This is coolbert: I have made some posts about jock elite military units. Well, there was one. This is something that really astonished me. I guess this may never happen again. An episode of Antiques Roadshow had a display of a roster from an army barracks in World War One. Here is who is on the roster, all living in the same barracks. Christy Mathewson, T.R. Cobb, Frank Chance, Frank [Home Run] Baker, Ed [Big Ed] Walsh. All baseball stars from the dead ball era. And at the time officers in the army. And this was not a wimpy military unit. These men evidently were disposal experts for chemical ordnance. One of the most dangerous jobs you could have. Not only will the ordnance explode if you do something wrong, you will be doused with chemical munitions at the same time. Evidently all these baseball players were assigned to the same unit and housed in the same barracks. That division they were in was called the "Flame and Gas" division. Now, it is a fact that when Christy Mathewson arrived overseas in France the actual fighting was over. But he was hurt in a training exercise and his lungs damaged by chemical munitions. He later got tuberculosis and died an early death. It is said that Ty Cobb wept when he heard of the death of Christy Mathewson. Given the personality of Cobb, this is unheard of. But, Cobb and Mathewson were known to be good friends. Being a friend of Cobb was not an easy task, but somehow Mathewson managed. I have seen a famous picture of Cobb and Mathewson at a ball game together, and they do appear to be friends. Even the commentator and evaluator of the piece of memorabilia said that this having all these great ball players in the same unit needs to be delved into. Maybe it will be.

coolbert.