Joseph E. McCormick

Joseph E. McCormick, 68, of Springfield, died at 5:40 a.m. Friday, April 18, 2003 at St. John’s Hospice. Joseph was born May 8, 1934 in Cairo, IL the son of Joseph Edgar and Mary Thelma Wilson McCormick. He married Edie Zimmerman June 15, 1962 in Springfield. Joe McCormick was inducted into the United States Army on November 27, 1956 at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, MO. He was sent to Ft. Leonard Wood for assignment and then to Ft. Carson, CO for infantry training. His training comprised of learning the International Code, the use of teletypes, voice radio, long wire radio, encoding and decoding secret messages and other duties that had to do with the communications field. His next move was to Brooklyn Navy Yard where his group was loaded on the U.S. Navy Troopship the U.S.N.S. UPSHUR destined for the North Atlantic Seaport of Bremerhaven, Germany. His next stop was Mannheim, Germany here he was assigned to the 510th Tank Battalion an arm of the 7th United States Army Calvary. This group known as the 10th Calvary was known as the “Buffalo” Soldier that served in many theaters of operation with its most famous trooper being General of the Army John “Black Jack” Pershing. He performed duties such as serving on the extremely cold Russian border near Sweinfort, Germany, then heading southward towards Hitler’s Crossroads in Southern Germany to Baumholder, Germany closet to France. He marched the length of the country back up to the Bremerhaven seaport where the entire battalion was loaded on ships and sent along the Atlantic coast to Beirut, Lebanon. Once peace was established he then boarded the U.S. Liberty Ship “The General Elroy LeTinge” for the return trip to Germany. He was promoted to Sergeant of the communications platoon before being flown to New Foundland then to Ft. Sheridan for debriefing before his final destination to Ft. Leonard Wood for discharge. Mr. McCormick became interested in baseball at an early age in Cairo, IL where he sold Coke at the St. Louis Cardinal baseball games where they trained in 1944 due to the travel restrictions caused by the World War confrontation. During this time his next-door neighbor was a left-handed pitcher for the Washington Senators named Gene “Turkey” Curtis. Curtis on a number of occasions played catch with the left-handed Joe and encouraged him to get involved in baseball. Joe stated playing baseball in men’s leagues at the age of 14. At the age of 15 he was called into a game in relief and fact 15 batters and struck out all 15, which drew the attention of a number of major league scouts. After graduating from high school he immediately signed on to a professional baseball contract by Bill Veecke who owned to St. Louis Browns. He was sent to Oklahoma where he won 3 games while losing 4 as a rookie. The following year his contract was with the Gainesville Texas Club owed by the Chicago Cubs and he was used as a relief pitcher winning 2 games while losing 3 but accumulated 14 saves coming out of the bullpin. He was injured by a flying bat that struck his elbow and he never recovered his skills thus ending his professional career. He stayed active in the sport as recently as the late 1980’s when he managed the team in the Attorney General’s Office and for a five-year period his tem managed to win 50 games while losing 25. Jo also stayed active as an occasional pinch hitter and a fill in position player. At age 56 Joe when to bat 7 times and had 5 base hits for a .714 average. He served 19 years as a Public Information Officer and Spokesman for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office retiring in 2002. He spent 18 years at Fiat Allis Manufacturing Company in Springfield. There he served 11 years on the UAW Executive Board and was a charter member of the Local Union Press Association on the National Level. Mr. McCormick spent 2 terms of service with the Sangamon/Menard County Board of Directors as a member of the Program Design Committee of the Private Industry Council and also was a member of the Sangamon/Menard County Drug and Alcohol Committee. Mr. McCormick was a past member of the Professional Baseball Association of America with the St. Louis Browns American League Affiliates later playing with the Chicago Cubs. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Edie of Springfield; three daughters: Terri (husband, Jim) McKenna of Springfield; JoEllyn High of Springfield, Kelly (husband, Bob) Ford of Springfield; five grandchildren; three great grandchildren; one sister: Rosemary (husband, Richard, Sr.) Bergschneider; one brother: Jon (wife, Ruth Ann) McCormick of Springfield and several nieces and nephews. Private services will be held. Burial will be at Camp Butler National Cemetery where the Interveterans Burial Detail of Sangamon County will conduct military honors. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1305 W. Wabash, Suite J, Springfield, IL 62704 or St. John’s Hospital, Hospice Program 800 E. Carpenter, Springfield, IL 62702. The family of Joseph E. McCormick is being served by Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home 900 S. 6th St., Springfield.