They said Stan Musial was too old for baseball at 41. They said John Kennedy was too young for the Presidency at 43. And earlier this summer they said “Snuffy” Bowles was too old for semi-pro ball at 26. But they showed their critics they were wrong.
Bowles has been playing baseball since 1942, which dates him as a ball player even before the birth of some ot his present-day teammates on the Nitros.
“My older brothers got me outside playing ball quite early,” he recalls. Three of his brothers played pro ball—Charlie, Jackie, and Eddie.
Charlie was the most famous. He played major league ball in 19-13 and ’44 as a pitcher for the old Philadelphia Athletics.
Dick, known to all as “Snuffy,” Is a pitcher, too. And he also fills in as an outfielder when needed. His three-hit shutout last week gave the Nitros two valuable points in the standings in their successful bid for the league pennant. He also struck out 12.
As a hitter, Bowles has come through on numerous occasions this summer. The most spectacular was just last Sunday against the Dodgers on the last day of the regular season.
“Snuffy” came to bat three times with runners on second and third. Each time he singled to drive in the runners and wound up with six runs batted in for the day. His batting average was a flashy .375. He started slowly, getting only two hits in his first 13 tries this season.
Set BSL Record
Then he caught fire He’s had 13 for 27 the last part of the season for a .481 average. He’s even hit one inside-the-park homer.
That’s not bad for a 26-year-old father of two who plays ‘ball part-time Most men his age limit their athletic endeavors to an occasional round of golf in an electric cart. The pro athletes are exceptions. Bowles has done a splendid job as a two-way athlete for Stan Lukis’ Nitros.
Bowles has seen a lot of ball games since 1942. His happiest hour came in 1954 when he set a Bay State League record with 23 strikeouts in a nine-inning game. That fantastic mound feat against Framingham High is still a league record.
He relies more on his curve ball these days. “I even used the knuckler a few times,” he admitted, when he hurled his three-hitter. “J used it only when I was ahead of the batter, though, oh-and-two, one-two counts.”
He can still rear back and fire the fast one, but his sharp-breaking curve has been his bread-and-butter pitch.
Bowles works at the Plimpton Press with teammate Pete Sansone and Coach Lukis, and loves to put on the old baseball togs on the weekends and for twilight, games.
He married the former Tina Sideropoulos of Norwood and West Roxbury, and has two children Deborah, two years old next month, and Jimmy, eight months old.
As long as the easy-going athlete can be of use to his club with his bat, and as long as he can mystify the opposition with his dipping curves, “Snuffy” will be out there trying
By NICK CURRAN (Thirteen in a Series)