America's Pastime: Baseball's Effect on Morale During World War II

Indianapolis, IN

Baseball is a game of tradition. Baseball fans lineup outside of the gates prior to batting practice and wait to gain entrance. When they get inside, the smell of hot dogs and stadium mustard greets them. They proceed to their seats and await the first pitch and when that pitch is thrown, all cares of the world are thrown away for two plus hours. Walter Winchell, an American journalist and broadcaster once said that the ball park becomes an island of innocent excitement in a world of wild despair.  This single statement will transform into the very lifeblood of my presentation. This statement becomes even more pertinent as the world sunk more and more into war, chaos, and despair due to World War II. Baseball was proceeding joyfully through it's most prosperous years when another World War broke out. This war would bring hardships and anguish, but baseball was able to counter those feelings with profound feelings of its own.