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Those Who Died That Others Might Be Free

 

Ernie Holbrook

 

Date and Place of Birth: 1915 Los Angeles, California
Date and Place of Death: December 16, 1944 Belgium
Baseball Experience: Minor League
Position: First Base
Rank: Private
Military Unit: 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division US Army
Area Served: European Theater of Operations

 

Ernie Holbrook, former University of Southern California star athlete ... has been missing in action in Belgium since December 16, according to word received from the War Department, by his father in Los Angeles.

The Sporting News February 1, 1945

 

Ernest J "Ernie" Holbrook was born in 1915 at Los Angeles, California. The first baseman was a star athlete at the University of Southern California. He signed a professional contract with the Charlotte Hornets of the Piedmont League in 1935 where he batted .284 with 70 RBIs. In 1936 he was with the Rocky Mount Red Sox of the Piedmont League where he batted .214. In 1937 he was with Clarksdale and Mansfield.

 

The following year he returned to California to coach high school baseball teams. In 1943 he joined the coaching staff of USC and guided their basketball team to a 31-17 record.

 

Holbrook was in military service shortly afterwards and served with the 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division in Europe. Private Holbrook was reported missing in action in January 1945. It was later confirmed he had died in combat in Belgium on December 16, 1944. Holbrook was survived by his wife and young son who were living at the family home in Hermosa Beach, California. He is buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium.

USC still has The Ernie Holbrook Memorial Award, given annually to the team's most inspirational basketball player.

 

Thanks to Davis O Barker for help with this biography.

 

Added September 19, 2006. Updated January 23, 2008.

 

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