It’s called the ultimate sacrifice — soldiers who put on a uniform and die fighting for their country. Like anyone else serving in the military, famous athletes aren’t immune to the inherent dangers of combat.
From World War I to present-day conflicts, here’s a list of those who went to war and never came home.
10. Eddie Grant
For over three decades, a bronze plaque hung prominently on the centerfield fence of the Polo Grounds in New York City, honoring Eddie Grant with the inscription, “Soldier-Scholar-Athlete.” Both the original sign and legendary field are long gone, but Grant’s legacy continues to endure as the most prominent (and first) Major League Baseball player to be killed in action in World War I.
Born on May 21, 1883, Edward Leslie Grant was indeed a man for all seasons. He played both basketball and baseball while attending Harvard, where he later earned a law degree. Grant would eventually become a practicing attorney, but his skills on the baseball diamond earned “Harvard Eddie” his greatest notoriety. The third baseman enjoyed his best season in 1909, batting .269 as Philadelphia’s leadoff hitter and finishing second in the National League with 170 hits.
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