Roberto Clemente, Marine Corps
Hall of Fame outfielder Roberto Clemente enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in the winter prior to the 1959 season, and served his six-month active duty commitment at bases in South Carolina, North Carolina and Washington, D.C.
The rigorous Marine Corps training programs helped Clemente physically; he added strength by gaining ten pounds and said his back troubles (caused by being in a 1954 auto accident, see below) had disappeared.
Jesse Ventura, Navy SEAL
Officially born as James George Janos, the man we all know as Jesse Venutra enlisted into the United States Navy and joined the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) after graduating from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) school. Although Ventura never completed the extra 26 weeks of training to become a SEAL, the UDTs were broken apart and combined with the SEAL teams after Vietnam.
Ventura claims that UDTs simply refer to themselves as SEALs due to the restructuring. Despite his membership with Underwater Demolition Team 12, Ventura never saw combat during Vietnam although he did receive the Vietnam Service Medal.
Mike Anderson, Marine Corps
The man who brought the “Mile High Salute” to the NFL, former Denver Broncos’ running back Mike Anderson spent four years in the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating high school.
It was there that he was spotted as a potential football prospect. Anderson was playing for the 11th Marines contact football team when he was offered the chance to play at Mt. San Jacinto Junior College, which led to an opportunity at the University of Utah, which gave him the credibility to eventually become a starting running back in the NFL.
Rocky Bleier, Army
Best known for being the running mate (literally) for Pittsburgh Steelers’ running back Franco Harris, fellow running back Rocky Bleier has been drafted to the Army in December of 1968 (which was his rookie season), and sent to Vietnam in May 1969.
Bleier recovered from gunshot and grenade injuries for which he received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, and returned to the Steelers after his service. After becoming a starter in 1974, he went on to win four Super Bowl rings with Pittsburgh.
Whitey Ford, Army
Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford missed the 1951 and 1952 seasons while serving in the Army during the Korean War. Once he returned to baseball, Ford would go on to become a ten-time MLB All-Star and six-time World Series champion.
In 1961, Ford won both the Cy Young Award and World Series Most Valuable Player Award. He led the American League in wins three times and in earned run average twice. The Yankees retired Ford’s uniform number 16 in his honor.