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excerpted from the Introduction
Peace in Europe saw military baseball take on new proportions. Lieutenant-Colonel Frank G McCormick, U.S. Army Athletic Officer and former University of Minnesota Athletic Director, had announced plans for the "Personnel Athletic and Recreation Program" in December 1944. At the end of World War I difficulties arose among American troops in Europe through insubordination and the program was intended to occupy troops during their months of waiting to go home. In addition it was expected to prepare them to re-enter civilian life better equipped, mentally and physically, and under strict orders from Eisenhower the program could not begin until combat troops were in a position to participate. On May 7, 1945, the day after the German surrender, engineer units, formerly engaged in building combat bridges and airfields, enthusiastically set about transforming the battlefields of Europe into ball fields, while hundreds of athletic officers set in motion the administration and organizational requirements.
Never before had there been an athletic program of such magnitude. The amount of equipment required was colossal, and shortly after VE Day, the War Department in Washington, DC, made available an inventory of sporting goods that included 85,964 ball gloves, 72,850 baseballs and 131,130 bats. By mid-summer 200,000 troops were playing in competitive leagues, military duties were scheduled around games and combat units temporarily put aside the emotional and physical scars of recent battles in their pursuit to be the best team in their region.
While the Cubs and Tigers battled for the World Series crown back home, the GI's World Series in Europe took place before 50,000 servicemen in a stadium in Nuremberg, Germany. Just six years earlier a similar sized crowd had reached a deafening tone as they cheered a vast array of Nazi armament that paraded before them. On this day, former National League pitcher Sam Nahem, with able assistance from Negro League hero Leon Day, led the Overseas Invasion Service Expedition (OISE) all-stars to a thrilling five-game victory against the mighty 71st Infantry Division.
The following months witnessed the flood of servicemen back home. The major leagues greeted many of their pre-war stars with open arms, while others had significantly suffered from the effects of up to four years out of Organized Baseball. Outfielders now had to go all out to catch up with fly balls they once could have put in their hip pocket, and pitchers who found they had lost their blazing speed now experimented with off-speed pitches in the hope to secure a place on their team's roster. Others were more seriously affected. Senators' shortstop,
Cecil Travis, suffered frozen feet in the Battle of the Bulge and never matched his pre-war effectiveness;
Skippy Roberge, a Braves infielder, suffered wounds in Germany that hampered his post-war career; Lou Thuman, a Senators pitcher, suffered wounds that ended his playing days; and Athletics pitcher,
Phil Marchildon, who was shot down over Germany and spent one year as a POW, struggled with shattered nerves to regain his effectiveness. But most significantly some players made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country in Europe. Elmer Gedeon, who played the outfield for Washington in five games in 1939, was killed when the B-26 Martin Marauder he was piloting was hit by flak. Minor leaguers killed in action in Europe included Ardys Keller who caught for Toledo; Bill Sarver, a centerfielder with Augusta; Lefty Brewer, a pitcher with Charlotte; Elmer Wright, who pitched for San Antonio; and Ordway Cisgen a pitcher with Utica.
More than a half-century on, the memories of wartime baseball often overshadow the tragic events of the time. Many veterans can still provide a play-by-play account of their team's important games and reel-off the names and fielding positions of their teammates as if they were playing alongside them only yesterday. "I just loved to play," recalled one veteran recently, "Anywhere a game was in progress, there I was ready, willing and able to play."
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