9 years ago, I was lucky enough to be at Arlington on Memorial Day. It’s a day I will never forget the rest of my life. Walking around and paying tribute to our heroes on that day is unlike anything I have done. It doesn’t matter what your political views are, we can all take some time to appreciate those who have served our country. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the luxuries in our life like this game we have all gathered on.
Pictured here is one of our fallen I visited on that day. He is a hero back in our hometown, being one of the first casualties in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Baseball was America’s obsession during the early 1900’s. People young and old craved the game, both watching and playing it. For military personnel, it was a chance to escape the horrors that lie ahead or behind them.
MLB has had a long and distinguished (both athletically and actual combat) list of players that have served their country proudly. Here is a team that I have assembled to honor some of the men who put their country before their love for the game:
At backstop we have Seaman Second Class Yogi Berra. We all know the story of this stud catcher (10 World Series rings) and his famous quotes (“you better cut the pizza in four slices because I’m not hungry enough to eat six”), but what about his military accolades? Seaman Berra was a gunner’s mate aboard the USS Bayfield on the most pivotal day in the European theater, helping the Allies storm the beaches at Omaha and Utah. One has to think that such experiences and courage helped to drive him as a competitor upon his return to the States, as Seaman Berra is regarded as the best catcher to ever play the game.
At first base is Captain Hank Greenberg. Captain Greenberg actually served two stints in the military, the first time leaving after his MVP season where he hit 41 home runs, 150 RBI’s, and slugged .670. Overall in WWII, Captain Greenberg served 47 months and was sent over to the Pacific theater, assisting with B-29 bomber bases for the Allies. On several occassions, Captain Greenberg would recall to his teammates some of his moments in the military when he was just happy to come out alive. In one case, a B-29 could not take off properly so he and his other unit members went runnng down the runway to assist when a bomb accidentally went off, knocking everyone back several feet (surprisingly no one was seriously injured, including those on board). Like others on this list, Captain Greenberg missed time in the peak of his career, having won the AL MVP in 1940.
Manning the keystone is a guy who has his jersey retired by all 30 teams, Second Lieutantant Jackie Robinson. We all know Lieutantant Robinson for his actions on the field and breaking the color barrier for baseball, but he took a firm stance against racism long before signing with the Dodgers. Lieutantant Robinson was ordered to the back of the bus one day and refused to comply, having been a strong advocate and voice for equal opportunities for African-American soldiers. As a result, he was court-martialed, but found not guilty (by a fully white review board) for insubordination. As a result of this incident, he was discharged from the military, but his former unit (761st Tank Battalion) would go on to serve as the first fully African-American company in the European theater.
At third base is Corporal Jud Wilson. Corporal Wilson, a star in the Negro League, who was known throughout his career for his short temper with anyone who went against him. Rumor is while his glove was average, he would use his chest to stop groundballs and never flinch. Corporal Wilson did not start playing competitively until the age of 26 and is the only everyday third baseman in the Hall with military experience, as well as the only member buried in Arlington.
Playing shortstop for the Vets is Mr. Cub himself, Private First-Class Ernie Banks. While Private Banks was young enough to miss WWII, he served two years during the Korean War, being based in Texas and Germany. During his tenure with the military, Private Banks served as a part of an Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion as well as the flag bearer for his unit. Private Banks began his professional baseball career with the legendary Kansas City Monarchs before joining MLB, where he established himself as one of the greatest players in history.
Out in left field, we have Captain Ted Williams. We all know the Splendid Splinter as a greatest contact hitter of all time (the guy had some pop too), and most have heard to some degree of his military background. Captain Williams served in both WWII and the Korean War, participating in 39 combat missions in the latter. What may be the most impressive stat about Captain Williams is upon his return from WWII, he won the American League MVP in 1946 followed by the second Triple Crown of his career in 1947.
Playing in straight away centerfield, we have the “The Say Hey Kid,” Lieutenant Willie Mays. While Lieutenant Mays never saw action in the Korean War (his primary job was to actually play baseball on the base and provide entertainment to fellow soldiers), he did end up missing over 250 games (think about how fun of a home run chase that would have been going for Babe Ruth). Fun fact about his time in the Army, it is storied that Lieutenant Mays developed the over-the-shoulder basket catch from a teammate of his while stationed at Fort Eustis (Al Fortunato).
