Fifty Facts About D-Day-- Part 4: Higgins Boats

31.  It was supposed to happen one month earlier.

32.  Nature played a key role.   Weather almost caused another delay in June.

33.  Higgins Boats (LCVPs) took on D-Day.

34.  D-Day films have become very popular in American culture.  "The Longest Day" and "Saving Private Ryan" of course.

35.  A movie star was at D-Day.  Henry Fonda was a quartermaster on the destroyer USS Satterlee at D-Day.  He also was in the movie "The Longest Day."

36.  Many other famous people were at D-Day.  Yankees catcher Yogi Berra, author J.D. Salinger and Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers.  Also golf great Bobby Jones and British actor David Niven and  Charles Durning.

Before he played Scotty" on "Star Trek," actor James  Doohan sustained six wounds and lost his middle finger at Juno Beach.

37.  Gargantuan supply shipments preceded the invasion.

38.  17 million maps were needed.

39.  The landings opened a supply line.

40.  Artificial harbors supported the supply lines.

I'm Hit, Capt. Kirk!  I'm Hit.  --GreGen

Navy Day in Dubuque, Iowa, August 23, 1942-- Part 4: One Helluva Team

Baseball Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane, the former star catcher for the Detroit Tigers, was appointed supervising officer in charge of athletics at Great Lakes and he assembled a formidable team of players who had left their American and National league teams to join America's war effort.

Throughout the war, the training facility's baseball teams compiled a record of 188-32 in exhibition contests.

Probably Stacked the Field.  --GreGen

Navy Day in Dubuque, Iowa, August 23, 1942-- Part 3: Great Lakes Wins By Lopsided 16-1 Score

4,000 SEE GREAT LAKES NINE WIN HERE

"The colors of Old Glory -- red, white and blue -- predominated as the crowd watched Naval officers swear Dubuqueland men into service.  The color of green -- the proceeds of the game --  went to Navy relief.  And the color of big-league baseball prevailed as the crowd watched the Great Lakes' star-studded team lick the Naval Pre-Flight Training School 16-1.

"The latter color in part was provided by a home run with the bases full by Chet Hajduk of the Chicago White Sox, the battery of Johnny Rigney and old "Iron Mike" Cochrane, and the appearance of Benny McCoy, Johnny Lucadello, Don Padgett, Ernie Andres, Joe Grace and Sam Harshaney -- all former major-league stars.

"The victory here was the second consecutive lopsided win for Great Lakes over the Seahawks in two days.  The win was the 59th of the year for the men coached by Lt. Gordon Cochrane, the above-mentioned Mr. "Iron Mike" or "Mickey" of professional baseball fame."

The Seahawks trained in Iowa City, Iowa, home of the Iowa Hawkeyes, hence the name Seahawks.

--GreGen

Navy Day in Dubuque, Iowa, 1942-- Part 2: Lots of Memories This Day

"Memories of some will center on the colorful ceremonies of the flag raising and mass inductions of the naval recruits before the baseball game; for some it will be the memory of witnessing a son, a brother, a sweetheart, a husband, or a pal being sworn into service with the nation's armed forces at an hour of great peril; and for some it will be the thrill of witnessing some of the greatest stars of baseball perform, even if the game was a one-sided affair.

"But the big result of the day is that a substantial sum of money will be added to the Navy Relief Society Fund, all proceeds of the day going to that fund."

(Former major-league players starred during the exhibition game, as the Telegraph Herald reported on August 24, 1942.)

--GreGen

Navy Day in Dubuque 75 Years Ago

From the August 24, 2017, Dubuque (Iowa) Telegraph Herald "75 years ago: Bravery, baseball on display" by Erik Hogstrom.

Dubuque's World War II effort took a major leap forward 75 years ago this week.  Thousands of residents filled the stands of the city's baseball stadium on August 23, 1942, to witness the mass induction of dozens of local men into the U.S. Navy.

Dubuque capped its "Navy Day" celebration with an exhibition baseball game featuring a military team packed with former Major League Baseball players who had joined the service.

--GreGen

Yogi At War-- Part 4: First to Receive the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award

When the team behind the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award began preparations for their first awards in 2013, it was an easy decision in Yogi Berra's case.  Said founder Peter Fertig:  We all agreed -- that was the one thing that the board all agreed to -- that Yogi  should have been first, and he was."

