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This is a book about baseballâ s true â replacement players.â During the four seasons the U.S. was at war in World War II (1942-1945), 533 players made their major-league debuts. There were 67 first-time major leaguers under the age of 21 (Joe Nuxhall the youngest at 15 in 1944). More than 60 percent of the players in the 1941 Opening Day lineups departed for the service. The 1944 Dodgers had only Dixie Walker and Mickey Owen as the two regulars from their 1941 pennant-winning team.The owners brought in not only first-timers but also many oldsters. Hod Lisenbee pitched 80 innings for the Reds in 1945 at the age of 46. He had last pitched in the major leagues in 1936. War veteran and former POW Bert Shepard, with an artificial leg, pitched in one game for the 1945 Senators, and one-armed outfielder Pete Gray played for the St. Louis Browns.The war years featured firsts and lasts. The St. Louis Browns won their first (and last) pennant in 1944 â a feat made more amazing by the fact that they had not finished in the first division since 1929. The 1944 team featured 13 players classified as 4-F. The Chicago Cubs appeared in the 1945 World Series but have not made it back since.Some 53 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) have contributed to this volume. We invite you to sit back and relax as you learn Who's on First?Includes contributions by: Alan Cohen, Ashlie Christian And Armand Peterson, Bill Nowlin, Bob Brady, Bob Lemoine, Bob Mayer, Bob Webster, Charles Faber, Charlie Weatherby, Chris Rainey, Cort Vitty, David Finoli, David M. Jordan, David Raglin And Barb Mantegani, David W. Pugh, Don Zminda, Duke Goldman, Greg Erion, Gregg Omoth, Gregory H. Wolf, J. G. Preston, James D. Smith, Iii, Jay Hurd, Jeff Marlett, Jeff Obermeyer, Jim Sweetman, Joanne Hulbert, John Shannahan, Leslie Heaphy, Lyle Spatz, Marc Lancaster, Marc Z Aaron, Mark S. Sternman, Mel Marmer, Merrie A. Fidler, Michael Huber, Michael Huber And Rachel Hamelers, Mike Mcclary, Peter C. Bjarkman, Rex Hamann, Rich Bogovich, Richard Cuicchi, Richard Moraski, Rory Costello And Lou Hernández, Seamus Kearney, Sidney Davis, Steve Smith, Thomas Ayers, Tom Hawthorn, Walter LeconteTable of Contents:Introduction MARC Z AARONThe Business of Baseball?During World War II JEFF OBERMEYERâ But Where is Pearl Harbor?â Baseball and the Day the World Changed, December 7, 1941 BOB LEMOINEThe Tri-Cornered War Bond Baseball Game MICHAEL HUBER AND RACHEL HAMELERSNATIONAL LEAGUEBoston BravesHow the Boston Braves Survived the War But Lost the Battle for Boston BOB BRADYBen Cardoni BY MARK S. STERNMANBuck Etchison BY ALAN COHENButch Nieman BY SIDNEY DAVISMystery Member of the â 45 Braves BOB BRADYBrooklyn DodgersThe Brooklyn Dodgers in Wartime MICHAEL HUBERJohn â Fatsâ Dâ Antonio RICHARD CUICCHIBill Hart BOB LEMOINELee Pfund BOB WEBSTERChicago CubsThe Cubs in Wartime THOMAS AYERSJorge Comellas RICH BOGOVICHBilly Holm BILL NOWLINWalter Signer GREGORY H. WOLFCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds During World War II JAY HURDTomás de la Cruz PETER C. BJARKMANBuck Fausett J. G. PRESTONDick Sipek CHARLES FABER New York GiantsThe New York Giants in Wartime BOB MAYER Al Gardella CHARLIE WEATHERBYFrank Seward JEFF MARLETTRoy Zimmerman JOANNE HULBERTPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Phillies in Wartime SEAMUS KEARNEY Chet Covington STEVE SMITHHilly Flitcraft JIM SWEETMAN Lee Riley MEL MARMER Pittsburgh PiratesThe Pirates in Wartime DAVID FINOLI Xavier Rescigno DAVID FINOLILen Gilmore DAVID FINOLI Frankie Zak DAVID FINOLISt. Louis CardinalsThe Cardinals in Wartime GREGORY H. WOLF Jack Creel GREGORY H. WOLFGene Crumling GREGORY H. WOLFBob Keely GREGORY H. WOLF AMERICAN LEAGUEBoston Red SoxThe Red Sox in Wartime BILL NOWLIN Otey Clark BILL NOWLINTy LaForest BILL NOWLIN Stan Partenheimer JOHN SHANNAHAN The Frostbite League: Spring Training 1943 - 1945 BILL NOWLINThe 1944 Red Sox: What Could Have Been DUKE GOLDMAN Chicago White SoxThe White Sox in Wartime DON ZMINDA Vince Castino DAVID RAGLIN AND BARB MANTEGANI Guy Curtright DON ZMINDA Floyd Speer REX HAMANN Cleveland IndiansWorld War II and the Cleveland Indians DAVID W. PUGH Otto Denning CHRIS RAINEY Jim McDonnell ASHLIE CHRISTIAN AND ARMAND PETERSON Mickey Rocco GREGG OMOTHDetroit TigersThe Tigers in Wartime MIKE MCCLARY Chuck Hostetler MARC LANCASTER Bobby Maier MARC LANCASTER Charlie Metro TOM HAWTHORN New York YankeesThe Yankees in Wartime MARC Z AARONJoe Buzas MARC Z AARON Mike Garbark MARC Z AARON Bud Metheny MARC Z AARON
