1945 Third Army Championship Scorecard with Big League Players

[jerseygary]

I'm in the process of selling off some of my scorecard collection to clear space, and I thought I would share some of the more interesting ones.

This is a scorecard from the series to decide which team would represent the US Army in Germany zone in the GI World Series. The best of 5 game series pitted the 71st Division Red Circlers against the 76th Division Onaways. Both divisions were part of George S. Patton's Third Army, which was the heavy favorite to take the GI World Series.

The 76th Onaways had major leaguers Bama Rowell, Clarence Maddern, Tommy Reis, Bill Evans and Bob Samel plus minor leaguers Gus Hixson, Larry McNeely, and Del Friar.

The Red Circlers were loaded with big league power including Harry "The Hat" Walker, Bob Ramazzotti, Johnny Wyrostek, Garland Lawing, Anse Moore, Herb Bremer, and Benny Zientara. The pitching staff was rounded out with big leaguers Ewell Blackwell, Al Brazle and Ken Heintzelman.

The Red Circlers won 3 games to 2, with Ewell Blackwell throwing a no-hitter in Game 2 and a 2-hitter in the final Game 5. Patton then combined the best players from the 76th with the 71st plus a couple more big league ringers obtained through dubious "transfers" from other units across Germany. Thus, the Third Army team was the odds on favorite to win the GI World Series. Unfortunately no one told a scrappy team of minor leaguers, semi-pros and two Negro League Hall of Famers that made up the OISE All-Stars. This underdog team beat Patton's Third Army and was declared the GI World Series champs. (I posted a scorecard from that series HERE)

This is the scorecard for the games held at Soldier Field in Nuremberg, Germany. It's printed on thin paper and has some pretty good looking graphics on the cover. As a side-note, I used this graphic as a base for a t-shirt I did for Ebbets Field Flannels a few years ago. This piece has a couple of fold marks and some light stains, but looks pretty good. The back has a list of up-coming events including that staple of every war - The Bob Hope Show.

I haven't seen another example of this one, but another member told me he has not one, but two, in his collection, so I guess they are out there...

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