Sunday, March 30, 2014

Free Chicago Cubs Tickets during World War II

 We believe that many people who would like to enjoy the great American game of baseball, have, for one reason or another, never had the opportunity to get out to the ball park.  Therefore, we would like to send you two FREE tickets to Wrigley Filed at our expense.  If you are interested, simply fill out the attached return card and drop it in the mail.
- Chicago Cubs

The reply card (the bottom 'tear off' half of the two postcards shown) is pre-addressed to the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois with a one cent Martha Washington printed stamp.

This was postmarked on May 25, 1942 from Chicago, Illinois with a prepaid one cent Washington stamp.

Below is the other side of these two postcards....
Top Postcard:

An Invitation from
Chicago Cubs

Bottom Postcard: (A questionnaire on a reply postal card that tears off to be returned to the Cubs)

1. About how many major league games have you seen in the last three years?
2. Have you seen any night baseball games
3.  Do you prefer day or night baseball
4. Now and then, can you get away on a week-day afternoon to relax and enjoy yourself?
5. If you were going to a Cub game, what would be the most convent time for the game to start? 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 or 5:00 PM
6. If the Cubs played "Twilight" ball, what time would you want it tot start? 6:00 or 7:00 PM
7. As far as you are concerned, what is the best time for Cub Saturday afternoon games to start? 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 or 5:00 PM

After you have answered the above questions, fill in your name and address below.  You Will Be Mailed 2 Free Tickets for a Cub Game at Wrigley Field.

This card is void unless mailed by May 26, 1942.

**Please note, the day it was sent to them was May 25! So they had to fill this out by the next day to get their free tickets. Also, this is five months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

- - -

Major League Baseball during World War II:

The onset of World War II created a significant shortage of professional baseball players, as more than 500 men left MLB teams to serve in the military.  Also, wartime blackout restrictions, designed to keep outdoor lighting at low levels, caused another problem for baseball. These rules limited traveling and night games to the point that the 1942 season nearly had to be cancelled. On January 14, 1942, MLB Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis wrote a letter to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and pleaded for the continuation of baseball during the war in hopes for a start of a new major league season. President Roosevelt responded, "I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going. There will be fewer people unemployed and everybody will work longer hours and harder than ever before. And that means that they ought to have a chance for recreation and for taking their minds off their work even more than before."  So with the approval of President Roosevelt, spring training began in 1942. 

2 comments:

ONeal said...

What an interesting card. So glad to see a baseball-related topic. :) It's finally time for some 2014 baseball! Woo hoo!

Postcard Blogger said...

I thought you might like this postcard :D