Minor League Players Killed in WWII

[garybed]

Greetings from Glasgow, Scotland. I'm trying to gather information on minor league players who were killed in WWII so I can write biographies on them and honor them in the way they deserve. I have a fairly complete list of players that were killed but does anyone have biographical info or photos of players that were killed? Any help would be appreciated. Here's the list: Herman Bauer, Fred Beal, Merrill Brown, Forrest Brewer, Keith Bissonette, Davis Blewster, Joe Boren, Ordway Cisgen, Harold Dobson, Howard DeMartini, William Fash, Frank Faudem, Raymond Flaherty, George Gamble, Robert Gary, Conrad Graff, Alan Grant, William Hansen, Nay hernandez, Robert Holmes, Billy hebert, Gordon Houston, Ernie Hrovatic, Robert Hershey, Harry Imhoff, Frank Janik, Art Keller, Stan Klores, Jack Lummus, Walter Loos, Gene Lefler, Walter Lake, Henry Martinez, John McKee, George Myers, John Muller, Louis Miller, Joe Moceri, Marcus Milligan, William Niemeyer, Hank Nowak, Harold Phillips, Robert Price, Metro Persoskie, Charles Percod, John Pinder, Jake Patteson, Joe Palatas, Ernie Raimondi, Alvin Stiewie, Rod Sooter, Earl Springer, Bill Sarver, Frank Schulz, Billy Southworth, Michael Sambolich, Robert Schmukal, Sylvester Sturges, Gene Stack, Edward Schohl, Marshall Sneed, Norman Smith, Don Stewart, Frederick Swift, John Tayler, Wirt Twitchell, Robert Trench, Art Vivian, Lewis Varanese, Elmer Wachtler, Roman Wantuck, James Whitfield, Elmer Wright, Lester Wirkalla, Dick Williams, Joseph Yeske, Marion Young, Peter Zarila and George Zwilling. Thanks, Gary. garybed@gmail.com

[Captain Cold Nose]

Billy Southworth? Any relation to the Cardinals manager?
I think someone has actually asked for similar information to this in the past. At the least, a list of such said players. Where did you find this?

[garybed]

Billy Southworth was the Cardinals' managers son. He was killed piloting a B-29 Superfortress. I have compiled this list over the last ten years as part of my research on wartime baseball.

[Brian McKenna]

lewis kirkkala
walt navie
john ogden
jimmie trimble

[wamby]

Billy Southworth? Any relation to the Cardinals manager?
I think someone has actually asked for similar information to this in the past. At the least, a list of such said players. Where did you find this?

Billy Southworth had to leave his position as manager of the Braves in 1949 partly due to emotional problems. There was a lot of dissension on the Braves that year and I believe that coupled with the death of his son pushed him over the edge, so to speak.

[Brian McKenna]

herman bauer was hank's brother

ralph johnson of the negro leagues is thought to have parrished in wwii

71 men from nippon professional baseball died as well

there is also the
spanish-american war
wwi
korean war
vietnam war

though haven't found any deaths yet in spanish-american war

[Mischa]

Not sure if these were players or other minor league officials/managers/umpires/etc. as my source listed them all together:

James Doyle
Carlyle Kopp
John Munro
Glenn Sanford

[Brian McKenna]

Not sure if these were players or other minor league officials/managers/umpires/etc. as my source listed them all together:

James Doyle
Carlyle Kopp
John Munro
Glenn Sanford

woul love to hear any info you have on these gentlemen

[Mischa]

woul love to hear any info you have on these gentlemen

I don't have much. They're listed in the 1945 Official Baseball Guide (not the TSN Guide from that year). Checking Pat Doyle's DB, I find:

Carlisle Kopp 1940 Worthington (.264), 1941 Sioux City (.241)
John Munro 1941 Logan (3-4, 7.62), 1942 Logan-Welch-Ashland (2-9)
Glenn Sanford 1940 Fulton (14-9, 4.02), 1942 Pittsfield (2-4, 4.50)

Lots of Doyles - I can't figure out which (if any) is the correct one

[Brian McKenna]

thanks mischa

[garybed]

How about this one? Don Stewart, former PCL player and umpire in the Western International League, served with the Calgary Highlanders of the Canadian Army and was killed during a bombing raid in Glasgow, Scotland in 1941. He's buried 5 minutes from my home!!!

[Brian McKenna]

mr. garybed - are you putting an article together? - would be interested in reading

[garybed]

Mr McKenna, all this information will be on my website later this year. I'm currently extensively researching all the players who lost their lives in WWII. My website is www.garybed.co.uk

[Dalkowski110]

During the 2nd Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902, fought between the British and the two Boer Republics (the South African Republic and Orange Free State), there were a number of Irish-Americans who volunteered in Colonel John Blake's "Irish Brigade" to fight for the South African Republic. One who didn't make it back was a tall man named Frank O'Neill, who had supposedly pitched two seasons in the Hudson River League (team unknown, and I'm not even 100% sure if it's the same Hudson River League that was a professional outfit by 1901) before joining Blake's Irish Brigade in late 1899 (after the season would have ended, thus I can assume O'Neill's career lasted 1898-1899).

