The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II

by Anne R. Keene, Claudia Williams (Foreword by)

Overview

In 1943, while the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals were winning pennants and meeting in that year's World Series, one of the nation's strongest baseball teams practiced on a skinned-out college field in the heart of North Carolina. Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky, and Johnny Sain were among a cadre of fighter-pilot cadets who wore the Cloudbuster Nine baseball jersey at an elite Navy training school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In this spirited Field of Dreams-like father-daughter account, author Anne R. Keene opens with a story about her father, Jim Raugh, who suited up as the team batboy and mascot. He got to know his baseball heroes personally, watching players hit the road on cramped, tin-can buses, dazzling factory workers, kids, and service members at dozens of games, including a war-bond exhibition against Babe Ruth's team at Yankee Stadium.

Jimmy followed his baseball dreams as a college All-American, but was crushed later in life by a failed major-league bid with the Detroit Tigers. He would have carried this story to his grave had Anne not discovered his scrapbook from a Navy school that shaped America's greatest heroes including George H. W. Bush, Gerald Ford, John Glenn, Paul "Bear" Bryant, and John Wooden.

With the help of rare images and insights from World War II baseball veterans such as Dr. Bobby Brown and Eddie Robinson, the story of this remarkable team is brought to life for the first time in The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683583622
Publisher:	Sports Publishing LLC
Publication date:	04/21/2020
Pages:	408
Sales rank:	33,734
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Anne R. Keene is an Austin, Texas-based writer who focuses on narrative nonfiction. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Journalism, she began her professional career working as a speechwriter on Capitol Hill.  Keene’s work has appeared in the New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Raleigh News & Observer and many other major newspapers. The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win WWII, was a finalist for the Casey Award for the “Best Baseball Book” of 2018. Keene is a recognized voice of America’s surviving major league players who served in the Second World War, and speaks about military baseball to major league baseball organizations and fan clubs, Naval Academy alumni chapters, as well as historical and civic organizations nationwide.

Claudia Williams is the last surviving child of Ted Williams. She penned a loving and forthright memoir, Ted Williams, My Father. As the daughter of a World War II and Korean Conflict Marine combat pilot, and one of the greatest athletes who ever lived, Claudia strives to inspire future generations with examples of the courage and principles that her father exhibited his entire life.

Table of Contents

Prologue: Babe's Yanklands versus the Navy Pilots, July 28, 1943 vii

Introduction xv

Foreword Claudia Williams xix

Part I May 11, 1943

Chapter 1 The "Baseball Squad" 3

Chapter 2 The Comeback Kid 7

Chapter 3 Ration-League Baseball 11

Part II The Trunk

Chapter 4 A Trunk Holding Secrets 27

Chapter 5 The Size of a Dream 31

Chapter 6 My New Friend Ted 39

Chapter 7 A Dream Team 43

Chapter 8 A Train to Durham 56

Chapter 9 The Last Living Player 68

Chapter 10 A Batboy's Perspective 86

Chapter 11 Ted Who? 90

Part III The World's most Difficult Training Program

Chapter 12 The Pre-Flight Spark 97

Chapter 13 Tom Hamilton, The Fighting American 101

Chapter 14 Winning the One Big Game 115

Part IV The Right Stuff

Chapter 15 The Right-Stuff Culture 125

Chapter 16 Caldwell Hall-The Theory of Flight 128

Chapter 17 The Fathers of Survival Training 132

Part V Graham's Field of Dreams

Chapter 18 When The Navy Marched into Chapel Hill 143

Part VI Playing Baseball Military Style

Chapter 19 Walking Billboards for Baseball and That Ain't All 165

Chapter 20 The Season Continues 178

Chapter 21 Babe's Last At-Bat-The Yanklands 195

Part VII Graduation

Chapter 22 Ted's Next Station 211

Chapter 23 A Cloudbusters Reunion in Hawaii 232

Chapter 24 The Nine-After the War and the .5 Percent 243

Chapter 25 Extra Innings 254

Part VIII Always a Baseball Player

Chapter 26 The Love of the Game 265

Chapter 27 Longing for the Old Leaguer 279

Epilogue: Forever a Batboy 287

Afterword 290

Appendix-Major-League Players Who Trained at Chapel Hill during World War II 296

Acknowledgments 314

Bibliography 321

Photo credits 341

Index 342

Editorial Reviews

Anne Keene’s remarkable The Cloudbuster Nine is a terrific piece of research into a forgotten corner of American history—a place where the myths of major league baseball intersect with the myths of the Second World War. It is also a place inhabited by her own father, who becomes the myth that ties it all together. An excellent read!"

