Chevrons and Diamonds

1945 Brooklyn Dodgers vs Cherry Point Flyers Scorecard

October 7, 2022

3–4 minutes

Exhibition games were exceedingly more common in baseball’s history than they are today. Due to restrictions enacted by free agency and collective bargaining, a game played between a major league organization and a military team would never happen with today’s players. Considering the lengthy spring training season, a 162-game regular season and two (technically three with the extra play-in game between the two wild card winners in each league), the wear and tear placed upon a body (especially a pitching arm) can be disastrous for a player and the team with their multi-million-dollar investments filling roster spots. However, in the pre-free agent era of the game, exhibition games were quite the norm, especially during World War II.

Commencing in 1942, professional baseball (both within the majors and minor leagues) considerable efforts were made to begin raising funds in order to equip service members with the tools of the game (balls, gloves, bats, protective gear for catchers and umpires, bases, etc.) to facilitate both training and recreation (serving as a much needed break from the rigors of training, combat and to break the tedium between). This program and scorecard from a game played at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point (North Carolina) or, as it was named when the base was developed in 1941, Cunningham Field, between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Marine team from the base. In addition to raising money for equipment, these games (especially those played between professional squads and military teams) were morale-boosters and raised money for the various service branch relief funds.

This program, printed in two-color (blue/red) for the front and back cover and black for the inside utilizes the low-quality paper as is seen with other military scorecards of the time. The artwork is somewhat rudimentary and clearly designed by hand but still has visual appeal. The back cover contains the typical (humorous) sentiments that most players and fans feel towards the game’s officiating sooner or later.

The border artwork (firecrackers and a pair of bombs) on the cover of the program fits well with the timing of the game. The very rudimentary design seems to indicate that it was created by hand (source: eBay image).

The Dodgers roster would dramatically change from what is seen here with the 1945 squad over the next two years as the veterans returned home to resume their professional careers.

Like all other major league organizations, the Dodgers roster was filled with players either well past their prime or their talents were barely suitable for A-league play. With so many of the hundreds of minor league teams either folding or suspending operations during the war (due to the exodus of their talent heading off to serve), those who either couldn’t or did not serve were moved up to keep the game going.

Brooklyn Dodgers

POS	Name	No.
OF	Morrie Aderholt	19
C	Nate Andrews	15
SS	Ed Basinski	27
CF	Frenchie Bordagaray	35
CF	Hohn Dantonio	3
P	Curt Davis	26
Coach	Charlie Dressen	7
SS/Mgr.	Leo Durocher	2
LF	Augie Galan	24
P	Hal Gregg	28
3B	Bill Hart	6
C	Ray Hayworth	22
P	Clyde King	29
P	Vic Lombardi	18
3B	Luis Olmo	21
C	Johnny Peacock	5
P	Leroy Pfund	14
CF	Goody Rosen	35
SS	Mike Sandlock	1
1B	Howie Schultz	8
P	Tom Seats	17
2B	Ed Stanky	12
RF	Dixie Walker	11

The Cherry Point Flyers squad will require research to determine if any of their roster had professional baseball experience.

Pos	Name	Rank	No.
3B	Walter Hallsal	S/Sgt	20
2B	Luther Critchley	T/Sgt	33
RF	Benjamin Gregg	Pfc	29
CF	Fred Hanis	S/Sgt	27
SS	Fred Campbell	Corp	22
OF	John Hurley	S/Sgt	35
LF	John Murray	Corp	36
C	Tom Clavin	S/Sgt	32
1B	William R. Brown	Pfc	25
P	Willie Scott	Corp	26
P	Paul Hronika	S/Sgt	31
OF	Ted Lewandowski	Pfc	21
1B	Joe Clavin	Pfc	34
P	Parham	Sgt	30
P	Jones	Corp	24
P	Tarr	Sgt
P	Burtaw	Sgt
C	Dawson	Sgt	39
C	A. Stowell	Sgt	38
OF	Sellito	Corp	23
LF	H. C. Raysonds	S/Sgt
P	Tom Roch	Corp	24
P	O. B. Clark	Pfc	22
Mgr.	Francis M. Reilly	LT