Gary Bedingfield’s Volume 3, Issue 17 in Wartime Baseball January 2009 www.baseballinwartime.com [email protected] in Wartime www.baseballinwartime.com

Former Minor Leaguers’ Airplane Wreckage Found

elcome to the third year of [email protected] Minor Leaguers ’ Airplane Wreckage publication for the Baseball in Wartime Discovered After 64 Years Newsletter. If you have W On May 25, 1944, Technical Sergeant John Regan was the radio operator/gunner on been with us since the beginning then thank you for your support. If you’re a Consolidated B-24J Liberator “Zoot Chute” that was bound for Chabua, India. The new subscriber, then welcome aboard last radio contact was made 30 minutes east of its destination. It was never heard and I hope you enjoy the ride! from again. One year later the crew of 10 were officially declared dead and due to the mountainous terrain where the plane was lost, it was believed that if the plane Over the coming year the aim of the were located, it would be impossible to recover the remains. newsletter will be to continue bringing you the obscure and unknown side of On October 26, 2008, 64 years after “Zoot Chute” disappeared, it was discovered by WWII baseball, combined with a healthy aviation archaeologist Clayton Kuhles. Kuhles, of Prescott, Arizona, conducts regular portion of stories regarding the big expeditions to Burma, India, Bangladesh and China to locate and document missing- names in the game. in-action (MIA) allied aircraft lost in that area during World War II. He discovered the Until now, the content of the newsletter B-24 at over 11,000 feet elevation on a rugged mountain north of Damroh. The has been pretty much decided by myself. nearest village was Milang, a 5-day trek. Kuhles next task is to locate and notify the But I would like to hand things over to surviving family members. you, the readers, and have you tell me what you would like to see in the John Regan was a on the varsity baseball team at Mount Carmel High School, Baseball in Wartime Newsletter in 2009. an all-boys Catholic school on ’s South Side. In 1942, he was signed by the So, please take this opportunity to drop ’ organization and assigned to the Ashland Colonels of the Class C me an email and let me know what you Mountain State League. After a brief stay he joined the Janesville Cubs of the Class D hope to see in forthcoming issues. I’ll Wisconsin State League, where he made two appearances. gladly schedule your ideas into the future months while continuing to Regan’s fledgling baseball career was put on hold in November 1942, when he surprise you with some little known entered military service with the Army Air Force, and trained as a radio operator. facts and biographies. To learn more about Clayton Kuhles visit his website www.miarecoveries.org I hope to hear from you soon! Gary Bedingfield John Regan will be featured in Gary Bedingfield’s forthcoming book for McFarland Publishers on players who died in World War II. Get Your Copy Now! When Baseball Went to War With contributions from Todd Anton, Gary Bedingfield, Frank Ce- resi, Bill Nowlin, Bill Swank and many others.

