Ted Williams, Bob Feller, and seasons lost to military service

[tedzan]

Several years ago, the HOF had a display room honoring BB players who were War Veterans. A very interesting story re-
counts St Louis Cardinals pitcher Murry Dickson's experience as Gen. Patton's jeep driver. In the Fall of 1943 in Germany,
Lt. Dickson is driving Patton into a battle zone. Distant mortar fire can be heard and Dickson stops the jeep. Gen. Patton
orders Dickson to proceed further into the forest. Suddenly, an explosion occurs in front of them, jolting the jeep, ejecting
Patton. Dickson immediately falls on top of Patton to protect him. Patton gets up and dusts himself off and thanks Dickson.

Several days later, Lt. Dickson's Commanding Officer (CO) calls him into his office. He hands Dickson a Letter of Commend-
ation from George Patton. With a request that Lt. Dickson be Patton's permanent jeep driver. Dickson begged his CO........

"Sir, do whatever you can to get me out of this duty, that SOB is crazy and he will get us all killed".


Dickson's request was answered, as the St Louis Cardinals' management wrote a letter to President Roosevelt requesting
that Dickson return to BB. The Cardinals needed him for the 1943 World Series vs the Yankees. FDR granted their request.





TED Z

[David W]

Post WW2 but Willie Mays lost his second and third years to military service.

Rookie of the Year in 1951, MVP in 1954, 34 games in 52 and none in 53.

He might have broken Ruth's record before Aaron did.

I'm surprised to never hear his name mentioned in these "What if" kind of discussions.

[Brian Van Horn]

Cecil Travis.

.314 lifetime hitter who was a great shortstop. He suffered frostbite in the Battle of the Bulge.