Former Washington Senators' pitcher Monte Weaver served as an athletic officer with the Air Force in England from 1943 to 1945. (Baseball in World War II Europe, by Gary Bedingfield.)
Prof Weaver earned a master's degree in mathematics and taught at Virginia's Emory
and Henry College. He had a phenomenal rookie season for the 1932 Senators, going
22-10. Then, impressed by vegetarian theories, he went on a health food diet, became
underweight, and lost the zip off his fastball. He struggled to a 10-5 record in
1933, helping the Senators to their last pennant. In the World Series, he battled
the Giants' Carl Hubbell into the 11th inning of Game Four, only to lose 2-1.
Weaver
dropped to the minors in 1935 before taking the advice of the Senators' trainer,
Mike Martin, and dropping the vegetarian diet. Back on beefsteak, he returned to
the Senators and had marginal success before retiring in 1939 to devote himself full-time
to academia.
(JK)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»September 3, 1933:
Bosox pitcher Ivy Andrews allows just four Senator hits through eight innings, then a single walk and pinch-single by Joe Bolton clips Ivy, 3–2. Monte Weaver wins, sending the Senators eight 1/2 games in the lead.
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