Caution: this is not a blog about sports.

Last week, I profiled Eddie Grant, the U.S. Army Captain and former New York Giant who on October 5, 1918 became the first Major League Baseball player killed in time of war. At the time of his death, which came by way of a German artillery shell shortly before the end of World War I, Grant was taking part in a mission to rescue the "Lost Battalion", a group of 550 U.S. soldiers that had been cut off in the Argonne Forest and was in danger of being wiped out completely by German forces (in the end, only 194 survived).

Even while writing about Grant, I began to consider the upcoming Memorial Day and wonder if any other players, either retired or active, had given life for their country. We all know about the service records of Ted Williams, Bob Feller, Hank Greenberg and countless other who sacrificed the best years of their careers to go to war, but had anyone besides Eddie Grant sacrificed something even greater?

The simple answer, it turned out, was yes. While Grant was the most accomplished major leaguer to be killed in combat, with ten respectable seasons under his belt, he was by no means the only one. Five others were killed in combat between 1918 and 1952, including two in the week following Grant's death. None played more than seven games at the major league level, and three only appeared in a single contest, but they were all retired veterans of Major League Baseball.

(Note: the six deaths do not include those of Ralph Sharman, who drowned in Alabama on May 24 1918, and Larry Chappell, who died of influenza on November 9, 1918. Both Sharman and Chappell had seen major league action during the 1917 season.)

Bun Troy (killed October 7, 1918 in Petit Maujouym, France) - the German-born Troy appeared in one game as a pitcher with the 1912 Detroit Tigers, making the start and allowing four runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Alex Burr (killed October 12, 1918 in Cazaux, France) - Despite some Internet sources that claim he died on his 25th birthday (November 1), Lieutenant Burr was killed nearly three weeks before that date when his burning plane crashed into a lake. According to the obituary in the Chicago Daily Tribune, his body was not immediately recovered. A cup of coffer player in the majors, Burr appeared in one game as a defensive replacement for the 1914 New York Yankees.

Elmer Gedeon (killed April 20, 1944 in St. Pol, France) - Captain Gedeon became Major League Baseball's first casualty of World War II when the bomber he was piloting was shot down over France; only his co-pilot escaped. His playing career consisted of five games as an outfielder for the 1939 Washington Senators.

Harry O'Neill (killed March 6, 1945 on Iwo Jima) - First Lieutenant Harry O'Neill, who played one game for his hometown Philadelphia Athletics in 1939, was killed just days before Iwo Jima was finally taken by the United States.

Bob Neighbors (missing in action, August 8, 1952 in North Korea) - Little is available online about Neighbors, a major in the Air Force, for the fact that he was shot down over North Korea in 1952 and his body was never recovered. His major league service time (seven games with the 1939 St. Louis Browns) was minimal, but still second only to Eddie Grant among those who were killed in action.

Memorial Day doesn't have to be a sad day. There is still time for barbecues and spending time with family and celebrating the arrival of another long-awaited summer. But while you're doing all those things, take a moment to remember Eddie Grant, Bun Troy, Alex Burr, Elmer Gedeon, Harry O'Neill, Bob Neighbors, and all the other brave soldiers who left to defend our country and never came home.

(For information on NFL players who have been killed in combat, check out Cold, Hard Football Facts.)