War and Baseball

[bjcunningham]

Usually when I think of baseball in wartime, I think of the Civil War, or the end of WWII, like in the final scenes in HBOs Band of Brothers. Civil War has its Abner Doubledays and WWII had Ted Williams and Bob Feller, leaving teams to fight overseas. Cobb and Mathewson and Alexander and Branch Rickey get the marque billing in WWI, but there were quite a few other MLB players fighting, like HOFers Herb Pennock and George Sisler. Eddie Grant was a war hero. From the T206 cards, Gabby Street served as well. In any case, I had never really thought of WWI as a war where there was an easy downtime (ie, trench warfare) or easy access to equipment to actually play a game. (Though, I have seen some photos of a Navy vs Army pick up game in Rome.)

Picked this up this week as a reminder of those veterans. Nobody of note, I suspect, but looks like they had some equipment and the leisure time to spend outside. I think it was created in France, as the back reads, "Carte Postale". Please share if you have similar memorabilia.

[Scott Garner]

Not WWI, but here is a photo of Johnny "Double No-Hit" Vander Meer and some of his other fellow navy mates/ teammates in Guam 1944.
Several of these players were ML baseball players including Joe Becker, Del Ennes, Red Quillen and Connie Ryan. Thanks again to fellow net54 member Clint, KSfarmboy for giving this to me a few months ago.

[bjcunningham]

Thanks Scott. To clarify, I was curious for any military and ballplayer type memorabilia, not necessarily WWI. Very nice photo.

[D. Broughman]

Here is a book sent to soldiers and how about a gas mask game of baseball.

[baseball tourist]

Picked this up from an ebayer in France. Not in the best condition...

[jpop43]

WWI military/baseball memorabilia is a major focus area of our collection and one of our longest standing collecting interests. We are vintage equipment enthusiasts and collecting gloves, bats, balls, etc., marked for use by American servicemen during WWI has been of the most enjoyable, educational, historical, and challenging of hobby pursuits.

Although we have items pertaining to baseball during WWII, we really try to focus on the very high grade, professional model equipment that was widely sent to France by the YMCA and K of C and used by troops in 1918.

Given that the vast majority of such items were in fact shipped overseas, picking them up now, 93 years after the fact is always exciting.

I am adding some images of our WWI era baseball goods and would be very much interested in seeing what everyone else out there might have. We are very much interested in buying/trading for YMCA marked bats, balls, and gloves.

1. YMCA postcard dated 1918 on the reverse.
2. 1917 Spalding ONL Ball with Box.
3. WWi era Alex Taylor glove, Spalding Ball, and Louisville Slugger bat marked w/ YMCA.
4. Circa 1918 Louisville Slugger Indoor Bat stamped with the YMCA logo.

Thanks for the opportunity to post and share this niche in our collection,

Jonathan
www.dugouttreasures.com

[jpop43]

Over the years we have been fortunate enough to pick up several professional model, Louisville Slugger bats with significant endorsers that have been stamped with the YMCA logo. These bats are pro grade and were shipped right from the Louisville Slugger factory to the YMCA to the Lorraine sector of France in 1918. These YMCA stamped bats can be found with some of the most sought after endorsements to include Tris Speaker, Eddie Collins, Joe Jackson, and Nap Lajoie among others.

Here are a couple of our YMCA bats….the first is a 36” pro model 125 Tris Speaker, the second a 36” Jake Daubert, and the third is a pro model 125 with no endorsement at all. Although I don’t yet have images of it, we just acquired a Spalding Autograph model endorsed by Bennie Kauff that is also marked with the YMCA stamp…the first Spalding bat that we’ve ever seen marked in this way and most definitely WWI era given the model of bat and player endorsement.

www.dugouttreasures.com

[jpop43]

Rounding out this portion of our collection is printed materials and photographic images of military ball teams dating back to the 19th century.

Attached are some Draper and Maynard sporting goods items that clearly support the WWI war effort, and image of a circa 1918 Reach “Liberty League” ball and glove, and two photos of ball teams from the 19th century…a USMC club and the 1893 US Military Academy team.

Additionally, here is one shot of some of our WWII related equipment and a recent war crossover collectible, a baseball signed by a unit from the 82nd Airborne Division that participated in the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

www.dugouttreasures.com

[Chris Counts]

Here are a couple Reds from the late 1930s who did their part ... in two wars. When I picked up the snapshot of Ted Kleinhans, I was struck by the haunted look on his face and I immediately thought of a war veteran. I looked him up and discovered he was sergeant in WWI, was wounded in the trenches in France, where he no doubt witnessed many horrors, and learned to pitch in the Army. Yet he didn't start his pro career for another decade and he's 38 in this 1937 snapshot.

During WWII, Kleinhans was tasked with reducing food waste at military hospitals in Europe and pitched for Army teams as well. He came back to pitch one more year in the minors in 1946 (he was 47) before becoming the Syracuse University baseball coach for nearly two decades. What a life! "He was a superb gentleman, great leader, and an inspiration to anyone who was associated with him," said a doctor who served with him.

