1951 Iola Indians.

This was an independent team in 1951 and had players from various major league organizations. Pete Cerick died 1/30/2015 and this was the only known photo taken during his baseball career. Of this group Howard "Mace" Pool, Dick Masley, Vito Valenzano and Ken Boehme survive. The whereabouts or fate of Kenneth Fowler, from Kipp, KS, has not been determined.

 

1951 Iola Indians

 

Back Row: Al Cunningham (Phillies), Stan Klemme (Giants), Jim Sanders (Cardinals), Dave Newkirk, Pete Cerick, Pete New and Mace Pool.

 

Bottom Row. Floyd "Nig" Temple, Joe Vilk, Dick Masley (Giants), Ken Fowler (Phillies), Vito "Duke" Valenzano, Ken Boehme (Yankees) and Paul Weeks.

 

This site takes you to Floyd Temple and his 28-year coaching career at Kansas Univ. www.kuathletics.com/news/2014/9/22/BB_0922143304.aspx

 

 

The

KOM Flash Report

for

Week of March 8, 2015

 

 

Another charter member of the KOM League passes away:

 

Loren J. Olson, 89, Neosho, Mo., died March 1, 2015, at his home, following declining health. Loren was born Jan. 3, 1926, in Big Rapids, Mich. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, in the Pacific Theatre. Loren worked in the banking industry for many years and had worked in Joplin, Mo. and Sarcoxie, Mo. areas, retiring in 1986.

 

He had played minor league baseball for the St. Louis Browns and then coached American Legion Baseball. He was a former member of the Board of Regents of MSSC, now MSSU and was an active Christian servant. Loren married his wife, Lilly, on Oct. 11, 1974, in Oklahoma and she survives of the home.

 

Also surviving are five children, John Olson and wife, Mary, of Joplin, Teresa Olson-Babcock, of Joplin, Richard Crowder, of Neosho, Larry Crowder and wife, Lisa, of Jefferson City, Mo. and Linda Hames and husband, Jeff, of Claremore, Okla.; four sisters, Glenna Fisher, of Sturgis, Mich., Barbara Vining, of Big Rapids, Ruthann Kailing and husband, Leo, of Reeds City, Mich. and Mary Johansen and husband, Floyd, of Big Rapids; nine grandchildren, Rasia, Luke, Patrick, Bradley, Tim, Chris, Alec, Travis and Tessa; and one great-grandchild, Elsa.

 

Memorial mass will be held on Thursday, March 5, at 1 p.m. at St. Canera's Catholic Church, Father Ruben Rustrepo will officiate. The family will receive friends following the service until 3 p.m. at the church.

Contributions, in memory of Loren, may be made to the MSSU Foundation, in care of Clark Funeral Home, PO Box 66, Neosho, MO 64850.

 

Ed comment:

 

Loren Olson signed with the St. Louis Browns as a pitcher and was sent to Pittsburg, Kansas in 1946. He was short-term member of that team but played a “ton” of baseball in the Southwest Missouri after his professional career concluded. He was a fixture on the ball field whenever Mickey Mantle, the Boyer brothers, Don Gutteridge, Gene Stephens, Allie Reynolds et. al. used to play “for fun” at the close of each baseball season. Olson was in the game held at Miners Park in Joplin, in October of 1953 that Mantle and the Boyer brothers played in order to raise money following the death of Joe Dean “Red” Crowder on Grand Lake of the Cherokees.

 

Unfortunately, Olson wasn’t with Pittsburg at the time any of the team photos were taken. Thus, the photo attached to his obituary is the only one I have seen of him. Although I did speak with him on the telephone over the years. www.joplinglobe.com/obituaries/loren-j-olson/article_cc19...

 

Here is the Miami, OK News-Record account of the preview for the benefit game played for the Crowder family.

 

Oct. 17—(Special) Rosters for the "Joe Crowder benefit game," which is to be played Sunday afternoon at Miners Park beginning at 2:30 o'clock, was announced today by Joe Becker, who is in charge of arrangements.

 

The Tri-State Miners: Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees; Cliff Mapes, Kansas City; Ray Clark, former Joplin Miner; J. E. Landon, Bill Drake, Travis Kunce, Max Buzzard, Jimmy Rogers, Ray Pace, George Garrison, all ex-minor league players; Lloyd Shafer, formerly with Baltimore; John Lafalier, Harry Daniels, Howard Scheurich, Don Boyd and Jerry Ferneau, all prominent semi-pros, and Jack McGoyne, manager.

