Christy Mathewson, Ty Cobb, and WWI

Though it is little known, two of the greatest baseball players ever fought for the U.S. in the first World War. Christy Mathewson was a New York Giant who compiled 373 wins and just over 2500 strikeouts in his career. Ty Cobb is only second to Pete Rose on the hits leaderboard, and was known for his hustle style of play. Another name, Branch Rickey, was also mentioned. He was the man who signed Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. An article about their service states, "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." These 3 men not only were great on the field, but were also great off of the field as well.