The Brooklyn BomberBy Andrew Solano

The Brooklyn BomberThe Story of Leonard Frieze

By Andrew SolanoDenver, Colorado 2009

The following story is a fictional tale of Leonard Frieze a patient of

the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society ( JCRS) located in what is now

Lakewood, Colorado. The JCRS was a sanitorium that cared for

many people from around the world that suffered from tuberculosis.

The JCRS catered to anyone who contracted the disease, regardless

of religious background, and worked completely off donations from

the families of patients at the facility as well as people willing to

lend a helping hand.

7

The Brooklyn Bomber

May 10, 1935

I sit on the front of my steps and eagerly await the suns arrival,

hints of orange light make their way through the sea of purple

that fills the sky. I take in a deep breath, my eyes close as the

cool air makes its way into my chest and the sweet aroma of my

surroundings appease my senses, then slowly letting the air escape

from my lungs, a faint cloud develops as it hits the cool air. I had

almost forgotten what it’s was like to watch the sunrise, hearing

the birds sing their morning tune, as their soothing whistles carry

through the air, slowly bringing my neighborhood to life. The sun

slowly peeks out from behind the buildings in the distance. I take

in the morning, watching as the kids pass on their way to school

and listen to the slow rumble of car engines as others make their

way to work. My goal for the day is just to enjoy the city one last

time. Time inches by as I get ready, by 8 o’clock the warm air greets

me on my front steps.

The neighborhood takes me where it wants as I saunter down the

sidewalk. Going from block to block I taking in the sights of my

city and all the little things that only someone from there would

be able to appreciate. Mr. Romano handing all the kids a nickel

each as they passed his house on the way to school like he used to

do when I was a kid. Or seeing Mrs. Moretti knitting on her porch

while Mr. Moretti sits next to her reading the paper. Seeing the

night shift nurses at Kingsbrook Medical Center exchange stories

with the girls coming in for the morning shift. There was nothing

like passing Mr. Clemente on Winthorp when he was playing his

harmonica, I could listen to him play his harmonica all day and

never get bored with tapping my foot to the rhythm.

I take in a deep breath

S l o w l y l e t t i n g t h e a i r e s c a p e f r o m m y l u n g s .

My feet lead me to the block of my favorite diner Sam’s. The food

never tasted so good, the perfectly cooked golden pancakes filled

my plate, perfectly buttered and just enough syrup to melt in

my mouth. My bacon had just right amount of crunch to it, and

the fried potatoes were the best ever. All this with a nice ice cold

Coke, it was good last breakfast without a doubt, probably the best

quarter I had ever spent.

My next stop was the Brooklyn Bridge, watching the boat traffic going back and forth across the river has always been a soothing thing to me, it’s a great place to relax and let time pass by. Walking into Manhattan was fun, like always the hustle and bustle of city makes me feel right at home, doesn’t get much better than people watching in Manhattan. Making my way through the waves and waves of people I knew there was only one thing left to see, I jumped on the buss and headed for the Bronx. It was three o’clock, the Yankees were playing Cleveland today.

I found a little bar near Yankee Stadium. There were a few older gentleman sitting at the bar huddle around the small radio. After taking my seat I ordered a beer and let the radio announcer paint me a picture of the game, through each pitch and every inning. It had been tied all game until finally in the top of the 9th, Lou stepped up to the plate, with a full count and runners on second an third.

CRACK! 10

Andrew Solano

The radio announcers voice started getting louder and louder all five of us shot an ear closer to the radio, even the bartender stopped in his tracks.

Its a deep fly ball to right center!

We all moved to the edge of our seats.

The right fielder is sprinting to the fence!

We get even closer to the radio.

It’s a home run, Gehrig’s just hit a three run home run in the top of the 9th to close out the game here in Cleveland!

We all let out a cheer, took a celebratory drink and exchanged high fives with one another. I sat and talked with my new acquaintances for an hour or two after the game we talked about our favorite players, we relived our favorite games, they made fun of me for being from Brooklyn and being a Yankee fan, I told them, if the Dodgers had Gehrig or if they could have gotten The Great Bambino then maybe the Dodgers would be my favorite team. I explained to them that I had been a Yankees fan ever since I got see Ruth play for my first time when I was a kid. Even more so when my dad had gotten him and I tickets five rows off the third baseline for Lou Gehrig’s first game as a Yankee, now that was a great day, and he has been my favorite player ever since.