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Babe Ruth in World War II

He stood impatiently in the shadows of When the the home team dugout at Griffith entered the war in Stadium. His metal cleats scraping December 1941, against the concrete floor as he chewed was 46 years old. His on another fat cigar. Out on the field Al playing career had ended Schacht, the Clown Prince of Baseball, six years before in 1935 was entertaining the capacity crowd with and he had been out of one of his memorable acts. The figure in organized baseball the shadows smiled to himself as he altogether since quitting his remembered how the crowd used to roar job as a Dodgers' at throughout his outstanding 20-year the end of the 1938 career as a professional ballplayer and season. Almost American icon. immediately, Ruth began appearing in golf Schacht was nearing the end of his tournaments and exhibition routine. Standing at home plate he games to help raise money stared at the imaginary pitcher and for the war effort. Many of waived his bat like a conductor leading these events have been Babe Ruth in uniform shortly after the First World War an orchestra. As the imaginary pitcher forgotten with the passing hurled his make-believe baseball of time, but there is little doubt that the Babe appeared, and, in full uniform, towards home, Schacht wound the bat appearance of The Babe at a fund- circled the bases of Griffith Stadium to around his contorted body and swung raising event - his name of the billboard rapturous applause. Later, Ruth took the with all his might. The crowd, many in advertising - would attract more fans microphone and urged fans to buy more military uniform, raised a cheer as and raise extra vital dollars. War Bonds. Schacht stood watching as if the ball were sailing over the left field fence. Probably Ruth's first baseball-related On July 12, 1943, Ruth managed a Then suddenly the cheer turned to fund-raising appearance was on August service all-star team that pounded out a thunderous applause. The great Babe 23, 1942. Before a huge crowd of 9-8 exhibition victory over the Braves as Ruth appeared from the shadows and 69,136 at Yankee Stadium, 47-year-old part of Boston Mayor Maurice J Tobin's replaced Schacht in a home trot Babe Ruth donned the Yankee annual charity field day program. Playing around the bases. Doffing his cap and pinstripes for the first time in seven at Fenway Park, the service all-stars put waving with every step, the fans were on years and faced 54-year-old Walter on a good show for 12,000 fans. Before their feet to welcome the most famous Johnson formerly of the Washington the game, and the 48-year- athlete in the country. Looking a little Senators. Johnson threw 17 pitches to old Ruth squared off in a - fuller in the cheeks and larger around Ruth. On the fifth pitch, Ruth a drive hitting contest. Williams parked three the waist, Ruth still had that familiar into the lower rightfield stands as the balls in the right-field bleachers but short-step run and every ounce of crowd thundered its approval. On the Ruth, bothered by an aching knee, could charm. There was no doubt, America final pitch, Ruth hit a towering upper- not come close to the fences. Ruth did, loved Babe Ruth and the crowd would deck shot that was just foul. He circled however, give in to the demands of the seemingly do anything for this man. On the bases doffing his cap and saluting crowd, and pinch-hit in the eighth . this occasion, he wanted them to buy the roaring crowd with every step. Ruth He flied out to right field. War Bonds, and they did - lots of them. and Johnson then left the field together to a thunderous ovation. The Senators It was to be Ruth's last appearance in beat the Yankees, 7-6, in the first game uniform. The year after the war he was of the header and the Yankees diagnosed with throat cancer. In March won the nightcap, 3-0. But the results 1947, the new commissioner of were incidental to the between-games baseball, A B "Happy" Chandler, declared show put on by Ruth and Johnson. that April 27 would be Babe Ruth Day in $80,000 was raised for the Army-Navy the major leagues. Ceremonies were relief fund. held in all the ballparks and at Yankee Stadium, the Babe, his voice ravaged by The following year, on May 24, 1943, a the cancer addressed the crowd of charity event was staged between the 60,000, saying, "There have been so Washington Senators and the US Navy many lovely things said about me. I'm All-Stars. Shirley Povich, who covered the glad I can be here to thank everyone. Senators for Thank you." promoted the event, and Povich had a surprise for the unsuspecting crowd. Al Sixteen months later, Babe Ruth died. Schact, the Clown Prince of baseball, He was 53 years old. In the hearts and had been putting on one of his much- minds of countless baseball fans around loved performances, which culminated the world, his legacy will never be with a simulated a home run. But just as forgotten. Schact was about to run the bases, the Volume 3, Issue 17 Baseball in Wartime Newsletter Page 3

