Baseball in Wartime - Chemical Warfare in WWI

On August 27, 1918 future Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson resigns as Reds manager to accept a commission as a captain in chemical warfare branch of Army. From the article:

"Chemical Warfare Service: World War One’s House of Horrors

The Little Known Service of Branch Rickey, Ty Cobb and the Great Matty



by Frank Ceresi

Imagine that you are scared, cold and hungry, on foreign turf, fighting in the trenches against an enemy that wants nothing better than to annihilate you and your comrades. Imagine that as you inch forward in battle the enemy begins to lob cylinders of gas in your direction and then follows up immediately by shooting rifle pellets directly at you filled with something you vaguely remember as being called “phosegene gas”. A sickly smell now fills the air. You are so glad that you had your gas mask on even though it is unwieldy and adds more weight to your tiring body. Now imagine that you look towards your side where your buddy is, and see that he could not reach to his belt quickly enough to put his mask on over his face so that you see that he took in a small breath of “exposed” air. Then imagine within an instant his terror stricken eyes opening wide, his face turning purple as he looks through you - and within seconds he is dead.

Such scenes of horror dominated trench fighting in France during World War One and three of the most influential and celebrated baseball icons of all time - Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, and Branch Rickey - served in a special elite unit to combat this terror, the “Chemical Warfare Service”, at the very same time in the same division during the most crucial time of the war. How was it that these three extraordinary men, none of them youngsters pining to show off their youthful mettle, would end up leaving the safety of the baseball diamond and their families and voluntarily join the service to defend their country overseas and battle the enemy in a most brutal fashion?


Precious little has been written about this trio and their link in war but it is a story that reveals much about qualities of character that resonate on the ball field and in the battle field. Rickey was 38 years of age and the sole support of four young children. Matty, already retired from baseball after notching 373 victories, was also 38 years with a family. And Ty Cobb, fresh from leading the American League in batting, a feat he would do more often than any man in the history of the game, was the “youthful” age of 32. He was also the sole support of his family. Without question, all three could have easily stayed home and aided their country by using their celebrity to head war bond drives or some similar activity to raise needed capital. But the answer to the question of why they chose the Chemical Warfare Service not only reflects their obvious intense patriotism but also speaks volumes to the strength of their personal character and leadership capabilities. To fully grasp the sacrifices these men made during a time of war, one must first learn of the importance and unique role of the Chemical Warfare Service."