factor that we're really talking about is that, uh, not only, you know we're talking about trying to get your skills back...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione talks about how difficult it was for him to return to baseball after his military service. He also talks about how much the country had changed during those years.

Keywords: Change; Growth; Racial segregation; Teamwork; War years

Subjects: African Americans--Segregation; Baseball; Baseball players; Civil rights movements; Civil rights movements--United States; Jackson (Miss.); Meridian (Miss.); Pensacola (Fla.); Segregation; Selma (Ala.); Vicksburg (Miss.); Whites--Southern States; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: I had a real great year down there, I had, had a great season there.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses what he considers to be his best year, in which he played in Selma, Alabama. He also discusses some of the players he knew while he was there.

Keywords: All-stars; Ben Wade; Bill McKee; Buffington; Eddie Kazak; Frank Oziak; Frank Scalsey; Hitting; Joe Sabatella; Mexican League; Sam Caldera; Saul Rogan; Toast; Vern Vickburg

Subjects: Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Profesional; Selma (Ala.)

Partial Transcript: What happened to these other guys? I mean, what...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses what happened to some of the other Minor League players he knew after he went on to the Major Leagues.

Keywords: Al Mackey; Chuck Herbert; Jerry Kline; Pompano (Fla.); Rooming houses; United States Postal Service

Subjects: Major League Baseball (Organization); Minor league baseball.

Partial Transcript: But when you're talking about guys coming back from World War II, it's a little bit different. It's not like, like, kids who are...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione talks about his coming back from World War II. He also discusses his salary.

Keywords: Bars; Drinking; Entertainment; Harrisburg (Pa.); Pay; Salary; World War II

Subjects: Alcoholism; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: 'Kay now, the next year, 1947...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione tells how he moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, and how he was now playing for an AAA team.

Keywords: AAA baseball; Farm teams; Indianapolis (Ind.); Jimmy Brown; Reserve; Strikes; Unions

Subjects: American Association (Baseball league); Baseball; Minor league baseball.; Strikes and lockouts

Partial Transcript: Tell, tell me a little bit about Jimmy Brown. What kind of guy was he? What was he like as a manager?

Segment Synopsis: Brown discusses manager Jimmy Brown and what it was like to work for him.

Keywords: Gene Auck; Jimmy Brown; Kansas City (Mo.); Louisville (Mo.); Milwaukee (Wis.); Toledo (Ohio)

Subjects: American Association (Baseball league); Baseball managers; Minneapolis (Minn.)

Partial Transcript: Tell me how AAA ball differed from, um, what you've been used to before.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes AAA players as being considerably better, and states that the quality of life and play improved substantially. He also describes the Minor League attendance record of half a million fans.

Keywords: AAA farm teams; Baseball fans; Broken arms; Card games; Danny Burtock; Fans; George Strickland; Injuries; Pinochle; Train travel

Subjects: Lopez, Al, 1908-; Minor league baseball.

Partial Transcript: Tell me a, um,a little bit about your routine, um, on, when you were playing with Indianapolis. Um, it would probably be quite similar to when you were playing with the Pirates...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes a typical day of playing baseball in Indianapolis.

Keywords: Breakfasts; Daily routines; Hotels; Luggage; Movies; Night games; Routines; Trainers

Subjects: Indianapolis (Ind.)

Partial Transcript: Chicago, St. Louis, Philadelphia, they had two teams. New York had three...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses how multiple Major League teams could play in the same city, and how some teams were more popular than others. He also talks about his teammates when he played in Indianapolis.

Keywords: Appalachicola (Fla.); Baseball reunion; Baseball teams; Ben Gattini; Butch Moran; Cities; Ernest Andres; Frank Kallen; Jack Hallen; Jimmy Lugworth; Johnny Riddle; Stan Wincell; Teammates

Subjects: Baseball; Baseball players; Indianapolis (Ind.)

Partial Transcript: Well some, some of the folks, we've talked about, you know, Gene Mauch and Jimmy Brown...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses some of the great players who were his opponents.