Al Schacht Entertains the Troops

glove and his spiked shoes. Again, Schacht staged a number of offi- cial and impromptu shows and even Port Lyautey is 60 miles from Casa- gave a performance on the cruiser USS blanca and served as an anti-submarine Savannah. base, with PBYs flying against German U- Boats. Schacht staged his first overseas Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia, was performance at the port, an impromptu Schacht’s next stop and he toured here show at a ball game where he performed with a band, before departing for the his “nearsighted pitcher” routine. island of Sicily where he put on perform- ances in Catania and Messina. Schacht then headed by Jeep to Casa- blanca for his first official show at the Schacht then returned to Tunisia and th 69 Station Hospital with wounded men staged a show at a baseball game in from the battles in North Africa and Sic- Bizerte between the 61st and 26th Sta- ily. “I’m here to entertain you fellows,” tion Hospitals. He also spent a lot of he told the crowd, “and I’ll do the best I time at the 81st General Hospital enter- can. After all, I won the First World War taining the wounded. Schacht performed Alexander “Al” Schacht was born on No- and I know how you fellows feel. When I before a crowd of 20,000 at a baseball vember 11, 1892 in the Bronx, New was drafted in 1918, our side was los- game in Bona and put on his last official York. The Clown Prince of Baseball, as ing. When they gave me my discharge, show at a hospital in Constantine, Tuni- he would become known, was a self- our side had won. That proves I had sia, before heading back to Port Lyautey confessed baseball addict who had something to do with it.” The crowd for the journey home to the United pitched for the Washington Senators laughed and one soldiers yelled out, States. between 1919 and 1921. A sore arm “What did you do in the last war, Al?” ended his playing days but he turned to Schacht replied, “I was a secret weapon. Schacht returned home on September coaching and also developed a comedy They hid me in a hospital at Fort Slocum. 27, 1943 and was soon involved in routine that consisted of comic acts, I won the Battle of Influenza.” Bond rallies, shows at Army camps, ap- jokes and player impersonations. During pearances for the USO and Red Cross rain delays he was famous for plopping Schacht went on to do a show at a ball and visits to hospitals. down in a mud puddle with two bats, game in the afternoon, and did an eve- and rowing as if he was in a boat. He ning show for Navy men. He then On September 3, 1944, almost a year was also known for staging mock boxing headed for Oran in Algeria, where the after returning from North Africa, Al and tennis matches on the field. first person he met was Zeke Bonura. Schacht left the United States for an- “When the runs, hits and errors of this other tour. This time he was headed for “It was not until the summer of 1942,” war are totaled up,” wrote Schacht, “and New Guinea in the Pacific. His first show Schacht wrote in GI Had Fun, his auto- was held for 500 GIs at Natzab, before they look around for unsung heroes of biographical account of his wartime moving on to Oro Bay where he put on tours, “some six months after Pearl Har- the ball game, I’m sure they’ll pin a bor, that World War II first affected me medal on the personally. broad chest of Zeke Bonura. “A lot of us knew there was a war going What he has on but we weren’t taking it any too seri- done for the mo- ously. The general feeling was that this rale of the Ameri- was a ball game between the major can soldier can leagues and a Class D outfit, and that as never be fully soon as our side got warmed up, we’d take care of Japan in a couple of revealed except months.” by the GI him- self.” In the middle of Schacht’s clowning tour Schacht staged in 1943, he was asked to visit Ports- shows at camps mouth Naval Hospital to entertain the and hospitals sick and wounded. This proved to be the throughout the inspiration to go overseas and entertain area before mov- the troops away from home. ing on to Algiers which was home On July 28,1943 he left LaGuardia Air- to Allied Head- port on board a clipper bound for Port quarters and an Lyautey in Morocco, North Africa. embarkation Schacht traveled light. All he took with point for troops him was a Yankees’ uniform, top hat, who would be frock coat, oversized ball glove, regular heading to Sicily. Volume 3, Issue 17 Baseball in Wartime Newsletter Page 4

Al Schacht Entertains the Troops

Field Hospital. He Schacht returned to New Guinea and performed for the entertained troops at ball games, hospi- 97th Engineers, 14th tals and for sailors at the docks around AAA, 382nd AAA, Milne Bay before returning home on Oc- and at the first an- tober 26, 1944. niversary of over- seas duty of the A year later, Schacht was again off to the 91st Naval Con- Pacific. This time he went to Manila, in struction Battalion. the Philippines where he entertained troops at camp mess halls and ball Hollandia was games. From Manila, he went to Japan Schacht’s next des- and staged his act before a game in tination in New Osaka. In all Schacht gave more than Guinea. It was here 120 shows during the eight-week tour.

