WWII FOOTLOCKER DROPBOX
From baseball to grease, Americans took pride in their at home contributions to the war efforts.
Patriotism at Home
No time for baseball, send the boys to war!
In 1942, many young men age 18 and above were drafted into World War II. This left major league baseball without its star players and caused an already shaky minor league to go bankrupt.
Philip Wrigley championed efforts to start a women's’ baseball league in hopes of keeping the major league parks alive and making a little money.
http ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- 7krYJUfFv4
A new type of recruit!
Many young women left their homes, families, and work to try out for the new baseball league.
Some women baseball players had husbands serving overseas in World War II.
The Rockford Peaches were one of two teams who played all twelve years the league was alive. This team won the Play-Off Championship title in 1945, 1948, 1949, and 1950.
Rockford Peaches Team Photo 1943
| Year | Ball Size | Length of Base Paths | Pitching Distance | Pitching Style |
| 1943 | 12" | 65’ | 40’ | Underhand |
| 1944 | 11 ½"(midseason) | 68’ (midseason) | 40’ | Underhand |
| 1945 | 11 ½ " | 68’ | 42’ (midseason) | Underhand |
| 1946 | 11" | 70’ | 43’ | Underhand Limited side-arm |
| 1947 | 11" | 70’ | 43’ | Full side-arm |
| 1948 | 3/8" | 72’ | 50’ | Overhand |
| 1949 | 10“ (red seam) | 72’ | 55’ (midseason) | Overhand |
| 1950 | 10“ (livelier) | 72’ | 55’ | Overhand |
| 1952 | 10“ (livelier) | 72’ | 55’ | Overhand |
| 1953 | 10“ (livelier) | 75’ | 56’ | Overhand |
| 1954 | 9“ (midseason) | 85’ | 60’ | Overhand |
Evolution of Equipment
Rules and regulations changed frequently in the All-American Girl’s Professional Baseball League to keep the game more competitive for players and fun for spectators.
In the last year of the league, women were using the same ball as men.
Men’s Baseball
90 ft. baselines
60ft 6in from pitcher to home plate
Ball could weight between 5-5 ¼ ounces
Heavy bat 42 in.
68 ft. baselines
40 ft. from pitcher to home plate
Ball could weigh between 6-6 ¾ ounces
Lighter bat up to 42 in.
What’s the difference?
Women’s Baseball
Always a Lady
Women in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League were required to attend classes at charm school after their practices.
They were to project the image of the “All-American girl next door.”
To display their patriotism before each game, the girls would line up in V formation and sing The Star Spangled Banner.
They also showed their patriotic spirit by participating in exhibition games to benefit the Red Cross and they visited wounded soldiers.
V for Victory!
The patriotism and femininity, coupled with their athletic talents, gave our boys across the ocean motivation to carry on and come home.
A Favorite Pastime Diversion
With troops overseas fighting in World War II, girl’s baseball served as a good diversion for the American people.
600 girls were part of the first ever women’s professional sporting league.
To help the troops achieve victory in the war, Americans were asked to collect and recycle certain goods that would aid in the war effort.
The Victory Program
Americans were encouraged to save kitchen grease fat. The glycerin in the grease fat was used to make explosives for the war.
60 % of the world’s glycerin (contained in butter, oils, and soaps) came from Pacific areas before the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor
With Japan in control of these Pacific areas, American troops had to look elsewhere for the glycerin needed to make explosives
This shortage of butter, oils, and soaps caused these items to be on the ration list in America.
The military looked to housewives to collect grease fats for the glycerin content.
The Waste Fat Collection Tin
Why Tin?
tin is the only metal not harmed by salt water
2 tin cans can be used to form a syrette (which was used to administer sedatives on the battlefield)
tin is used in airplanes for instrument panels and bearings
Can this cause……..
The Transformation
this?
Eventually, yes!
Waste fat
1lb of waste fat = 1/10 lb of glycerin
Glycerin
Glycerin mixed correctly with sulfuric acid and nitric acid will form nitroglycerin
Nitroglycerin
Used to make gun powder and dynamite
Boys and Girls Scouts as well as housewives took the collected waste fat to their local butcher and received $.04 per lb. for their efforts. Butchers transferred the waste fat to the soldiers.
A Different Necessity
Fats/oils are reacted with alcohol(methanol), using a strong alkaline catalyst (sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide)
This yields mono-alkyl methyl esters (biodiesel) and glycerin
Today there is a huge push for the conservation of animal fats and cooking oils to be used in biodiesel fuel.
No need for microwaved grease!
Microwaved bacon will produce an unstable oil. High temperatures used in microwave heat release toxic chemicals that damage the oil altering the chemical make-up.
Home Soil Patriots
Saving waste fats was just one way that Americans at home were able to help the war efforts overseas. Through these and many different efforts, a country became united in its support for their troops.