By 1945, there was little doubt as to the outcome of the War however what was not known is when it would conclude and just how many more losses American families would have to suffer. During the previous year, units in the Pacific Theater, while on R&R on a few of the islands that were well protected from the reaches of the enemy, games were being played by the average Joes (which often included professional ball players).
When the game between the Wingmen and Flyers on the Island of Guam was played, 25 days had elapsed since Major Charles Sweeny piloted the B-29 “Bockscar” over Nagasaki delivering the atomic bomb, Fat Man over the target-city. With only four days elapsed since the Japanese envoys Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu signed the Instrument of Surrender, ending World War II. Thirteen months prior, the Battle of Guam ended (on August 10, 1944) allowing Navy CBs to transform the (formerly-Japanese-held) island into a staging area for the pressing the attack, driving the enemy towards his homelands.
Even as the USASTAF Major League All Stars game was being played on Guam, one lone enemy combatant (Private Bunzō Minagawa held out from 1944 until May 1960 ) evaded capture on the island and would continue to do so for another 15 years.
Download and view a full copy of this program.
The design of the program from the game is a departure from what could be considered “normal” among wartime military baseball publications. This four-page booklet is printed on one side of a single-sheet of paper and then hand-folded into quarters. The paper is a rather heavy, yet rudimentary stock which has most-likely contributed to (my copy’s) survival of handling and storage. This example is well-worn and shows signs of ink or paint spills. The cover is adorned with a hand-written (in pencil) note:
“Names of players inside | Games played on Guam during August + Sept. 1945”
The two interior pages provide rosters of each team which include the team members’ name, rank, position and previous professional ball-playing experience.
Wingmen:
| Player | Rank | Position | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Silvera | Cpl | C | American Association |
| Burl Storie | S/Sgt | C | Texas League |
| Johnny Mazur | Cpl | C | Piedmont League |
| “Tex” Hughson | Pfc | P | Boston Red Sox |
| “Chubby” Dean | Pfc | P | Cleveland Indians |
| Al Lien | Cpl | P | Pacific Coast League |
| “Chet” Kehn | Pfc | P | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| “Big Bill” Schmidt | Sgt | p | Pacific Coast League |
| Ed Kowalski | Pfc | P | Semi-Pro |
| Ed Chandler | Cpl | P | Pacific Coast League |
| George Gill | Cpl | P | Detroit Tigers |
| Ferris Fain | S/Sgt | IF | Pacific Coast League |
| Johnny Sturm | Sgt | IF | New York Yankees |
| Dario Lodigiani | Sgt | IF | Chicago White Sox |
| Art Lilly | Cpl | IF | Pacific Coast League |
| Bob Dillinger | Pfc | IF | American Association |
| Lew Riggs | Cpl | IF | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| Stan Rojek | Sgt | IF | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| Taft Wright | Sgt | OF | Chicago White Sox |
| “Mike” McCormick | Cpl | OF | Cincinnati Reds |
| Buster Mills | 1st Lt | OF/Mgr | Cleveland Indians |
| Max West | Cpl | OF | Boston Braves |
Flyers:
| Player | Rank | Position | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carl DeRose | Cpl | P | Can-Amer League |
| Froilan Fernandez | Cpl | IF | Boston Braves |
| Tom Gabrielli | Pfc | C | Pony League |
| Stan Goletz | 1st Lt | P | Chicago White Sox |
| Joe “Flash” Gordon | Cpl | IF | New York Yankees |
| “Billy” Hitchcock | Maj | IF | Detroit Tigers |
| Sid Hudson | Sgt | P | Washington Senators |
| Johnny Jensen | Cpl | OF | Pacific Coast League |
| Walt Judnich | Sgt | IF | St. Louis Browns |
| Don Lang | Cpl | OF | Boston Red Sox |
| Will Leonard | Cpl | C | Pacific Coast League |
| Joe Marty | Sgt | OF | Philadelphia Phillies |
| Al Olsen | Cpl | P | Pacific Coast League |
| Roy Pitter | Cpl | P | Eastern League |
| Howie Pollet | Pfc | P | St. Louis Cadinals |
| Nick Popovich | Pfc | P | Pacific Coast League |
| Herman Reich | Cpl | IF | Pacific Coast League |
| “Country” Slaughter | Sgt | OF | St. Louis Cadinals |
| “Chuck” Stevens | Cpl | IF | St. Louis Browns |
| “Birdie” Tebbetts | Capt | C/Mgr | Detroit Tigers |
The back page includes and action photo of Joe Gordon with a caption that reads, “Tinian – Joe “Flash” Gordon, popular Yankee second baseman crosses home plate after a long right field home run. Umpire Vince Smith, Pirate Catcher, watches while Don Lang, Boston Red Sox, prepares to bat.”
Chevrons and Diamonds 