11

The Brooklyn Bomber

It’s now ten o’clock and I’m back where I started my day, on the front steps of my house now longer under the warmth of the New York sun just porch light. I leave for the train station here in a bit, off to Colorado to a sanatorium for people who have tuberculosis, I am nervous and scared for this trip. I don’t want to leave home I will miss this place too much, but no one can care for me anymore here so away I’ll have to go. I hate to leave at this time in the season the Yankees are 10-8, missing the games now will throw everything off for me so hopefully I can get the games on the radio over there. I bought a new Yankee cap on my way home today that way no matter how far away I am, they’ll always be right there with me. Well, it’s time to go now thank you New York for the good day! I’ll be home soon.

Leonard

12

Andrew Solano

I finally made it here to Denver, this is a strange place, it’s so quiet

here. Listening to the birds I notice that the tune isn’t the same

here like the sweet songs from back home. The trip was way to

long and the night in Chicago was as great as I expected, it was a

nice town but I had no one to share it with. I did get to listen to the

game though so that’s always good. Its a bit awkward being here

in downtown Denver and seeing only a fraction of the amount of

people that I would see in Manhattan walking around. Hopefully

the person from the sanatorium gets here soon so I can get situated

and get a good nights rest, that train seat wasn’t the greatest bed I

have ever slept in. Well, my ride is here now so I’ll update this later

once I get settled in.

I finally got all my stuff put away in my new room, they gave me my

own room, I figured that I would have a room mate if not more. This

room has a nice view from the window, I can see the mountains, it’s

an impressive sight you learn about them in school but seeing them

in real life now that is a totally experience, they are a lot bigger

than I expected. I did miss the Yankee game today which I am not

to happy about, they have been on a winning streak since they lost

two games back to back against Detroit a few days ago, we played

Cleveland again so I’m pretty sure we won. I’m gonna go ahead and

use some of the extra money I have to buy a little radio to tune into

the games, or try to figure something else out.

Leonard

May 17, 1935

The Brooklyn Bomber

13

May 18, 1935

Andrew Solano

Paper after paper, doctor after doctor, today has been a hell of

a day, I met so many different people today and was asked so

many different questions related to my tuberculosis that I don’t

know if I ever want to talk about it again. It didn’t help that the first

secretary I dealt with was a total bitch! Glad she found better things

to do with her day. Hopefully I can get a little bit of time to actually

do a little exploring on my own of this place, I was so rushed and

forced everywhere today that I barely found time to sit and relax.

Even missed another Yankee game today we played Cleveland

again, looks like I will end up having to go buy myself that radio, I

cant miss anymore games!

Leonard

14

Good news and bad news, I got a radio from the hospital

today after some asking around. The bad news is that the

Yankees lost yesterday, I thought we would sweep the Indians with

no problems. Well luckily game time in about two hours and we

play the Chicago White Sox. I have high hopes for today’s game,

Lou is gonna get the rest of the boys playing good baseball again,

I know it. We’re 16-11 right now that’s not the greatest record but

we will be able to turn it around no problem. We just got to get the

bats warmed up and get our bull pin in order and we will be solid, I

mean we have best player in the game right now and if his bat gets

going, like I know it can, they may as well give us the pennant now

and tell all the other teams good job and try again next year. I’m

gonna throw on my Yankee cap, kick back and enjoy the game.

Leonard

May 20, 1935

The Brooklyn Bomber

15

I’m gonna throw on my Yankee cap, kick back and enjoy the game.

The Brooklyn Bomber

May 21, 1935

Today has been everything but good, I just listened to my boys lose to Chicago in a heart breaker of a game, and this cough

has been nuisance for most of the day. It’s not as bad as the cough I had back home but it is slowly getting to be just as bad. My throat is sore from coughing all day long and my lungs hurt. Nothing I do seems to calm it down, I cant sleep cause that damn cough kicks in just as I get comfortable. The nurses say I’ll live, though it doesn’t feel that way. I can only hope that tomorrow brings a better day, for both me and my Yankees.

