423:"I was drafted in 1941 and they gave me a deferment to finish the 1941 season. They were waiting at the ball park door for me when it ended, and I said bye-bye. I was the first one in the first draft in my county. I missed all of 1942, 1943, 1944 and almost all of 1945. I could have played ball in the service but I had the flying bug. When I found out I was going to be drafted, I enlisted in the air corps because I wanted to fly. I went overseas to China, Burma and India. I flew a C-47 over the jungles. Let me tell you, you didn’t want to go down in the jungles. They gave me two bits of advice … if I survived, to come out of the plane with a baseball in my hand. I’m serious. They told me it might save my life because the Japanese love baseball and they will take care of you … fortunately, I never crashed." – Interview with Rick Van Blair
506:– At the age of 15, Nuxhall became the youngest player in the history of major league baseball when he pitched 2/3 of an inning for the Cincinnati Reds in 1944. Nuxhall had been recruited out of high school by the Reds as a result of the shortage of players caused by World War II. Nuxhall himself did not serve in the military during the war. After his brief appearance for the Reds, Nuxhall returned to school and did not appear in the major leagues again until 1952 when he returned to Cincinnati as a pitcher. After Nuxhall's career ended in 1966 he became a broadcaster for the Reds, a position he held until 2007 when he died of cancer at the age of 79.
418:. When told he would have to give up baseball because of a service commitment following graduation, he turned down the appointment. Subsequently, Lewis spent his entire 11-year career with the Washington Senators, retiring from the game in 1949 with a .297 lifetime batting average. His career was significantly impacted by the four years he spent in World War II and after his return to baseball, he never attained the level of success he experienced prior to 1942.
527:– Rosen was a Canadian who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1937 to 1939 when he was sent back to the minor leagues. The shortage of ball players caused by the war time draft allowed Rosen another chance to play at the major league level and he returned to the Dodgers for the 1943–1946 seasons. Rosen did not serve in the military. Rosen died at the age of 89 in 1994.
320:
331:– Starting with a 21 win rookie season in 1945, Ferriss had a remarkable first two years as a major league pitcher before injuring his arm in 1947, an injury that effectively ended his career. Not mentioned in Van Blair's book is that Ferriss was drafted into the Army in 1942. For three years, Ferriss was a physical fitness instructor at
377:
ancestry, between 1938–1942 Koy played left field for the
Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and Philadelphia Phillies. Koy left baseball in 1942 to join the U.S. Navy and fight in World War II. Despite his successful career in the major leagues, after the war ended, Koy retired
276:
teams in 1939 and 1940. Craft served in the Navy from 1942–1946. After his military service time was over, Craft returned to baseball but never made it back to the major leagues. In 1948, Craft began a second career as a manager, managing at both the minor and major league levels to include managing
520:
and played on the pennant winning 1946 Red Sox team. At the end of his 10-year career, Pesky also played for the
Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators. Pesky later returned to the Red Sox as a coach, manager, and radio and television analyst. He maintained a continuous professional affiliation with
26:
543:
495:
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before being discharged for a worsening asthmatic condition in 1945. After a brief stint as a pitching coach for the Red Sox, Ferriss returned to his native
Mississippi and was hired as the baseball coach for
472:
from 1944–1945. After the war ended, arm trouble precluded his return to the major leagues. May died in
Corydon, Indiana in 2000 at the age of 89. May's photo is featured on the cover of Van Blair's book.
366:
camp. Gumbert was thirty seven when he was drafted and had five brothers in the military during the war. After the war ended he returned to the Reds. Gumbert died at the age of 85 in
Wimberley, Texas in
396:– A left handed pitcher, Kuzava played for eight teams during his eleven-year major league career that began in 1946 and ended in 1957. Included in his career highlights were key saves that helped the
620:, mentions Van Blair's book while discussing baseball oral history projects. Riess' comment was that Van Blair's book contained very little discussion of the players war time experiences.