that the 24th Infan- “While I was with them,” Schacht said of try Division were his overseas tours, “I had more fun than waiting to invade when I was home. I went over to enter- the Philippines. On tain and they entertained me.” October 1, 1944, Schacht performed In 1946, Schacht was given the Bill at the New Guinea Slocum Memorial Award. The Slocum before Award is presented annually by the New rd nd performances for the 363 , 362 and major league players Hugh Mulcahy, Ken York Baseball Writers Association to a 139th Station Hospitals. Schacht enter- person judged to have a long and meri- Silvestri, Al Flair, Al Kozar, George Byam, tained servicemen at ball games staged torious service to baseball. His comedic by the 38th Infantry Division, 1st Training Irv Dusak and Louis Rosen. act both for baseball fans and GIs Center, 278th Quartermaster Corps and Schacht roomed with war correspon- brought him a well-deserved reward. 5th Replacement Depot, where he met dents Bill Chickering of Time and photog- up with major leaguer Morrie Arnovich. rapher Frank Prist in Hollandia. Both After the war Al Schacht concentrated on were killed during the invasion of the his successful New York restaurant and “I awarded the nose championship to Philippines. Schacht performed for the continued to perform at ball games. He Morrie Arnovich,” Schacht wrote. “I got 71st and 79th General Hospitals before retired in 1969 and passed away on July him up on the stage with me, dramati- moving on to the island of Biak, where 14, 1984, in Waterbury Connecticut. He cally measured his nose with my fingers, he performed for the 41st Infantry Divi- was 92 years old. and then measured mine, and gave him sion, at a championship ball game at the title. It takes quite a nose to beat Bosnek Field and at an airfield at Owi. me.”

Schacht also put on a show at a football game in Oro Bay, it was the first game of ever staged on New Guinea.

Schacht’s next port of call was Finschhaven at the northeast tip of New Guinea. “Finschhaven is the only place in the world where you can be knee-deep in mud and still get dust in your eyes,” wrote Schacht. He covered fourteen hospitals including the 126th Station Hospital, 4th and 60th General Hos- pitals, and the 2nd Volume 3, Issue 17 Baseball in Wartime Newsletter Page 5

Johnny Grodzicki - 17th Airborne Division

all-stars in an exhibition game at Wrigley nearby, Field against and the shrapnel flew, Kansas City Monarchs. and a large, jagged piece On July 7, 1942, Grodzicki was selected cut deep into for an All-Service team that played Grodzicki’s against an all-star flesh just squad at ’s Municipal Stadium. below the right Before 62,059 fans, the American hip, and League beat the servicemen, 5-0. another piece The All-Service before the game entered his against the American League all-stars at lower right leg. Cleveland. Left to right: , Grodzicki was Johnny Grodzicki, and Mickey removed to a Harris. field hospital. Grodzicki later transferred to the Examination paratroopers and joined the 17th disclosed that the sciatic nerve had John “Johnny” Grodzicki was born in Airborne Division. The 17th Airborne been badly damaged. There was danger Nanticoke, Pennsylvania on February Division was sent to England in August that he would never walk again. An 26, 1917. 1944. They remained there until operation was performed, and the By 1937 he was playing professional December, when they were flown to the shrapnel was removed. Grodzicki was baseball with the Buffs of the Reims area in France took over the then sent to a hospital in England, and Texas League and won 18 games. defense of the Meuse River sector from finally to the United States for During the Texas League all-star game Givet to Verdun. In January 1945, they recuperation. He learned to maneuver on July 17, 1937 at Houston, Grodzicki marched through the snow to Morhet, with a cane and steel brace on his right struck out six batters in a row. relieving the 28th Infantry Division. The leg, and after receiving his honorable 17th entered the Ardennes campaign discharge in October he went home to The tall right-hander was again with (better known as the Battle of the Bulge) Nanticoke to rest. Houston in 1938 and spent 1939 and on January 4 at the Battle of Dead Man's 1940 with the Rochester Red Wings, But Grodzicki didn’t stay home for very Ridge. joining the Columbus Red Birds in 1941. long. In October he headed for Panama Grodzicki led the league in winning On March 24, 1945, the 17th Airborne where he pitched batting practice for the percentage that year with a remarkable Division took part in their first airborne Colon club. The arrival of the New Year .792, which was assembled from his 19- assault. Taking off from marshalling found Grodzicki eager and ready for 5 record. areas in France, nearly 4,000 aircraft spring training. Daily treatments were from the British 6th Airborne Division given his leg. Hot towels were applied, Grodzicki also made five appearances and the American 17th Airborne Division and special massages administered in with the Cardinals in 1941. He pitched dropped fighting men – including the hope that he would be able to play 13.1 over five games for a 2-1 Grodzicki - behind enemy lines, into record and an impressive 1.35 earned Westphalia in the vicinity of Weselon run average. Grodzicki was one of the which was east of the Rhine River. Their top prospects in the Cardinals mission was to capture key points and organization but on January 14, 1942, so assist the advance of the ground Grodzicki followed in the footsteps of his troops. It was the first airborne invasion two brothers and entered military service over the Rhine into Germany itself. On with the army. March 25, the 17th Airborne Division He was initially based at Fort Knox, had secured bridges over the Issel River , and on May 24, 1942, and had entrenched itself firmly along Grodzicki was selected by Bob Feller – the Issel Canal. Moving eastward, it along with fellow servicemen Cecil captured Haltern on March 29, and Travis, Zeke Bonura, Emmett Mueller advanced on Munster the following day. and Ken Silvestri – to join ’s It was on this day that a shell exploded