 

The Joplin All-Stars: Ferrell Anderson, manager; Gene Stephens of the Boston Red Sox; Cloyd, Kenton and Cletus Boyer, all in the Cardinal system; Gale Wade, Cleveland Indians; George New, Baltimore; Bill Rose, Colorado Springs; Al Billingsley, Lilburn Smith, Tommy Gott, former teammates of Crowder on the Joplin Miners; Don Gutteridge, Pittsburg; Freddie Schenk and Bill Gill, former Miners; Woody Fair, manager of Duenweg's team; Boney Turner, Don Cross and Loren Olson, former minor leaguers. Zeke Johnson, former KOM league and Western association umpire, will help Kenny Magnus of Joplin and Vernon Tappana of Webb City, officiate.

 

Ed comment:

 

A New York newspaper reported claimed there was more talent on the field that day at Joplin than in the recently completed World Series. I take one exception to the Miami News Record lineup for the game in 1953. Zeke Johnson was never a KOM umpire. Also, I believe that the guy identified as Don Cross was Don Gross. And, there is something that a reader from the Neosho/Joplin area might know. His obituary lists Richard and Larry Crowder as surviving sons. Someone can explain that to me if they know the details. I’m sure they are some kin to the late Joe Crowder.

 

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Peter A. Cerick, Esquire

www.obitsforlife.com/obituary/1043810/Cerick-Peter.php

Peter went home to be with the Lord on January 30, 2015 after a long struggle with dementia.

Peter was born on May 22, 1931 in Washington, D.C. After graduating from Western High School in 1949 he played professional baseball for the Cleveland Browns, a farm team for the Orioles. His play was interrupted due to the Korean War. He joined the army and served from 1953 – 1955 in communications first at Fort Jackson, NC and then at the Pentagon.

He attended George Washington University and graduated with a degree in business administration. He went on to obtain his law degree from GWU in 1961.

Peter worked as an adjuster for State Farm then opened his law office in Herndon, VA. He had a general practice for many years before specializing in personal injury and medical malpractice. He retired in 2004 and then provided services pro bono through Legal Services of Northern Virginia for several years.

He coached Babe Ruth baseball in the 1960’s, was an active member of the Herndon Chamber of Commerce, held offices in the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and started a program known as Helmets for Kids with the Herndon Police Department.

Marriages to Jean Watt and Mary Ann Fields ended in divorce. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, of 31 years, four children from his first marriage; Laura Collins of Gainesville, VA; Paula Ellish of Clearwater, FL; Michael Cerick of Huntersville, NC; Dana Cerick of Chicago, IL; a stepson, Michael Ross of Pittsburgh, PA and two grandchildren, Evan and Olivia Cerick.

 

Ed comment:

I was able to contact Pete Cerick many years ago and found him to be an interesting man. He signed with the St. Louis Browns and first appeared with Pittsburg, KS during the 1951 season. The Browns released him and he signed with the Iola Indians and pitched for them in parts of both 1951 and 1952. The team photo in which he appeared at Iola and the one that was attached to his obituary showed that he hadn’t changed much in physical appearance except for the gray hair.

August 8, 1951

FREE GAME TONIGHT Fans are invited by Earl Sifers, Iola club operator, to attend tonight's Carthage-Iola game at Chanute without charge. Iola is the "home" team in the regularly scheduled game with Pittsburg playing here. Lloyd Brazda won his fifth game against three losses in going seven innings of last night's bat fest. He was pounded for 12 of the 14 Iola hits. Cliff Ohr finishing and pitching two scoreless rounds. Lefty Dick Masley, suffering his fourteenth defeat, was the loser and victim of Ponca City's big third inning. Pete Cerick, big left hander recently turned loose at Pittsburg, finished out and was a victim of lola's loose defensive play. He gave only four hits in five innings but walked five. AI Cunningham, batting left- handed, hit a home run over the 325-foot left field fence in the five- run Iola third, after manager Floyd Temple reached base by error. Don Stewart homered for the Dodgers in the third with one on, clearing the center field fence. The short-handed Iola team used pitchers Dave Newkirk and Joe Sanders at first base. Bill Schrier being absent and reported as having a case of tonsillitis.