558:– A National League pitcher, Thompson spent six seasons at the major league level, playing for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants. As a member of the Reds, Thompson played in the
1102:
382:, when Koy died in 2007 at the age of 97, he was characterized by university's alumni magazine as "... one of the school's first superstar athletes." Koy was a member of both the
362:, Cincinnati Reds, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Gumbert was drafted into the Army in 1942 but was never deployed to either theater of operations and instead served stateside at a
482:, Moore was the captain of many of the World Series winning St. Louis Cardinals teams he played on from 1935–1948 and is described by Van Blair as "...perhaps the greatest
982:
521:
the Red Sox from 1969 until his death in 2012 at the age of 92. Although Pesky served in the U.S. Navy from 1943–1945, it is not mentioned in Van Blair's book.
486:
of all time." He missed three years of baseball due to his military commitment which is not discussed in any detail in Van Blair's book. Moore died in
252:
566:. Not discussed in Van Blair's book was Thompson's military service in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1945. In 2006, Thompson died at the age of 89 in
498:
Nuxhall did not serve in World War II, but the shortage of baseball players during the war years led to his appearance in a game at the age of 15.
462:
during World War II. After his career as a ball player ended, Lodigiani worked for the White Sox in various capacities until his death in 2008.
685:
661:
374:
533:– Sandel spent most of his playing time at the minor league level. A pitcher, Sandel is best remembered for giving up the first base hit to
231:. During his career, Brown served in the U.S. Navy from 1944–1945, and was stationed on a number of islands in the Pacific area, to include
185:, Bloodworth played every position in the game during his career except pitcher and catcher. Teams that Bloodworth played for included the
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107:
251:, the play haunted Brown for the remainder of his life. After his career ended, Brown worked as a scout for the Red Sox and signed
323:
After a remarkable debut, injuries curtailed Boo
Ferriss' career, he later attained great success as a collegiate baseball coach.
358:– Gumbert's fifteen-year career as a pitcher stretched from 1935 to 1950. During that time, he played for the New York Giants,
349:
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teams. Nicknamed "The Horse", Danning served in the U.S. Army from 1943–1946. In 2004, Danning died at the age of 93 in
115:
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259:
144:
is a 1994 book written by Rick Van Blair. The book has been cited as a reference source for other baseball books.
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442:– Growing up in San Francisco, Lodigiani was personal friends with the DiMaggio family and played baseball with
344:, a position he held for 26 years. Ferriss has received numerous honors in his life and is a member of both the
171:. Bartell had a reputation as a "rowdy" and excitable player. Not mentioned in the book, Bartell served in the
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who broke professional baseball's color barrier in 1946 while playing under a minor league contract for the
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408:. Prior to his major league career, Kuzava served for three years in the military as a military policeman.
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The Neyer/James Guide to
Pitchers: An Historical Compendium of Pitching, Pitchers, and Pitches.
638:
Dugout to
Foxhole: Interviews with Baseball Players Whose Careers Were Affected by World War II
141:
Dugout to
Foxhole: Interviews with Baseball Players Whose Careers Were Affected by World War II
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604:. In his book, Van Blair refers to the team as "Baseball's First World Champions of the War."
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197:. Bloodworth's military service is not discussed in Van Blair's book, but he served in the
601:
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468:– May played third base for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1939 to 1943. He served in the
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as a combat engineer from 1943–1946. Bloodworth's time in the service was spent wholly at
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512:– A shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, Pesky was a teammate of Hall of Fame players
509:
447:
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654:
The
Victory Season: The End of World War II and the Birth of Baseball's Golden Age
544:
The Victory Season: The End of World War II and the Birth of Baseball's Golden Age
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414:– Lewis graduated from high school at the top of his class and was accepted to
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1211:
Riess, Steven. "Baseball: When the Ball and Most Everything Else Was White"
678:: How Baseball Sold U.S. Foreign Policy and Promoted The American Way Abroad
541:. Sandel's role in Jackie Robinson's story was highlighted in the 2013 book
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to take the 1938 National League pennant from the Pirates. Known as the
1178:. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company Publishers, page 107
939:. March/April 2007, page 86. Additional information retrieved from
352:. As of 2013, Ferriss, 91, was living in retirement in Mississippi.
