History of Leo Wells the Baseball Player: A Childhood Dream Put on Hold by World War II

While America’s favorite pastime continued during World War II, many players’ dreams and futures were put on hold to serve their country. These dedicated men walked away from a sport that meant everything to them in order to help in this desperate and dark time. Many professional players including Ted Williams and Bob Feller stepped away from the sport to list in the military forces and lost vital career playing time. Some later returned to the sport to become part of Baseball’s Hall of Fame. After Pearl Harbor was bombed, the future of baseball itself was in question. Many fans and baseball officials wanted to postpone the sport for the war. President Roosevelt disagreed and sent a letter stating that play should continue as a way to keep the American spirit alive. The soldiers provided heavy support for the sport and wanted to keep the game going during these trying times. Over forty-five hundred professional players left the game to serve our country. Among these were thirty five players who would later be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Two professional players by the names of Harry O’Neill and Elmer Gedeon gave their lives for our country and are honored today for their sacrifices. A dream was put on the back burner for those who made this difficult decision. Many returned from the war and picked up where they left off in the sport.

Leo Wells was among the many who rejoined their teams after serving in the war. The history of Leo Wells the baseball player is less extensive due to his years in service, but an accomplishment to be proud of nevertheless. Leo Wells was born on July 18th in the year 1917. He was 5’9″ and weighed 170 pounds. His original birthplace was Kansas City, Kansas. Leo Wells’s baseball career began in 1942. He played both shortstop and third base for the Chicago White Sox. On April 16th, 1942, Leo Wells made this first Major League Baseball debut. During the first season, he played thirty-five games and obtained one home run and four RBI’s. He had a batting average of.194. After the first season, his love for the game was interrupted by the impending threat of the war. He left his team to join the armed services and served for the next three years. Leo Wells returned to play a second season for the White Sox in 1946. In that season, he played forty games. His stats included one home run, eleven runs, and a.189 batting average. He left the game after this second season to pursue other dreams.

The history of Leo Wells the baseball player was a common story for many of the players who served in World War II. They are all heroes for making the hard decision to leave the game and help our country in a time of need. Present day athletes pass up opportunities such as the Olympics because they take away from their own personal gains. Leo Wells and the other players that made this sacrifice should be honored for their dedication, heroism, and be the ultimate role model for society today.