They were just young men with promising futures in the sport they loved — until World War II intervened. Yogi Berra, Lou Brissie, Jerry Coleman and John Miles had no idea when — or even if — they would return from the military service that interrupted their aspiring baseball careers. All four did, of course.
Berra has more World Series rings (10) than any player in history and was a three-time American League MVP. Coleman was his New York Yankees teammate for nine years and later became a beloved broadcaster in San Diego. Brissie overcame serious wounds suffered in action and made it to the big leagues anyway for seven years with the Philadelphia A’s and Cleveland Indians. Miles was a Negro Leaguer who played with and against some of the sport’s greatest players.
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The four men were at Nationals Park on Friday night for a 90-minute panel discussion hosted in conjunction with the American Veterans Center and the Washington Nationals. An audience of about 500 heard their stories of war and baseball.
“During World War II baseball was the unifier. There wasn’t a barracks bag around that didn’t have a ball or a glove. And some guys even carried bats with them,” Brissie said. “I never considered [how the war affected my career]. I considered it a great privilege for me because I shouldn’t have been [in the majors] at all.”
