The Veterans Day Edition by Rich Lipinski

Baseball is a cornerstone of American culture, intertwining with our national identity and history. As baseball rules evolved through the 1850s into the sport we recognize today, soldiers took the game with them, and many players became soldiers themselves. As the nation faced the trials of the Civil War, baseball emerged as a unifying force, spreading through encampments and prisoner-of-war camps. The game was brought to the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, and soldiers stationed in Puerto Rico after the war helped spread its popularity across the island. In the early 1900s, Major General Abner Doubleday was credited with the invention of baseball to ensure the legend that the sport was truly an American creation.

During WWI and WWII, both Presidents Wilson and Roosevelt encouraged baseball to continue during the war as an important part of the American psyche. Throughout both wars, there were ongoing debates about the continuation of baseball, especially due to public sentiment and manpower shortages, particularly in the minor leagues. The games were broadcast to troops in Korea and Vietnam. As recently as September 11, the restart of baseball after the attacks was heralded as a healing process by those closest to Ground Zero.

Thousands of major league and minor league players have served, and hundreds have made the ultimate sacrifice. Sixtyfour Baseball Hall of Famers are included in that list, along with many local players who answered the call to serve.

Baseball in the Spanish-American War: A Call to Arms

“Remember the Maine” was the rallying cry following the mysterious explosion of the warship in Havana’s harbor. The Maine’s crew had what was considered the best military baseball team of the time, and the team was integrated.

John Titus

John “Silent John” Titus of Saint Clair served in the war. The great Grover Alexander remarked, "Titus had one of the best batting eyes I ever saw." Titus had a remarkable career by both conventional and advanced statistics; had there been All-Star games, he would have been an All-Star.

A Hero’s Journey: Christy Mathewson’s Valor in WWI

One of the greatest pitchers in MLB history served and suffered greatly due

to his service. By the time he entered the war, his career had wound down, and he was the manager of the Reds. The Factoryville native was commissioned a captain in the Chemical Warfare Division, which was established to train troops to survive German gas attacks. During training exercises, he was accidentally exposed to mustard gas. The damage to his lungs caused by this exposure eventually led to his untimely death in 1925 at the age of 45.

The Resilience of Baseball in WWII Nestor Chylak Hall of Fame umpire Nestor Chylak was from Olyphant. He served in the Army during World War II and nearly lost his eyesight in the Battle of the Bulge after being struck by shrapnel from an exploding shell. After the war, he began his minor league career in the PONY League in 1947. His big-league career began in 1954 and ended in 1978. Afterward, he served as an assistant supervisor of umpires until his

death from a heart attack at age 59.

Al Cihocki

Al Cihocki, from Nanticoke, played his first season of professional baseball in 1942 as an 18-year-old third baseman with the Batavia Clippers of the Class D PONY League. Cihocki had an impressive first year, appearing in 98 games and collecting 128 hits, including 7 home runs, while hitting .342. He made the All-Star team.

Cihocki joined the United States Coast Guard, serving for the next two years during World War II. He returned home and was honorably discharged at the start of 1945, joining the roster-thin Cleveland Indians. The third baseman was converted into a utility infielder by the Indians and appeared in 92 games. As MLB players returned, Cihocki, like many rookies that season, was sent back to the minors. He never returned to the majors, and his playing career ended in 1958. He worked as a correction officer for many years and spent 24 years as the head coach at Luzerne County Community College.

Korean War: A Legacy of Service

Carl Duser

Born in Hazleton in 1932, Duser graduated from Weatherly, where he

was enshrined in the Weatherly Hall of Fame in 1990. After returning home from the Korean War, he was signed by the Kansas City Athletics and appeared in 3 major league games. He stayed in professional baseball through the 1958 season. After retiring, he worked for Bethlehem Steel and remained active in local baseball leagues.

Vietnam and Beyond: The Continuing Story

The names mentioned here are just a small sample and hardly a complete list. I was unable to find any local connections past the Korean War. There were slightly over 100 professional players during the Vietnam War. One of the most notable to fans in the area was Garry Maddox, who continues to wear a beard to shield his face, which became highly sensitized from the chemicals he encountered during his service.

Steve Reich

Reich from Ohio is the last professional ballplayer to make the ultimate sacrifice for his country. A member of the Baltimore Orioles organization and a

graduate of West Point, Reich chose to attend the United States Military Academy rather than sign a minor league baseball contract. He was a star pitcher for the Army baseball team and was named to the "Team USA" baseball team in 1993, carrying the American flag at the World University Games. In 1996, he was recalled to the Army, serving in Bosnia and Afghanistan. His helicopter was shot down in 2005.

Until next time, remember to thank a Veteran. If anyone has additional information to add to this story or any baseball-related stories, please contact us at hardcoalbaseball@yahoo.com. Information for this story was provided by Baseball Reference, SABR, Newspapers.com, and the Library of Congress.