336:
1078:"Joe Nuxhall, 79; Youngest Player In Major League history, at 15"
272:
for the Cincinnati Reds from 1937–1942 and was a member of their
755:
Florida's First Big League Baseball Players: A Narrative History
378:
from baseball and returned to his Texas farm. A graduate of the
232:
735:
Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, pages 75-77
235:. A relief pitcher, Brown is best remembered for giving up a
1215:, Spring 1995, Volume 22, Number 1. Retrieved June 29, 2013
757:. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, pages 63-70
616:
has not been widely reviewed. Steven Riess, writing in the
431:
where he operated a car dealership for 30 years and coached
1010:. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, page 135
127:
770:
Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company, page 92
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teams. In 2011, Lewis died at the age of 94 in Gastonia.
152:
The book contains interviews with the following players:
869:. Cambridge, Mass: Rounder Records Corp., pages 49-57
733:
Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Baseball.
427:
After his retirement, Lewis returned to his home in
281:
for their first three years. In 1995, Craft died in
983:"Buddy Lewis, Nats star and WWII pilot, dies at 94"
552:
during World War II, died in 1993 at the age of 72.
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101:
93:
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77:
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640:. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company
299:in the 1930s. He spent his entire career with the
1176:Eye for Talent: Interviews with Baseball Scouts
1008:Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball
768:Stand and Deliver: A History of Pinch-Hitting.
8:
713:. Fargo, North Dakota: Bison Books, page 349
711:Baseball: An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture
19:
1103:"Red Sox infielder Johnny Pesky dies at 92"
223:, Brown played for the Pittsburgh Pirates,
656:. New York: Little, Brown & Company.
24:
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857:
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450:. During his career, he played for the
295:Danning was one of baseball's premier
209:. Bloodworth died at the age of 85 in
189:, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates,
548:Sandel, who spent three years in the
458:. Lodigiani spent three years in the
7:
1076:Schudel, Matt (November 17, 2007)
981:Schudel, Matt (February 26, 2011)
700:New York: Fireside Books, page 160
14:
696:James, Bill and Rob Neyer (2004)
1101:Schudel, Matt (August 14, 2012)
373:– Nicknamed "Chief" due to his
350:Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
1:
1006:Baldassaro, Lawrence (2011)
866:Red Sox Heroes of Yesteryear
384:Texas Longhorn Hall of Honor
680:. New York: The New Press.
346:Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
16:1994 book by Rick Van Blair
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935:"In Memoriam – Ernie Koy"
260:Greensboro, North Carolina
1156:. Retrieved June 11, 2013
1132:. Retrieved July 11, 2013
1108:. Retrieved July 12, 2013
1083:. Retrieved July 12, 2013
1057:. Retrieved July 11, 2013
1033:. Retrieved July 11, 2013
988:. Retrieved July 12, 2013
917:. Retrieved July 11, 2013
709:Rielly, Edward J. (2000)
652:Weintraub, Robert (2013)
388:Texas Sports Hall of Fame
258:. In 1992, Brown died in
23:
1213:Journal of Sport History
1202:Van Blair, pages 205-219
1193:. Retrieved July 11,2013
1165:Van Blair, pages 191-204
1141:Van Blair, pages 181-190
1117:Van Blair, pages 171-180
1092:Van Blair, pages 160-170
1067:Van Blair, pages 149-159
1043:Van Blair, pages 138-148
1019:Van Blair, pages 128-137
997:Van Blair, pages 113-127
963:Van Blair, pages 101-112
794:. Retrieved July 7, 2013
618:Journal of Sport History
574:1942 St. Louis Cardinals
433:American Legion Baseball
429:Gastonia, North Carolina
954:Van Blair, pages 89-100
882:baseball-reference.com.
840:baseball-reference.com.
816:baseball-reference.com.