—S. C. GWYNNE, author of New York Times bestsellers Empire of the Summer Moon and Rebel Yell

“My father Ted Williams firmly believed, ‘Perfection is attainable if you dare to work hard enough.’ I applaud Anne Keene for capturing the untold historical facts of the first group of men who were sent to Chapel Hill for this pathbreaking Naval aviation training program. Coupled with fantastic photos (many of which I had never seen of my father), the stories come to life with amazement in The Cloudbuster Nine.”

—CLAUDIA WILLIAMS, author, Ted Williams, My Father

"In Anne Keene's quest to learn about the “gods of baseball” shadowed by her father as a child at the Pre-Flight School, she uncovers an unexplored world and teaches us about the largely-overlooked athletic training programs of the Second World War. Well-written and impeccably researched, this captivating book offers new insights into the training that forged some of the most fabled members of the “Greatest Generation.” The Cloudbuster Nine opens a new window into baseball that would appeal to any military buff, and to readers looking for a compelling family memoir."

—BILL NOWLIN, author or editor of more than seventy books on baseball including Ted Williams at War

"This is a powerful and true account of some of the greatest players who ever played the game and their naval aviation training that helped win WWII. The journey of the Cloudbusters batboy is another central element of the book that will stir the emotions of anyone who ever dreamed or tried to play in the big leagues. If you are a coach or a parent who aims to motivate the next generation of players, read this book."

—MIKE CAPPS, radio broadcaster of the Round Rock Express, Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and former CNN correspondent

"Baseball fans—both avid and casual—will devour this book like a stadium hot dog. Keene's previously untold story of The Cloudbuster Nine, an unlikely team of Navy pilots-in-training, headlined by the great Ted Williams, is a master stroke of research. It is also a highly readable portrait of a time when Americans pulled together for a greater cause. Interwoven in the main narrative about heroes-on-the-diamond is the poignant story of Keene's father, the team batboy, who wanted nothing more than a baseball career and lived a life of bitter regret. Her skills as a storyteller will make the reader taste the Gulden's mustard on their hot dogs and hear the crack of every bat. Riveting!"

—KATHRYN SMITH, journalist and author of The Gatekeeper: Missy LeHand, FDR, and the Untold Story of the Partnership That Defined a Presidency

“The Cloudbuster Nine brings to life a long-overlooked piece of baseball and World War II history. It’s an amazing oral history that tells an important story about how our cultural fabric of baseball was intertwined with the spirit and character of men in uniform during our greatest conflict. It is so well written and researched that I couldn’t put it down.”

—C. PAUL ROGERS III, co-writer of four baseball books, including Lucky Me, My Sixty-Five Years in Baseball with Eddie Robinson

“A previously untold tale of a time when playing the game was second to service to one’s country. It’s also a story of a daughter who comes to fully understand her father’s love of that game and his disappointment that he never achieved his dream to remain a part of it. A great read wrapped around two of my loves – aviation and baseball.”

—Lt. Gen. ROBERT “BOOMER” MILSTEAD JR, USMC (RET.)

“An important story enriched by solid research and authorial commitment.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“This book should be read by anyone who enjoys reading about baseball, military stories, World War II history—or even just good stories. It is truly a wonderful piece of work.”—LANCE SMITH, The Guy Who Reviews Sports Books blog

"Baseball combined with World War II has given us some incredible stories to reflect on. Stories of unimaginable bravery and heroism from citizen/athlete soldiers. Anne Keene’s The Cloudbuster Nine adds a new dimension to the story. A beautifully told, family-related adventure about Ted Williams— one of the game’s biggest names—and the Chapel Hill Cloudbusters—one of the game’s least-known teams. Written with passion and tension, The Cloudbuster Nine is a must-read for anyone who loves their baseball with a twist of nostalgia."

—GARY BEDINGFIELD, British WWII baseball historian who founded Baseball in Wartime network

“Anne Keene’s remarkable The Cloudbuster Nine is a terrific piece of research into a forgotten corner of American history—a place where the myths of major league baseball intersect with the myths of the Second World War. It is also a place inhabited by her own father, who becomes the myth that ties it all together. An excellent read!"

—S. C. GWYNNE, author of New York Times bestsellers Empire of the Summer Moon and Rebel Yell

“My father Ted Williams firmly believed, ‘Perfection is attainable if you dare to work hard enough.’ I applaud Anne Keene for capturing the untold historical facts of the first group of men who were sent to Chapel Hill for this pathbreaking Naval aviation training program. Coupled with fantastic photos (many of which I had never seen of my father), the stories come to life with amazement in The Cloudbuster Nine.”