Finally, in right field we have one of the fiercest competitors from the dead ball era. Captain Ty Cobb served the country during WWI, and upon his enlisting, he was assigned to the Chemical Warfare Service, where he was teamed up with Major Branch Rickey (general manager for the St. Louis Cardinals for four World Series, general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers when breaking the color barrier with the signing of Lieutenant Robinson, and a founding supporter/member of FCA) and Captain Mathewson (more on Captain Mathewson below). When the United States initially entered the war, Cobb voluntarily entered his name into the draft (his grandfather had served in the Civil War and felt it was his duty do serve) but was not selected for a year. During a training exercise in France, Captain Cobb along with his battalion had a communication error and were gassed as a result. While many of the men in his company died from this event, Captain Cobb suffered breathing problems for several weeks. Once returning to the States, he decided to continue playing (before departing for Europe he thought he would retire permanently) and won the batting title in 1919, hitting .384 at 31 years old.
The first picture is of Captain Cobb and the second of Major Rickey.
“Joltin’ Joe,” Sergeant Joe DiMaggio never saw military action but did serve in the Air Force for three years. While enlisted, he was teamed up with other Hall of Famers such as Pee Wee Reese and Red Ruffing. In the fall of 1945, Sergeant DiMaggio received his medical release due to stomach ulcers he was suffering from. Similar to Captain Williams, Sergeant DiMaggio missed out on three seasons in the peak of his career, having won the AL MVP in 1941 and 1947.
Chief Petty Officer Pee Wee Reese serves as a utility infielder for the Veterans, serving as a shortstop and third baseman in his career in Brooklyn. Most notably in his career, he was the tandem up the middle when Lieutenant Robinson shifted from first base to second for the Dodgers. During his military service, Petty Officer Reese was stationed in Norfolk, Hawaii, and Guam, helping with morale and playing on the bases’ baseball teams.
The first picture is of Petty Officer Reese, Phil Rizzuto, and Hugh Casey. The second picture is from Petty Officer Reese’s time in the Pacific theater (pictured in the center) along with Pinky May and Johnny Vander Meer.
Seaman Second Class Stan Musial entered the Navy in 1944. While enlisted, he served out in Pearl Harbor, assisting in the clean-up and rebuild from that fateful December morning in 1941. Seaman Musial also assisted with ships and personnel returning to port damaged and injured. One of his fondest memories of his time was playing in the on base league in Hawaii, as he said “tens of thousands (men) every game” would come watch, finding a way to alleviate some of the pain and shock they were in from war. He also credits his time at Bainridge Training Center in Maryland for his power. While Captain Williams and Sergeant DiMaggio raked in awards in the AL, Seaman Musial controlled the NL, winning the 1946 MVP while guiding his Cardinals to a 7-game World Series victory over my beloved Red Sox.
Naval Aviator Tris Speaker never saw combat, as World War I ended two months before he finished flight school but had every intention of entering combat. Following the 1918 season (coming off the second lowest average of his career at only .318), Aviator Speaker wanted to join the cause and emulate ace pilot Eddie Rickenbacker (really cool to see a baseball player, who many consider their heroes, have his own hero). He was fortunate enough to land a spot during training camp with the MIT “Yale Unit,” which was dedicated to fast-tracking pilots. As a seaplane unit, it was dangerous even in training, with the Yale Unit losing 24 cadets. Aviator Speaker finished flight school and served as a reserve for several years following World War I. On the field, he is regarded as one of the best centerfielders to ever play the game, going head to head with Captain Cobb for bragging rights during the “dead ball era.” He is still the career leader for doubles and outfield assists in major league history, and led his teams to three World Series. Aviator Speaker’s trade from Boston to Cleveland is the second worst in franchise history.
Captain Bob Feller knew from the minute he heard about the Pearl Harbor attacks, he wanted to join the military, being sworn in on December 9, 1941. The latter part of Captain Feller’s military career, he received his wish of being in combat as he was assigned to the USS Alabama in an anti-aircraft gun mount, commanding the crew there. While stationed on the USS Alabama, Captain Feller spent time in both theaters, with the time in the Pacific being the most taxing. The ship was in charge of providing support for amphibious attacks during island jumping and were constantly being targeted by enemy planes, both bombers and kamikazes. To the testament of the entire ships’ anti-aircraft crew, the USS Alabama never lost a soldier in combat.
