Chevrons and Diamonds

1945 U.S.C.G. Championship

November 5, 2022

3–4 minutes

August 4, 1945 USCG Championship | Captain of the Port vs Coast Guard Operating Base (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Wartime baseball in the Pacific Northwest included several powerful teams ranging from the Fort Lewis Warriors (1942, 1943), Naval Air Station Seattle – Pasco (1943-44) and the Seattle Coast Guard’s Repair Yard/Operating base. This scorecard seems to indicate that the championship held in August, 1945, was a contest of the best in the Coast Guard that season

Download and view the program in its entirety.

The 1945 U.S. Coast Guard Coast Guard Captain of the Port team (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The Captain of the Port nine featured former Lincoln High School (Tacoma, Washington) pitching standout, Bob Kohout. The pitcher spent his first two years of professional baseball, 1941 and 1942, with Brooklyn Dodgers minor league affiliates before entering the Coast Guard to serve during the war. Kohout was assigned to the Seattle Coast Guard Repair Yard and played for the unit’s baseball team in 1943-44. Playing for the Captain of the Port team, Kohout was joined by fellow Lincoln High School alum Andy Opacich.

U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port Roster:

Player	Position	Former
Enos Bales	OF
Walt Cedar	OF
Jim Gage	2B
Jack Gardner	C/Mgr.
Lloyd Hillard	1B
Ralph King	OF
Bob Kohout	P/OF	Santa Barbara (CALL)
Tom McIrvin	SS
Andy Opacich	3B	Franklin HS (Seattle)
D. Pennington	OF
Frank Vena	P

1945 USCG Championship | Captain of the Port vs Coast Guard Operating Base (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The Seattle Operating Base roster was dominated with former Western International League and Pacific Coast League players and was led by former Cubs first baseman, and Washington State native, Marv Rickert.

U.S. Coast Guard Operating Base Roster:

Player	Position	Former
Fred Baldwin	P
Myron Brixner	P
Bob Chesnes	P	Salt Lake City (PION)
Richard J. “Dick” Conover	P	Denver (WL)
James “Babe” Kempton	OF	Twin Falls (PION)
Albert “Al” Kretchmar	2B	Vancouver (WINT)
John Leovich	C	Portland (PCL)
Dave Molitor	OF	Tacoma (WIL)
Raymond “Ray” Orteig	3B	Vancouver (WINT)
Charlie Plitt	P	Jamestown (PONY)
Marvin Rickert	1B/Mgr	Cubs
Robert “Bob” Rivera	P	Lubbock (WTNM)
Sibby Sisti	SS	Braves
Donald “Don” Strode	OF
Joseph “Joe” Volk	UT	Boise (PION)
Jack Warren	OF	Salem (WINT)

Our scorecard is a single sheet, monochrome black ink with a bi-fold. The inside pages feature the lineups and scoring grinds and the back page includes the team rosters and season stats. Conditionally, this scarce piece is excellent slightly dog-eared corners and no creases.

“July 26, 1945. Their Teams will battle in anniversary game Two bitter baseball rivals, the Operating Base and Captain of the Port, will meet Saturday night, August 4, in commemoration of the Coast Guard’s 155th anniversary as a fighting force. The game will be played in Sicks’ Stadium and admission will be free. Two star pitchers will toil on the bill. Manager Marvin Rickert of the Operators nominated Bob Chesnes, unbeaten this year, to face Skipper Jack (Pop) Gardner’s star southpaw, Lloyd Hillard, former Cleveland High School star. Both clubs have power-laden line-ups backing the two pitcher. Gardner, leading batsman for the Portmen, is hitting well over .450 while Rickert and Ray Orteig, third baseman, are equaling that torrid pace for the Operators. The Operators, champions pf the Service League, and the Portmen, top team in the city circuit, have met twice before this year, with each team winning one.” (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection)

The Operating Base nine defeated the Captain of the Port squad scoring nine runs on 14 hits while playing error-free defense. Scoring three runs on three hits and committing an equal number of miscues, the Captain of the Port lost the game, 9-3.

This scorecard was acquired at auction, 2018.