Evening star., 1945-02-18
Clubs Lose Most
Name Players
To Services
Two of 81 Mats Token
Since Pearl Hurbor
Lost in Action
BY JERRY LISKA,

CHICAGO, Feb. 17.--Big league
baseball, hopefully preparing for its
fourth wartime season, has under
gone almost a complete turnover
in personnel since Pearl Harbor.
How good a patch and-pray job
the sport has quietly accomplished
the past three seasons is clearly
shown in study of the American
Leagues defense service list.
Up-to-the-minute figures disclose
that each junior circuit club dis
plays an average of 80 blue stars,
five more than the active list of Is
players permitted during the sea-
son.
A total Of PAT American League
players have gone to war, including
10 since the close of the 1914 season.
This compares with present active
list of 276 players, 126 of whom are
4-F with their 1945 status under
sharp Selective Service scrutiny.
Latest National League manpower
statistics are not available here, but
Leslie M. O'Connor, chairman of
the Major League Advisory Council,
estimates player losses are compar-
able in the two leagues.
Two Mats Lost in Action.
The American League also can
show three gold stars. Outfielder
Elmer Gedeon and Pitcher Forrest
Brewer of the Washington Mats
were lost in action as was Catcher
Ardys Keller of the Browns.
In addition, Pitcher Phil March
ildon, a 17-game winner for the
Philadelphia Athletics in 1912, was
taken prisoner after his Canadian
Air Force plane was shot down over
Kiel and Gene Stack of the Chicago
White Sox, died of heart attack
while pitching in the Army. q,
The Detroit Tigers and the Ath-
letics with 36 players each lead in
American League contributions to
the armed forces. While the cham
pion ST. Louis Browns have yielded
the fewest at 26' The Chicago
White Sox have lost 33, the Mats 80
the New York Yankees %, the Bos-
ton Red Sox % and the Cleveland
Indians 27.
Many Name" Players Gone.
How few name" players there
we're is best noted in a survey OF
the junior circuits national de-
fense list.
The once invincible Yankees have
Joe Di Maggie, Red Rufiing, Joe
Gordon, Marius Russo, Johnny
Sturm, Spurgeon Chandler, Roy
Weatherly and Rollie Hemsley in
the Army, Phil Rizzuto, George
Selkirk and Bill Dickey in the Navy
Charley Keller in the Merchan,
Marine and Tom Heinrich in the
Coast Guard.
Among the 80 contributed to the
services by the Washington clut
are Cecil Travis, powerful hitting
infielder: Buddy Lewis, Geralt
Priddy and Sid Hudson, effective
pitcher.
The long-trying Red Sox cal
dream of things that might hav,
been If Ted Williams (Marines)
Bob Doerr, Jim Tabor, Tex Hugh
son (Army) and Johnny Pesk.
Navy were back.
The White Sox have given Uncl
Sam slugger Luke Appling. E.
Smith, Sam West, Taft Wrigh
(Army), Ted Lyons, Bob Kenned,
Marines) and Johnny Rigne.
Navy.
The Tigers, who almost coppe,
the league bunting during Die
Wakefleld's short release from serv
ice, also have contributed HAM
Greenberg, Birdie Tebbetts, Ton
Bridges (Army), Charley Gehring
er, Bill McCosky, Hal White, Virgi
Trucks and Ned Harris Navy.
The Browns won the champion
ship without Johnny Lucadello
John Bernardino, Pete Appleton
Walt Judnich, Maurice Newlin ane
Steve Sundra. Brilliant Bob Fellel
heads Cleveland's list of 27 fighting
men which also includes Joe Kra.
kaukas, Gene De Sautels, and Harr,
Eisenstat.
The Athletics contingent of Q.
Army and IL Navy lads includes
Sam Chapman, BeAny Mccoy, jim
Castiglia and Pete Suder.