August 13, 1951-Iola Register

THE TOLA REGISTER, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 13, 1951. Revival After Twin Loss Bartlesville -won its thirteenth straight victory over the Indians in the second game of a doubleheader there Saturday night, but Iola was again in good form at Chanute last night, topping Pittsburg 8-4. Pittsburg and Iola are scheduled at Chanute again tonight. The Indians have won two and lost two in their four appearances there, and were capable in their defeats, which were by scores of 3-1 and 4-3 with Miami. Harold Hoffman, the veteran Coffeyville pitcher, righted the Redskins again last night, pitching seven and two-thirds innings. He had rescue work by Dave Newkirk, who the night before had been an 11-3 victim of Bartlesville due to wildness. Pittsburg scored three in the eighth, getting three hits and two walks to trail only 5-4. After Iola added the same number in the last half of the inning, Newkirk held the Browns in the ninth. Paul Weeks continued to rise in the Indian offensive picture, leading the attack with two hits, two runs- batted-in, one run scored, and three stolen bases. Pittsburg used three pitchers, the www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/16457530888/in/photost... getting six of their nine hits and five runs off Lloyd Koehnke. They led all the way after starting with two in the first Inning. Plate umpire Frank Rainier chased Pittsburg's (Hugh) Ben Lott from the game in the seventh for remarks over a ball-and-strike decision. Newkirk walked six in the first inning of the second game at Bartlesville Saturday, resulting in a 6-0 deficit. He stayed until the third, when Pete Cerick replaced him. Joe Vilk pitched another of his strong games in the seven-inning twilight contest, losing 3-1 to Dan Anderson. When Vito Valenzano batted in a run in the second inning, Iola claimed a 1-1 tie that held until the sixth. In both Bartlesville scoring rounds, the defense was a little neglectful toward Vilk, who gave only five hits. Brandy Davis, second up in the first, reached base on an error at third, and after he was forced. Cotton Drummond batted the run in. Two infield hits, an error, and a third strike squeeze bunt by E. C. Leslie produced two for the Pirates in the sixth.. Hits and runs —off Newkirk 4 and 7 in 2 and 3; Cerick 5 and 4 in 5 and a third U. —Lewton, Wells. A—640.

 

5/7/1952—Iola Register

Cerick and Black Leave-the Indians The lola baseball club was minus two of its recent members last night, and the pitching staff was numbering only four men. Pete Cerick was given a release yesterday, Manager Floyd Temple reported, and Charles Black, first baseman who came here a few days ago from the: Yankee' farm system left the club. Cerick, a lefthander, joined lola last: season after being, released it Pittsburg. He has pitched in lola only once, a two-inning relief turn Saturday night. Black also had been used only in reserve capacity since arriving. He was not here long enough for a satisfactory trial. Temple said three Cuban players, an infielder, outfielder, and pitcher are on the way here to join the Indians-

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A former pilot, just wondering

 

John--------wonder if John Orphai knew Neil Armstrong growing up in Wapakoneta? Only a year or so apart in age? Jim Skog

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Jimmy Richardson regarding Bennie Maxwell Lee

 

If you have read more than a dozen of my newsletters or Flash Reports and even one of my books the name of Jimmy Richardson appears. When he is mentioned I always tell the readers in was Mickey Mantle’s first cousin on the maternal side of the family. He read the previous Flash Report and had some comments about Bennie Lee and was looking for one of his buddies who documented the book signing for Mantle conducted in Joplin in 2005. The fellow he was searching for had a local TV program in Enid, OK and many of the events of those two days in Joplin, in 2005, got some regional viewer ship.

 

Bennie Lee and the television guy were known for their horseshoe pitching prowess a few years ago. I know that Richardson got hold of the television guy for I read his comments in the condolence section made available through the Wichita Eagle.

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A comment about the 1949 Pittsburg Browns.

 

About the Pittsburg team in 1949. Al Barkus never lasted the season as the manager and the club wound up in last place--39-85 and finished 33 games behind Independence. There is always optimism at the start of every baseball season only to find some teams are actually out of contention by the 4th of July. All the teams in the big leagues have high hopes that will quickly fade. Here is my fearless prediction. The organization for whom I used to be a Class D batboy will not be in the World Series this year. If you want to know who that team happens to be, look up who Carthage, Mo. had a working agreement with in 1951. Yep, it was the “No go Cubbies.”

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Sometimes not much goes right.

 

Early this year I shared the following: “Paul "Hook" Herman Schnieders, 88, of Jefferson City, died Wednesday, January 7, 2015, at the St. James Veterans Home surrounded by his family.” Listening to the radio early this week I heard this news. “http://www.komu.com/news/fire-engulfs-bowling-alley-southeast-of-jefferson-city-66441/ Those who pull up the two URLs can see the blaze. www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=1171453

 

The establishment was owned by the late Paul Schnieders. First he passed away and two months and five days later what he worked hard to build went up in flames.

 

OSAGE COUNTY -- Crews are currently on the scene of another blaze that broke out early Monday morning.

Rainbow Lanes and Hooks Sports Bar on Mari Osa Delta Lane in Osage County went up in flames overnight.

