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Those Who Died That Others Might Be Free

 

World War II Hero of the Minor Leagues 

 

Ordway Cisgen

Date and Place of Birth: August 20, 1920 Lorain, Ohio
Date and Place of Death: July 11, 1944 France
Baseball Experience: Minor League
Position: Pitcher (Left-handed)
Rank: First Lieutenant
Military Unit: US Army
Area Served: European Theater of Operations

Ordway Cisgen was a 6-foot-6, hard-throwing lefthander who seemed destined for a crack at the major leagues.

Ordway Cisgen was born in Lorain, Ohio about 30 miles west of Cleveland on August 20, 1920. He attended Garfield Elementary School, Hawthorne Junior High School, and was a graduate of Lorain High School.

"I knew Ordway ever since I was a child," recalls Alex Olejko, the former mayor of Lorain. "We grew up in the same neighborhood. Ordway was always mild-mannered. He was a good kid, an excellent student, and a great ball player."  ¹

During his high school years Cisgen played sandlot baseball and also played with the Lorain Elks, which was a premiere team of 15-16 year-olds and won three City Class D League championships (1936-37-38). "He was a good pitcher and hitter due to his being so tall," says Olejko. ²

Following high school graduation Cisgen signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees. At the beginning of the 1940 season he was assigned to the Easton Yankees of the Eastern Shore League, and made a couple of appearances before being released to the Butler Yankees of the Penn State Association. He finished the season with the Ashland Colonels of the Mountain State League where he recorded a 6-4 won-loss record in 13 appearances.

The 20-year-old was back with Easton at the start of 1941 but control problems saw him released to the Fremont Green Sox of the Ohio State League where he was 9-6 with the league champions.

In the fall of 1941, Cisgen was purchased by Cleveland and assigned to the Charleston Senators of the Middle Atlantic League. He recorded an excellent 2.35 ERA in 13 appearances with the Senators and finished the year with the Utica Braves in the Canadian-American League.

Before the summer was out, Cisgen was in military uniform. He served at Camp Perry, Ohio where he pitched for the post team.³ He was later commissioned and was among the early invading contingents at Normandy in 1944. First Lieutenant Cisgen was killed in action in France on July 11, 1944.

"I had the chance to see Ordway once when he came back to Lorain in uniform [before going overseas] to visit his family," remembers Olejko. "Soon after that, we heard the devastating news of his death. I can clearly remember how broken up his family was at this untimely loss.

"Ordway Cisgen was always a gentleman and a superior athlete. I am proud to have known Ordway and to have had the opportunity to play against such a great man." ⁴

Ordway Cisgen was deservedly inducted in the Lorain (Ohio) Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. ⁵

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Notes

1 Correspondence, Alex Olejko 1995
2 ibid
3 Lorain (Ohio) Sports Hall of Fame
4 Correspondence, Alex Olejko 1995
5 Lorain (Ohio) Sports Hall of Fame

 

Added July 15, 2006

Copyright © 2007 Gary Bedingfield (Baseball in Wartime). All Rights Reserved.