KOM Flash Report for 7/10 thru 7/16 2016 featuring the 1944 Baxter Springs, KS Whiz Kids

The KOM League

Flash Report

For the week of

July 10 thru 16, 2016

 

Somehow another Flash Report was prepared this week in spite of what is going on in this crazy world. Writing these reports may be my way of coping with the whole sordid mess. If the events seen on TV and carried on the Internet depress you maybe you can take a few moments and scan this report which covers a wide range of topics that go as far back as 1881. If you don’t have the time or inclination to peruse this edition I direct your attention to the last story in this report and the historical photo that you will only see by clicking here: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/28138983596/

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Bartlesville Pirate passes away

 

www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/obituary.aspx?n=PAUL...

 

Paul Frederick Monteil, Jr., 87, Lee's Summit, Mo., died peacefully in his sleep June 29, 2016. Paul was born in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 28, 1928, to Paul F. Monteil, Sr. and Alice Burke Monteil. Paul was preceded in death by parents, daughter, Rita Monteil and son, Joe Monteil. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Eileen Halpin Monteil of the home, children and spouses, Marilyn Bernard (Marc) of Mitchell, SD, Patty Monteil- Mendicino (John) of Warson Woods, Mo., Paul Monteil III (Chris Hernandez) of Kansas City, Katie Carroll-Monteil (John) of Hong Kong, and Jim Monteil (Shelley) of Lee's Summit. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Brianna and Paul Bernard, Abby and Riley Monteil, and Emma Carroll-Monteil, and his in-laws, nieces and nephew.

Coach Monteil was best known for pacing the sidelines of football fields, mostly at O'Hara High School where he won the 1980 Missouri 3A state championship. Over 20 seasons he coached the Celtics to a 144-76-1 record. At O'Hara he also coached golf and basketball, and served as a teacher and athletic director. The school honored Paul in 2001 by naming its stadium "Paul Monteil Stadium." He was selected to Hall of Fames for the Missouri Football Coaches (1997) and the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association (2015), and named Western Missouri Coach of the Year (1980). But it was baseball that blessed Paul's early life.

He was a pro prospect as a second baseman, playing two seasons of minor league professional baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. More importantly, he met his wife Eileen after a baseball game. Paul was associated with Catholic schools his entire life, as a student and athlete at Blessed Sacrament, Rockhurst High School and College, and as a teacher and coach at De La Salle and O'Hara High School. The Monteil family lived on Booth Avenue, where their backyard overlooked the O'Hara practice field. The family could watch practices from the kitchen window, as well as enjoy beautiful sunsets. Paul and Eileen married on Sept. 8, 1951.

Paul worked at the family store, Monteil's Market, while starting a family with Eileen. His 50-year coaching career began in 1947 at De La Salle, assisting Godfrey Kobets. In 1960 he became a full time social studies teacher and head baseball coach. He was part of a close-knit group of coaches at De La Salle, friendships he valued his entire life. In 1967 Paul moved to O'Hara High School, where he taught and coached until his retirement in 1995. Paul had a close relationship with the Christian Brothers at both De La Salle and O'Hara, and was named an affiliate Christian Brother in 1982. Off the field, Paul enjoyed golfing, chocolate milkshakes, reading Westerns, watching the Chiefs and Royals, and spending weekends at the family cabin at Lake of the Ozarks. We are happy to report that even in his last days Paul retained his customary and beloved "twinkle in his eye" orneriness. As a coach he was known for motivating his teams with his fiery competitiveness. He was a humble leader who gave the credit for the team's success to his players and assistant coaches while always accepting the blame for losses. As a teacher his students enjoyed getting his class off track by getting him to tell stories about working in the grocery store and driving a Brink's truck. As an educator and coach, Paul had a great influence on the lives of his students, players, assistant coaches, and fellow educators. And we know he is reunited in Heaven with his children, Rita and Joe. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Regis or O'Hara schools. Visitation will be at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 5, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Noon at St. Regis Catholic Church, 8941 James A. Reed Road, Kansas City, MO 64138. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Offer condolences online at mcgilleystatelinechapel.com Arr.: McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Rd., Kansas City, MO 64145 (816) 942-6180. M

Published in Kansas City Star on July 3, 2016

 

Ed comment:

 

Paul Monteil was found early in the process to identify former KOM leaguers. The newspapers of that era referred to him as “Sonny: Monteil a 19 year-old shortstop from Kansas City, Kansas. (The newspaper had the wrong state.) His career began in 1948 when he played for both New Iberia, LA of the Evangeline and Bartlesville, OK of the KOM leagues. He was limited to 11 games at shortstop that year for Bartlesville due them having an all-star shortstop by the name of Calvin Frazer.

