By Katie Cayer, Assistant Archivist & Curator

Bottom of the ninth, the bases are loaded and tensions are rising. The home team pitcher stares down the batter from across the pitch, debating on what would be the best throw to strike out the batter. The catcher gives multiple signals to try and aid the pitcher in his decision. His suggestions are continuously denied until one, the right choice, and the pitcher gets ready to throw. He takes a deep breath, calms his nerves, and throws. The ball whizzes past the batter, straight into the catcher’s mitt and the umpire calls out “Strike! You’re out!” The crowd erupts in applause and the game is over, a win for the home team.

Baseball is often regarded as America’s pastime, having become synonymous with the American identity as it follows closely with America’s history, going through changes alongside the growth of a nation. The first official game was played in 1846 in Hoboken, N.J., but was soon catapulted to national prominence during the Civil War, when soldiers from different states would play to pass the time. This laid the foundation for Baseball to be regarded as a unifying American pastime.

Five Medal of Honor Recipients are known to have ties to the sport at the high school level or higher. Three Recipients – Jack Lummus, John J. Pinder, Jr., and Jay Vargas – were in the Minor Leagues.

Jack Lummus

Jack Lummus, a native of Ennis, Texas, was born on October 22, 1915. During the Great Depression, Lummus dropped out of high school to support his family and the farm, but eventually returned to finish high school, earning an athletic scholarship to Baylor University in 1937. While there, he excelled at football, baseball and basketball. While playing baseball for Baylor, he made All-Southwest Conference twice for center field in baseball.

On May 4, 1940, Baylor played Texas in a very important game. Lummus made two circus catches at the 500 foot mark, robbing famed Texan Pete Laden of sure home runs. During his time at Baylor, the Bears finished third in baseball and Lummus was considered to be the best center fielder that ever played at Baylor.

Before leaving Baylor, Lummus signed a minor league baseball contract with the Wichita Falls Spudders while waiting on orders for flight school. He played in 26 games before being ordered to report to flight training at Hicks Field. During flight training, he was honorably discharged and won a spot as a backup end for the New York Giants in the fall of 1941, before being released when he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on January 30,1942.

He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on March 18, 1945 at Iwo Jima.

John J. Pinder, Jr.

John J. Pinder, Jr. was born on June 6, 1912, in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania. Before entering the Army, he was a professional baseball player. He was a right handed pitcher and a veteran in six minor league baseball seasons, working in the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Washington Senators and the Brooklyn Dodgers farm systems.

His professional debut came late in the 1935 season for his hometown club, the Butler Indians of the Class D Penn State Association, the lowest rung of the Cleveland Indians system. He appeared in eight league games in 1935 and in 1936, Butler reserved his contract. In the same year, Cleveland dropped the sponsorship and New York began what would be a long working relationship with Butler. But Pinder’s time was short on the Yankees’ payroll. He was released from the team in late May 1936.

He played semi-professional for the remainder of 1936 and all of 1937. In 1938, he tried out with the Washington Senators Class D Sanford Lookouts in the Florida State League and made it. His pitching improved after his first season with the Florida State League. He was retained by Sanford in 1939 and began his third year in 1940, when the Lookouts became the Seminoles. In the beginning of July, his contract was optioned to the Greenville Lions of the Alabama State League, another Class D organization.

On August 18, 1941, he manned an “iron-man” attempt and started both games of a double header, tossing a shutout in the opener and received a no-decision in the second. His last professional game was August 28, 1941 and his final tally was seventeen wins, eleven losses, struck out 136 batters and walked 125. He hoped to return to Greenville and continue his goal of reaching the major leagues, but that dream was put on hold due to World War II. He entered the Army on January 27, 1942.

He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 6, 1944, near Colleville-sur-Mer, France, as part of the D-Day Invasion of Europe.

