RIP Bob Feller
December 15th, 2010 | After Action Baseball Navy | Posted by Sean Smyth
While Bob Feller’s greatness on the mound won’t go unnoticed upon passing — he died Wednesday — we also should remember his service to our country.
Bob Feller meets with officers from the transport dock ship Cleveland, Lt. Cmdr. Elizabeth Zimmermann and commanding officer Capt. Frank McCulloch, before a game between the Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays in August 2006. Feller, 92, was the first Major League Baseball player to enlist after Pearl Harbor. He died late Wednesday. (File photo / Navy)
Feller, who turned 92 last month, enlisted in the Navy on Dec. 8, 1941, one day after Pearl Harbor. He missed parts of four seasons serving in the Navy, most notably aboard the battleship Alabama for three years. He rose to the rank of chief petty officer and was in charge of a 40mm gun mount. He saw action in the Pacific theater during World War II.
On to the obligatory rundown of his baseball statistics: Feller won 266 games over parts of 18 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, helping guide the Tribe to a world championship in 1948. He won 20 or more games six times, and won 25 or more games three times. He was an eight-time American League all-star.
In addition to his major league resume, he also played regularly against military teams while enlisted. When Feller returned stateside after the war, he was assigned to Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Ill., where he pitched and coached the baseball team.
While proud of his playing career, Feller often referenced his Navy service. According to his profile on the wonderful Baseball in Wartime website:
“I’m very proud of my war record, just like my baseball record. I would never have been able to face anybody and talk about my baseball record if I hadn’t spent time in the service.”
Feller was as opinionated as you’d expect an old-timer to be. Fay Vincent mentions this in a tribute to Feller published by The Plain Dealer of Cleveland.
I can’t find a definitive attribution to this quote — just a bunch of links online, including this one — but it’s a good way to end this entry.
“Baseball in the Navy always was much more fun than it had been in the major leagues.”
You thought you had it rough …
November 19th, 2010 | Baseball | Posted by Sean Smyth
In South Korea, as in many other nations, military service by men of a certain age is compulsory — and over there, you have to serve between the ages of 20 and 30. A nice-sized window — but that time does go fast when you’re pursing a professional baseball career.
Cleveland Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, 28, was nearing the end of his window and facing the possibility of having to take time off from the majors to serve his nation. But with the South Korean team’s 9-3 win against Taiwan in the final of the Asian Games on Friday, Choo may get a pass.
Players on the South Korean team that won gold at the Beijing Olympics two years ago were given exemptions. But Choo missed the Olympics, having undergone Tommy John surgery in 2007. So this was his last real shot at getting on the exempt list.
The Indians also expect Choo to get a pass “based on our understanding prior to the tournament and past precedent,” general manager Chris Antonetti said.
Surely that news is (cash-register-style) music to the ears of Choo’s agent, Scott Boras.
Former Marine Sandy Alderson new GM of New York Mets
October 28th, 2010 | After Action Baseball Marine Corps | Posted by Sean Smyth
There’s a new sheriff in town for the New York Mets, and it’s a guy who has been in sticky situations before — Sandy Alderson, the former A’s, Padres and Major League Baseball executive.
Alderson served four years as a Corps officer, including a tour of Vietnam. The Associated Press reported Thursday that Alderson would be introduced the Mets’ general manager as soon as Friday. Speculation has centered on Alderson for the past few days.
Alderson was GM in Oakland from 1983-97. His team won three American League pennants and captured the World Series in 1989.
He faces a challenge in Queens, with the Mets’ roster featuring broken down stars playing with bloated contracts.
Golden Knight gets stuck on flagpole at Texas Rangers game
August 25th, 2010 | Army Baseball | Posted by Phil Creed
There’s something about the Ballpark in Arlington this season.
The latest incident at Arlington involved a member of the prestigious Army Golden Knights, who had the unfortunate luck of getting caught up in the flagpole last night as he parachuted into the stadium before the Texas Rangers- Minnesota Twins game. The soldier, who has not been identified, was not injured.