Hank Gowdy, meanwhile, is best known for leading the Miracle Braves victory in the 1914 World Series. He also saw heavy fighting in the trenches during WWI. “Every outfit ought to have somebody like Hank,” said Colonel B. W. Hough, commander of the 166th Infantry Regiment. “The boys idolize him and he gets them all stirred up with his baseball stories. He helps ‘em forget about the terror of war. He carried the flag and . . . he was one of them who heaved gas bombs at the enemy . . . he was fantastic!”

After being refused for battle in WWII, Gowdy became a physical education instuctor at Ft. Benning, where the baseball field today bears his name ...

[ksfarmboy]

Great stuff everyone. Can't pin down a specific year on this bat but it was definitely around the WW1 time frame. This is one of my favorite bats. Weighing a whopping 55oz and the only one like it I've seen.

[Jantz]

I picked up this photo at the 2010 National. A T206 player & military related, had to have it.

Shag Shaughnessy (on horse) with the Canadian Artillery


Jantz

[sylbry]

Here is a Mel Ott and others signed Belgium note. The players/writer were on a USO tour during WW2, more specifically during the Battle of the Bulge. Purchased it from the son of the guy who originally obtained the signatures.

[smotan_02]

As a military guy, I love this thread

[IronHorse2130]

As a collector of vintage military items and baseball memorabilia I am enjoying this thread. Those WWI items are fantastic!

Here are a few items -

[FourStrikes]

August 21, 1943 benefit game to fund the purchase of sports equipment for US servicemen
living / fighting at offshore bases in the Pacific.

U.S. Service All-Stars (inc. Joe DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, Ted Lyons, Red Ruffing and others)
vs team of players combined from the PCL Los Angeles Angels and Hollywood Stars rosters.

.

[Kzoo]

Guys...........Here's a nice 5x7 I've had for years depicting the 'winning ball team. Cannes vs. Nice. July 16, 1919' as noted on the back in pencil.

Matt

[jpop43]

Great image..no doubt that these troopers were using some of that YMCA marked equip. that I posted on the first page of this spread...note the burnished finish on the bats and the full web gloves they've got on their hands.

[HTBB]

Here's an unique ball that was signed by General Pershing and given to John Evers. It is inscribed "Souvenir of an old general, young baseball amateur to his teacher, the champion John Evers".

Pershing Evers Baseball.jpg

[JLange]

I know he was mentioned in the very first thread, but folks like Rapid Robert Feller gave some of their best years to the war effort.

[Den*nis O*Brien]

The hard to scan V Mail is from Zeke Bonura while in North Africa. The mounted photo is from Camp R.S. Mackenzie near Puerto Principe Cuba. The photographer's mark is not readable.

[CW]

Great items, everyone! I'm always fascinated by the military/baseball connection over the decades. Wars over the years affected the sport, slicing years off of many great players' careers. Likewise, baseball was a great diversion and pastime for those heroes who served overseas.

I was expecting to see Richard Simon's great letter from Capt. Hank Greenberg in this fine thread, but he must've missed it up to this point (I might have to shoot him a PM or post his letter myself ).

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by HTBB

Here's an unique ball that was signed by General Pershing and given to John Evers. It is inscribed "Souvenir of an old general, young baseball amateur to his teacher, the champion John Evers".

Attachment 56790

Awesome ball!!

[RichardSimon]

CW did shoot me a PM, so here, once again, is my Hank Greenberg ALS, written during WWII. Read this letter, it is a great item and one of the favorites of my collection.

[Leon]

1919 Inter-Allied games....

[jerseygary]

"I am now stationed in China, helping to bring this war to a speedy, successful conclusion, so that when boys like yourself grow up, you can play baseball instead of going to war"

Wow. That is a really great letter and by far the best Hank Greenberg memorabilia I have ever seen on this board.

[slidekellyslide]

[slidekellyslide]

I posted this in another thread, but it belongs in this one...1953 Elliott News Service Photo poster.

[smotan_02]

This is my favorite thread, please post more. Have you wondered why organized unit sports were more prevalent in WW1 (meaning units in theater sponsored more championship games) while the sports/war connectin for WW2 is more about fundraising on the home front?

KJJAVIC has a beautiful unit football trophy from WW1, I'll see if I can get him to post a picture

[HTBB]

I think I may have posted these before.

Cobb 1918.jpg

Collins 1918.jpg

Mathewson 1918.jpg

[vintagesportflips]

Here is a trophy I own that was awarded by the YMCA to a Stevedores baseball team, that was undefeated in an AEF baseball tournament in Paris in 1918.

[DixieBaseball]

BJ - You mentioned Gabby and the war, so I thought I would share this T206 that shows what year Gabby left ball and returned... (1918 - Army) - The reverse of the T206 reads left to right... (Some ole time collector seem to write Gabby's career from beginning to end starting with Hopkinsville, Ky. in 1903 and ending in St. Louis in 1938.