Berra received the honor, named for another Hall of Famer noted for his wartime naval service, pitcher Bob Feller.  Berra received the award at his museum in Montclair, New Jersey.  He was also honored there last June on  the 70th anniversary of D-Day for his service that day.

"He was a humble person, "Fertig said pf Berra.  "He was a warm, caring human being who served at a very delicate time in our nation's history.  And he was an instrumental part of it, being at D-Day."

Quite the Amazing Person, Even If he Was a New York Yankee.  --GreGen (White Sox Fan)

Yogi At War-- Part 3: Very Impressive Baseball Stats

Yogi Berra played that major league team and did well, but he was still an unknown., but that was not for long.

He was in the majors with the Yankees at the tail end of the 1946 season and earned his first of ten World Series rings as a Yankee player in 1947 and was voted into his first All-Star game in 1948.

From Wikipedia.

Born 1925  Died September 22, 2015, age 90.

Lifetime Stats:

.285 batting average
358 home runs
1,430 RBIs

18-times All-Star
13 World Series Championships (some as a manager or coach)
3 times AL MVP:  1951, 1954, 1955.

Not Bad for a Swabbie.  --GreGen

The Cubs, World War II and Chicago in 1945-- Part 12: After the Series

Upon returning to Boyceville, Andy Pafko was greeted by an airplane trailing a banner proclaiming:  "Our hero is back home."  The town honored him with a banquet, and then he changed into overalls.  "The cows had to be milked," he recalled.

Shortstop Lennie Merullo was determined that his memories wouldn't fade.  For the World Series, he was replaced with a more experienced player, Roy Hughes.  But he got into the sixth game and was spiked by a Tigers player, leaving him with a 3-inch gash on his forearm.  In the clubhouse, a doctor had no sooner sewn him up than Merullo started pulling out the stitches.  For weeks he picked at the scab, determined to have a flesh-and-blood souvenir.

"Even now, 50 years later, I'll stare at that scar, Merullo told a Trib reporter in 1995.  "And, I'll say to myself: 'You were there, Len.  You played in a World Series."

Lenny Merullo died May 30, 2015.  Probably one of the last members of the 1945 Chicago Cubs.

--GreGen

The Cubs, World War II and Chicago in 1945-- Part 11: The '45 Series

The Cubs took two of the three games played in Detroit as they returned to Chicago.  The Tigers then took two games in a row.  The Cubs won the sixth game in extra innings.

But, in the first inning of the final game, the Tigers exploded for five runs and went on to win the game 9-3, making them the 1945 World Series Champions.

The Cubs were left with regrets for what might have been -- and memories of having almost made it to baseball's mountaintop.

But, considering how good the team was and past National League Championships, surely, there was next year and likely another shot at the championship.

Little Did Anyone Know....  --GreGen

The Cubs, World War II and Chicago in 1945-- Part 10: Prim Does It

On the next to the last day of the 1945 season, the Cubs clinched the National League title with a 6-5 win over the Cardinals.  (I love it when we beat the Cardinals.)    The Tribune reported:  "Ray Prim, whose relief pitching restored order in a threatening eighth inning, was mobbed by manager Charlie Grimm and the Cubs when the last Card was out.

"There were more congratulations for the 38-year-old southpaw after he and the other Cubs had been cheered hysterically by hundreds of fans lining the ramp to the clubhouse."

In the World Series that followed, the Cubs took an early lead over the Detroit Tigers, winning two of three games played in Detroit.

Joy in Chicago.  --DaCubter

The Cubs, World War II and Chicago in 1945-- Part 9: Andy Pafko Walking to Help Dad Pay Mortgage on Farm

Cub players Andy Pafko and Claude Passeau lived at Sheridan Plaza Hotel and walked to the ballpark, attracting fans.''"Sometimes, fans would keep us company for a block or two," Pafko told a Tribune reporter.  "I liked to save streetcar fare because I was sending money home to help Dad pay off the mortgage on the farm."

Pafko's parents had emigrated from Slovakia to Boyceville, Wisconsin.  Hard-working, they had never seen their son play -- until one day that season, neighbors insisted they would milk the cows at the Pafkos and they should go down to Chicago.

That day, Pafko hit a grand slam and screaming fans leaped to their feet.  Pafko's parents didn't know if the fans were yelling for or at their son until a man in the next box leaned over and explained:  "Your son did the best thing a ballplayer can."

--GreGen

1945 Chicago Cubs, Last Trip to the World Series Before 2016

Baseball Reference.com.

