Baseball
Nearing the end of the 1944 season, the Sampsons held an 18-1 won-lost record and were outscoring their opponents by a season long average of 11-2. Trailing the first place St. Louis Cardinals 15.5 games, the 54-42 Cincinnati Reds were a half-game ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates when they visited Sampson following a six-game series at the Polo Grounds for an exhibition before continuing onto St. Louis.
The game would feature the Reds former ace, Johnny Vander Meer on the mound for the Navy. As with earlier games against visiting major league clubs, Sampson’s ballpark was full of 10,000 bluejackets for what would be a tight contest. The Navy held an 8-3 lead after the fourth as Vandy lasted into the eighth inning, having surrendered four runs in the seventh, when he was spelled by Hal White. White closed the door on any further Reds tallies.
In addition to the Cincinnati game, this broadside promoted the football tryouts, smokers (boxing), and softball league games.
Related:
- Sampson Naval Training Station – March 27- April 2, 1944
- Sampson Naval Training Station – April 3 – April 9, 1944
- Sampson Naval Training Station – April 10 – 26, 1944
- Sampson Naval Training Station – April 17 – 27, 1944
- Sampson Naval Training Station – June 26 – July 2, 1944
- Sampson Naval Training Station – July 3 – 9, 1944
- Sampson Naval Training Station – July 31 – August 6, 1944
Chevrons and Diamonds 