[bjcunningham]

Thanks Jeremy; there was a Heritage Auction in '08 that featured some WWI articles from Gabby Street:

http://sports.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=710&lotNo=19691

[Hot Springs Bathers]

I don't have any photos but my Dad was with the Marines sitting in the bay as the Japanese surrendered on the Missouri, they went on shore immediately to gather arms.

I asked him how cooperative the people were and he said they were very helpful with no problems. He added that "They wore us out. Every time we would stop for a break they would pull out gloves and want us to play catch."

[D. Broughman]

Cecil Travis Washington Senators shortstop suffered severe frostbite during the Battle of the Bulge that may have cost him HOF honors.

[DixieBaseball]

Originally Posted by bjcunningham

Thanks Jeremy; there was a Heritage Auction in '08 that featured some WWI articles from Gabby Street:

http://sports.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=710&lotNo=19691

BJ - Thanks for sharing -

[FourStrikes]

w/original envelope

.

[earlywynnfan]

Here are a new batch of service team BB uniforms that I just purchased.

I've posted Jack Phillip's Navy uniform and GU service balls used by Red Evans and Bob Feller before. Judging by some items I see posted here, I now know who is outbidding me on some of this WWII memorabilia!

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[smotan_02]

That is amazing. Any engineer units in those jerseys?

[todeen]

reviving a dead thread. Please add more, I'm sure more items exist!

(Cross posted): I just found this among my father's items. He and my grandmother passed away close to two years ago. A photo album of my fathers time serving in Korea (June 1972 - June 1973) was among my grandmother's stuff; my aunt gave it to me a year ago but I never really looked at it. I don't know who the others are, but my father is kneeling bottom left. The gentleman in the middle is wearing a shirt that says Korea, 122 Signal Battalion, in which my father was an officer (ROTC Eastern WA University 1966 - 1970). I would love to find one of those flannels! The Bayonets. No writing on the back, sadly.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[Topnotchsy]

Not sure how I never saw this thread before. I've been collecting WWII baseball items for quite a few years.

Here are a couple of WWII-era baseball related original newspaper drawings.

[Hoy'sNoDummy]

Earlier this summer I bought the attached WWI era RPPC. On the back is was printed "Carte Postal" and in pencil someone had written Dinard, France.

It did not take me long to find the location of this beach in Dinard, France (2nd image).

After finding this website (https://www.ghtbl.org/anderson/), I am fairly certain this photo is of Harry N. Anderson (at center, next to woman in black) and at least some of the 26th Infantry baseball team. Note the baseball equipment and gloves with the men squatting in the foreground. The 3rd image is copied from the website above. Very grainy but same location and even some light colored gloves...

"While in France, Anderson spent most of his time stationed in the province of Brittany at the coastal town of Dinard. It was a place of rest and relaxation for weary soldiers and sailors. Anderson arrived in Dinard during February of 1919, and he quickly became known for his continuous program of baseball games on the beach, boxing bouts, stunt nights, concerts and comedy routines promoted on the bulletin of the Grand Casino. Anderson mailed a game-used baseball back to Hartford from a contest won by the 26th Infantry 'Yankee Division.'"

Anderson founded the Hartford Twilight Baseball League, which is still in existence - when I found the Bristol Greeners logo (4th image), I thought it was too cool with the WWI tie in.

Was really hoping the couple at center of my original RPPC was somehow Ty Cobb and wife, but I think I've talked myself out of that possibility

If it is indeed Harry N. Anderson, the photo would date to 1919.

[Lucas00]

Loved reading you alls posts so far!
Here is my contribution.

USS California and USS Birmingham baseball team RPPCS.

The California PC is really stunning in its quality. Ca.1916-1918 based on the stamp box. So very early into the ships life.

The Birmingham one reads:

Dear Walt this is the picture of the Birmingham team. Can you find me(?)
Bomb the Bay
-Splink?

Another super cool fact about this one-
The Birmingham became known for the first airplane takeoff from a ship in history in 1910, the same year as the postcard.

[Baseball Glove Collector]

I have a few cool early military cabinets to add to the thread.

- 104th Co. vs. 119th Co. Base Ball Game April 2, 1910
- 114th Infantry Base Ball Team
- Base Ball Team Boys Bible Class YMCA Parklake July 8, 1893
- Base Ball Team With Flag in Background 1913
- Military Academy PMA
- Smithland Base Ball Team

JD

[Chris Counts]

Here are a few WWII snapshots from my collection, including a great shot of the ballpark on Guadalcanal, and another of a General Oscar Griswold throwing out the first pitch of a game.

[67Rally]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

Here are a new batch of service team BB uniforms that I just purchased.

I've posted Jack Phillip's Navy uniform and GU service balls used by Red Evans and Bob Feller before. Judging by some items I see posted here, I now know who is outbidding me on some of this WWII memorabilia!

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

It has been a number of years since this thread has seen movement. Do you still have these jerseys/uniforms?

[holybull]

Being a Greenberg collector I have to agree that is one of the finest letters of Hanks I have seen.....just amazing!