Flyers Score Twice in First Before 5,000; Losers Threaten Only Once

By Tom Fergusson, Norfolk, Va.

Huge Hugh Casey, former Brooklyn relief artist, was a last-minute pitching selection to open the Navy World’s Series at the Norfolk NTS Stadium, September 12, and he responded nobly with a six-hit performance to give the Norfolk Naval Air Station a 3 to 0 victory over the Norfolk Naval Training Station.

More than 5,000 officers and enlisted men watched Casey silence the big bludgeons of the Bluejackets. The big righthander was in serious trouble only once, when Jeff Cross and Charley Wagner singled in the fifth. The runners moved to third and second as Hooks DeVaurs grounded to Casey for the second out. Then ex-Yankee Phil Rizzuto was retired on a high fly to shortstop Pee Wee Reese, former Dodger.

Charley Wagner, who won 17 and lost five for the Bluejackets during the regular season, met his downfall in the first inning and then settled down to pitch a fine game.

Bubber Hart, Norfolk boy, singled to start the rally. Hub Walker walked and Eddie Shokes moved up both runners with a sacrifice bunt.

With the infield playing back, Reese grounded to second baseman Benny McCoy, who threw to first for the put-out. Hart scored on the play and Walker raced home a few moments later on Murray Franklin’s line single.

Wagner then stopped the Airmen until the sixth. Walker led-off with a one-base blow. Eddie Shokes bunted to the left of the pitcher and beat it out for a hit. Reese laid one down and was safe at first when Wagner’s high throw puller Robinson off the base.

Don Padgett came in fast to take Franklin’s towering fly and held Walker on third. Al Evans lined to DeVaurs in deep right, enabling Walker to tag up after the putout, DeVaurs making a nice running catch. Buddy Bates grounded to Rizzuto to end the inning.

Game Two - September 13, 1943

Norfolk Training Station 1 Norfolk Air Station 0

AT NTS STADIUM - The two midgets of the Naval Training Station team - Maxie Wilson and Phil Rizzuto - proved towers of strength as the Bluejackets defeated the Naval Air Station, 1 to 0, to square the Navy World's Series at one-all. Wilson turned in one of his best pitching performances of the season in holding the Airmen to four safeties, the former Portsmouth southpaw getting a stiff tussle from Emil Lochman, who yielded only three safeties in the seven frames he worked. Hugh Casey, who blanked the Bluejackets, 3 to 0, in the series opener, pitched the last round. The diminutive Rizzuto put on a daring exhibition of base runniing in the first inning to tally what proved to be the only run of the game. After leading off with a single, Rizzuto was sacrificed to second by Hooks DeVaurs. Off with the next pitch, the ex-Yank was nearing third just as Dom DiMaggio laid down another bunt. Eddie Rodzicki raced in fast from third to field the ball and toss to first for the putout. Meanwhile, Rizzuto kept on running and slid across the plate under first baseman Ed Shokes' throw.

Game Three - September 14, 1943

Norfolk Training Station 4 Norfolk Air Station 2

AT NTS STADIUM - Paced at plate by Don Padgett and Eddie Robinson, Naval Training Station defeated Naval Air Station, 4 to 2, to take a two to one lead in the Navy Series. Padgett, with a double and two singles, and Robinson, who banged out a home run and two bagger, drove in two runs apiece for the Bluejackets before 3,000 servicemen. With Benny McCoy on first base in the fourth, Padgett sent the NTS second sacker all the way home with a double. Then Robinson, strike out victim on his first trip, slammed one of Ralph Hamner's hooks 350 feet over the right field fence, scoring Padgett ahead of him. Given a 3 to 0 lead to work on, Hank Feimster weakened in fifth, setting the stage for his exit by walking Hamner, first up. Hart fanned, but Hub Walker rifled a single to right, sending Hamner to third. Eddie Shokes followed with a double, tallying both Hamner and Walker. Feimster was relived by Marino after issuing another pass to Pee Wee Reese. Padgett's second hit of the game accounted for the final run for the winners in the sixth. The Airmen out hit the Bluejackets, 11 to seven, with Evans collecting four of the Flyers' total.