Captain Christy Mathewson is the saddest story of our Hall of Fame crew. In 1918, when several members of professional baseball were drafted for WWI, Captain Mathewson enlisted on his own will (and against that of his wife) at the age of 37. Upon his enlisting, he was assigned to the Chemical Warfare Service, where he was teamed up with Major Rickey and Captain Cobb. When arriving in France to be sent to the Western Front, Captain Mathewson was accidentally gassed during a training exercise and as a result developed tuberculosis. Following the incident, he was discharged from the service and was never fully ever able to recover, passing away in 1925 at the young age of 45. Nicknamed “The Christian Gentleman,” he was considered one of baseball’s first true sportsmen due to his character and the way he treated teammates and opponents alike. Captain Mathewson is pictured next to his wife Jane prior to his deployment to France.
Sergeant Hoyt Wilhelm is an interesting story. Sergeant Wilhelm didn’t make his major league debut until the age of 29, where he finished second for Rookie of the Year voting. He also holds the MLB record for being the oldest pitcher, throwing his last pitch at the age of 49. In 1942, Sergeant Wilhelm joined the military and was sent to the European theater during his enlistment. Most notably, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge, being wounded in the battle and earning a Purple Heart. Due to his injury incurred, he pitched his entire career with a piece of shrapnel lodged in his back. Sergeant Wilhelm was one of 23 major and minor league players who participated in this specific battle. Having a knuckleball in his arsenal definitely helped his longevity.
Private Whitey Ford served in the Army during the Korean War, enlisting the year after finishing second in rookie of the year voting. During in stint in the Army, Private Ford was stationed at Fort Monmouth in New Jersey, where the base commander expected him to pitch three times a week. Fearing he would hurt his arm, Private Ford quit the team and thought that he was going to be court-martialed. As a soldier, Private Ford failed in his first assignment, falling off telephone poles on multiple occasions (as part of the signal division). As a result, he was reassigned as a radio operator. Many currently consider Private Ford as the greatest current living Yankee (since the passing of Seaman Berra), serving as the ace for six World Series championships.
The Great War, like it did on Captain Mathewson, destroyed another one of the greatest pitchers at the beginning of the century in "Old Pete," Sergeant Grover Cleveland Alexander. The Great War took a toll on Sergeant Alexander, who was 31 upon entering active duty. In combat, Sergeant Alexander and his company were sent to the front lines in July of 1918. There, he suffered from hearing loss in his left ear, shrapnel in his right ear, muscle damage in his right (throwing) arm manning a howitzer artillery gun, epileptic seizures caused from constant bombardments, and to alleviate the problems we now know as PTSD (and to help hide the seizures), he began heavily drinking (many of his family and friends could not tell the difference between when he was drunk and when he was having a seizure). Despite all that, Alexander won the pitching triple crown in 1920, but was never the same pitcher the aside from that year. The second picture below is of Sergeant Alexander and his wife Aimee before being deployed (they had met on a blind date several years before).
Second Lieutenant Warren Spahn joined the military shortly after his first call up, placing his career on hold. Lieutenant Spahn joins a long list of baseball members who saw combat, having participated in the Battle of the Bulge and the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge (the last remaining bridge in Germany to cross the Rhine). As a member of the 1159th Engineer Combat Group’s 276th Engineer Combat Battalion, his company was constantly under fire while maintaining the bridge’s strategic ability for the Allies and received a Purple Heart for his heroics there. Known for his signature leg kick, he was regarded as the Greg Maddux of his time, meaning he relied on his ability to control the strike zone and outthink hitters.
Private Red Ruffing joined the military at the age of 38, needing a special waiver to be declared active military. Due to a mining accident when he was younger, Private Redding lost four toes on his left foot. It was this incident that made him shift from being a field player to pitcher. Due to his medical condition, he was assigned to a non-combat role and played on the bases’ baseball teams. Notably, he was sent out to Hawaii for morale as well as throwing a perfect game against Sergeant DiMaggio’s team. Private Ruffing is pictured on the right below.
Stay tuned for four challenges coming soon involving these cards. These will be more attainable than the foil challenge, with different variables, measures, and formats used throughout the challenges.
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