Talk:1942 Colored World Series

From BR Bullpen

I thought Welmaker was in the service at this point. When in 1942 did he go in? - --Mischa 20:46, 3 June 2010 (EDT)

Searching the Chicago Defender, Pittsburgh Courier, and New York Amsterdam News from 1/1/1942 through 12/31/1943, I find no mention of him serving. He pitched all through both the '41 and '42 seasons as well as both Colored World Series in those years with no mention of any military service. -- Couillaud 11:01, 6 June 2010 (EDT)

Both Riley and the Baseball in Wartime website list him as serving 1942-1944. Odd. - --Mischa 11:08, 6 June 2010 (EDT)

Further research shows I mis-read the information: Welmaker pitched in the 1942 and 1944 Series, but he is mentioned in the Defender in an article dated 18 Sept 1943 as "Private Roy Welmaker" at Ft. Benning, GA, having struck out 49 men in 23 innings in a 24-hour period in intramural games there.

He does not receive any mention in the Defender, Courier, Amsterdam News or Afro during 1943 (other than being on the Grays' roster pre-season) or most of the 1944 season, but shows up in September '44 pitching for the Grays in a regular NNL game and then in the CWS as well. He apparently missed parts of the 1943 and 1944 seasons, but did not miss time in 1942. It's entirely possible that he was drafted in 1942 right after season's close, that his roster listings in 1943 are without knowledge of him being in the service, and that he was discharged in late summer '44.

Bottom line for purposes of this article is that he pitched all season in 1942. That's best I know from readily available information. -- Couillaud 14:11, 6 June 2010 (EDT)