Paul Waner by Michael Ceraolo

 Paul Waner

Oklahoma wasn't a state yet when I was born there

it was still largely part of the Wild West

And a part of the Wild West ethos

was the ability to hold your liquor

I showed that ability early on,

and I always thought it helped my ballplaying,

relaxing me, and allowing me

to the lines and alleys at Forbes Field,

piling up those doubles and triples;

one season I gave up the booze

and couldn't hit worth a damn,

so I resumed drinking on the manager's orders

Of course,

such didn't help my life after baseball