It is time for baseball once again and I couldn't be happier.How about you?
In a time when steroids rule the news, it makes you wonder if anyone in MLB hasn't used.
What has happened to the days when you could look up to the players and admire them for not only their skill on the field, but also for their actions off the field?
I chose to remember the players of yester-year that played with integrity. I hope after you finish reading the rest of this story, you will have a new love for the game and for those who gave their all for not only the game I love, but also for the country I love.
With the Major League Baseball season upon us, it made me think of all the sacrifices made by our greatest generation, the veterans of World War II.
During World World II, more than five hundred baseball players found themselves in far away places, some that many had never even heard of before.
Some of the biggest names to see action overseas were Joe DiMaggio, Hank Greenberg, Bob Feller, and Jerry Coleman.
If you look at the career numbers of Jolting Joe DiMaggio, it makes you wonder how good he could have been if not for being called away for four seasons. You have to believe that no matter how well he played when he finally returned to baseball, the war took something away from him that he never regained.
It was great that even Major League Baseball players were no different from any other citizen in understanding their obligation to give back to the country that brought them fame and fortune.
I started thinking about their service when I was watching "Band of Brothers" on The History Channel the other night. I wanted to know how many players had to leave the game they loved in order to serve their country.
According to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, 25 players of the Hall of Fame served in World War I.
They also said many other players served in Korea and Vietnam, but they didn't have any official numbers.
One of the most famous players that gave his service to our great country was Ted Williams.
Williams, who was twice honored as the American League's Most Valuable Player and a two-time Triple Crown winner, lost five seasons because of his service time during World War II and the Korean Conflict, where he flew over 38 combat missions.
The list goes on and on with players we can all remember watching or reading about during my youth.
Could you imagine the reaction of today's superstars if they were told that they had to go off to war?
I stand and salute each and every veteran today as we prepare to start this baseball season. It is truly America's pastime. As you watch a game this season, think about the brave men and women that have fought for our right to remain free.
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