By HOWARD ULMAN

AP Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Johnny Pesky’s spring training ended early when a line drive broke a bone in his lower leg as he watched a college game.

Pesky, 86, who serves as an instructor during spring training, suffered a non-displaced fracture of the left fibula near his ankle on Saturday while watching a game between Suffolk and Denison of Ohio being played at the Red Sox spring training facility.

He was wearing a removable boot Sunday and said his injury is expected to take four to six weeks to heal. But he’s hoping to return by April 11 when Boston plays its home opener against Toronto.

“I want to be ready for Opening Day,” he said. “I don’t want to run out there like a little pigeon.”

Pesky, still a fan favorite who signs hundreds of autographs in spring training, planned to return to Boston on Monday.

On Saturday, he was sitting in a folding chair in foul territory about 50 feet past third base while the Red Sox were playing Toronto in Dunedin.

Pesky said he got up to give Suffolk’s manager some advice when he was struck in the fourth inning.

The former infielder, manager, coach and announcer for the Red Sox, who played with Ted Williams, said that was the first time he was hit by a liner.

“I used to dodge them pretty good,” Pesky said. “I saw something in the kid shortstop. I wanted to talk to his coach first. I just had a suggestion I wanted to make to him. I’m not going to tell him how to play or anything like that … but I never got there.”

Denison center fielder Todd Pitt lined the ball that hit Pesky. Pitt then struck out but also had a single, double, triple and homer as Denison won 14-11.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Sunday he has told Pesky often to pay attention and “there have been too many close calls,” but Pesky said he wasn’t watching the batter when the liner was hit.

“It was stupid on my part because I always watch the hitter,” he said, “but I didn’t watch the hitter because I never dreamed he would pull the ball that much. It was a line drive that hit me on the fly. I thought it was just a bruise. But then I looked down there and there was blood all over the place.”

Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield said an injury like that can happen to anyone, regardless of age.

“It’s sad, but it’s the risk that you take when you’re on any type of field,” he said. “I’m sure he’ll be fine and I’m sure he’s anxious to get that cast off and get back on the field in uniform with us.”

In fact, Pesky didn’t think the injury was as serious as it turned out to be.

“I thought I could be able to run today,” he said, “but it didn’t happen.”

AP-ES-03-19-06 1905EST