Jay Vargas

Jay Vargas was born on July 29, 1938, in Winslow, Arizona. When he joined the Army, his birth date was recorded as July 29, 1940, but his actual birth date is 1938. He attended Winslow High School, where he was a standout performer in football, basketball, and baseball. During his high school career, he achieved All-State recognition in baseball and  was awarded 12 varsity for his athletic accomplishments. While attending Arizona State University on a baseball scholarship, he achieved first team All-Conference Honors twice.

Vargas always thought he might be a Major League baseball player, but that dream never came to be. Instead, he became the youngest out of four brothers to join the Marines.

He received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Dai Do, Vietnam on April 30 – May 2, 1968. Learn more about his heroics in his Living History Video or hear his advice for Young Americans.

Frank Reasoner

Frank Reasoner was born on September 16, 1937, in Spokane, Washington. In 1948, the family moved to Kellogg, Idaho, where Reasoner attended and graduated from Kellogg High School in 1955. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps just 3 months before his eighteenth birthday. He attended the Aviation Fundamentals and Electronic schools before serving with the Marine Air Units, until he was assigned to the Naval Training Center Preparatory School in Bainbridge, Maryland in March of 1957. In the spring of 1958, he received Congressional appointment to the United States Military Academy and entered West Point that summer as a plebe.

While at West Point, he lettered in baseball and wrestling, winning four straight Brigade boxing championships in four different weight classes.. He graduated in 1962 and returned to the Marine Corps as a second lieutenant.

He received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Da Nang, Vietnam, on July 12, 1965.

Douglas MacArthur

Douglas MacArthur was born on January 26, 1880 in Little Rock, Arkansas. The youngest of three sons born to U.S. Army Captain [later a three-star Lieutenant General] Arthur MacArthur, Jr. and his wife. Growing up, he quickly developed a love of sports despite not being over-endowed with natural athletic ability. This did not stop him from using his keen intellect, physical fitness, and an indomitable determination to succeed in order to become the star of the sports he played.

While attending West Texas Military Academy, he was a successful baseball shortstop as an upperclassman, despite his forte being bunting. He also spent his last two years as the manager of the time, with school records listing his teams as suffering only one defeat out of thirteen total.

He also succeeded in college baseball during his time at West Point. As a plebe, he did not see any action on the pitch, but in 1901, his college career began, becoming the starting left fielder for the Army team. He had a modest career, but the highlight of his career was during the two first ever Army-Navy baseball games where he played both as an outfielder. While he is known for retelling his account of the memorable game as a hard fought Army 4-3 victory at Annapolis, with him dramatically scoring the winning run, historical records do not support his colorful account. In 1902, he moved from left to right in the outfield, but suffered from eye trouble which limited his playing time. He again played in the now annual Army-Navy game in May, achieving distinction in multiple newspaper accounts for a particularly fine defensive play in the 5th inning, which helped stop a Navy play from scoring. This did not, however, stop the Navy from defeating the Army, 4 to 3. His final game, in which he did not play, was during the  memorable West Point centennial celebrations on June 10, 1902. During his senior year, he did not play due to his duties associated with being the Corps of Cadet First Captain.

Overall, in his two years of playing for West Point, he helped his team win a total of sixteen games, losing eight, and one game ended in a tie.

He received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on the Bataan Peninsula in July 1941.

About the Congressional Medal of Honor Society

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor, inspiring America to live the values the Medal represents, and supporting Recipients of the Medal as they connect with communities across America.

Chartered by Congress in 1958, its membership consists exclusively of those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor. There are fewer than 70 living Recipients.

The Society carries out its mission through outreach, education and preservation programs, including the Medal of Honor Museum, Medal of Honor Outreach Programs, the Medal of Honor Character Development Program, and the Medal of Honor Citizen Honors Awards for Valor and Service. The Society’s programs and operations are funded by donations.

As part of Public Law 106-83, the Medal of the Honor Memorial Act, the Medal of Honor Museum, which is co-located with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s headquarters on board the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was designated as one of three national Medal of Honor sites.

Learn more about the Medal of Honor and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s initiatives at cmohs.org