Some of the names I've been mentioning are familiar, others aren't, so I went to this site and found out the names of the starters for the 1945 Cubs.

Main Position Players and batting averages:

Catcher--  Mickey Livingston .254
First Base--  Phil Cavarretta--  .355
Second Base-- Don Johnson--  .302
Shortstop--  Lennie Merullo--  .239
Third Base--  Stan Hack--  .323
Outfield--  Peanuts Lowery--  .283
Outfield--  Andy Pafko--  .298
Outfield--  Bill Nicholson-- .243

Main Pitchers with win-loss and ERA:

Hank Wyse--  22-10  2.68
Claude Passeau--  17-9  2.46
Paul Derringer--  16-11  3.45
Ray Prim--  13-8  2.40
Hank Borowy--  11-2  2.13

Imagine What Some of These Guys Would Be Making Today With Their Stats.  --GreGen

The Cubs, World War II and Chicago in 1945-- Part 8: Long-Time Cubs

Stan Hack spent his whole career with the Cubs.  So too did Don Johnson, the second baseman.  First baseman Phil Cavarretta was a Cubbie for twenty years.  He came to the team from Lane Technical High School, just west from Wrigley Field  on Addison Street.  After his playing days, he worked in a clothing store on Cicero Avenue.  "You know, taking shoulder measurements and pants lengths," he said.

Given their modest salaries, players had to be penny-pinchers.  Pitcher Claude Passeau and center fielder Andy Pafko both lived at the Sheridan Plaza Hotel at Wilson Avenue and Sheridan Road.  Both were farm boys and walked to and from Wrigley Field.  That allowed admirers a close-up view.

--GreGen

The Cubs, World War II and Chicago in 1945-- Part 5: The Deaf Veterans

Bill Nichiolson, a slugging outfielder, didn't join the team until opening day.  He wanted to hang on to his job at a defense plant for as long as possible, given the uncertainty of the times.  Second baseman Don Johnson had a draft exemption as a father of three.  But he didn't get the hero worship that fans accorded players before the war, as he later recalled.

"When we traveled, there would be lots of troops on the trains,"  Johnson said.  "GIs would come up and ask why you weren't in the service -- some jocularly, others not."

Though he never saw a battlefield, Johnson did get a close-up view of the war's toll when the Cubs played an exhibition game at a military hospital.  The stands were unnaturally quiet.  War had left many of the patients deaf.

--GreGen

Wrigley Field Might Have Had Lights Earlier, But for World War II

From the October 28, 2016, Chicago Tribune "Wrigley Field's transformation."

As we try to get over the late night/early morning celebrating for the Cubs winning the World Series yesterday.

LIGHTS

Owner P.K. Wrigley assigned Bill Veeck to look into lighting for Wrigley Field.

The team ordered parts in 1941 but Wrigley donated the steel to the World War II effort after Pearl Harbor.

So, there might have been lights as early as 1941, but for a war.

--GreGen

Some Players on the '43 Sox and Cubs

From Baseball Almanac.

I was wondering if there were any players on either team that I might have heard of since this was several years before I was born.

These are the Cubs I had heard of:

INFIELDERS

Phil Cavarretto
Stan Hack
Eddie Stanky

OUTFIELDERS:

Bill Nicholson
Andy Pafko
Ed Sauer
Peanuts Lowry

CHICAGO WHITE SOX:

INFIELDERS

Luke Appling
Tont Cuccinllo

Of interest, Luke Appling had the highest Sox salary at $11,000.  No figures for the Cubs in this area.

Not Many.  --DaCoot

War Caused Sox and Cubs to Train at French Lick-- Part 2

The Chicago tribune reported on December 30, 1943, Chicago Tribune reported, "The Cubs and White Sox, bitter intercity rivals since shortly before the turn of the century, are to share sulfur water tubs for three weeks in French Lick, Ind.."

In January, the Tribune discussed the financial benefits despite the meteorological challenges: "Altho the northern training might involve a weather risk (the French Lick press agent insists it was a comforting  87 degrees there last April 6), the novelty is certain to have its financial consolation.  This, of course, goes for all the clubs.

"Going to French Lick, a matter of 279 miles from Chicago, represents quite a difference in rail fare from the approximate 2,250 miles between here and California.  And with training time, at least for the Sox and Cubs, cut down to three weeks, the room and board bill will be reduced by about one-half.

"A lot of clubs, after being forced into the plan by the transportation problem, may find it so practical they'll be doing it after the war."

--GreGen