The incident was caught on video by a fan and posted immediately to YouTube.
To echo the concern of a fan on the video, I hope this guy doesn’t lose his job.
The Golden Knight incident is only the latest bizarre/darkly comical thing to happen at a Rangers game this season. In July, a fan fell from the upper deck in Arlington — and somehow survived — while trying to catch a foul ball during a game against the Cleveland Indians. And earlier this week at a game against the Twins, a photographer snapped this classic picture of a fan taking a foul ball to the face.
All things considered, the Golden Knight is by far the luckiest of the group.
The shot heard ’round the world
August 17th, 2010 | Army Baseball | Posted by Sean Smyth
No, it was not on the battlefield. It was Bobby Thompson’s historic home run in the epic Brooklyn Dodgers-New York Giants playoff game in 1951, the one that sent the Giants to the World Series. Thompson, 86, died late Monday after a long illness, the Daily News of New York reports.
That same article notes that Thompson, born in Scotland and moving to New York when he was 2, served in the Army Air Forces from 1943 to 1945, but according to him, he did not deploy. “There are no war stories,” he said. After his discharge, he was signed by the Giants and the third baseman was eventually converted into an outfielder.
Ralph Houk, RIP
July 22nd, 2010 | Army Baseball | Posted by Sean Smyth
First-year Yankees manager Ralph Houk, right, is shown with, from left, Yankees legends Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio during spring training in 1961. (File photo / The Associated Press)
Ralph Houk was a lucky man, in more ways than one.
When Casey Stengel left the Yankees, Houk took over, winning World Series titles in his first two seasons — the first in the midst of the chaos of Maris’ and Mantle’s assault on the home-run record in 1961.
But a main part of Houk’s legacy was away from the baseball field, and on the battlefield, where he survived some fierce fighting during his service.
Houk, 90, died Wednesday at his home in Florida. The longtime manager of the Yanks, Tigers and Red Sox served in World War II in the European theater.
A member of the 9th Armored Division, Houk received the Purple Heart, Silver Star and Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster and four campaign stars for his service. He achieved the rank of major before leaving the Army and joining the Yankees, where he backed up Yogi Berra.
This story from his commanding officer, Caesar Fiore, about Houk’s two-day disappearance in the middle of the Battle of the Bulge, is a gem.
“One day in the middle of the battle I sent Ralph out in a jeep to do some scouting of enemy troops,” said Fiore. “After being out two nights we listed him as ‘missing in action.’
“When he turned up he had a three-day growth of beard and hand grenades hanging all over him. He was back of the enemy lines the entire time. I know he must have enjoyed himself. He had a hole in one side of his helmet, and a hole in the other where the bullet left. When I told him about his helmet he said ‘I could have swore I heard a ricochet.’ We marked him ‘absent without leave’ but were glad to have him back alive.”
Houk also was a member of the 9th Armored Division’s baseball team, which made it to the playoffs for the 1945 ETO World Series.
He managed the Yankees from 1961-63 and 1966-73, the Tigers from 1974-78 and the Red Sox from 1981-84. He won six World Series as a player for the Yankees and two more as Yankees manager.
Fittingly, his nickname in the majors was “Major.”
Yankees owner, Air Force veteran George Steinbrenner dies from heart attack
July 13th, 2010 | Air Force Baseball | Posted by Mike Hoffman
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner served in the Air Force three years at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. (AP photo)
If it’s true that famous deaths come in threes I’d be worried if I was Derek Jeter or Alex Rodriguez. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died Tuesday morning from a heart attack. His death comes just two days after Bob Sheppard, the legendary Yankees stadium announcer died Sunday.
Known simply as “The Boss,” Steinbrenner bought the Yankees in 1973. As owner, he oversaw 11 American League pennants and seven World Series Championships. Steinbrenner will be remembered as an owner who was never afraid to open his wallet, but was equally demanding that his money fielded a winner.
