FRED S. TUSTIN

Fred S. Tustin of Washington started his career as a baseball pitcher at the age of nine for the Waynesburg Coca-Cola Midgets.

He pitched four years at Waynesburg High School, setting a WPIAL strikeout record and entered Waynesburg College in 1937. He left college after signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers and later switched to the St. Louis Cardinals chain.

Tustin was a roommate of Hall of Famer Stan Musial at Williamson, WV. in 1938 and played for the Washington Redbirds of the Pennsylvania State League from 1939 through 1941. He had a 15-4 record with the Pirates’ farm club at Albany, NY. and entered the U.S. Army in 1944.

He served in the Pacific Theater and with the Japanese occupation force and pitched for the Fifth Air Force team with an 18-5 record as his team won the service American League pennant. After returning to Washington, he played semipro baseball for Scott Motor and helped organize a company team at Washington Steel Co., where he worked for 34 years.

Tustin also played several seasons in the Wheeling Intelligencer League and became manager of the Washington American Legion team in 1967, winning three district championships in his first four seasons.

He pitched his last game against his father who was past 60 with father and son battling to a 2-2 tie in a benefit exhibition game at Waynesburg.