Chevrons and Diamonds

1944 – Boston Red Sox vs Sampson NTC

2–3 minutes

Program from the Boston Red Sox vs Sampson NTC | June 5, 1944, signed by Red Sox manager and Hall of Famer, Joe Cronin (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The day before the largest wartime amphibious landing in human history took place, the Boston Red Sox visited Sampson Naval Training Station in New York and were walloped into submission, 20-5, by the Johnny Vander Meer-led Sampson Naval Training Station nine. See Connecting Joe Cronin, the American Red Cross and Sampson Naval Training Center: Vintage Baseball Ephemera for game details.

Download and view the program in its entirety.

“‘You really have your men in shape,’ said Manager Joe Cronin of the Boston Red Sox to Captain Harry A. Badt, USN, Commandant of this Naval Training Center. ‘This Navy League is tough. I hope we do better than we did against Great Lakes.’ But they didn’t. Sampson’s undefeated Bluejackets trounced the Red Sox, 20-7, for their ninth straight. Johnny Vander Meer, right, did the Sampson hurling and coasted to victory behind a 25-hit assault. Great Lakes defeated the Bosox two weeks before, 3-1.” (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection)

Sampson Naval Training Center:

Rank	#	Player	Position	Former
Sp1/c	12	Barnes	LF/CF
		Peter S. “Pete” Blumette	P	Louisville (AA)
S2/c	11	Brock	CF
Sp2/c	5	Tom Carey	2B/Capt.	Red Sox
		Bobby Combs	P	Giants
LT	1	Leino B. Corgnati	Coach
		George D’addario		Buffalo (IL)
S2/c	19	James C. “Jim” Davis	P	Newark (IL)
AS	14	Walter Dyche	P	Jersey City (IL)
SM2/c	8	Delmer “Del” Ennis	LF/CF
CSp	7	Fred Gerkin	1B	Allentown (ISLG)
S2/c	16	Robert “Bill” Kalbaugh	SS	Durham (PIED)
Sp2/c	9	Irving Karelis	P
SM1/c	3	Kent	2B/LF
S2/c		Lancton	IF
S2/c	4	Barney Lutz	OF	Elmira (EL)
CSp	22	Ray Manarel	OF	Norfolk (PIED)
		Don Manno	OF	Hartford (EL)
S2/c		Marshall	1B
CY	24	Matt McKeon	C
		Meleke	C
CSp	25	William “Bill” Mock	P	Wilkes-Barre (EL)
AS	21	Jack Phillips	3B	Newark (IL)
CSp	17	Anthony “Tony” Ravish	C	Columbus (SALL)
S2/c	15	Packy Rogers	3B/LF	Portland (PCL)
		Connie Ryan	2B	Braves
		Glenn Spencer	P	Pittsburgh
S2/c	23	John Szajna	3B	Sunbury (ISLG)
S2/c	20	Red Todd	P	Columbus
S2/c	2	Eddie Turchin	SS	Indians
S2/c	18	Johnny Vander Meer	P	Reds
S2/c	10	Hal White	P	Tigers
S2/c	13	Wolf	C

Printed on basic paper stock, this single sheet scorecard appears to be a mimeographed piece wth basic type-writer text. Heavily oxidized, this piece appears to have been glued onto a scrapbook page and was hastily separated from the book leaving the back to pages torn and with a piece of the scrapbook page remaining affixed to the back.

What makes this piece more special than its scarcity is the presence of an autograph signed by Red Sox manager and hall of fame enshrinee, Joe Cronin.