The CloudBuster Nine Home Conversations Locations Reviews History Author CONTACT Welcome Home Conversations Locations Reviews History Author CONTACT Welcome The CloudBuster Nine Home Conversations Locations Reviews History Author CONTACT Welcome Buy now Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky, and Johnny Sain were among a cadre of fighter-pilot cadets who wore the Cloudbuster Nine baseball jersey at an elite Navy training school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Anne Keene's father, Jim Raugh, suited up as the team batboy and mascot. He got to know his baseball heroes personally, watching players hit the road on cramped, tin-can buses, dazzling factory workers, kids, and service members at dozens of games, including a War Bond exhibition with Babe Ruth at Yankee Stadium. Jimmy followed his baseball dreams as a college All American but was crushed later in life by a failed major-league bid with the Detroit Tigers. He would have carried this story to his grave had Anne not discovered his scrapbook from a Navy school that shaped America's Greatest Generation heroes including Presidents George H. W. Bush and Gerald Ford, Marine and astronaut John Glenn, and Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Buy now Learn more about this untold story Available for purchase at “A terrific piece of research into a forgotten corner of American history ... An excellent read!” — S.C. GWYNNE, author of New York Times bestsellers Rebel Yell and Empire of the Summer Moon, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize “The Cloudbuster Nine is a superb historic read that will inspire athletically gifted young men to also Patriotically Fly in Naval Aviation.” — DAN PEDERSEN, author of Topgun: An American Story “Best Seller in Sports Essays” — Amazon “If you like history and baseball, this is a solid read.” — New York Post Also mentioned in these publications historY Jimmy Rough flanked by Ted Williams and Johnny Pesky. Public relations officers kept professional athletes busy with staged photo-ops to boost recruiting and morale. This image landed in The Sporting News, making its way to the U.S. forces in the Pacific. Wilson Library at UNC has housed thousands of iconic images for more than 75 years. Ted Drake brought Comic Book culture to life. Every Pre-Flight station employed cartoonists and artists who brought this brazen Comic Book culture to life. Ted Drake, who designed the Fighting Irish and the Chicago Bulls logos was stationed at Iowa. The Navy commissioned thousands of linen post cards, collectable game programs, and beautiful murals currently housed at the Navy Museum in Washington. Bear” Bryant and baseball coach and head survival instructor Don Kepler Pre-Flight friendships lasted a lifetime. “Bear” Bryant and baseball coach and head survival instructor Don Kepler met for lunch when Bryant travelled to Penn State for games. President Gerald Ford reconnected with Navy buddies on the campaign trail, and Ted Williams was pictured in LIFE magazine with his Pre-Flight roommate before he shipped out to Korea. Unseen letters and pictures tell this story that slipped past the media. about the Author Anne R. KeeneAnne’s work has appeared in The New York Times, the Austin American-Statesman, the Raleigh News & Observer and a host of national sports publications. The Cloudbuster Nine was a finalist for the CASEY Award for the “Best Baseball Book of 2018.” She has spoken at the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, major league ballparks, libraries, Rotaries, SABR and Naval Academy Chapters nationwide. Anne is currently interviewing the last surviving MLB players who served in World War II. She is a graduate of the School of Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and resides in Austin with her family.Visit annerkeene.com to read about conversations with players and learn more about Anne, her works, and her speaking events. Contact Us to Order An Autographed Copy Name * First Name Last Name Email * Thank you! Back To Top Privacy Policy [email protected] By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. We use cookies to provide you with a great experience and to help our website run effectively.