Keywords: Alvin Dark; Billy Goodman; Cliff Banks; Dick Cole; Don Lund; Eddie Stuart; Hank Bower; Harry Craft; Jerry Coleman; Jerry Staley; Kay Sylvester; Ralph Howe; Sam Denning; Tommy Bird; Wes Western

Subjects: Baseball players

Partial Transcript: Tell me a little bit about, um, um, Al Lopez.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione talks about working for Al Lopez.

Keywords: Hall of Fame

Subjects: Baseball players; Cleveland Indians (Baseball Team); Lopez, Al, 1908-; National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Partial Transcript: Tell, tell me... you got married at the end of 1947...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes meeting his wife and their subsequent marriage. He also discusses his second best year in baseball.

Keywords: Apartment; Connecticut; Marriage; Salaries; Short stops; Spring training; Ted Beard; Tom Murdoch; Wives

Subjects: Baseball; Baseball players; Indianapolis (Ind.)

Partial Transcript: When, um, you were, you were up there with the Pirates for a little bit again in 1948...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes his playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Keywords: "Whiz kids"; First at-bat; Knuckleball pitchers

Subjects: Chicago Cubs (Baseball Team); Philadelphia (Pa.); Pitchers (Baseball); Pittsburgh Pirates (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: ...here in San Bernardino, trained out there. In '48, when I went to spring training...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione briefly discusses spring training and his moving to third base. He also reminisces about other players.

Keywords: Disabled list; Disabled players; Greenberg Gardens; San Bernardino (Calif.); Santa Monica (Calif.); Spring training; Wally Westlake

Subjects: Rookie baseball players; Walker, Dixie, 1910-1982

Partial Transcript: That's an incredible year by anyone's standards.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses players Ralph Kiner and Dixie Walker, as well as several others.

Subjects: Baseball; Baseball players; Kiner, Ralph; Philadelphia Phillies (Baseball Team); St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball Team); Walker, Dixie, 1910-1982

Partial Transcript: Oh, Murray, yeah, little work horse. Great, great little pitcher. Throw a lot of innings for you...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione shares his memories of Murray Dixon, Bob Chesney, and others.

Keywords: Bill Worrell; Bob Chesney; Cancer; Hugh Casey; Marital problems; Murray Dixon; Pittsburgh (Pa.); Psychological problems; Suicide; Veterans

Subjects: Baseball players; New York Yankees (Baseball Team); St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: Was this the first time you'd, um, played a lot against black ball players?

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione shares his memories of playing with African American baseball players in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Keywords: Black baseball players; Lou Walker; St. Paul (Minn.)

Subjects: African American baseball players; Baseball players; Campanella, Roy, 1921-1993.

Partial Transcript: Tell, tell me, you know, I'm sure you had a really good chance, because you played almost all through your career in the National League...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione shares his first impressions of Jackie Robinson. He also briefly discusses other African American baseball players.

Keywords: 1949; Discrimination; Racism; Rookie of the Year

Subjects: African American baseball players; Baseball players; Brooklyn Dodgers (Baseball Team); Jethroe, Sam; Major League Baseball (Organization); National League (Major League Baseball); Race discrimination; Robinson, Jackie, 1919-1972

Partial Transcript: It's in your contract, that you steal... hit 30 homers and steal 30.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses Roy Hamey, then talks about his rookie season, and how he played multiple positions.

Keywords: Baseball contracts; Contracts; General managers; Rookie season; Rookies; Roy Hamey

Subjects: Baseball players; Infielders (Baseball); Rookie baseball players

Partial Transcript: Tell me, uh, you know, Forrest (??) Field's gone...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione remembers Forrest Field, which is now a part of the University of Pittsburgh, as well as other fields. He also shares where he lived in Pittsburgh and his general lifestyle there.

Keywords: Baseball fields; Day games; Forrest Field; Insurance sales; New York Life Insurance; Night games; Off-season employment; Pittsburgh (Pa.); Sporting goods department; Wrigley Field (Chicago, Ill.)

