The Sports World During WWII

This blog is a continuation of my own psychological, historical, experiential life with the World of Sports. This period of my life is before TV and deals with radio, newspaper, movie newsreels, and my own experiences. 

My Personal Sports World During WWII

On September 16, 1944, my life was really changed. I joined the US Navy at Great Lakes Naval Station and served my boot camp there. I was transferred to the Naval Air Base at Jacksonville, Florida, where I learned how to maintain the electrical system of the F6F Hellcat; a carrier-based pursuit airplane.

I was assigned to Carrier Aircraft Service Unit (CASU) 4. Our unit was on a ship headed for Guam Island on September 2, 1945 when we heard that Japan had surrendered. 

We were transferred to the Naval Base on Tinian Island. Since the war was over we had a lot of time to play games. Fastpitch softball became very popular in military bases, including ours, all over the world. Later in the year, basketball was the game. I played on a team in our league and was chosen to be a member of the All-Star team. 

This all ended on June 26, 1946, when I got an Honorable Discharge from the United States Navy and came back home.   

Sports for WomenMy High School – Junior College Sports Experiences       

I attended LaSalle-Peru Township High School from 1941 to 1944. It was one of the best high schools in Illinois. All of the teachers had Masters Degrees. The building is a museum – Gothic architecture, stained glass windows, paintings and sculptures in the halls and library, built-in organ in the auditorium, and many other features.       

Their sports teams played in the Big 8 Conference which included teams from Joliet, Aurora, Rockford, Elgin, and Freeport. Their coaches brought many trophies to the display in the front hall; Basketball, Track and Field, Swimming, Golf. Tennis, and Football.       

How many of them were won by the female students?   None. There were no sports available to them – including Intramural Sports.       

I attended LaSalle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College in the same setting from 1947 to 1949. I played on the basketball team. Our football team played in the Junior College Championship Finals.       

What sports were played by the female students?   None. There were no sports available to them – including Intramural Sports.

College Sports for Women during WWII

       In 1936, 70% of all college sports competition for women was between fellow students (intramural) rather than between institutions (extramural).

       The 1940s brought war to the United States and millions of men entered the military. Many women left their positions as homemakers to fill the void left in the workforce, earning the moniker, “Rosie the Riveter.” They demonstrated that they were equal to the task. The self-esteem and self-confidence gained by women during these critical times propelled the movement for women’s equal rights. Many women believed that if they could compete successfully in the workforce, then they could certainly compete on the athletic fields

       World War II also saw the advent of the first women's professional athletic team. The All-American Girls Baseball League was started in 1943 as an attempt to replace Major League Baseball – the movie A League of Their Own is a good review of that league. When World War II ended, organizations for women in sport began to increase as sports became more competitive and intercollegiate and interscholastic competition spread.

Title IX was in the future.

Milestones

1937  / In basketball - the center-jump after every made basket is eliminated.

The game had been dominated by whoever had the taller center of the two teams.

It also was a slow, tedious process bringing the teams back to the center circle for the center jump – the game became much more alive with the  defensive team taking the ball out at end court immediately.

1941 / In baseball - Ted Williams batted .406. 

It was the last day of the season - Ted Williams was hitting .400 on the nose and the Red Sox were scheduled to play a double header. His manager and teammates told him to take the day off to keep his .400 safe. He insisted on playing and went 6 for 8 for the day raising his final Batting Average to .406.

1942  / In baseball - Joe DiMaggio got a hit in 56 consecutive games.

A great third baseman, Ken Keltner of the Cleveland Indians, made two great plays to help stop the string. DiMaggio got hits in the next 15 games.

1944 / In basketball - Defensive goaltending is banned.

George Mikan, DePaul University and Bob Kurland, Oklahoma A&M (Now Oklahoma State) both 6’ 10” tall are given credit (or blame) for being the first defensive goaltenders.