High Card Aces

The High Card Aces was the baseball team of the 751st Field Artillery Battalion formed shortly after the end of the war in June of 1945. There were over 70 men that tried out for the team. Below is a list of the players that were on the team. This list was based off the sports page in the editions of the Battalion newsletter the Lanyard that were available at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. Photos of the boys playing baseball would be excellent if anyone would like to contribute some.

Managers - Lt. Francis R. McDonnell (HQ Battery)

Lt. Ferdinand L. Isberg (A Battery)

Lt. Wilson O. Ball (Service Battery)

SSgt. William "Bill" F. Cooper (HQ Battery)

Pitchers - Cpl. George Tassey (B Battery)

John Thomas Spulak (C Battery)

"Pop" Niilo Mattson (HQ Battery)

Rodolfo "Rudy" Paradez (B Battery)

SSgt Gennaro Servedio (HQ Battery)

Napolean "Nap" Irish (HQ Battery)

Catchers - James "Jim" McCawley (Caught in the Black and White League, C Battery)

Sgt. Harry Lynch (B Battery) (Photo courtesy Phil Servedio)

Anthony Riffle

Cpl. Dominick "Dom" A. Pepe (C Battery)

1st Base - Cpl. Michael "Mad Mike" Siscaretti (C Battery)

2nd Base - Rodolfo "Rudy" Paradez (B Battery)

3rd Base - Steve Gashus (A Battery)

Short Stop - Russ Peters (Played in the Mid-Atlantic League, A Battery)

Outfielders - Alex Rotelli (C Battery)

Joe Melanchek (Played in Mid-Atlantic League, A Battery)

Hank Geary (Coached at Cambria High School, graduated from Central College, C Battery)

Reserves - PFC John Dimarco (B Battery)

William Sherer (C Battery)

Cpl. John Minarczyk

Pvt. Neil Matheson (B Battery)

PFC John Henry (C Battery)

Sgt. William Petrone (A Battery)

Cpl. Albert Romano (A Battery)

Anthony "Shanty" Riffle (A Battery)

Tec 5 Martin R. Decker (A Battery)

"Indian" Joe Manatowa

Tec 5 William W. Dennin (HQ Battery)

Hal Bartell (HQ Battery)

Lt. Isom & Lt. Jober, Flieden, Germany, June '45