Throughout much of American history, there has been war. Whether it was to create the country or keep it from crumbling, the United States knows all too well the horrors of giving up young men and women for dead, all in the name of freedom. It is one of the world’s great and unnecessary evils, all while being very necessary at the same time.
During the 20th century and into the beginning of the 21st, there have been legions left to wash up on the beach or die in a faraway jungle. Others have been killed in a desert, while a lucky gaggle have returned home, able to hug a loved one but never be quite the same.
While almost all of these brave men and women who have served are anonymous to the average American, there are hundreds who are anything but. On this Veteran’s Day, we remember those who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the stars and stripes including some of the most famous and gifted athletes of our time.
There was Philadelphia Eagles linebacker and center Chuck Bednarik, who served in the Eighth Air Force during World War II and flew 30 missions over Germany, somehow surviving to tell the tales. For his bravery, Bednarik was given a litany of honors including four battle stars. Bednarik, nicknamed “Concrete Charlie” for his tough style of play, was the last of the 60-minute men.
Then we had Yogi Berra, the Hall of Fame catcher of the New York Yankees. Berra went into the United States Navy and fought on the coast of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day. It was one of the bloodiest days in American history, and Berra was right there on the front lines.
We can’t forget Ted Williams, who also served in both World War II and the Korean War. Williams was in the Navy and Marines, putting his life on the line before returning to baseball in the late 1940s. When combat once again broke out in Korea, Williams was back in the line of fire for another two years, before coming home to finish his playing days with the Boston Red Sox.
How about Roger Staubach, who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys out of the Naval Academy in 1964 but could not begin playing professional football until 1969 because he first had to serve in Vietnam. Staubach was revered during his time, with many youngster and adults alike admiring both his skill and bravery.
Unfortunately, there were those who did not come home. The most famous example is former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman. Tillman turned down a lucrative offer of $14 million to join the Army Rangers after the attacks of September 11. Tillman served in Afghanistan and was killed by friendly fire, something the American government tried to conceal before admitting. Tillman’s spirit lives on with the Pat Tillman Foundation, run by his widow, Marie.
There was also Bob Kalsu. Kalsu was the only man to leave the American Football League and die in combat, perishing in the mountains of Vietnam. Kalsu was a promising offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills who was killed two days before his first son was born. In the National Football League, Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Don Steinbrunner was killed in Vietnam, the only man from that league to suffer such a fate.
Steinbrunner could likely have avoided his death, but refused to take a safer deployment, per the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"“Not long after his arrival, he was shot in the knee during an aerial mission and was offered an opportunity to accept a less dangerous assignment. He declined. According to his family, the 35-year-old Steinbrunner reasoned that he was better suited to serve his country than many of the younger, less seasoned soldiers he’d observed. It was a decision that cost him his life. On July 20, 1967, Steinbrunner’s plane was shot down over Kontum, South Vietnam.”"
During the war, professional sports made an effort to play their part. Major League Baseball offered to stop playing its games, but president Franklin D. Roosevelt declined the offer, stating that the national pastime was something the American people needed. Baseball began playing a majority of its games at night, because it wanted to boost the morale of factory workers. The NFL also did its part, having to twice combine teams because of the shortage of manpower. In one instance, the Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers became the Steagles. In another, the Steelers and Chicago Cardinals became CARD-PITT.
In times of crisis, sports has never been simply a game. Sports take on ample meaning, and in some cases, remind us what it is to live free.
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