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March 1943. "Negro Marines prepare for action. Breaking a tradition of 167 years, the U.S. Marine Corps started enlisting Negroes on June 1, 1942. The first class of 1,200 Negro volunteers began their training three months later as members of the 51st Composite Defense Battalion at Montford Point, a section of the 200-square-mile Marine Base, Camp Lejeune, at New River, North Carolina. Evidence of the lack of racial friction may be seen in the sports program at the camp. On the baseball team Negro enlistees and white non-com officers are teammates. Camp Lejeune has its own baseball league, with the Montford Point team a strong contender for championship honors." Medium-format safety negative by Roger Smith for the Office of War Information. View full size.
My dad was stationed at Camp LeJeune from 1959-63. I went to the base elementary school for first through third grades, with both black and white students. Nothing about the base was divided by race. It was, however, a shock to go to anything off the base and find the Jim Crow laws in full effect. I remember waiting in a line at Sears, in Jacksonville, once, and noticing that there were four restrooms: colored ladies and men and white ladies and men. I was horrified!
That catcher doesn't need any pads. He's a MARINE.
He's positioned for a quick lethal bayonet parry and thrust. Hard to break USMC close combat training.
This picture looks pretty cool, but the batter would definitely look tougher if he were not positioned for a mere bunt.
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