One Strike and You're Out!

America, the best country in the world! I was 24 at the time and just got picked up by the Boston Red Sox baseball team. I was their catcher. I had a new blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby girl named Bella and a beautiful wife named Tess. We lived in a large red-brick home in a suburb east of the new National League Braves Field, which was my second home. Although World War I began in 1914, we weren't worried because America didn't want to get involved. This truly was the life I dreamed of as a little inner city boy.

It was 1916 and we just won the World Series! Who would have thought I would be on a team and win the championships my first year.¹ Those Brooklyn Robins had no idea what was coming to them! Tess and I celebrated by going to the Clark's Ice Cream Shop and we ate pounds of vanilla ice cream. I took her to her favorite store Macy's and let her pick out a striking new hat embellished with pearl beads. I wanted to keep Tess happy. Additionally, I had to make-up for my neglect on the family for the last months of practices and games.

Our life was as perfect as it could get. We were financially secure, had our health, and we were happy. I continued to play for the Red Sox in 1917. We were having an amazing season. Babe Ruth was on our team and he was shattering records. Every moment I stepped on the field, I thanked God for my blessings. Just when I thought I knew the direction my life was going, everything changed.

One morning before practice, while routinely drinking my coffee, my life changed forever! The Boston Herald reported that America just entered into World War I. They joined the Allies-Britain, France and Russia in the war.² At that exact moment, I knew exactly what I had to do. Nothing was more American than baseball and nothing was more American that fighting for our country!

For me, there was no other option other than to enlist and fight for our country. I knew the country needed me. So I without hesitation, I woke Tess up and broke the news. One tear fell down her pale cheek and she told me I was doing the right thing. Tess' love was unconditional and she loved America as much as I did

The team was also very supportive. They told me that they would welcome me back on the team when I was done fighting in the war. The reality was that they were fine without me. Babe Ruth was a great team leader and he could bring them the wins.

So days later I enlisted and was immediately sent to war in France. I thought I was fearless. Wrong. Every minute in France I trembled with fear. The landmines, the booms, the noises, the screams. It was all too much for me. Even the sounds of a bird in the night shot chills through my veins. The fear is what made me fight harder. Every single day felt like a year. I missed my Tess and my Bella.

Early one morning I woke up screaming in pain. I shot up in my bed and looked around. I was in a make-shift infirmary. A robust man came up to me and explained that my unit was caught in a landmine. He explained that a most of my companions had perished. I couldn't comprehend what I was hearing. We were only in combat for a few weeks. I had no memory of what happened.

My leg! My leg! I looked down and saw my leg in a bloody wrap. I asked the doctor if my leg was okay. He said that if the infection didn't clear I may need amputation. I knew that I couldn't lose my leg. I still needed to fight. I still needed to play baseball to provide for my family. I needed to fight for my comrades that lost their lives.

A week later I was ordered to go home. Although the infection cleared, I was in a wheel chair. When I came through the door to Tess and Bella, I somehow knew that everything would be okay. It had to be. Tess cried uncontrollably. I was ashamed. I couldn't fight for my country and I couldn't provide for my family anymore. Tess assured me that we would figure things out. Her unrealistic optimism is one of the reasons why I married her.

Thank God Tess saved most of my paychecks. We lived off of the savings for almost two years while I rehabilitated my leg. Every day was a living hell. I fought my way through it but not without anger, depression and disgust. I eventually worked my way into walking again and with just a little limp. But the reality was that I could never play with the Red Sox again.

I knew I needed to make a living another way. My real dream was to provide for my family and to make sure they were happy. The economy began to reach normalcy which increased my confidence. After a year of careful analysis and planning, Tess and I decided to use our remaining savings and open a deli shop one block East of National League Braves Field. We called it Red Sox Central Deli. Business was booming. Incomes were increasing and the community loved our sandwiches. I was able to work out a huge deal with local suppliers and my profits were growing.³

This was the beginning of three new shops we opened in the Massachusetts area in the 1920's. I was so happy with the success we attained. It took Tess to lift me up and I promised to myself I would not give up. And I didn't.

We had a great life now. It was priority for our family to save time for fun. We loved to go to silent movies. One of our favorites was called "The Phantom of the Opera." We watched it at least a dozen times. I especially loved the movie because Tess always found comfort in my arms when the movie got scary. And my sweet Bella... Bella was older now and she loved it when I took her to the Red Sox games and when I told her the same stories repeatedly. She was a true daddy's girl.

Although my perfect life was shattered with just "one strike," I had a new perfect life. I was still alive and I still had my family. Only in America could I reconstruct my life and start over. I never did regret fighting for my country. America made it possible for me to own several businesses and to provide my Tess and Bella. America also made it possible for me to eventually become Head Coach for the Red Sox and open a new deli right in the stadium!

Sources:

¹ Boston Red Sox Major League Baseball Official site. Retrieved September 17, 2009, from https://secure.mlb.com/bos/history/index.jsp

² The Library of Congress, America's Story from America's Library. Retrieved September 17, 2009 from http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/jazz/wwi_3

³ The 1920's-30.com website. Retrieved September 17, 2009, from http://www.1920-30.com/business/