Calvin Leavelle Dorsett of Lone Oak, Texas. Dorsett served in the Marine Corps from 1942 to 1945 in the Pacific and played baseball with the 2nd Marine Division.
← Return to the player directory

Cal Dorsett

Marine Corps Service

Calvin Leavelle “Cal” Dorsett became a United States Marine during World War II and spent the 1942 through 1945 baseball seasons in military service. Available accounts place him in the Pacific and associate him with the 2nd Marine Division baseball program.

Dorsett pitched alongside fellow major leaguers Jim Bivin and Bill Connelly in the Marine Corps championships. The team gave the division a formidable collection of professional pitching talent while its Marines were stationed in the Pacific.

The surviving public record does not establish Dorsett’s rank, recruit depot, decorations, or presence in a particular combat operation. Although the 2nd Marine Division fought at Saipan and Tinian and served as a floating reserve off Okinawa, membership on its baseball team is not sufficient evidence that Dorsett personally participated in those operations. This profile therefore limits his record to the service details that can be supported.

Baseball Career

Born in Lone Oak, Texas, on June 10, 1913, Dorsett was a six-foot right-handed pitcher known as “Preacher.” He began his professional career in 1937 and signed with Cleveland in 1940. Dorsett made his Major League debut on August 19, working one inning in relief against the Boston Red Sox.

Dorsett appeared in four games for Cleveland in 1940 and three more in 1941 before military service interrupted his career. He returned to professional baseball in 1946 and produced his finest season the following year with the Oklahoma City Indians. Dorsett went 15–10 with a 2.38 earned-run average, earning another opportunity with Cleveland.

His final Major League appearance came on September 14, 1947, against the Philadelphia Athletics. Across parts of three Major League seasons, Dorsett pitched in eight games, made two starts, and recorded six strikeouts in 13⅔ innings. His broader professional career lasted nine seasons and included a 79–77 minor-league record.

Later Life and Legacy

Dorsett continued pitching in the minor leagues through 1949. After leaving baseball, he managed a Dr Pepper bottling plant in Elk City, Oklahoma. He died there on October 22, 1970, at age 57.

Sources and Further Reading

  1. Major League Baseball, Cal Dorsett statistics and biographical data
  2. Baseball-Reference, Cal Dorsett Major League record
  3. BR Bullpen, Cal Dorsett biographical information
  4. Baseball Almanac, Jim Bivin obituary and 2nd Marine Division baseball team
  5. Marine Corps History and Museums Division, The 2d Marine Division and Its Regiments