Happy Memorial Day! Thank You to those that have served Our Country
A year ago on Memorial Day I posted this post: http://crzblue.mlblogs.com/2010/05/31/memorial-day-in-flanders-fields-we-shall-keep-the-faith/. It contains the two poems “In Flanders Field” by Lieutenant-Colonel John Mc Crae and “We Shall Keep the Faith” from Mona Michael. They are two powerful poems.
To all those that have served our country and specially those that paid with their lives, a big thank you! Like the poem “WeShall Keep the Faith” says “The blood of heores never dies.”
I found this list of Brooklyn Dodger players in service during WW11:
| Rex Barney |
| Boyd Bartley |
| Jack Bolling |
| Bobby Bragan |
| Les Burge (minor league player on Dodgers roster) |
| Al Campanis |
| Hugh Casey |
| Claude Corbitt |
| Cliff Dapper |
| Lloyd “Dutch” Dietz |
| John Douglas |
| Red Durrett |
| Al Falzone (minor league player on Dodgers roster) |
| Herman Franks |
| Larry French |
| Roland Gladu |
| Jack Graham (minor league player on Dodgers roster) |
| Ray Hathaway |
| Joe Hatten (minor league player on Dodgers roster) |
| Chris Haughey |
| Ed Head |
| Billy Herman |
| Gene Hermanski |
| Kirby Higbe |
| Gil Hodges |
| Chet Kehn |
| Frank Laga (minor league player on Dodgers roster) |
| Cookie Lavagetto |
| Vic Lombardi |
| Cal McLish |
| Gene Mauch |
| Rube Melton |
| Eddie Miksis |
| Mickey Owen |
| Don Padgett |
| Pee Wee Reese |
| Pete Reiser |
| Lew Riggs |
| Johnny Rizzo |
| Stan Rojek |
| Bill Sayles |
| Joe Soskovic (minor league player on Dodgers roster) |
In addition from the Los Angeles Dodgers, we have Roy Gleason
Roy Gleason at Dodger Stadium during a Camera Day.
Roy Gleason
ref:
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Great posts Emma. Thank you for always keeping us mindful of our veterans and those who never made it home. In Flanders Field is always so powerful and I had never read We Shall Keep the Faith before, also very powerful.
— Kristen
Thanks Kristen. Here I am at Dodger Stadium
I had no idea there were so many veteran Dodgers. That was neat to read :O)
Jenn
http://philliesphollowers.mlblogs.com/
I thought the same thing as Phillie, thats a lot of players from one team. Makes me wonder about Cubs in the military.
Jenn,
I counted 43 Dodger Veterans there!
WrigleyRegular,
Just go to http://www.baseballinwartime.com/those_who_served/those_who_served_nl.htm and click on National League. I counted 29 Cubs that went to WW11 and 51 Phillies. Wow!
Thanks!
One cool thing that strikes me about baseball back in the ’40s was how players put their country ahead of their careers and went to serve. I get that society in general has changed since then, but I also think that $10 million contracts have something to do with it.
Catherine
You are welcome WG
.
Catherine, I read that during WW1 you could go to war or work in a company that made war related items so that was a way some for baseball players fulfil the requirement.
I saw the clip on MLB.com where Vin read the “Flanders Field” poem on the Dodgers telecast. I thought it was mainly a Commonwealth (Canada, UK, Australia) tradition to do that, but I was wrong. Vin recited it so movingly – I thought it was the best moment on Memorial Day – next to the marriage proposal at Kauffman Stadium in KC…
– Randy
http://heirloom.mlblogs.com
Randy,
Did not see the marriage proposal. Haha. Hey! yes, I am going to Target Field. My friend Lorena and I will be there for the three game series! Can’t wait!