Leonard

17

I haven’t had the strength to write in past few days. I fell like shit, maybe even worse than shit at this point I can’t really say for sure.

This cough has become more of a plague than anything and my chest feels like a house is sitting on it. They rolled me outside yesterday and today, and I had to ask them to bring me back in because this stupid cough was disturbing the others around me. To get a good nights sleep sometime in the near future would be great. On a better note, my team did excellent yesterday we crushed the White Sox 13–5 it was good game from what I caught of it. Today’s game is going fairly well so far, were only down by one in the top of the 7th to St. Louis but their heavy hitters are due up next inning. I have noticed that a few men stop at the door of my room for brief moments to listen to the game then they quickly rush of before I can ask them if they would like to join me. I’ll catch one of them soon enough, cause a good conversation with someone who isn’t a doctor and doesn’t insist on throwing big words out at me like I’m a fellow professional, sounds nice about now, its back to the game for now then hopefully I’ll catch some sleep...

GOD DAMN

May 24, 1935

18

Andrew Solano

C O U G H !

I finally am starting to feel better the doc has gotten me some

medicine that is helping with my cough thankfully, I wasn’t sure

how much longer I would be able to deal with that. I had to go in

for a few x–rays today, the doc seems to believe that my cough had

become cause for concern even though it started to go away, he said

he just want to double check to be sure. I guess its better to be safe

then sorry right? I was almost able to rope someone into listening

to the game with me today, So close! But I got caught up in the

moment of the game at the and started yelling at the radio because

we had just given up a two run home run along with our shut out

to a guy who was a lousy hitter and as I turned towards the door,

the guy left. Soon though, very soon, I will be able to say that I have

a friend here. If I don’t find a friend soon they might pack me up

and ship me out to a loony bin for talking to my self so much. In the

mean time I’ll keep my fingers crossed!

Leonard

20

Andrew Solano

May 27, 1935

Finally I have rid my self of that god damn cough and my lungs

are finally happy for the first time in ten days. On top of that,

I was finally able to get someone to listen to a game with me today,

his name is Thomas Welker. When I asked him if he would like to

join me he wasted no time and shot in the room. He stopped by on

a good day we had a double header against Boston and we ended up

going 1-2 on the day which wasn’t too bad the Sox are a good team.

He told me that he was a White Sox fan which is understandable

being, that he is from Chicago and all. It was fun getting to know

him a little, he is only a couple years older than me so its easy to

talk to him, and it helps that he enjoys baseball just as much as I do.

He said he had been coming by my room for the past couple days to

listen to a little bit of the game since his radio had went out a week

or two ago. He said he would be back tomorrow to catch the game

with me, tomorrow is going to be a good day I can already tell.

Leonard

21

June 1, 1935

The Brooklyn Bomber

Today was another fun day, Thomas managed to get us both

some Coca Colas for the game. We played the Sox again and

we gave them a 7–2 beating. The game was great, Lou went 4–4

with two home runs. We were on the edge of our seats, man how I

would have loved to have seen it in person. After the game, Thomas

and I swapped baseball stories, telling about the amazing games

we had gotten the chance to see. He says that he is jealous of me

cause I got to see Babe Ruth play in real life. He never got a chance

to make it to any of the games where Ruth played the White Sox

cause the tickets always went too fast. I told him that it was great

getting to see the Bambino in his element, but it’s just as amazing

to see Lou Gehrig play. We both would give anything to get rid of

our disease and get a shot at the major league, to travel all around

the country to play baseball, I cant think of a better thing the world.

Even if I couldn’t be a Yankee, I would still enjoy the hell out of an

opportunity like that. Well, even though this has been a great day,

I think I had better call it a night, more test to go through in the

morning, can only hope things look good.

Leonard

22

Andrew Solano

June 2, 1935

We both would give anything to get rid of our disease and get a shot at the major league.

