Our Salute to Baseball and the Military, Veteran’s Day, 2016!

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The “Salute to Baseball and the Military” Photo Gallery
Click on any image below to see photos in full size and to start Photo Gallery:

: Roberto Clemente was a marine corps reservist

: Washington Senators going through military formations during WWI

: Nolan Ryan served in the Army Reserve

: Tom Seaver served in the Army Reserve

: Buck O’Neil during his time in the military

: PeeWee Reese, Phil Rizzuto, and Hugh Casey reading the Navy’s Bluejacket Manual.

: Larry Doby with in military uniform

: Yogi Berra had a distinguished military record, with service during the Invasion of Normandy

: Willie Mays in army uniform

: White Sox in military formation, 1917 at Comiskey Park

: Christy Mathewson and Ty Cobb

: Christy Mathewson

: Cleveland Indians ball players training with military drills

: Joe Maddon greets a Navy Commander

: Joe DiMaggio serving his country

: Eddie Grant, killed during WWI

: Mickey Cochrane during WWII from the Brace collection

: Jackie Robinson during WWII

: Ted Williams in the cockpit

: Yogi Berra had a distinguished military record, including serving at the Invasion of Normandy

: Hank Greenberg during WWII

: Military drills: Eddie Collins, Ray Schalk, Drill Sergeant, Buck Weaver, Jim “Death Valley” Scott, Byrd Lynn, Pants Rowland.

: Babe Ruth in WWI military uniform

: Cub players in military formation on Catalina Island

: NY Giants escorted on to the field by military band, Opening Day, April 16,1918

: Bob Feller during WWII

: Chicago Cubs undergo military drills during WWII on Catalina Island

: Ted Williams is sworn into the Army

: Whitey Ford

1917 White Sox In Military Formation!

L-R: Ray Schalk, Jim “Death Valley” Scott, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, John “Shano” Collins, Unidentified, Swede Risberg, Joe Jenkins, Pants Roland (Mgr.), Unidentified, Ted Jourdan, Eddie Murphy, Happy Felsch, Eddie Collins. Nemo Leibold is behind Hap Felsch, possibly Reb Russel behind Pants Roland, Eddie Ciccotte behind Ted Jourdan, and possibly Dave Danforth behind Risberg.

Here’s a repost of one of my favorite “baseball and military” photos, showing the 1917 White Sox going through military formations. With war looming over the 1917 season, only a handful of players had been drafted into the military and fewer enlisted. Those who continued to play took part in token military “drills,” as we see in the featured photo, to show their support for the war effort. It also was a way for ballplayers to avoid being seen as “slackers” – the common term at the time applied to those trying to avoid military service. Baseball has a great connection with the military. Over the years, many major leaguers have served in the military, both in peacetime and during war, often sacrificing valuable years of their careers to military service time.

If you have a photo of a favorite player with a connection to the military, just post it in the comments section below. I’ll be sure to add it to the photo gallery, crediting you as the source!

Photo Credits: All from Google search

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