World War II affected baseball as it did every segment of American society. The ultimate tragedy, of course, was the loss of life. Baseball felt that sting through the war-related deaths of Elmer Gedeon, Harry O'Neill, and others. Disabling injuries also brought home their toll as evidenced by the shortened careers of players such as Cecil Travis and Phil Marchildon.

   Another result was the ascendance of career minor-leaguers to the majors while the regulars were off to war. Pete Gray, Roy Talcott, and Bill Webb exemplify the long list of those who entertained the home folks while the stars were overseas or serving stateside. The stars themselves and other major league regulars who entered military service lost years, records, and money to the war. Who knows what streaks, peaks, and honors would have been attained if Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Bob Feller, and many others had not given their best years for the sake of freedom?

   The final group of players affected by the war is not as well known as the others and few of their names can be recalled. But these were the players who had played in the minor leagues before war was declared, spent time in service, and returned too old to keep up with their younger rivals. After a season or two of riding the buses between Class C and D towns, they chose to leave the game and make a living. One such person was Nino Briscuso.

   A right-handed pitcher who averaged fourteen wins a season during his three full years in professional baseball, Nino was also a good enough hitter to play in the outfield when he wasn't pitching. But timing was his adversary as his career peaked during the post-war explosion of minor league baseball. In 1949 over four hundred teams in fifty-nine minor leagues made room for over 15,000 players, most of whom were younger than Nino and as determined to make the big leagues as many of them had been to destroy the enemy a few years earlier. In his late twenties and about to be married, Nino's baseball career reached its end.

   Twenty-seven years earlier, on April 27, 1922, Nino Thomas Briscuso was born of Italian immigrants in Washington, D.C. Athletically gifted in his youth, he starred as a pitcher for Wilson High School in Washington, achieving the distinction of being the first player in Washington high school history to pitch every inning of every inter-high game for his school. As one of five children of a waiter at Washington's Mayflower Hotel, he was offered an athletic scholarship from Mt. St. Mary's College but chose to enter the world of professional baseball.

   A letter of recommendation from former Washington Senator first baseman Joe Judge to another former Senator, Wes Ferrell, resulted in Nino's being signed by the Staunton Presidents of the Class D Virginia League. That stay was a brief one, however, as the country quickly geared up in the early days of the war, and Nino enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard. His first and only military assignment - overseas duty on the attack transport USS Cavalier.

   During the heaviest and most prolonged fighting in the South Pacific, the Cavalier participated in many of the Navy's island landings, including Eniwetok, Saipan, Tinian, and Leyte. On January 30, 1945, while off Manila Bay, the Cavalier was struck by a torpedo, suffering heavy damage and injuries to her crew. Towed for repairs, the Cavalier's fighting days ended as the war continued to its end.

   Following his discharge from the Coast Guard in February of 1946, Nino briefly attended Mt. St. Mary's College but baseball won out as he accepted a call to join the St. Louis Browns organization. The now 25-year old was assigned to Baton Rouge in the Class D Evangeline League. Pitching full-time and playing outfield on the side, Nino was his seventh-place team's pitching leader as he ended the season with a 15-11 record and a 3.15 ERA. With a salary of eighty dollars a month and another twenty for room and board, he found that the glory days of the minors were anything but glorious for the players.

   The 1948 season marked Nino's first promotion in professional baseball as he was assigned to Aberdeen of the Class C Northern League. A maturing group of young players under the leadership of former Giant outfielder James "Doc" Crandall finished fourth in the league. Once again Nino won fifteen games, and this time he shared mound leadership with a nineteen-year old fireballer named Don Larsen whom he found to be a likeable and adventuresome teammate.

   1948 also brought tragedy to the Northern League when, on July 24th, five members of the Duluth Dukes were killed and another 13 injured in a collision between the Dukes' bus and a truck near St. Paul, Minnesota. The fatalities included Duluth manager George Treadwell, four of the team's players, and the driver of the truck. With only one healthy player left on the active roster, replacement players were obtained from each of the other teams in the league. Despite the tragedy, Duluth finished their star-crossed season in fifth place.

   The 1949 season found Nino in Class B baseball with Wichita Falls of the Big State League. Spending most of his time as a reliever, he finished the season with an 11-10 record on a first-place team. However, his earned run average increased to 4.94 in a hitters' league and a higher level of competition.

   With spring training of 1950 approaching, Nino was told to report to the San Antonio team in the AA Texas League. At 28, though, he knew that the Browns' limited talent pool included future stars Ned Garver, Larsen, and Bob Turley in addition to other younger and stronger arms. A career with St. Louis or any other major league team was unlikely at best. An added component in the picture was the presence of Jean Van Wagner, a young lady who would become Mrs. Briscuso later that year. In Nino's words, "I would have stayed in the game if I hadn't hurt my hand and met my wife."

   A bride, the prospect of a family, and the limited income of a minor leaguer drove Nino to the decision to leave baseball and enter the business world. Four children joined the family and they were supported by Nino's dry cleaning business and, later, a flower and gift shop. Eventually he would join his brother's construction company as an engineer and he still continues his association the firm 34 years later. Now semi-retired, Nino lives in the Chesapeake Bay area. His time is consumed with maintaining a 15-handicap golf score and by watching baseball on television as he celebrates the annual World Series victories of his beloved Yankees.

   Over fifty years have passed since Nino, also known as Nick and Tony during his playing days, stood on the mound in earnest. While his strong right arm has long since left the diamonds of Louisiana, South Dakota, and Texas, his heart remains on the field. Like so many of the players of his day, his prevailing thought continues to be "I loved the game so much". A few regrets, but no bitterness remains for the man who fought the ultimate fight for his country and came back to play the game of little boys grown tall. During the remaining years of his life Nino continued to follow baseball, maintaining "I loved the game so much." He passed away at age 84, on November 9, 2006, in Kent Island, Maryland. He leaves a legacy of three great loves – his family, his country, and baseball.