Partial Transcript: ...Louisville, uh, uh, the bats... they gave us, they gave us gifts in those years, bubble gum...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Castiglione describes his few endorsements, and how different they were from the endorsements of current (1991) baseball players. He also describes baseball uniforms at the time he was playing

Keywords: Baseball endorsements; Baseball uniforms; Bubble gum; Curfews; Endorsements; Gifts; Rain; Rain delays; Uniforms

Subjects: Baseball

Partial Transcript: Let's move to 1950 quickly.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes playing with Bob Dillinger and other infielders for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Keywords: "Whiz kids"; 1950; Bob Dillinger; Competition; Vern Law

Subjects: Baseball players; Infielders (Baseball); Pittsburgh Pirates (Baseball teams)

Partial Transcript: Ray Scott...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione talks about the 1950 World Series, as well as Billy Meyers as a manager.

Keywords: "Whiz kids"; Alcoholism; Billy Meyers; Cuban League; Dale Coogan; Exhibition games; Grant Stadium; Ray Scott; Sports announcers; Television; World Series; World Series (1950)

Subjects: Baseball managers; Baseball--Management

Partial Transcript: Now you, you had Branch Rickey come in in '50. 51', 50'...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes Branch Rickey. He also discusses playing at age 29-30, and the general attitude of the team at that time.

Keywords: "The Twig"; 1951; Baseball teams; Batting helmets; General managers; Personality; Spring training

Subjects: Baseball team owners; Pittsburgh Pirates (Baseball team); Rickey, Branch, 1914-1961

Partial Transcript: This is the time, too, is kind of interesting because a lot of people don't remember this, but, uh, probably through your entire career, since your career ended in 1954, you'd leave your glove out in the field.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione talks about his habit of leaving baseball gloves in the field. This leads into a discussion of his having a good year in 1951.

Keywords: Baseball gloves; Catfish Macvish; Murray Dixon; Ted Wilkes; Willie Mays

Subjects: Brooklyn Dodgers (Baseball Team); New York Giants (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: Tell me a little bit about Leo Durocher. He was really, could really ride you from the bench.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione shares his remembrances of playing with Leo Durocher.

Keywords: Carl Ferrillo

Subjects: Baseball players; Durocher, Leo, 1906-1991.

Partial Transcript: Let's turn to Ralph Kiner very quickly. He uh, uh, was basically the heart of the team; he was the big draw.

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione talks about his teammate Ralph Kiner.

Keywords: Bob Prince; Endorsements; Heinz; Nancy Chapman; Spring training; Wheaties

Subjects: Kiner, Ralph; Rickey, Branch, 1881-1965

Partial Transcript: Roy Face, who became a real star...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione talks about some other players he knew. He also describes how he broke his arm in Philadelphia.

Keywords: Arm injuries; Broken arms; Dick Cole; Exhibition games; Frank Thomas; Jacksonville (Fla.); Roy Face; Spring training; Tom Gorman

Subjects: Cleveland Indians (Baseball Team); Cuba.; Philadelphia (Pa.)

Partial Transcript: Tell me about getting traded, getting sent to St. Louis...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Castiglione describes his being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1953, and reminisces about the team.

Keywords: Baseball teams; Baseball trades; Leon Rice; Trades

Subjects: St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball Team)

Partial Transcript: Things that really changed today...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione describes changes in baseball since he played baseball. He also discusses difficult players.

Keywords: Free agency; Reserve clauses; Salaries

Subjects: Baseball; Baseball players

Partial Transcript: They had to keep him as a pitcher there, and I remember, Spawn and some of the older pitchers...

Segment Synopsis: Castiglione discusses the last years of his baseball career (1954-1958), and his second career in the US Postal Service (1958-1986). He also discusses his baseball pension plan and provides some closing thoughts on his baseball career. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Bonus rule; Buffalo (N.Y.); Pension plans; Player pension plan; Rochester (N.Y.); Toronto (Ontario)

Subjects: Pensions.; United States Postal Service