USASTAF Major League Baseball All Stars

This all-star game program was created for the September 7, 1945 game held on Guam. The “Wingmen” of the 314th Bomb Wing led by Enos Slaughter, Birdie Tebbetts and Joe Gordon defeated the “Flyers” by a score of 13-10.

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).

General Carl A. Spaatz (shown lighting his pipe) soon after he arrived on Guam to assume command USASTAF (image source: http://www.gblume.com).

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.

This view of the full program and page orientation shows how the printing is oriented on this single sheet of paper.

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.

Showing both inner pages of the program. Note the absence of scoring grids while both USAAF squads are fully listed, albeit with some of the players’ names misspelled (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Wingmen:

Silvera	Charlie	Cpl	C	American Association
Storie	Burl	S/Sgt	C	Texas League
Mazur	Johnny	Cpl	C	Piedmont League
Hughson	“Tex”	Pfc	P	Boston Red Sox
Dean	“Chubby”	Pfc	P	Cleveland Indians
Lien	Al	Cpl	P	Pacific Coast League
Kehn	“Chet”	Pfc	P	Brooklyn Dodgers
Schmidt	“Big Bill”	Sgt	p	Pacific Coast League
Kowalski	Ed	Pfc	P	Semi-Pro
Chandler	Ed	Cpl	P	Pacific Coast League
Gill	George	Cpl	P	Detroit Tigers
Fain	Ferris	S/Sgt	IF	Pacific Coast League
Sturm	Johnny	Sgt	IF	New York Yankees
Lodgiani	Dario	Sgt	IF	Chicago White Sox
Lilly	Art	Cpl	IF	Pacific Coast League
Dillinger	Bob	Pfc	IF	American Association
Riggs	Lew	Cpl	IF	Brooklyn Dodgers
Rojek	Stan	Sgt	IF	Brooklyn Dodgers
Wright	Taft	Sgt	OF	Chicago White Sox
McCormick	“Mike”	Cpl	OF	Cincinnati Reds
Mills	Buster	1st Lt	OF/Mgr	Cleveland Indians
West	Max	Cpl	OF	Boston Braves

Flyers

Tebbetts	“Birdie”	Capt	C/Mgr	Detroit Tigers
Leonard	Will	Cpl	C	Pacific Coast League
Gabrielli	Tom	Pfc	C	Pony League
Pollet	Howie	Pfc	P	St. Louis Cadinals
Olsen	Al	Cpl	P	Pacific Coast League
Popovich	Nick	Pfc	P	Pacific Coast League
Ardizoia	“Rugger”	Cpl	P	New York Yankees
Hudson	Sid	Sgt	P	Washington Senators
Pitter	Roy	Cpl	P	Eastern League
DeRose	Carl	Cpl	P	Can-Amer League
Goletz	Stan	1st Lt	P	Chicago White Sox
Stevens	“Chuck”	Cpl	IF	St. Louis Browns
Reich	Herman	Cpl	IF	Pacific Coast League
Gordon	“Flash” Joe	Cpl	IF	New York Yankees
Adams	Bob	Cpl	IF	Cincinnati Reds
Hitchcock	“Billy”	Maj	IF	Detroit Tigers
Fernandez	Froilan	Cpl	IF	Boston Braves
Judnich	Walt	Sgt	IF	St. Louis Browns
Jensen	Johnny	Cpl	OF	Pacific Coast League
Slaughter	“Country”	Sgt	OF	St. Louis Cadinals
Lang	Don	Cpl	OF	Boston Red Sox
Marty	Joe	Sgt	OF	Philadelphia Phillies

 

This action photo of Joe “Flash” Gordon was taken during one of the All Stars games on the Marianas Islands – shown here on Tinian.

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.”

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