37 Baseball Hall of Famers served in World War II led by Bob Feller

Under the umbrella of the Bob Feller Act of Valor Foundation – the U.S. Navy, Cleveland Indians and the Baseball Heritage Museum at League Park saluted and thanked those who served during WWII. This D-Day Remembrance ceremony honored over 100 men and women of the greatest generation.

After the ceremony, Bob DiBiasio, Sr. Vice President-Public Affairs, Cleveland Indians Baseball, told about the 37 Baseball Hall of Famers who served in World War II and the story of Bob Feller who was the first to enlist.

Feller had already won 100 games and was driving to Chicago to sign a new contract.  When he heard the news of the Pearl Harbor attack on the radio he turned around and drove to an enlistment center and signed up.

Baseball Hall of Famers who served in World War II

Watch this short video with Bob DiBiasio telling about the Hall of Famers who served.

What would our modern athletes do?

19 days

Bob Feller's old #19 jersey came in handy for Tribe PR boss Bob DiBiasio as he announced there are 19 days until the Cleveland Indians Home Opener!

Bob Feller

The baseball accomplishments of "Rapid Robert" are legendary. He is arguably the greatest right-handed pitcher ever to play the game of baseball.

But there is so much more to Bob Feller than just the statistics. At the beginning of the peak of his career, Bob felt a duty to put aside baseball and go and defend his country. Two days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and became an anti-aircraft gunner on the U.S.S. Alabama.

See more in our profile of Bob Feller

On a personal note, after visiting Bob and his lovely wife at their home he sent me an autographed photo of the two of us. I have had it hanging in my office ever since. He was a class guy.