Off To The Army!

[Brownie31]

Ebbets Field, Brooklyn Wednesday, May 28, 1952: The New York Giants have just won their seventh straight game beating the arch rivals the Brooklyn Dodgers 6-2. But it is a bittersweet moment. Giants owner Horace Stoneham and manager Leo Durocher help their young superstar Willie Mays remove his baseball uniform which the Sey Hey Kid will swap for the khaki uniform of the U.S. Army. (Corbis)

Brownie31

[AutographCollector]

I Had no idea that the "Say Hey Kid" served in the Korean War.
What rank did he get out as?

[Brownie31]

I Had no idea that the "Say Hey Kid" served in the Korean War.
What rank did he get out as?

I'm not sure if he saw action. He served a two year hitch, but I'm not sure as to his final. He ended up with 660 homers. Think what he might have gotten in those two years-he might have broken Ruth's record before Aaron did!

Brownie31

[musial6]

I'm not sure if he saw action. He served a two year hitch, but I'm not sure as to his final. He ended up with 660 homers. Think what he might have gotten in those two years-he might have broken Ruth's record before Aaron did!

Brownie31

Willie, after failing the IQ entry test several times, was finally inducted and spent his Army career at Ft. Eustis, Virginia where he was a P.T. instructor and where he played CF for the Ft. Eustis Sentinels. On March 1, 1954, having been discharged that morning, he came down to the field to say good-bye to the team. I was on the mound throwing batting practice when Willie was persuaded to take a few cuts. He stepped to the plate in street clothes and took about ten swings. Thus, I take partial credit for Willie's greatest season, which included a batting title and MVP award. I put him in a hitting mood.

[JamesWest]

I Had no idea that the "Say Hey Kid" served in the Korean War.
What rank did he get out as?

Mays is a Korea era vet, but I don't think that he actually served in Korea.

[JamesWest]

Ebbets Field, Brooklyn Wednesday, May 28, 1952: The New York Giants have just won their seventh straight game beating the arch rivals the Brooklyn Dodgers 6-2. But it is a bittersweet moment. Giants owner Horace Stoneham and manager Leo Durocher help their young superstar Willie Mays remove his baseball uniform which the Sey Hey Kid will swap for the khaki uniform of the U.S. Army. (Corbis)

Brownie31

What do you think the reaction would be if this was a picture of last year's ROY leaving for the Army?

[Brownie31]

What do you think the reaction would be if this was a picture of last year's MVP leaving for the Army?

It is a different world isn't it!

Brownie31

[Brownie31]

Camp Kilmer, NJ Thursday, May 29, 1952: Pvt. Willie Mays takes a last look and baseball spikes and gets ready for Army issue boots. (Corbis)

Brownie31