The Wilmington morning star., 1945-01-13
BASEBALL STARS.
TOURING FRONT.
RUN FROM ENEMY
German Break Through
Puts Major Leaguers
On Their Own
BY GLENN PERKINS
United Press Staff Correspondent

NEW YORK, Jan. 12.-UP)-
Four major league baseball stars
ran as if trying to beat out an
infield hit when the Germans
broke through in their counter
offensive last month but on the
basis of every man for himself"
managed to stay one jump ahead
of the advancing Nazis.
That's the way ]. Roy Stockton,
baseball writer on the st. Louis
Post-Dispatch, described a portion
Of the tour made by himself and
the four major leaguers to enter
tain U. S. fighting men in the
European theatre.
Stockton said the group was told
to leave Verviery Gin a hurry"
because the Germans were COM
ing but managed to keep spring
ahead Of the enemy as well as
continue their performances.
The group, composed of Stock
ton, Mel OFT, manager of the New
York Giants; frankie Frisch, man.
ager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and
pitchers Bucky Walters of the Gin
cinnati Reds and Emil Dutch)
Leonard of the Washington Sena-
tors, was one of five units of
baseball personalities touring I'm
der the sponsorship of the U. S. o.,
and returned from France yes
terday after touring more than
10000 miles.
Stockton acted as master of cere-
monies as the unit toured France,
Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg
and Germany talking to soldiers
from S a. m. until II p. m.
throughout the 'foxhole league"
playing to audiences which rang
ed in size from As to 5000. They
gave an average of three full
shows day plus several hospital
visits during the seven weeks they
were gone.
The tour included shows in such
towns as Scissors, Suippe, Mour-
melon, Reims, Maastricht, Hero
genrath, Waubach, Bacsweichen,
Valkenburg and Rotgen. the rou-
tine of the shows included movies
of the 1914 world series, introduce
ton OF the players and a ques-
ton period in which the audience
fired "a million questions.
Before forced to retreat at Yer
vier the group played to units
resting only two or three miles
behind the front lines only a base
hit away from German artillery
fire. One show was played in a
barn on German territory to As
men, five from each of nine front
line companies selected by their
officers to withdraw to the barn
for the special show. Because OF
the proximity of German fire, it
was not deemed advisable to per-
NIT larger group to gather in
one place.
Most of the CTS were amazed
that the baseball stars were there,
Stockton said, even though Stars
and Stripes, official Army news
paper, had carried story about
their coming. The soldiers shook
almost incredulously and one NUT
tered: Gee, I had to join the
Army to meet Mel Off,
the shows ran from 80 minutes
to four hours and the players au-
tographed baseballs Until their
wrists ached. Stockton said Ott
developed into the star comedian
Of the troupe. Walters was the
most serious in trying to perfect
his act. Frisch had the boys
bowling with his umpire stories
and Leonard displayed a real yen
to become an actor.
They performed for and met
some of the top U. S. generals
in the area. 1t. Gen. George S.
Patton, 1t. Gen. Omar N. Bradley,
1t. Gen, Courtney H. Hodges alxl
Brig. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe, who
answered nuts to the Nazis at
Bastogne, were members of vari-
GUS audiences.
The sports quintet came home
roofing to their fingertips for the
G.I.'s and the job they are doing.
lDu(>a Cxvsrrrarc Cor.