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Tuesday, February 9, 2010 | Serving Del Rio and Val Verde County: Since 1929
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Athletes and the ultimate sacrifice
Published May 25, 2009
Sports and the United States military have always been intertwined.
After all, when it came to the healthiest, most determined and bravest men and women, oftentimes they came from the fields and the courts of small towns scattered across this nation. I’m not saying playing sports was a prerequisite for military service, but it probably didn’t hurt.
Even now there are hundreds of high school athletes each year who graduate and instead of trying to find a college somewhere so they can continue playing their sport they opt to join the military and serve their country.
Today is Memorial Day. It’s a day when we’re supposed to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice that the men and women of our armed forces made to protect our freedoms at home and abroad. Many of them didn’t choose to make that sacrifice, while others knew it was the only way to save the lives of others, but every soldier who never made it home and every soldier whose family had to endure that pain should be honored today for what they did.
For many of us now it’s hard to realize that the military was a way of life for older Americans. War meant that men and women were needed to serve and it didn’t matter what your background was.
That included professional athletes.
Baseball Hall-of-Famers Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and Bob Feller served in the military in the midst of their pro careers. Feller actually volunteered to fight after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Yogi Berra and Hoyt Wilhelm served in World War II and went on to great careers.
Football had its share of former servicemen as well including Art Donovan and Ernie Stautner as well as Dallas Cowboys great Roger Staubach and former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rocky Bleier who both served in Vietnam.
And while there were athletes who served their country and then went on to stellar pro sports careers, there were some whose final play we should remember and honor today.
There was former New York Giants infielder Eddie Grant, who was killed in action during World War I.
There was former Baylor University standout and New York Giants end Jack Lummus who was killed during the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II and awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
There was 1939 Heisman Trophy winner Nile Kinnick who was killed on a training mission during World War II.
There was the “Human Howitzer” Al Blozis, a tackle for the Giants who was also an accomplished collegiate champion in the shot put, who was killed in the Vosges Mountains during the Battle of the Bulge.
There was University of Oklahoma All-American and Buffalo Bills guard Bob Kalsu, who was killed in action in Vietnam.
There was Arizona State University and Arizona Cardinals standout Pat Tillman, who was killed in 2004 in Afghanistan.
These are just but a few of the dozens of former pro athletes who gave their lives in defense of our country.
Del Rio’s athletic community has also felt the pain of loss. It was two years ago Saturday that U.S. Army PV2 Oscar Sauceda Jr., a former Del Rio Rams football player, was killed in a firefight in Iraq. He was 21 years old.
My father served in the Air Force during Vietnam. I’ve had uncles and cousins who served. I’ve had many close friends who have served or who continue to serve in the military. Some of them have seen combat, some have not, but all of them proudly served.
To them, and to every family who lost a loved one in military service, I say thank you.
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Brian Argabright has been covering sports for the Del Rio News-Herald since 1996 and has been the sports editor since January 2006. “But That’s Just Me Talking” appears every Monday in the News-Herald. Contact the author at brian.argabright(at)delrionewsherald.com.
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