Just as things were going good then everything shot straight down hill. I have never gotten this sick before, It was a total

shock when they told me that they had to revive me at one point. The doc told me that he wasn’t sure why my health declined so rapidly, but he felt it was necessary that they keep me under 24 hour observation to make sure that I didn’t flat line again. It does feel good to be back in my room again, for some reason it feel more comfortable in here than in the room I had been in for the last few weeks. Thomas had left me notes of who won the games while I was gone, I was pleased to see that our record was now 40–24. That Thomas is a smart guy, hopefully I’ll be able to catch the game with him tomorrow. Well, hopefully I can sleep this off and be better by the time morning comes.

Leonard

24

June 30, 1935

Andrew Solano

The Brooklyn Bomber

Feeling slightly better today than yesterday; at least I have some energy today. I’m not to excited about the conversation

between the doc and myself today. He wants to try an experimental procedure on me within the next week or so, he wasn’t detailed on how it would all work but, he said by doing this there would be a better chance that my health would stay at the same level instead of fluctuating like it has been doing. I don’t know what I should do, times like these make me wish I had someone here with me so they could help with my decisions. If my dad were here he would know what to do, he always seemed to know the right choice when it came to things like this. Hell, I would be dead right now if I hadn’t listened to him and stayed in New York like I had planned. Hopefully whatever decision I come to is the right decision in the end.

Leonard

25

July 2, 1935

Tomorrow is the big day, I can’t say that I’m excited about it but if the doc thinks this will stabilize me then I am more than

willing to try. This could be the procedure that will let me go back home, back to Brooklyn where I can get back to my life again. As much as I have come to sort of enjoy my time hear; I would give it up in a heart beat just to be back home. I never thought I would miss the noise of the city like I do, I miss the New York sunrise, and the songs of the birds in my neighborhood. I haven’t listened to the Yankee games in the last few days cause I’ve been so nervous about all of this. The thought of this not working is becoming hard for me to cope with, there is so much risk involved that I’m not sure I made the right choice. Only time will tell.

Leonard

26

Andrew Solano

July 6, 1935

The pain is so intense that nurse had to put a towel in my mouth because she could hear my teeth grind together every

time there was a severe shooting pain in my chest. What the doc believes is going on is that there might be a slight chip on the bone one of my ribs that is pressing up against a nerve and that is why I’m experiencing such discomfort. He says that he will want to do another surgery in a few days to correct this. It better fucking work because this pain is far to severe right now.

Leonard

27

The Brooklyn Bomber

August 2, 1935

The pain is no where near where it was a few weeks ago and I couldn’t be happier, I actually got to enjoy the day, the Yankees

won their game today against Detroit. It was good to actually sit and listen to a game outside on grass with a nice cold Coca Cola, I mean, it wasn’t a beer but it was still good. It was nice to have a conversation with Thomas again even though he wasn’t feeling well himself. He said his x–rays weren’t good according to the doc. They put him under close observation so they could monitor his status. He seems very flustered by this, he has a very unsettling demeanor to him now, I do what more I can to reassure him that things will get better in time but it will take more than that to get him back to the way he once was.

Leonard

28

Andrew Solano

August 18, 1935

Our record to date is 65-50 this isn’t the most amazing record

ever but there is still plenty of season left to turn this

around. It wouldn’t be impossible for us to get to the World Series.

We just have to start playing good baseball again get back to the

fundamentals of the game, go out there not looking to blow a team

out of the water, just move guys around the bases. I know if my

boys can go out with just this in mind they can make a serious run

for the pennant. Thomas and I talked for hours about this, its the

fundamentals that wins games not individual talent. An average

team who has down the fundamentals of the game has a better

chance at winning then a team that relies on just individual talent

like the Yankees have been doing for a good majority of this year.

They need to just go out and enjoy the game for what it is and not

as just a job. I can only hope that they can turn this season around

and possibly come away from it champions.

Leonard

29

August 25, 1935

The Brooklyn Bomber

I have gotten sick again over the past few days, I feel like shit once

again. I haven’t had a good nights rest in at least a week. I’m

tired, weak, and in pain again. The doc took some x-rays and said by

tomorrow he would have the results for me and we would figure out

where to go based off of that. I can only hope it’s nothing serious or

that if it is serious that it can be repaired in some fashion. I’m gonna

try to rest for a bit so I don’t worry so much about it.

