In the months following the Battle of Manila and the retaking of the Philippines from the hands of the Japanese, baseball returned to Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium (see: A Combat and Baseball Story Uncovered). Former major leaguers dotted several rosters across multiple military branches stationed in the region with teams converging at the ballpark that Lou Gehrig christened with its first homerun in 1934.
The Manila Dodgers, an Army team led by Kirby Higbe, whose roster included Early Wynn and Joe Garagiola, were the venue’s home team and played host to the USO’s contingent of National Leaguers with a multi-game series (see: From the Ashes: Rizal Stadium and the Manila Dodgers).
The Navy All-Stars Seahawks roster, yet to be fully uncovered through research, played in Manila in 1946 and likely faced the Manila Dodgers. One identified member of the Seahawks’ roster, pitcher Fred “Fritz” Carpen, would transfer to Pearl Harbor a few years later and join the dominant Submarine Base “Sub Pac” squad (see: Victory Dive! Navy Baseball in Paradise Through Championships and Tragedy) and go on to play professional baseball in the minor leagues.
The identity of the player who wore this jersey is not known.
Jersey Features:
- Buttons: The buttons are white-colored plastic, concave, four-hole.
- Material: The base material is white flannel.
- Soutache: Double row of half-inch blue/white/blue rayon around the collar and on the button placket with a single row a the edge of the sleeve cuff.
- Lettering: “Seahawks” script adorns the chest. Two-inch “N A V Y” letters are affixed to the left sleeve. Both are made of royal blue athletic felt.
- Numerals: Seven-and-a-half inch royal blue athletic felt letters (“13”) are affixed to the back.
- Sleeves: Six-inch, inset with four armpit vent holes under each arm.
- Tag: Manufactured by Rawlings.
Note: this uniform group is presently a part of the Chevrons and Diamonds Collection.
Chevrons and Diamonds 