WWII story....Patton & St Louis pitcher Dickson..what's yours ?

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Well, it seems as if were engaged in "WWIII" on Net54....so appropo, here's an interesting story (among
many) of the Major League BB players serving in WWII......on display in Cooperstown.

Told to the St Louis Post Dispatch (1943), is this story by Murry Dickson when he was a 1st Lieutenant in
the Army driving General Patton. With explosions around them in the German forest, Dickson asks Patton....

"Sir, should we stay our position ?"
"Hell no, soldier, keep driving" was Patton's reply.

Mortar fire suddenly upends their jeep and Dickson falls on top of Patton, who is on the ground, to protect
him. Patton gets up, brushes off his uniform and they manage to get their jeep moving again, proceeding
deeper into the battleground.

A week later, Dickson's Commanding Officer (CO) calls him and presents him a Letter of Commendation....
signed by Patton. And, his CO tells Dickson that Patton was very impressed with him and has requested
Dickson as his permanent jeep driver.

Dickson's response to his CO...."Sir, please do anything to get me out of this duty. That SOB (Patton) is
crazy......he'll get us all killed !"

Well, Murry Dickson was lucky. The National League President wrote a request to FDR to allow Dickson a
"Leave of Absence" from Army duty in Oct 1943 since he was needed by the St Louis Cardinals who were
playing the Yankees in the World Series.
FDR granted Dickson this exception.

Murry Dickson had a long pitching career (1939 -1959). I show his 1951 card here, as that was his best
season, he won 20 games, while losing 16 (with the 2nd division Pirates).

So, you heard my favorite....let's hear your WAR stories ?

TED Z