—CLAUDIA WILLIAMS, author, Ted Williams, My Father

"In Anne Keene's quest to learn about the “gods of baseball” shadowed by her father as a child at the Pre-Flight School, she uncovers an unexplored world and teaches us about the largely-overlooked athletic training programs of the Second World War. Well-written and impeccably researched, this captivating book offers new insights into the training that forged some of the most fabled members of the “Greatest Generation.” The Cloudbuster Nine opens a new window into baseball that would appeal to any military buff, and to readers looking for a compelling family memoir."

—BILL NOWLIN, author or editor of more than seventy books on baseball including Ted Williams at War

"This is a powerful and true account of some of the greatest players who ever played the game and their naval aviation training that helped win WWII. The journey of the Cloudbusters batboy is another central element of the book that will stir the emotions of anyone who ever dreamed or tried to play in the big leagues. If you are a coach or a parent who aims to motivate the next generation of players, read this book."

—MIKE CAPPS, radio broadcaster of the Round Rock Express, Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and former CNN correspondent

"Baseball fans—both avid and casual—will devour this book like a stadium hot dog. Keene's previously untold story of The Cloudbuster Nine, an unlikely team of Navy pilots-in-training, headlined by the great Ted Williams, is a master stroke of research. It is also a highly readable portrait of a time when Americans pulled together for a greater cause. Interwoven in the main narrative about heroes-on-the-diamond is the poignant story of Keene's father, the team batboy, who wanted nothing more than a baseball career and lived a life of bitter regret. Her skills as a storyteller will make the reader taste the Gulden's mustard on their hot dogs and hear the crack of every bat. Riveting!"

—KATHRYN SMITH, journalist and author of The Gatekeeper: Missy LeHand, FDR, and the Untold Story of the Partnership That Defined a Presidency

“The Cloudbuster Nine brings to life a long-overlooked piece of baseball and World War II history. It’s an amazing oral history that tells an important story about how our cultural fabric of baseball was intertwined with the spirit and character of men in uniform during our greatest conflict. It is so well written and researched that I couldn’t put it down.”

—C. PAUL ROGERS III, co-writer of four baseball books, including Lucky Me, My Sixty-Five Years in Baseball with Eddie Robinson

“A previously untold tale of a time when playing the game was second to service to one’s country. It’s also a story of a daughter who comes to fully understand her father’s love of that game and his disappointment that he never achieved his dream to remain a part of it. A great read wrapped around two of my loves – aviation and baseball.”

—Lt. Gen. ROBERT “BOOMER” MILSTEAD JR, USMC (RET.)

“An important story enriched by solid research and authorial commitment.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“This book should be read by anyone who enjoys reading about baseball, military stories, World War II history—or even just good stories. It is truly a wonderful piece of work.”—LANCE SMITH, The Guy Who Reviews Sports Books blog

"Baseball combined with World War II has given us some incredible stories to reflect on. Stories of unimaginable bravery and heroism from citizen/athlete soldiers. Anne Keene’s The Cloudbuster Nine adds a new dimension to the story. A beautifully told, family-related adventure about Ted Williams— one of the game’s biggest names—and the Chapel Hill Cloudbusters—one of the game’s least-known teams. Written with passion and tension, The Cloudbuster Nine is a must-read for anyone who loves their baseball with a twist of nostalgia."

—GARY BEDINGFIELD, British WWII baseball historian who founded Baseball in Wartime network

From the Publisher

2018-04-03
A thoroughly researched but somewhat cluttered account of Ted Williams and other professional baseball players who enlisted in the military in World War II and also managed to play some baseball.In her debut, Keene, a trained journalist and former Capitol Hill speechwriter, recounts how she stumbled across this story in 2013 when, going through some things that had belonged to her late father, a former minor leaguer and lifelong baseball fan, she found materials relating to the Cloudbuster Nine. Her father had been the batboy for this Navy team undergoing their preflight training in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a team that featured, among others, Red Sox standouts Ted Williams and Johnny Pesky. But the author has more than one story to tell (despite the focus suggested by her subtitle). She narrates the sad arc of her father's baseball biography, the development of the preflight training regimen, the lives of many others involved in the program, her own immersion in the sport (which came much later in her life), her research, and her interviews of some elderly sources and some descendants of her principals. Her research is exhaustive and impressive, but the work suffers from all her work, as well. It appears that Keene struggled with what she needed to include or exclude. As a result, the narrative continually takes offramps to stories and facts the author unearthed, information which, though sometimes interesting, often serves as a distraction. Keene also often employs conventional and even clichéd expressions—e.g., "an unshakable bond," "fit him like a glove." Still, the story she has found is historically significant, and she does not neglect the fact that many professional athletes enlisted in the military and that very few do so today.An important story enriched by solid research and authorial commitment but weakened by excess.

Kirkus Reviews