Navy Commissions Warship Called USS Cooperstown In NYC Ceremony

It’s not just a warship but a floating version of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The USS Cooperstown, commissioned in New York Harbor Saturday, honors 27 U.S. Navy veterans with replicas of their Hall of Fame plaques in staterooms, a display case with baseball and naval artifacts, and murals and signs depicting their military service and sacrifice.

The 27 Navy vets are among the 70 Hall of Famers – more than 20 per cent of the elected membership of 342 – who interrupted their careers to serve in the military during wartime, from the Civil War through both World Wars and the Korean Conflict.

Military uniforms and medals worn by Hall of Famers are already displayed in Cooperstown, the Central New York hamlet that has been home to the baseball museum since 1939.

The USS Cooperstown has a speed that exceeds 40 knots, a flight deck that is one-and-a-half times other American warships, hanger space for two MH-60 helicopters, and accommodations for 98 sailors. It is 387 feet long.

“We are honored to carry the name Cooperstown into the fleet,” said Cmdr. Daxton Moore, commanding officer of the sleek warship. “The commissioning is a proud moment for all of us, made possible by the tireless efforts of our dedicated crew.”

Speakers at the event also included New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, Hall of Fame Chairman Jane Forbes Clark, and Hall of Famers Joe Torre and Johnny Bench, both veterans themselves. Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch also participated.

“Baseball brings us together at a difficult time,” said Torre, who managed the Yankees to four world championships.

He mentioned that The Star-Spangled Banner became a national tradition in 1918, long before it became the national anthem, because it was played during the World Series. He also praised the “Green Light Letter” penned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis urging that baseball should keep going during World War II as a morale booster.

Torre, a former batting champion and MVP who later worked for the Commissioner of Baseball, also praised President George W. Bush for throwing out the first ball at a World Series game during a time of crisis – immediately after the World Trade Center attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Torre said Derek Jeter, then a player en route to the Hall of Fame, told Bush to stand on the mound when making his pitch to avoid possible boos from the crowd.

Although brother Frank made the majors before Joe, brother Rocco did not, Torre revealed.

“He dreamed of playing baseball but joined the Navy instead and served in World War II.”

So did Yogi Berra, a gunner’s mate in Normandy who won a Purple Heart when wounded on D-Day, and Stan Musial, whose wartime military service was sandwiched between MVP seasons in 1943 and 1946.

“He credited his power stroke to entertaining fellow servicemen,” said Torre, like Musial a star player for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Before he was traded to the Cards, Torre played for the Atlanta Braves when Eddie Mathews was there. “I looked up to him as a World War II veteran,” Torre said. “And later, as a manager, I valued the players who put the good of the team ahead of their personal good.

“When people look at the USS Cooperstown, I hope they think of the players whose sacrifice made it possible.”

The ship, built by Lockheed Martin
LMT
and Fincantiere Marinette Marine in Marinette, WI, was launched on Jan. 19, 2019, christened on Feb. 29, 2020, and delivered to the U.S. Navy on Sept. 20, 2022 after completing acceptance trials.

As an LCS (littoral combat ship), it features fast, agile, mission-focused platforms designed to operate in shallow waters close to shore – called littorals — against 21st-century adversaries.

The Navy estimated last year that it will cost more than $60 billion to operate and support the 35 LCS it plans to build, including the 17 already delivered.

“LCS 23 honors the baseball greats who, in service of our nation, sacrificed their baseball careers for us,” said Del Toro of the USS Cooperstown. “I have full confidence that the officers and crew of this great ship will continue to honor their legacy.”

The crew hosted a week-long series of events honoring the ship, its namesake, and the baseball community it honors.

Among the Hall of Famers who served in the Navy during wartime were the legendary Ted Williams, who served in both World War II and Korea, and Bob Feller, who won eight battle stars while serving as tail gunner aboard the USS Alabama. Williams flew a combined 37 combat missions while Feller missed four seasons to serve in the Navy, enlisting after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn, an Army veteran who served in World War II, was the only player in any branch of the U.S. armed forces to win a battlefield commission during the conflict.

When not deployed, the USS Cooperstown will be berthed in Mayport, FL.