[Brian McKenna]

During the 2nd Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902, fought between the British and the two Boer Republics (the South African Republic and Orange Free State), there were a number of Irish-Americans who volunteered in Colonel John Blake's "Irish Brigade" to fight for the South African Republic. One who didn't make it back was a tall man named Frank O'Neill, who had supposedly pitched two seasons in the Hudson River League (team unknown, and I'm not even 100% sure if it's the same Hudson River League that was a professional outfit by 1901) before joining Blake's Irish Brigade in late 1899 (after the season would have ended, thus I can assume O'Neill's career lasted 1898-1899).

I'm intrigued. What are your sources?

Can someone look him up with their minor league software?

[Dalkowski110]

The Boer newspaper Die Patriot in Cape Dutch. The edition is very rare, and I have the text translated from a friend who saw the paper in the Bloemfontein War Museum in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The obituary is dated February 1900. The battle in which Frank O'Neill was killed is not stated. The relevant part of the translation is as follows:

"Mr. [Frank] O'Neill was a tall man who played the American game of base ball and was competent enough to be a professional bowler [because of a cricket bowler, I have to assume they mean pitcher] for two seasons in the Hudson River League [or maybe Association?]."

Unfortunately, even if O'Neill turned out to have played professional baseball, the Boers often got first names wrong. Some of the Irish-Americans also enlisted under assumed names. I'm hoping Frank O'Neill wasn't one, but perhaps a tall (for the period) Irish pitcher with a two-year career in the Hudson River League ending in 1899 could have been his real name...

[Dalkowski110]

There's also the unfortunate possibility he's what I like to call an Eddie Scissons. You know, the guy in Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella who says he's the oldest living Chicago Cub, but never played a game of pro ball in his life? Frank O'Neill may have simply been a buff trying to impress the other guys in his kommando. The Boers would have had to have gone on his comrades' sources alone in their obituary, as well. I'm actually kinda hoping that's not the case, since it'd make research easier and would be a more interesting find baseball-wise, but it can't be ruled out.

[Brian McKenna]

There was a Hudson River League in 1886 and 1903-07 but I guess it could have been around other years outside organized baseball. If O'Neill was older he could have been a part of the 1886 league.

[Dalkowski110]

His birthdate wasn't listed. The Boers' records are pretty bad, and even finding out the birthdates (ssometimes even years) of general officers is difficult. It actually surprised me that they even listed O'Neill's first name, rather than an initial. My personal guess based on your info is that he played semipro ball, but he could have played in the Hudson River League during its one year of existence, played in the league outside of organized ball, or even a combination thereof. The oldest man in the South African Republic's Irish Brigade was in his late 60's, so age cannot be ruled out. The unfortunate answer is that we'll probably never know.

[Brian McKenna]

The unfortunate answer is that we'll probably never know.
Yeah, that's what I was worried about. Great story though.

[Dalkowski110]

Hey Gary, I went to your website. Great site! I didn't know you had players who survived who had an interesting role in WWII up there, as well. Put infielder Thomas Wilson "Tom" Ferebee, a guy who played semipro ball and signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox in 1942 (I think it was 1942...check on that one), on that list. Ferebee joined the USAAF in 1942 and was the bombardier on Martin-Contract B-29D "Enola Gay." Ferebee literally pushed the button to start the atomic age when he dropped "Little Boy" on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Ferebee never returned to pro ball, instead opting for a career in the military. But he always remained a die-hard Red Sox fan.

[Brian McKenna]

Hey Gary,

He's not active on BBF (Hasn't been on since May). In fact I emailed him last week to see if he could add anything about your O'Neill but he hasn't responded.

[Dalkowski110]

Oops! :o Sorry I got you confused with someone else!!! Anyway, O'Neill was Boer War, but Ferebee (numerous internet sources...just google "Tom Ferebee") was both World War II and worked out with Boston, at the very least. I would think Gary would have more interest in him. BTW...I noticed you have Les Wirkkala. Wasn't he also listed in box scores as "Les Kirkkala?" Or am I thinking of two different players?

[emilysarver]

Though this may be a bit late I just stumbled across your post. Bill Sarver is my grandfather and if you are still working on these biographies I can provide you with information and pictures that you may want.

[Brian McKenna]

Though this may be a bit late I just stumbled across your post. Bill Sarver is my grandfather and if you are still working on these biographies I can provide you with information and pictures that you may want.

Would love to hear what you have to say.

I have a book coming out this month that mentions Sarver but not much about him. If there is ever a rewrite I would love to expand. This is the meager info I have:

Bill Sarver, formally a centerfielder with Augusta in the minors, was killed in action in 1945.

[garybed]

Folks

You might be interested in my website's In Memoriam section which now contains biographies of more than 100 ballplayers who lost their lives in WWII. Would love to hear from anyone who can add to this section for me.

Here's the link:

http://www.baseballinwartime.co.uk/in_memoriam_bios/sarver_bill.htm

Gary Bedingfield