Athletes who have served in our military has always been a fascinating topic for me. Hence, I was extremely excited to read Bill Brown’s book “Wartime Athletes; Stories of Sports Stars Who Joined the US Team.” Bill had an extensive career as a sports broadcaster including calling games for both the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros.
Bill also served in Vietnam as a sports broadcaster for Armed Forces Network Vietnam. They would record contests and then rebroadcast them to the troops in Vietnam the following day. Unfortunately, the tape was not properly erased resulting in a professional football game converting to a college game in the middle of the broadcast. Bill recalls receiving a call from a terribly upset Colonel.
His book relates the stories of 80 athletes who served in periods from World War I to present-day conflicts. We discuss some examples:
Pitcher Lou Brissie who refused an amputation following wounds received in Italy. He would go on to pitch in the Majors with a metal plate in his leg and be named to the American League All Star team.
Buffalo Bills Rookie of the Year Bob Kalsu, who despite being offered a reserve slot stateside, decided to fulfill his ROTC commitment and go to Vietnam. He would die in a mortar attack.
NFL legend Rocky Blier who recovered from bullet and shrapnel wounds to rush for 3,865 yards and 25 touchdowns for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
And Pat Tillman, who walked away from a $3.6 million contract extension from the Arizona Cardinals to become an Army Ranger. Tillman was tragically killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan.
We conclude with a discussion of the Lt. General Ken Tovo’s thoughts on the parallels between team sports and service in the military. “It’s not always about strength and raw power. Sometimes it is about tactics and deception; making the defense think you are going to run right when you go left.”
“Wartime Athletes” is a great read for both sports fans and military supporters.