Leonard

30

September 9, 1935

Andrew Solano

Tears have run down my face for the last three hours now, I cant stop them, I cant come to grips with what I now know. I cant

be saved, they cant do anything to help me anymore, the disease has taken over me and it seems impossible for the doc to mount a defense to stop it now. I am nothing more than a broken spirit in a dead man’s body now. I don’t know what to do, or even what to say. It feels like someone has snatched the life right out of me. I want to turn to someone for help but there is no one around. My father is thousands of miles away and Thomas, my only friend, is terribly sick now. This may have been all been a big fucking mistake! At least if I would have stayed home I would have died in the company of my family, instead of being out here alone where I wouldn’t have a single person to come to my funeral...

September 10, 1935

The Brooklyn Bomber

It has been quite awhile since I have written in this journal, 7

years to be exact. I had hidden this journal about four years ago

because I was afraid of it. I wanted to rip it up so many times; I even

put a tear in the page but couldn’t finish it. That last page was the

source of so much pain I couldn’t remove it because it is a part of

who I am now. My attitude has changed quite a bit since then, I

have learned to accept what the doc told me that day, it made me

realize that I need to just enjoy everyday. I want to say that I lived

my life as best as I could knowing that it could come to an end at

any moment. Going through the rest of my life as the pist off 22 year

old wasn’t the right path for me. My new goal was just enjoying life

as it came to me, that is what I have devoted my time to doing for

the past year and a half now.

Getting the job in the carpenter shop here at the sanatorium was

probably the best thing for me; I specialized in making baseball bats

with Thomas, David Metzburg, Albert Simmons, and Gerald Munz

my closest friends here at the JCRS. We all organize games with the

younger patients here, go out on a Saturday afternoons usually and

play at least 7 innings. We don’t make it out to be very competitive

we just play of the joy of playing the game. I usually have my radio

close by to hear the Yankee game, which sadly are not the same

since Lou passed away in June of last year to a disease that they

now call Lou Gehrig’s Disease. I was stunned when I heard that

my favorite player of all time wouldn’t be wearing the pin stripes

anymore. After his death I was glad to say that I was apart of it,

stuck next to radio for hours cheering on my favorite player, as he

led the team to the World Series from 1936–1941 and I’m hoping

that we can win again this year just for Lou.

The Brooklyn Bomber

September 10, 1942

43

World War II has had a big impact here at the sanatorium; many

of the people hear have relatives still in Europe I see many of

them weeping in their rooms when they get word that members

of there family have been killed or have been captured and sent to

the death camps. It shocks me that people are being slaughtered

by the thousands over in Europe for no reason. I have gotten the

chance to see movies about the horrible atrocities that the Nazi’s

have committed on innocent Jewish people. Some of the images

got to me so much that I had to leave the theatre to get fresh air.

The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese was also a big shock

to me, that day even brought chaos here. People were in hysterics

here, many people afraid their son’s were killed or hurt in the attack

. We have military servicemen come in and out of here asking for

all able bodied men to go and fight in the war. For the first time

ever I am glad that I am sick and not able to fight in this horrible

war. Everything is so much different now that I have been here for

just over seven years, it’s sometimes hard to grasp that its been

that long since I have seen the sunrise in Brooklyn, I have already

forgotten the songs of the birds from my neighborhood, and what

it’s stare off into the distance from the Brooklyn Bridge.

Leonard

Andrew Solano

44

I haven’t written in this in a while, once again, I forget all about

this journal. Things have been good for awhile now my cough

only comes every once and awhile and it is no where near what it

used to be. 1937 was probably worse then it was in 1935, I died three

different time in 1937 after a surgery on my lungs went wrong, and

I was barely brought back to life. It took two more surgeries to fix

the complications and I didn’t fully recover till 1939. These last few

years have been toughest years of my life but I have managed to get

through them with the help of my friends, my father, and Rosaline a

girl I met here in 1938 while I was recovering. Relationships between

men and women are not allowed here so it has been kept a secret

for quite sometime now. This is the woman I will marry when

we are able to leave this place. It mostly depends on when she is

capable of leaving here since I already know where I stand. I hope

that she gets better soon so we can start our lives together, that all

I want for my life now. She makes me happy and this disease is the

last thing to come to mind when we’re together. I don’t worry about

dying or if I’m not feeling well I just enjoy every second I have with

her and hope they can last for many more years.

