World War II Chronicle: September 21, 1941
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Pages six and seven feature a map of 1941 Washington D.C… Blair Bolles reviews the war’s 107th week on page 28… Sports section begins on page 36, which discusses the St. Louis Cardinals’ innovative farm system, which is the brainchild of general manager Branch Rickey. Ironically, Bob Scheffing, who hit a ninth-inning grand slam for the Cubs in yesterday’s contest, was recently a member of Rickey’s minor league system before being sold to the Chicago Cubs.
After four seasons as a backup catcher for the St. Louis Browns and New York Highlanders (renamed the Yankees in 1913) Rickey was commissioned a major in the Army’s chemical corps during the first World War, serving in France alongside fellow major leaguers Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson. 1942 will be his last season with the Redbirds before moving on to Brooklyn. Most people know that Rickey is responsible for bringing Jackie Robinson into baseball, but did you know that Rickey refused to play on Sundays?
Meanwhile, Ted Williams belted two hits in Boston’s 8-1 loss to the Yankees yesterday, nudging his batting average up to .406, with seven games to go for the Red Sox.
The sports section also highlights a scrimmage between the Georgetown and Navy varsity squads. Not mentioned is fearsome Georgetown lineman Al Blozis, who the New York Giants will select in the fifth round of the 1942 NFL draft, and whose athletic feats earn him a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame and the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Despite only playing two seasons for the Giants before the “Hoya Hercules” managed to fight his way into the Army (they had to waive the height restrictions as he was 6’6″), and three games while on furlough in 1944, he was voted into the NFL’s 1940 All-Decade Team and the Giants retired his number 32.
Not content with a stateside fitness instructor assignment, Blozis fought again to be sent overseas. While the 28th Division fought their way across France’s Vosges Mountains in January 1945, two men from Blozis’ infantry unit failed to return from a scouting patrol. Blozis searched for them himself, and was cut down by enemy machinegun fire. His body was recovered that April and is now buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, France.
He was one of two New York Giants killed during World War II, Medal of Honor recipient Jack Lummus being the other. More fun trivia: Blozis set the Army hand-grenade record when the former shot and discus champ sent one flying an incredible 94 yards, 2 feet, 6.5 inches — about three times the normal throwing distance.
Blozis was one of 12 Georgetown football players to perish during World War II. Pictured on page 38 is Johnny Barrett Jr. who as we see in the photo is killed in action on Sept. 15, 1944 during the Battle of Peleliu. 2nd Lt. Barrett served with Company K of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. He earned a posthumous Silver Star and his body was not recovered.
Mentioned in the photo above, Gen. Malin Craig served as the Chief of Staff for the United States Army from 1935-39, putting him in between Douglas MacArthur and George Marshall. Now two years into his retirement, Craig will be recalled to active duty in less than a week (Sept. 26), where he will run the War Department’s Personnel Board.
Evening star. (Washington, D.C.), 21 September 1941. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1941-09-21/ed-1/