Baseball In The Shadow Of War, Detroit Tigers at Washington Nationals, May 14, 1941 (Recreation)

The shadow of war hangs over the 1941 season, a season that historians call “the last pure summer of baseball” before the world is irrevocably changed. Club rosters will be weakened as the peacetime draft moved to a wartime footing, yet baseball served as a vital yet fragile distraction.

As the defending American League champions, the visiting Detroit Tigers are without star player Hank Greenburg, who was called up one week before tonight’s game against the Washington Nationals. The Tigers are hoping to prove that their 1940 pennant was not a one-hit wonder and are under pressure to perform.

The Nationals are fighting to escape the cellar of the American League. Shortstop Cecil Travis. Travis was in the midst of a historic breakout season, which would see him out-hit both Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio. For Washington, this series against the defending champs was a chance to assert that speed and guile could usher in a new era of winning baseball in the capital.

Ewan Spence and the Classic Baseball Radio team bring you this recreated radio broadcast from May 14, 1941. This should not be considered a complete or fully accurate historical record. Nevertheless, this is our story of the game.

We thank Retrosheet, Sports Reference, Sports Logos Net, Tom R Audio, and  Crafting The Call.

** Links **

You can find the boxscore here.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1194105140.shtml

Baseball During World War 2.

https://www.baseballinwartime.com/baseball_in_wwii/baseball_in_wwii.htm

When Hank Greenberg went to war.

https://forward.com/culture/308100/when-hank-greenberg-went-to-war/ 

The life of Bucky Harris, Washington’s "Boy Wonder" manager.

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/bucky-harris/ 

Detroit Tigers' manager Del Baker, a master of sign-stealing who nearly guided Detroit to a title in 1940.

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/del-baker/ 

Once Upon A Fractured Baseball Season: The Cecil Travis Story.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonyblengino/2020/03/17/once-upon-a-fractured-seasonthe-cecil-travis-story/

A profile of the Nationals' durable second baseman Jimmy Bloodworth, who was traded to Detroit following the 1941 season.

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/jimmy-bloodworth/ 

The unique architecture of Griffith Stadium including the centre-field "jut" around residential houses.

https://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/ballparks/griffith-stadium/ 

The First Night Game at Griffith Stadium, May 28, 1941.

https://ghostsofdc.org/2012/07/16/griffith-stadium-first-night-game/