Hardball on the Home Front

the long version

"More than 5000 major and minor league ballplayers left the baseball diamond to serve in World War II, but President Roosevelt insisted that baseball go on to boost the country's morale. More than 400 replacement players made their major league debuts between 1943 and 1945, among them Sal Maglie, Andy Pafko, Red Schoendienst and Stan Musial. The true story of wartime baseball rests mostly with the players who careers were not so well remembered. The author highlights nine ... who share their memories of being called up to play in the majors, and their feelings about providing relief to thousands of Americans during the war years"--Page 4 of cover.