American Baseball in the Korean War - 3283 Words

American Baseball: Serving in Korea, but Larger than the War The Korean War, ranging from 1950-1953, marked the end to a major era in the sporting world as it was the last time professional athletes were expected to fight in war, regardless of their status as celebrities. Because of the time frame of the Korean War, famous athletes such as Ted Williams, Willie Mays, and Mickey Mantle, some of the greatest to ever play the game of baseball, were expected to be willing and able to fight. Each one of these men had different stories and attitudes when they were called on to serve, but one common denominator of all the men is that their legacies as soldiers were soon forgotten, whether positive or negative, in favor of their legacies as†¦show more content†¦179). Another player affected severely by military service was the great outfielder for the New York Giants, Willie Mays. Mays had just begun a promising young career in 1951 and was already considered one of the best players in baseball. While not as wildly popular as Ted Williams , Mays was still a very popular and prominent player with a great future, making the news of the Selective Service calling Mays’ number in 1952 a fairly large deal (Hirsch p. 143). Originally, Mays applied to be deferred because of â€Å"extreme hardship to dependents†, and believed he would not have to serve (Hirsch p. 143). Mays had a mother, step-father, and nine siblings in which his paycheck from the Giants helped support, and the $75 per month salary the Army was offering would not be able to support them (Mays p. 102). However, the Army denied Mays request and even admitted the Mays was drafted and not exempt because of whom he was (Hirsch p. 145). The Selective Service released a statement and said that Mays â€Å"owes perhaps a greater obligation to his country than other boys, because of his promise in the sports world†, effectively showing that Mays was kept in the Army because of his status as a celebrity (Mays p. 103). Mays then attempted to bea t the system by purposely failing the aptitude test of the military, making him ineligible to serve (Hirsch p. 144). Initially, the draft board announcedShow MoreRelatedJulius And Ethel Rosenberg Was Spies For The Soviet Union Essay1333 Words   |  6 Pagesespionage. Just nine days after Julius was arrested, United States Forces engaged in the Korean War. It is important to understand not only how the Rosenbergs ended up in Sing Sing Prison but also how the United States came to the swift conclusion of sentencing the Rosenbergs to such a severe degree. This was, at the time, considered the most costly and most consequential act of espionage in the Cold War in the eyes of the public. 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