Chevrons and Diamonds

1943 A.G. Spalding & Bros. Great Lakes Naval Training Station

April 20, 2025

3–4 minutes

The second season of the wartime Great Lakes Naval Training Station “Bluejackets,” led by Lieutenant Gordon “Mickey” Cochrane resulted in another year of dominance to the tune of a 52-10 won-lost record.

A generic consumer piece, this “Official League” model “SC” ball was made by “A. G. Spalding & Bros (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

With some holdovers from the 1942 season, Cochrane fielded another strong team that saw moundsmen Vern Olsen, Bob Harris and Frank Biscan pitch eight or more victories. Johnny Mize batted .418 and clouted 12 homeruns joining seven teammates who hit .300 or better. The Bluejackets played a tough schedule facing major league talent on several opposing service clubs as well as squaring off against the Yankees, Cubs, Indians, Phillies, Tigers, Dodgers, White Sox and Senators.

The west panel showcases two of the Bluejackets’ future Hall of Famers starting from the top: Johnny Mize, Mickey Cochrane, Marvin Felderman, Frank Biscan, and Warren “Sheriff” Robinson (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

This autographed ball features 16 signatures, 15 of which are either players or coaches. One signature, from Gerry Hurley, did not play for the Bluejackets. Lieutenant junior grade Luke Walton, who served as the Great Lakes Training Station athletics officer, also signed the ball.

Posed in their undress blue uniform, the Great Lakes Naval Training Station “Bluejackets” (**bold** names indicates signers on our ball).
*Front Row* (left to right): Ensign Maurice S. Orr, **Johnny Mize**, Johnny Rigney, Barney McCosky, Joe Grace, Vern Olsen, Unnamed CPO
*Middle*: George Dickey, Bob Harris, **Tom Ferrick**, Unnamed, **Marvin Felderman**, Jack Hallet
*Back*: **Glenn McQuillen**, **Eddie Pellagrini**, Leo Nonnenkamp, Dick Sisler, Johnny Berardino, Johnny Lucadello, Tom Carey (photo courtesy of Jeffrey Lazarus).

This ball comes from a family in Wisconsin and believes that the signatures were obtained by an aunt who served in the Navy during the war and was a big Chicago Cubs and overall baseball fan.

Player	Position	Former
Frank Biscan	P	Browns
Earl Bolyard	CF	Dallas (TL)
Dan Casey		Villanova U.
Mickey Cochrane	MGR/C	Tigers
J. Russell Cook
George “Skeets” Dickey	C	White Sox
Robert R. M. Emmet
Marvin Felderman	C	Cubs
Tom Ferrick	P	Indians
Carl Fiore	3B	Wilkes-Barre (EL)
Dennis Gleason	C	Lancaster (ISLG)
Joseph “Joe” Grace	RF	Browns
John Griffith
George “Pete” Hader	P	New Orleans (SOUA)
Chester Hajduk	2B	White Sox
Jack Hallett	P	Pirates
Robert A. “Bob” Harris	P	Athletics
Tony Hinkle	1B Coach
Johnny Lucadello	2B	Browns
Tom Madden	3B	Newport News (VIRL)
Barney McCosky	CF	Tigers
Glenn “Red” McQuillen	LF	Browns
Carl Meyer	Secretary
Johnny Mize	1B	Giants
Leo “Red” Nonnenkamp	RF	Kansas City (AA)
Vern Olsen	P	Cubs
Eddie Pellagrini	SS	Louisville (AA)
Henry Perry	P	Dallas (TL)
Warren “Sheriff” Robinson	C	Rochester (IL)
Johnny Schmitz	P	Cubs
Fred Shaffer	3B Coach
Luke Walton

The 1943 Great Lakes Naval Training Station “Bluejackets” roster showing the full list of players used throughout the season.

The south panel included the Spalding logo and the autographs of Glenn “Red” McQuillen, Johnny Schmitz, George “Pete” Hader, and Eddie Pellagrini (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The ball used for the signatures was manufactured by the A.G. Spalding Bros. company and would have been sold through department or hardware stores rather than used for professional baseball.

Tom Ferrick signed the bottom of the north panel (**left**) while Great Lakes athletic officer, LT(jg) Luke Walton’s signature (**right**) was placed on the same panel beneath the manufacturer’s model stamps (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Six of the signers of our ball are shown as they depart Great Lakes after the season.
September 28, 1943: Lieutenant Gordon (Mickey) Cochrane (center) five the mast of his 1943 Great Lakes baseball squad a sendoff as 10 more members leave for advanced training in the East. Left to right: **Glenn McQuillen**, St. Louis Browns; Lt. Cmdr. J,. Russell Cook, station athletic officer; **Johnny Mize**, New York Giants; **Eddie Pellagrini**, Louisville Colonels; Bob Harris, Philadelphia Athletics; **LT. Cochrane**; George Dickey, Chicago White Sox; Barney McCosky, Detroit Tigers; **Johnny Schmitz**, Chicago Cubs; Leo Nonnenkamp, Kansas City Blues; **Vern Olsen**, Cubs and Joe Grace, St. Louis Browns (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The two most prominent autographs, found on the west panel, are from future Cooperstown enshrinees, Mickey Cochrane and Johnny Mize. After leaving Great Lakes, many of the players wound up in Hawaii and played baseball on service teams in 1944 before being sent to the Marianas and other islands to finish out the war.