public domain graphic.
Ed. notes:
1. This story draws largely from the work cited at www.baseballwartime.com (including the entire table below), for which we acknowledge and applaud their efforts to remember the baseball players who – like many Americans – stopped their chosen careers in the interest of stopping imminent threats to our world during the second World War.
2. By focusing today solely on those serving in WWII, we do not intend to either diminish or denigrate in any way the significant contributions of those serving in the many other conflicts in which our nation has been embroiled. There are many, many such stories.
WWII Boston Braves Veterans
| Ted Cieslak |
| Lawrence Clement (minor league player on Braves roster) |
| Ducky Detweiler |
| Nanny Fernandez |
| Wallace Fletcher (minor league player on Braves roster) |
| Joe Fryer (minor league player on Braves roster) |
| Sam Gentile |
| Buddy Gremp |
| Art Johnson |
| Hank Lamanna |
| Johnny McCarthy |
| Frank McElyea |
| Max Macon |
| Ray Martin |
| Gene Patton |
| Damon Phillips |
| Hugh Poland |
| Bill Posedel |
| Earl Reid (minor league player on Braves roster) |
| Skippy Roberge |
| Chet Ross |
| Bama Rowell |
| Connie Ryan |
| Johnny Sain |
| Hal Schacker |
| Sibby Sisti |
| Warren Spahn |
| Lou Tost |
| Al Treichel (minor league player on Braves roster) |
| Jim Trexler (minor league player on Braves roster) |
| Tom Triner (minor league player on Braves roster) |
| Lefty Wallace |
| Max West |
| Chester Wieczorek (minor league player on Braves roster) |
| Ace Williams |
| Tony York |
The links available in this table refer to biographies and war stories of the players, which we recommend to you.
Not a lot of the names here are easily recognized, but two names jump out like a beacon: Johnny Sain and Warren Spahn.
At the time WWII came around, few would have recognized those names, either. Sain had just completed his first major league season in 1942, going 4-7 with a 3.90 ERA in 97 innings. Good, but not exactly the stuff of legends.
Spahn likewise finished 1942 as his first season, though only saw 16 innings in 4 games, posting a 5.74 ERA. He had his first cup of coffee, but was then thrown into the fire.
Neither man would pitch again until 1946… at least not in the majors. Let’s learn a little bit more though – hit NEXT to continue.