Leonard

September 20, 1942

The Brooklyn Bomber

45

I had a small procedure done two day ago, I feel way better then I

ever have after any of my surgeries. I don’t have a funny feeling in

my chest anymore and I don’t even have the slightest urge to cough.

I’m sort of in shock because I don’t remember ever feeling this good

even as a kid. I am able to take in more oxygen according to tests

the doc put me through yesterday. I am on the verge of tears even

as I write this. This is a day that I never saw in my future. I had

grown to live with the fact that I would never get better and here I

am now feeling 100 percent better than I did three days ago. I hope

this feeling never goes away, I hope I can be done with this once

and for all, so I can enjoy being in my twenties while it lasts.

Leonard

October 12, 1942

Andrew Solano

46

I have just got word today that on November 16, 1942 I will be

released from the JCRS free to go back to New York being cured

of tuberculosis. I am so excited that I don’t know who to tell first

Rosaline or my guy friends! I will finally be able to go back to the

front step of my house, I will get to see my father again! I will be

able to see the Bronx Bombers play at Yankee Stadium again! I’ll get

finally watch the Yankees new star Joe DiMaggio play, I’ll get to sit

amongst Yankee fans again and hear there roar when we hit a home

run or strike out the last batter to win the game. There is so much I

want to say but don’t know how to put it into words so I’ll just end

this with...

November 1, 1942

The Brooklyn Bomber

47

BROOKLYN I’M COMING HOME!

Dear Mr. Meyer Frieze

My name is Thomas Welker I am a friend of your son Leonard, I write you this

letter with a heavy heart because on November 9, 1942 your son, Leonard

passed away from his tuberculosis just one week shy of the date he was due to

be released from the JCRS. In the days before his passing he could not stop

talking about how excited he was to go back home to Brooklyn, the city he

missed so much. He spoke of how much he wanted to see you and how he planned

to see his beloved Yankees play at Yankees Stadium again. He planned on

taking a girl he met here by the name of Rosaline who he had planned to marry

to meet you. The doctors here don’t know why his health had plummeted

so drastically, especially since he had been feeling so good. He said it

was the best he had ever felt. He had regained a new sense of confidence in

himself and how he could live a normal life again.

What I really want to express to you is that your son was a great man,

one of the best I had ever had the pleasure of meeting. Your son had a good

heart, he struggled with for a couple of years after he had gotten news from

the doctors that his disease would never get better. He got himself back

on his feet in time with a desire to live, and to change his life around.

Towards the end of your sons time here he organized baseball games for the

the younger group of people, he made baseball bat in his spare time for the

saturday games. He played in every game always the first to show up and the

last to leave. We called him the Brooklyn Bomber because he wore his Yankee

cap to every game and hit more home runs than anyone else here. Your sons was

my best friend and even though he’s gone now I’m glad that I was able to have

him in my life. I will miss our talks about baseball and I will certainly

miss him at the saturday games. Inclosed in this package is his journal I

hope it can bring closure to you, but if not, I want you to have this one

remaining piece of your son.

Sincerely,

Thomas Welker

Colophon

Title: The Brooklyn Bomber

Designer: ©2009 Andrew Solano

Credits

Patient: Leonard Fireze

Patient Folder: #10168

Documents and Photography Courtesy of:

JCRS Collection, Beck Archives

Special Collections,

Penrose Library and

Center for Judaic Studies,

University of Denver, 2008

Typefaces

Kepler Std.

Prestige Elite Std.

Paper

Fox River Paper Company

70 lb. smooth

Crushed Leaf Text

Cream

Special Thanks to:

Major League Baseball Association

New York Yankee’s Baseball Team

The Lou Gehrig Family