Chevrons and Diamonds

The addition of the Norfolk base’s leadership and the message from Captain McClure is a nice touch along with the month’s playing schedule at the bottom of the page.

This recent arrival to the collection was used for a War Bond game played at Griffith Stadium with the Washington Senators hosting the Norfolk Naval Training Center “Bluejackets.” The scorecard template used for this game is the Senators’ standard pattern for regular season games but with the Navy’s lineup and roster.

The Senators sold War Bonds in lieu of tickets for 29,221 to attend the May 24, 1943, game though inclement weather kept more than 2,500 fans from enjoying the pregame festivities and the contest itself.  Washington’s play-by-play announcer, Arch McDonald, acted as the event’s master of ceremonies introducing several of the era’s stars.

Washington sports columnist described the opening entertainment, “Bing Crosby strolled casually on the field, playfully plucked the rosin bag off the turf, rubbed his hands and, spotting four Washington players grouped around second base, asked, ‘How about a little barber shop, boys?’ He sang Dinah, As Time Goes By, and White Christmas.” Crosby wished luck to Lefty Gomez, Washington’s new pitcher,”[1] who made just one appearance for the Senators against the White Sox just days later.

Both Nick Altrock and Al Schact entertained the crowd with their baseball clowning, miming the game’s stars including Babe Ruth and the Navy’s Bob Feller. Ruth himself attended the game encouraging fans to make more sacrifices “for the boys over there.”[2]

The National Anthem was sung by vocalist Kate Smith ahead of the game’s first pitch.

Washington outhit Norfolk 11-6 but were outscored 4-3. Jack Conway two-for-three Dom DiMaggio who zero-for-one, scored two of Norfolk’s four runs. Phil Rizzuto was 1-4 and committed one of Norfolk’s two errors. In the stands, one of Britain’s top military leaders, Sir Archibald Wavell,  told the  press, “I just want to say that this is my first baseball game, and I am enjoying every moment of it.”[3]

1943 Norfolk Naval Training Station Bluejackets:

No.	Name	Position	1942 Club
2	Ben McCoy	Inf	Great Lakes
7	Jim Carlin	Inf	NTS Norfolk
8	Jack Conway	Inf	Baltimore/NTS Norfolk
13	Phil Rizzuto	Inf	New York Yankees
16	Eddie Robinson	Inf	Baltimore
19	Jeff Cross	Inf	Rochester/Houston
3	Ernest DeVaurs	OF	NTS Norfolk
21	Don Padgett	OF	St. Louis/Great Lakes
11	Jim Gleeson	OF	Cincinnati/Columbus
9	Dominick DiMaggio	OF	Boston Red Sox
20	Mel Preibisch	OF/Asst.	NTS Norfolk
1	Fred Hutchinson	P	NTS Norfolk
5	Walter Masterson	P	Washington
6	Henry Feimster	P	NTS Norfolk
10	Tom Earley	P	Boston Braves
12	Max Wilson	P	NTS Norfolk
14	Charles Wagner	P	Boston Red Sox
15	Ray Volpi	P	Kansas City
17	Carl Ray	P	NTS Norfolk
4	Vincent Smith	C	NTS Norfolk
18	Bill Deininger	C	Sheboygan Wis.
	G. R. Bodie, Bos’n	Head Coach	NTS Norfolk
	C. M. Parker, Ensign	Assistant	NTS Norfolk

While the Navy won the contest, there were no losers in the game as Shirley Povich told the fans that they purchased a fighting interest in the USS Norfolk with the $1,953,000 in War Bonds.[4]

Download a printable copy of this program.

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[1] Burton Hawkins, “Win, Lose or Draw,” Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) May 25, 1942: p.16.

[2] Burton Hawkins.

[3] Burton Hawkins.

[4] Burton Hawkins.

Learn more about the 1943 Norfolk Naval Training Station Bluejackets:

• Bluejacket Ink – Professional Base Ball Fund Signatures
• Discovering the Norfolk Naval Training Station Bluejackets Through Two Scarce Artifacts
• Surplus Middle Infielder: Pee Wee Reese Flies High in the Navy
• Serving Behind the Scenes, Rizzuto Shared His Heart for the Game

Return to Scorecards of Norfolk Naval Training Station