636:Van Blair, Rick (1994)
72:McFarland & Company
1191:baseball-reference.com
1174:Dragseth, P.J. (2010)
1154:baseball-reference.com
1130:baseball-reference.com
1055:baseball-reference.com
1031:baseball-reference.com
926:Van Blair, pages 81-88
893:Van Blair, pages 63-80
884:Retrieved July 7, 2013
851:Van Blair, pages 52-62
842:Retrieved July 6, 2013
827:Van Blair, pages 39-51
818:Retrieved July 8, 2013
803:Van Blair, pages 30-38
792:baseball-reference.com
779:Van Blair, pages 21-29
744:Van Blair, pages 12-20
676:The Empire Strikes Out
499:
488:Collinsville, Illinois
452:Philadelphia Athletics
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342:Delta State University
324:
972:Porter, pages 129-130
915:baseballreference.com
722:Van Blair, pages 3-12
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421:
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249:Homer in the Gloamin'
211:Apalachicola, Florida
195:Philadelphia Phillies
159:– Infielder with the
303:and played on their
1106:The Washington Post
1081:The Washington Post
986:The Washington Post
568:Scottsdale, Arizona
380:University of Texas
360:St. Louis Cardinals
313:Valparaiso, Indiana
253:Hall of Fame player
221:North English, Iowa
187:Washington Senators
20:
576:– interviews with
500:
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161:Pittsburgh Pirates
1188:"Junior Thompson"
753:Singletary, Wes.
731:Porter, David L.
686:978-1-59558-195-2
662:978-0-316-20591-7
614:Dugout to Foxhole
564:1940 World Series
456:Chicago White Sox
406:1952 World Series
309:1937 World Series
285:at the age of 80.
279:Houston Colt .45s
262:at the age of 92.
243:that allowed the
237:walk off home run
203:Fort Leonard Wood
137:
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133:GV865.A1 V36 1994
89:Print (paperback)
78:Publication place
44:Pinky May (photo)
41:Cover artist
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440:Dario Lodigiani
386:as well as the
375:American Indian
364:prisoner of war
301:New York Giants
268:– Craft played
191:Cincinnati Reds
175:from 1943–1945.
165:New York Giants
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922:
914:
907:
898:
889:
881:
874:
865:
847:
839:
832:
823:
815:
808:
799:
791:
789:"Mace Brown"
784:
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767:
762:
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749:
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732:
727:
718:
710:
705:
697:
692:
674:
669:
653:
637:
632:
617:
613:
612:
590:Marty Marion
578:Harry Walker
542:
514:Ted Williams
510:Johnny Pesky
448:Dom DiMaggio
426:
422:
274:World Series
270:center field
245:Chicago Cubs
157:Dick Bartell
151:
148:Book Summary
140:
139:
138:
594:Terry Moore
586:Johnny Hopp
550:Coast Guard
525:Goody Rosen
518:Bobby Doerr
504:Joe Nuxhall
476:Terry Moore
412:Buddy Lewis
329:Boo Ferriss
266:Harry Craft
61:Non-fiction
624:References
582:Max Lanier
490:, in 1995.
416:West Point
394:Bob Kuzava
217:Mace Brown
470:U.S. Navy
466:Pinky May
371:Ernie Koy
199:U.S. Army
173:U.S. Navy
121:796.35709
67:Published
1228:Category
400:win the
348:and the
297:catchers
293:all-star
256:Jim Rice
207:Missouri
167:and the
49:Language
941:Alcalde
937:Alcalde
609:Reviews
52:English
684:
660:
600:, and
227:, and
193:, and
33:Author
367:1995.
337:Texas
94:Pages
70:1988
57:Genre
682:ISBN
658:ISBN
562:and
560:1939
516:and
478:– A
454:and
446:and
404:and
402:1951
307:and
305:1936
233:Guam
103:ISBN
444:Joe
335:in
239:to
97:226
1230::
856:^
645:^
596:,
592:,
588:,
584:,
580:,
205:,
163:,
664:.
570:.
546:.
390:.
315:.
213:.
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