Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Molina | 170630-N-VK310-012 NORFOLK (June 30, 2017) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuels) 1st...... read more read more
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WASP Sailor Helps Commemorate Baseball Series from Yester-year
NORFOLK (NNS) – A Sailor from the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) participated in the Navy World Series throwback softball game at McClure Field June 30, 2017.
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Fuels 1st Class Bryan Jones was chosen after participating in a two-day trial with more than 30 Sailors from other commands.
“I was both surprised and excited when I got the email that said I was chosen as one of the players,” said Jones. “The guys out here eat, sleep and breathe baseball so it’s really a once in a life time opportunity and I’m honored to be chosen.”
The event commemorated the first game in 1943, during War World II, where the Naval Training Station Bluejackets took on Naval Air Station Airmen in a best of seven series. During that year Sailors played alongside Major League Baseball stars like Phil Rizzuto, Fred Hutchinson, Pee Wee Reese, and Eddie Robinson.
“It’s a celebration of the series games that involved baseball stars who were enlisted during WWII,” said Jones. “We [wore] old time uniforms and use wooden bats to make it more authentic.”
Naval Station Norfolk was home to both the Naval Training Station Bluejackets and the Naval Air Station Airmen when the station commander decided to pit them against each other for the Navy World Series game.
“The Bluejackets team is made up of Sailors attached to surface commands while the Airmen team is primarily Sailors from squadrons,” said Jones.
The first pitch was thrown by Eddie Robinson, a former American Major League Baseball player and WWII veteran who played for the Bluejackets in the original series.
The game was held on McClure field, which was named to honor Capt. Henry A. McClure, the man who made the series happen.
For more information about USS Wasp, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/lhd1 or join the conversation at https://www.facebook.com/ussWasp/.
| Date Taken: | 06.30.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 07.03.2017 08:28 |
| Story ID: | 239986 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 117 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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