www.baseballinwartime.com/database.htm Volume 3, Issue 17 Baseball in Wartime Newsletter Page 6

Johnny Grodzicki - 17th Airborne Division again. them 7-2, scattering eight hits with he moved on to the Winston-Salem seven strike outs. He also helped win Cardinals of the Carolina League. On April 11, 1946, in a spring training the game with a that drove in two Grodzicki remained with Winston-Salem game against the Oklahoma City Indians runs. “My legs didn’t get tired as I had in 1952. of the Texas League, Grodzicki made his suspected,” he said in an Associated post-war pitching debut. Wearing his leg Grodzicki became a pitching coach and Press report on May 6, 1948, “but, boy, brace and with a perceptible limp, scout with the Cardinals organization in the rest of me was ready to call it quits Grodzicki pitched the last four innings 1953, touring the United States and for a while after the last out. That’s the and gave up four singles in the Canada instructing young hurlers. He most pitching I’ve done in many a year.” Cardinals’ 8-1 win. remained in that position until taking a In , Grodzicki left Houston coaching assignment in 1963 with the

and joined Rochester of the Buffalo Bisons under and Grodzicki made just three regular International League – another team he former teammate, . season appearances for the Cardinals in had played for back in the late 1930s. After a season with Buffalo, Grodzicki 1946 as he continued on his road to He made his first start for the Red Wings left baseball for two years but was recovery. In 1947, as a short reliever, he on July 2 and staggered to a complete enticed back by the Detroit Tigers, who made 16 appearances for the Cardinals. game 11-7 win over the Baltimore hired him as a minor league pitching Sports writer, Bill Corum, said of Orioles. instructor in 1966. He remained in that Grodzicki on April 21, 1948: “Johnny has Through a working agreement with the role until 1979, when the 62-year-old plugged away and plugged away, hour Cardinals, the Geneva Redbirds of the returned to the major leagues as a after hour and day after day. Kind State League acquired the coach with the Detroit Tigers. hearted has fretted over him services of Grodzicki as their manager in and worked with him, and all but cried Johnny Grodzicki passed away on May 2, 1950, but he was replaced in July and over him. Not because Grodzicki looked 1998 in Daytona Beach, Florida. He was joined Omaha in the Western League like one of the greatest prospects in the 82 years old. where he pitched for the rest of the game before the war. But because Eddie season. He posted a 3-1 record with the loved his spirit and his stark refusal to pennant winners. accept defeat in his ambition to make the big time.” In January 1951, Grodzicki – who had been playing winter ball in Panama for On April 13, 1948, Grodzicki was the last four years – was named player- optioned to the Houston Buffs of the manager of the Balboa Brewers in the Texas League, the team he had pitched Canal Zone League. Returning to the for back in 1937. After a couple of relief United States at the end of the winter appearances he earned his first starting season, Grodzicki started the 1951 assignment on May 3 and it was against season with Columbus. He was sent the Oklahoma City Indians again. back to Omaha in June and in July 1951 Grodzicki went the distance and beat

1946 St Louis Cardinals (Grodzicki is middle row, third from right) Volume 3, Issue 17 Baseball in Wartime Newsletter Page 7

SABR Looking for a Chair for Baseball and the Armed Forces Committee. http://www.baseballinwartime.com/donate.h tm SABR is looking for a new chair to revive its Baseball and the Armed Forces committee. After several years of diminished activity, the organization’s board recently deactivated the committee. Little could be better than finding fresh blood to breathe new life into the committee. Any volunteers who are SABR members? For further information contact Bill Nowlin at [email protected]

Baseball in Wartime Newsletter

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