Game Four - September 15, 1943

Norfolk Training Station 3 Norfolk Air Station 5

AT NTS STADIUM - Hugh Casey came back with only two days rest to pitch the Air Station to a 5 to 3, ten-inning victory over the Naval Training Station and square the Navy World's Series at two games apiece. All of the scoring came in the tenth. Casey was opposed by Tom Early, late of the Braves, who matched the ex-Dodger's effective hurling until the tenth when he cracked after a series of misplays. The trouble started for Early when Jeff Cross tossed wildly on Buddy Bates' grounder. Ed Wodzicki bunted to Early, who failed to catch Bates at second, both runners being safe. After Casey advanced both on a sacrifice, Bubber Hart was passed filling the bases. Bates counted the first run when Hub Walker bunted safely toward first and Wodzicki followed him across the plate as Eddie Robinson threw wild to home. Hart and Walker moving up a base. Hart, however, was forced at the plate when Shokes hit a grounder. Then Walker and Shokes pulled up double steal to score the third run. Pee Wee Reese drove in the final two runs with a homer. Successive singles by Robinson, pinch hitter Fred Hutchinson and Vince Smith, Bennie Huffman's fly and Dom DiMaggio's one-bagger produced the losers' three runs in their half.

Game Five - September 17, 1943

Norfolk Training Station 2 Norfolk Air Station 1

AT NTS STADIUM - The chubby left arm and the potent bat of Maxie Wilson held the spotlight at the Naval Training Station defeated the Naval Air Station, 2 to 1, in ten innings to gain a three to two edge in the series. In addition to holding the airmen to three hits, the former Portsmouth Cub produced the game-winning hit, banging out a single with the bases clogged. Emil Lochbaum started for the Flyers and he was charged with the loss.

Game Six - September 17, 1943

Norfolk Training Station 1 Norfolk Air Station 4

AT NTS STADIUM - Hugh Casey carved himself his third straight triumph in the Navy series by hurling the Air Station to a 4 to 1 victory over the Training Station to deadlock the series at three-all. Casey retired the Bluejackets in order in the first four and last four innings, allowing the losers their only run in the fifth when singles by Benny McCoy, Eddie Robinson and Jeff Cross netted the lone run. The Flyers won the battle in the sixth when they counted three times and chased Charley Wagner to the showers. Bubber Hart ignited the rally with a double, second of his three hits, and he counted on Hub Walker's single. Walker moved to third on Pee Wee Reese's one-bagger and tallied on Murray Franklin's double. Wagner was replaced by Fred Hutchinson at this juncture and purposely walked Al Evans. Buddy Bates also walked forcing in Reese. Eddie Wodzicki ended the inning by grounding out. Al Evans' homer provided the other run in the eighth.

Game Seven - September 22, 1943

Norfolk Training Station 1 Norfolk Air Station 0

Tars Win Navy Title at Norfolk

Wilson Grounds Fliers, 1 to 0, in Seventh Game to Annex Third Win of Series

By Tom Fergusson, Norfolk, Va.

The star-studded club of the Norfolk Training Station captured the Navy World's Series, September 22, by blanking the neighboring Naval Air Station team, 1 to 0, in the finale of the seven game set before 3,500 service men.

Little Maxie Wilson, who formerly hurled for Portsmouth in the Piedmont League, was the hero of the seventh game, setting the Airmen down with five scattered hits to register his third series triumph.

Previously, Wilson had fashioned a four-hitter to whitewash the Flyers, 1 to 0, tying the series at one-all. The mite southpaw followed with a three-hitter, winning, 2 to 1, in ten innings to give the Bluejackets a three to two edge in the title games.

Huge Hugh Casey, former Dodger relief star, gunning for his fourth triumph, left the game in the sixth for a pinch hitter after holding the Bluejackets to a pair of hits, both coming in the first inning. Emil Lochbaum, who relieved Casey, was charged with his third loss of the series when the Bluejackets tallied the lone run in the ninth.

Rightfielder Fred Hutchinson launched what proved to be the game-winning rally in the ninth with a single over second. He was immediately replaced by pinch runner Hooks DeVaurs, who went to second on Dom DiMaggio's sacrifice bunt and moved to third on Benny McCoy's fly to right. Then Don Padgett lined a double to right, counting DeVaurs with what proved to be the winning run. Buddy Bates made a desperate attempt to bring down Padgett's liner, but was unable to hold on to the ball. Jeff Cross ended the inning with a fly to the outfield, after Eddie Robinson had been purposely passed.

The Flyers threatened in their half of the ninth when Hub Walker singled with one away. But Bates popped to DeVaurs in right and DeVaurs backed up against the right field canvas to pull down Pee Wee Reese's bid for a triple.

The Bluejackets and Airmen met 44 times during the regular season, with the series champions winning 24 and tying one.

Updated February 23, 2008

Copyright © 2013 Gary Bedingfield (Baseball in Wartime). All Rights Reserved.