Before “The Boss” made his fortune in the family ship building business, he wore Air Force blue. He enlisted and served three years in the Air Force after he graduated from Williams College in 1952. Steinbrenner set up athletic programs as an aide to the commander at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio, which was renamed Rickenbacker Air Force Base in 1974.
Steinbrenner’s outsized personality and famous blowups with managers such as Billy Martin made him an easy target in pop culture. “The Boss” often found his way onto both Seinfeld and The Simpsons. Here are two of my favorite clips in honor of Steinbrenner’s passing.
Should all pros get released?
July 2nd, 2010 | Army Baseball | Posted by Mike Hoffman
Caleb Campbell, right, who was drafted into the National Football League by the Detriot Lions, salutes as he receives his diploma at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., Saturday, May 31, 2008. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
Everyone threw up their arms after former West Point safety Caleb Campbell was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 7th Round of the 2008 NFL Draft and Army Secretary Pete Geren decided to not free him from his 5-year service commitment. Some Campbell supporters pointed to former NBA star David Robinson, who graduated from the Naval Academy, as an example of why the military should allow the few academy graduates who have a shot to play for a professional team to pursue their dreams. The services can then reap the rewards of free publicity.
This year, Campbell will be at Lions training camp after being released from his active-duty commitment. He will instead serve the Army for the next six years in the Individual Ready Reserve as part of the policy Geren signed in 2008. Former Air Force Academy standout Chad Hall was also released from his commitment and has a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. If Hall or Campbell don’t make their respective team’s rosters, they have to return to active duty. Again, it’s all about the free publicity for a military that depends on young men and women, many of whom watch the NFL and other professional sports, to sign up for their services.
Here’s my question, though: Where do you draw the line?
Braves phenom’s father works at Robins Air Force Base
May 24th, 2010 | Air Force Baseball | Posted by Mike Hoffman
Braves right fielder Jason Heyward
Braves right fielder Jason Heyward isn’t old enough to order a beer, yet the 20-year-old phenom has MLB scouts drooling over his potential and will most likely battle Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg for rookie of the year honors.
Turns out his dad, Eugene Heyward, works at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., as an engineer who works on electronic warfare programs for the 402nd Software Maintenance Group.
The Macon Telegraph caught up with the elder Heyward, who spoke about what it was (or is) like to raise a baseball phenom who has already hit nine homeruns.
Air Force Academy baseball coach does his best Lou Pinella impersonation
May 3rd, 2010 | Air Force Baseball | Posted by Mike Hoffman
Air Force Academy baseball coach Mike Hutcheon (left)
Air Force Academy baseball coach Mike Hutcheon didn’t feel much like watching his reeling baseball program get swept by the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels this weekend.
Rather than sit and watch a team that had five players suspended last month and another two dismissed earlier in the season, Hutcheon, who has already announced his resignation, got thrown out of two games and suspended from the third of the three-game weekend series.
To be fair, a source who attended the game told After Action that Hutcheon got thrown out because of bad umpiring. However, the consecutive ejections draw more negative attention to the baseball program two weeks after he announced he would resign at the end of the season.
The coach’s resignation comes after the Academy suspended five players for violation of academy standards in April and dismissed another two players earlier this season for disciplinary reasons.
Hutcheon was thrown out Friday by the home plate umpire after he argued a “couple questionable balks.” On Saturday, he walked out to argue a call at third base with the third base umpire, who had thrown him out the night before as the home plate umpire. The same umpire tossed Hutcheon as he began to walk away and made a dismissive hand gesture.
Hutcheon served a mandatory one-game suspension on Sunday dictated by the Mountain West Conference whenever a coach who is thrown out of consecutive games.
The Colorado Springs Gazette wrote a good article summing up Hutcheon’s problems at the Air Force Academy here.