As the United States celebrates its 250th Birthday this weekend, what better way to celebrate than with baseball (hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet … right!?!).
On the occasion of the nation’s semiquincentennial we thought it would be enjoyable to look at those baseballers who served in active military duty during major conflicts from the 19th and 20th Centuries.
The #FanTeaser image this week is of a youthful Lawrence Berra (later known as Yogi) who served in the U.S. Navy and was aboard the attack transport USS Bayfield as a gunner’s mate on June 6, 1944 (aka D-Day) and was at both Omaha and Utah Beaches. The Bayfield’s role was to fire artillery at German defense positions to clear the way for Allied infantry to arrive.
Berra, who was just turned 19-years-old the previous month, later went on to enjoy a 19-year Major League career with the New York Yankees and Mets that was deemed Baseball Hall of Fame worthy by the electorate.
In total, there were 72 current inductees of the Baseball Hall of Fame who served during either the Civil War, World War I, World War II, or the Korean War. Boston Red Sox great Ted Williams served in both of the latter two and famously flew as a wingman to future astronaut and U.S. Senator, John Glenn.
One would have little difficulty building a few formidable starting nines out of those 72 men who served their country.
- C – Yogi Berra
- 1B – Johnny Mize
- 2B – Jackie Robinson
- 3B – Billy Herman
- SS – Pee Wee Reese
- OF – Stan Musial
- OF – Willie Mays
- OF – Larry Doby
- RHSP – Bob Feller
- LHSP – Rube Marquard
- Mgr – Casey Stengel
- C – Mickey Cochrane
- 1B – Gil Hodges
- 2B – Charlie Gehringer
- 3B – Eddie Mathews
- SS – Rabbit Maranville
- OF – Duke Snider
- OF – Ty Cobb
- OF – Enos Slaughter
- RHSP – Christy Mathewson
- LHSP – Warren Spahn
- Mgr – Whitey Herzog
- C – Bill Dickey
- 1B – Hank Greenberg
- 2B – Eddie Collins
- 3B – Luke Appling
- SS – Ernie Banks
- OF – Oscar Charleston
- OF – Joe DiMaggio
- OF – Ted Williams
- RHSP – Grover Alexander
- LHSP – Eppa Rixley
- Mgr – Red Schoendienst
We can also cobble together a pretty nice front office between General Manager Branch Rickey, Promotions Director Bill Veeck, and whatever it is that Warren Giles, Larry MacPhail, and Morgan Bulkeley (a Civil War veteran!) would like to do.
The broadcast team can be Ralph Kiner and Phil Rizzuto and we’ll go with a 2-man umpiring crew of Jocko Conlan and Al Barlick.
And, shoot, while we’re at it, the entire myth about the invention of baseball is built around someone with a long military history, Abner Doubleday.
Happy Birthday USA!!!
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.