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1. Vitalizing Spirit: Baseball in Morale Building and Military Training
- University of Nebraska Press
- Chapter
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America’s involvement in World War II and the mobilization that it necessitated provided the impetus for an unprecedented explosion in military baseball. In 1939, before many Americans recognized the gravity of the escalating global conflict, the United States Army employed only 175,000 fighting men, and budget constraints necessitated the use of antiquated equipment throughout the armed forces. As the potential for entry into the war increased during 1941, the numbers of soldiers grew tenfold, and the American military machine gradually began to modernize and mobilize at a stunning rate that continued through the conclusion of the conflict. In the end, over fifteen million men and women filled the ranks of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines , and Coast Guard with the express purpose of ending fascism and protecting American interests everywhere. Although World War II was a defining point in this nation’s history militarily, economically, and socially, it was also cast amid the latter stages of baseball’s “Golden Age” in America. At a time when the national pastime was exactly that, World War II interrupted what had been an unprecedented period in the annals of professional baseball. Diamond legends such as Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Walter Johnson were not yet distant memories with an aura of mystery only recognizable in grainy black-and-white photographs. Those individuals, as well as most of the other great players of baseball’s “Silver Age” in the first two decades of the twentieth century, still commanded attention and often entered the public eye through charity events, commercial ad1 Chapter 1 Vitalizing Spirit Baseball in Morale Building and Military Training vertisements, and other public appearances. With the dawning of the 1930s, new stars such as Joe DiMaggio, Hank Greenberg, Jimmy Foxx, and Ted Williams replaced the old guard. For a magical period in baseball history the legends of the past coexisted with the last generation of players to dominate the game before baseball lost its status as the true national pastime. It was within this context that the rapid mobilization necessitated by the war increased the number of soldiers and sailors employed by the American military and brought droves of baseball-crazed men into the armed forces. American leaders quickly recognized the importance of baseball to the majority of fighting men and attempted to integrate the game on many levels within the military lifestyle. Shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack, the War Department identified baseball as the favorite of soldiers and sailors and attempted to ensure whenever possible that the nation’s troops had an adequate supply of baseball gear as well as updates on Major League standings and statistics.1 According to studies conducted by the War Department, approximately 75 percent of American fighting men enjoyed participating in or viewing baseball or softball games, far outdistancing the secondplace sport, football.2 With this information in hand, military leaders began to capitalize on American servicemen’s fascination with baseball by utilizing it to elevate morale, primarily by supporting organized participatory baseball programs and informal pickup games. Other methods of augmenting the emotional well-being of fighting men included disseminating baseball statistics, providing radio broadcasts of Major League baseball games, and promoting exhibitions by professional players for military audiences. Morale among servicemen had long been recognized by the American military as a decisive factor in the efficiency and effectiveness of its soldiers and sailors. Military leaders cited “detailed studies of previous armies and past wars” that revealed the “deep-rooted importance of morale” in the success of an extended military campaign.3 Military commanders therefore deemed it essential to increase the level of morale both on and off the battlefield to ensure the optimal performance of the American fighting machine. Arguably the greatest military combat commander of World War II, Gen. George S. Patton , for example, often took extraordinary measures to ensure that the men under his command maintained elevated levels of morale. 2 vitalizing spirit [3.85.63.190] Project MUSE (2024-03-19 12:06 GMT) Not only did he require that attire, hygiene, and personal appearance be maintained to strict standards, he also visited the front lines often and on numerous occasions led his men directly into battle, facing the same imminent danger from enemy fire as the soldiers under his command . His rationale was that only a leader who was visible and willing to risk his life could inspire his men and boost morale during the most difficult situations.4...