At 3:30 a.m. crews from Osage County Fire and Westphalia Fire responded to the blaze, but the flames were so big that Jefferson City had to bring in their aerial ladder truck. Crews initially entered the building, but shortly evacuated before the roof of the structure collapsed.

There was a great mutual aid effort as departments from Osage, Westphalia, Taos, Hartsville, Linn, Argyle, and Jefferson City worked together to fight the fire with over fifty fire fighters present. Osage EMS also came out and supplied food and water for the fire crews.

Since there were no hydrants and the river close by was covered in ice, a dump tank system was used to supply water to the trucks. The fire was so hot that the exit sign above the door melted and fell to the ground.

Crews believe the fire started in the back corner and had been burning long before they arrived. They expect to still be tending to the blaze for the rest of the day and hope to have the fire completely out by midmorning or noon.

Fire Chief Jim Roark of Westphalia said this was one of the biggest fires they had fought in the last 15 to 20 years.

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Carthage got a visit from a name from the past.

 

Hi John: Would you please be able to give me a location of the Carthage ball park where my dad, John La Porta, would have played? My brother and his wife will be driving back through Carthage in a few days from Oklahoma City where they went to see their son in a swim meet...16 hour drive from Michigan.

Thank you very much. Cindy Lange

 

Ed reply:

 

It's in Municipal Park on the west side of town. It is on west Oak Street. That is probably the second best known place in Carthage other than the town square which has the most impressive courthouse in America.

 

Cindy’s reply:

 

John, thank you so much! My brother is calling tonight, so I will let him know. Excellent info you gave, and I'm sure they'll be able to find it.

I will try to let you know what he says after the visit. Thank you very much!

 

Ed reply:

 

Tell him to be sure to look at the guy on the plaque at the front gate to the stadium. John must be representing his Savannah, GA school in the NAIA swimming tournament that begins in Oklahoma City today. (March 5).

 

Cindy’s reply:

 

Yes!! !! You are amazing, Mr. Hall !!! And I am looking forward to learning who it is on that plaque at the stadium gate... love the intrigue!!

 

Ed reply:

 

I will give you ten guesses as to who that is. If you don't guess it I'll give you a site to pull up and you can discover it for yourself. Not need to wait. I think you already knew this but have just forgotten.

komleaguebaseball.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html

 

Ed comment:

 

Many times the name of Johnny LaPorta has appeared in my rambling reports. He played third base for Carthage for all of the 1949 season and came back for a while in 1950. The LaPorta’s had deep roots in Chicago and lived a short distance from Wrigley Field. His older brother, Vito, was the last Cub batboy to have seen a World Series game when the Cubs were in it and when he gave up the job, Johnny took over for three seasons. The John LaPorta who was in the NAIA swimming tournament in Oklahoma City is John III.

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Dick and Molly McCoy and their medical providers.

 

John: When Dick and I went to our Drs. one day we mentioned we got our snow done this morning and both the nurse and Dr. said if you can’t afford to have your snow done we’ll pay for it don’t you be doing it!!!!!!! I guess they are right but we always like to have it done before we would drive on it but we now don’t do it anymore.

 

Ed comment:

 

The McCoy’s live in Omaha, Nebr. that has seen a bit of snow in its history. But, what I covet most about their story is the willingness of their medical providers to help them with the snow removal. I told them they could give their doctor and nurse my name and address. I don’t mind shoveling off my driveway but the city tells me that I also have to keep my sidewalks clear. That would be fine for most people but I live on the corner lot and the street that runs along the side of my house is a major east/west roadway in town. It is only one of the very few that traverses Columbia in that direction. The snow plows not only shovel the snow off that road on to my sidewalk but when they either get bored or have neophyte drivers they manage to plow what is below the snow over on to my sidewalk. If you don’t know what is below the snow I’ll give you a hint. It’s called sod and dirt. Once that accumulates there is no shoveling possible.

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Synopsis of last report:

 

Wow what a ton of information!! Barbara in St. Louis

 

Ed comment:

 

I suppose after a dozen plus four reports I can enclose the URL for the Tennessee Ernie hit tune from the 1950’s which of course is……..Sure, you know it by heart if you are over 70.

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Thanks for looking:

 

Last week I uploaded the Flash Report to the Flickr site. Wonder of wonders happened. There were more hits on that site than the number of people to whom the report goes out to by e-mail. I have an idea that some of you went to the site more than once. I want you to know that is acceptable. After this report is sent I’m working on a way to get a photo posted on Flickr that shows one of the former KOM leaguers who has passed away this year.

 

 

Done