Listed below in alphabetical order, by conflict (World War I, World War II, etcetera), are members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown who are veterans — each having served in the United States Armed Services during wartime. Research by Baseball Almanac.
"But the mainstay of the big leagues was the reservoir of 4-Fs - males of draft age who had been rejected on physical grounds by the Armed Forces. Not since harem attendants had gone out of style were men's physical deficiencies so highly prized. Ulcers, hearing defects, and torn cartilages were coveted by team owners." - Graham, Jr., Frank. Author. A Farewell to Heroes. Southern Illinois University Press. 15 March 2003.)
Hall of Fame Members who are VeteransMembers Who Served in the U.S. Armed Forces |
|
The Civil War | Branch of the Service |
Morgan Bulkeley | United States Army |
World War I | Branch of the Service |
Grover Alexander | United States Army |
Happy Chandler | United States Army * |
Oscar Charleston | United States Army |
Ty Cobb | United States Army |
Eddie Collins | United States Marines |
Jocko Conlan | United States Navy |
Red Faber | United States Navy |
Warren Giles | United States Army |
Burleigh Grimes | United States Navy |
Harry Heilmann | United States Navy |
Waite Hoyt | United States Army |
George Kelly | United States Army |
Larry MacPhail | United States Army |
Rabbit Maranville | United States Navy |
Rube Marquard | United States Navy |
Christy Mathewson | United States Army |
Herb Pennock | United States Navy |
Sam Rice | United States Army |
Branch Rickey | United States Army |
Eppa Rixey | United States Army |
Bullet Rogan | United States Army |
Louis Santop | United States Navy |
Joe Sewell | United States Army |
George Sisler | United States Army |
Tris Speaker | United States Navy |
Casey Stengel | United States Navy |
Jud Wilson | United States Army |
World War II | Branch of the Service |
Luke Appling | United States Army |
Al Barlick | United States Coast Guard |
Yogi Berra | United States Navy |
Willard Brown | United States Army |
Nestor Chylak | United States Army |
Mickey Cochrane | United States Navy |
Leon Day | United States Army |
Bill Dickey | United States Navy |
Joe DiMaggio | United States Army |
Larry Doby | United States Navy |
Bobby Doerr | United States Army |
Bob Feller | United States Navy |
Charlie Gehringer | United States Navy |
Joe Gordon | United States Army |
Hank Greenberg | United States Army |
Billy Herman | United States Navy |
Monte Irvin | United States Army |
Ralph Kiner | United States Navy |
Bob Lemon | United States Navy |
Ted Lyons | United States Marines |
Larry MacPhail | United States Army |
Lee MacPhail | United States Navy |
Johnny Mize | United States Navy |
Stan Musial | United States Navy |
Pee Wee Reese | United States Navy |
Phil Rizzuto | United States Navy |
Robin Roberts | United States Army |
Jackie Robinson | United States Army |
Red Ruffing | United States Army |
Red Schoendienst | United States Army |
Enos Slaughter | United States Army |
Duke Snider | United States Navy |
Warren Spahn | United States Army |
Bill Veeck | United States Marines |
Hoyt Wilhelm | United States Army |
Ted Williams | United States Marines |
Early Wynn | United States Army |
Korean War | Branch of the Service |
Ernie Banks | United States Army |
Whitey Ford | United States Army |
Whitey Herzog | United States Army |
Eddie Mathews | United States Navy |
Willie Mays | United States Army |
Ted Williams | United States Marines |
Name | Stats | HOF | Branch of the Service |
Baseball HOF Veterans | Research by Baseball Almanac |
A branch of service breakdown for each member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame that served during wartime (veteran) is as follows:
38 | United States Army |
1 | United States Coast Guard |
4 | United States Marines |
26 | United States Navy |
Baseball Hall of Famers who served during wartime in more than one conflict were Larry MacPhail (United States Army in World War I and World War II) and Ted Williams (United States Marines in World War II and the Korean War).
* While not technically a veteran, Happy Chandler began training in 1918 to be an officer; World War I ended before he was called to active duty.
Did you know that there have been more than one-thousand five-hundred additional Major League Baseball players (who aren't members of the Hall of Fame) who were veterans? Share your memories and stories about these heroes on with us on our Baseball Almanac Facebook Group, on Baseball Almanac Twitter, via Baseball Almanac Messenger, or our baseball forum — Baseball Fever.