Break out the peanuts and Cracker Jack—it’s time for the World Series! While Fold3 might not be the first place you’d think to find interesting bits of baseball history, in reality it has many quality photos and anecdotes about America’s favorite pastime, especially in the World War II collection.
The World War II collection may strike you as an unusual resource for finding stories and photos about baseball, but in the 1940s, baseball was America’s most popular sport, and the hardships of World War II didn’t change that enthusiasm very much, especially among the nation’s servicemen.
If anything, America’s fighting men—and women—seemed to embrace the sport all the more during the war, as it reminded them of home and gave them a sense of continuity in a new life that was nothing like their civilian one. Baseball also served as a mutual interest for servicemen from widely different backgrounds and situations. In fact, baseball was such a common denominator in the military that answers to questions like “Who won the World Series?” became the basis for various passwords and authenticity tests.
The military saw baseball as an important morale booster for the men in its ranks. It supplied equipment for pickup games and set up many servicemen’s baseball leagues, particularly stateside but also overseas. The European Theater of Operations even had its own World Series.
The quality of some military baseball teams was helped by the addition of thousands of minor- and major-league baseball players who had either enlisted or been drafted. The most famous of them, players like Joe DiMaggio and Stan Musial, were largely kept from the frontlines and instead served in more of an entertainment capacity, playing in exhibition games that were attended by tens of thousands of servicemen.
For the men overseas (or on the sea) who couldn’t get to a game or play in one themselves, the military provided delayed broadcasts of the World Series and other major league games, as well as scores and statistics, to help the men maintain their connection to the game they loved. (Although, at least one sailor didn’t let the lack of a field stop him from setting up a game of softball on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.)
In addition to the World War II collection, you can also find particularly good baseball photos on Fold3 in the Boston Public Library’s McGreevey Collection. This collection has dozens of images of players and games from the early 20th century, including various World Series.
So if baseball’s your game, search Fold3 to find thousands of photos and stories about the sport.
Go Royals!!!
Where can I find these records? When I do a search I find nothing. My dad, who served in the Pacific in WWII, said that he faced Bobby Feller, a baseball great, on his aircraft carrier. I would love some documentation of that fact, but I’m not finding any baseball and WWII stuff on your site. My searches keep coming up empty.
Bob Feller was from Van Meter, Iowa. There’s a museum in the town in his honor. They may be a resource in your search. Here’s their link: http://bobfellermuseum.org/
I am the writer of “Bluejackets of Summer”–now out of print–about the historic Great Lakes team. Chief Feller managed & pitched for Great Lakes in ’45. Before then–he played at Norfolk, appeared in the 1942 Servicemen’s All Star game in Cleveland, and I know he staged some recreational type games in the Pacific while he was aboard the Battleship Alabama. Feller’s movements, aboard ship, are found on fold3 (his tour aboard the Alabama is seen through the Muster Rolls–as well as a short stint of temporary duty aboard the Wyoming). As for your Dad’s “aircraft carrier”? Do you have the ship’s name? The Alabama was a battleship; therefore, I’m certain they wouldn’t have been enough room for a baseball game on her decks–aside from a game of catch. Perhaps your Dad’s ship shared a common port visit with the Alabama. The USS Alabama cruisebook has one photo of Feller pitching ashore.
The great pitcher Bob Feller enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Dec. 8, 1941.
The 3rd. game of the world series a left handy pitcher in 1942 won his game. His Name is Ernie White. I was not born as yet…
12/24/1942 My dad said if he won the game & I am a boy he was going to give his name. I am also Left hand. the pitcher only pitched left handed for he did every thing else Right handed….
Mickey Vernon, 1st baseman for the Washington Senators, was in WWII in the Pacific. (Navy)
Americans today think war is just another sport. Joe Wachter
My dad’ Cpl. Jesse Reid Reagan (USMC), said Ted Williams was with him in the communications hut in the Solomons or Gilbert Islands when Ted said he wished he could crank up the air raid siren. Ted was a pilot – He got his chance to crank it up, too!
do not know if they actually fired a 21 Gun Salute or not, But a 21 Gun Salute is typically fired by cannon, and is reserved for the President and foreign heads of state (Ie: Kings etc.) The three Volleys fired at a military funeral, are by rifle and even though there may be seven riflemen each firing three rounds, It is NOT a 21 Gun Salute.