This is my own vintage WWII USMC Baseball road grey uniform (which includes the trousers).

Many military baseball fans are probably familiar with the U.S. Military All Stars and their mission (at the request of President George H. W. Bush) “to establish a program to make a difference in the lives of Americans while promoting support for our troops.” The All Stars are the only joint armed forces barnstorming baseball and softball program, and as ambassadors of the game and the military, they make over 350 appearances around the world competing at a collegiate to professional level. During Major League Baseball’s (MLB) 2012 spring training, the All Stars are appearing in 28 games against MLB opponents such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners and continuing on to play in 100 games against a wide-range of opponents throughout the season.

Bob Feller (second from left) and team mates suited up in their Naval Station Great Lakes baseball uniform

Baseball and the military have enjoyed a lengthy relationship, as seen during the Civil War, though the game’s origins go back to variations that were played in 18th century New York, Philadelphia and Boston. Major League Baseball pundits have gone to great lengths to suggest that Abner Doubleday (who later became a Union General during the Civil War)  “invented” the game in his youth near present day Cooperstown, NY in 1839. Though there is much debate as to the beginnings of the game itself, it is well documented that soldiers who had been acquainted with the game prior to their service (during the war between the states) spread it to other soldiers throughout the war years.

As the game grew in popularity so did the connection with the military.

U.S.M.C Pitcher Andy Steinbach shakes hands with the 7th Air Force’s Joe DiMaggio.

Players who would become icons (such as Christy Mathewson, Branch Ricky and Ty Cobb) would trade their bats, gloves and flannels for weapons and the olive drab wool of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and serve in and around the trenches of Europe. Mathewson would die a few short years after returning from the war, having contracted tuberculosis, connected to suffering a gas attack in France.

With the United States’ entrance into World War II, baseball had been solidified as the American pastime and the players departed in droves (either by volunteering or draft) to serve. Service teams were formed and rosters filled with professional, semi-pro, collegiate and other players to compete against teams of opposing services as morale boosting events.

Baseball collectors have been well-versed in artifacts attributed to many major leaguers who served on active duty during the war. It seems that militaria collectors more recently began to take notice of this unique relationship between baseball and the armed forces, specifically in the area of game-used field equipment.

At least one apparel manufacturer, Ebbets Field Flannels, has put forth an effort to provide collectors and baseball enthusiasts with authentic reproductions of some of the more well-known uniforms worn by famous major league players on their respective service teams. Two of the available jerseys that fans can don are replicas of Bob Feller’s Great Lakes or Joe DiMaggio’s 7th Air Force.

Those who strive to own genuine artifacts face significant challenges in their search when it comes to locating uniforms of famous players. To my knowledge, these pieces were largely unnamed and in order to confirm the wearer’s identity they would have to include iron-clad provenance. That provenance could be in the form of photographic evidence revealing a unique trait present on both the uniform in hand and on that of the one worn by the player (in the image).

On rare occasions, vintage service team uniforms do show up in online auctions or are made available as private collectors seek to sell their artifacts. Obviously, condition, scarcity, and demand are going to dictate value along with proof of the the original owner’s identity (if known).

My own authentic WWII vintage U.S. Marine Corp uniform is in great condition and includes both the jersey and the trousers. I’d assume that the hat has long since gone by the wayside as he might have worn it casually after the war ended or it was simply been misplaced over time.

As I would like to gather multiple components in order to assemble a display, I am also seeking to locate vintage stockings/stirrups, cap, glove, ball and perhaps a vintage pair of cleats. To locate the correct ballcap, I know that I am going to be better off having one custom-made and thankfully, Ebbets Field Flannels has the expertise and materials to reproduce one from the photographs that I will provide. Being local (to me), I have the luxury of being able to show them the uniform to have them match the fabrics and colors.

One can also find U.S. issue baseball gloves at fairly reasonable prices. With several of the sporting goods companies supplying the athletic equipment to the armed forces during the war (and subsequently sold off to the public afterward), gloves are frequently available in garage or estate sales or in online auction sites. Be on the lookout for those mitts marked with U.S., U.S.A. (for Army), U.S.M.C. (Marine Corps) or even U.S.N. (Navy). Depending upon condition, prices will range from $25-$100 (or more).

Ephemera such as this 1944 Army vs Navy Championship program and scorecard aren’t very pricey when they do turn up for sale.

Actually, in the case of sports collectibles, West is not a good thing. Older collections tend to wind up in areas where communities have long well been established.  In that case, East beats West. Good thing this is not the Rangers-Yankees Series or there would be a lot more weeping involved.

Sylvain Martineau, collector and dealer, talks about some of the changes in the sports memorabilia market.  Click here to read more.