 

In 1949 Monteil was back with Bartlesville for limited action and was then sent to Mt. Vernon, Ill. of the Mississippi Ohio Valley league. His primary reason for not staying with Bartlesville was due to the aforementioned Calvin Frazer.

 

Monteil was a member of the 1948 Bartlesville Pirates who had two other players with the nickname of “Sonny.” The others were Rolf Harald Moeller and Salvatore Raymond Catalano. For sure Bartlesville was “Sonnier” than any other team in KOM history and may have set the all-time professional baseball record for the most guys by that nickname on any team. With the passing of Monteil all the Sonny’s are gone. Catalano died in 1980 in Brooklyn, New York and Moeller did likewise in 2004 in Loomis, California.

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Another Kansas City reader who didn’t fare well. Subtitle: What happens in Las Vegas doesn’t stay in Las Vegas.

 

John: We just got back from a week in Las Vegas. While there, my wallet and phone were stolen and while at the police department reporting it, I passed out and was taken by ambulance to the hospital. After several labs and cardiology testing were complete, I had an angiogram that revealed a 95% blockage on the right side and now have a 'stint' souvenir from Las Vegas. Hospital stay: 4 nights and 5 days and the food was good! We have had to cancel our credit cards, changed a few bank accounts around, get a new driver’s license, medical cards and should be receiving my replacement phone today. What a VaCa!

 

I leave on AMTRAK Friday July 1 and come back Saturday July 9. Will be with sister in Fort Worth to visit her and other Texas family that I have not seen in 2.5 years. This has been planned for almost 2 months. I feel good and am going. Hope all is well on your end. Jim

 

Ed note:

 

That note was from fellow former batboy—Jim Jay. He was the Kansas City A’s batboy back in the 1956-57 era. So, he knows what hard times are in baseball circles. That experience probably toughened him up for his Vegas trip. He is proof that whatever happens in Vegas doesn’t stay there. He got out ASAP.

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Carthage Cubs of 1951

 

In the last couple of issues of the Flash Report some names have been shared of guys who were on the Carthage Cubs roster in 1950. There was a method in my madness or else it was a slow week and I was attempting to find something to write.

 

Over the years I have made a point that many guys who contributed to the league in some form or another were never recognized. The term “less thans” has been applied to those who appeared as position players in less than 10 games or pitchers who threw less than 45 innings. However, the document from which that information was gleaned “The Official Baseball Guide,” published by the Sporting News, didn’t use the term “less thans” they were more positive. You might have guessed I’m not in love with the negative terminology used currently.

 

In 24 years of research I believe there were 1,588, plus or minus less than a dozen, young men to don a KOM league uniform for a regular season game. If you were to go back to the Baseball Guides for the years the KOM league operated you’d see roughly 930 names. The difference in the numbers was that roughly 650 players didn’t meet the 10 games played or 45 innings pitched plateau.

 

Often I have speculated as to the number of young men who showed up for spring training or during the regular season who didn’t see any game action. The only two documents I have to gauge the “non-players” are the official files of the 1946-47 Miami Blues/Owls and the 1950-51 Carthage Cubs.

 

With the KOM league operating with both independent as well as major league affiliated teams many players “passed in the night.” The independent teams included Miami, Chanute and Iola at various times while both Chanute and Iola had major league affiliation at times. Both Chanute and Miami were farm clubs of the Topeka Owls at different times.

 

During the seven year history of the league there were either six or eight teams comprising it. In total there were 50 teams covering that span. In that period the complete rosters for an entire season ranged between 24 and 50 individuals. Some wags called the KOM the “Keep on Moving league.” For most of each season the rosters were limited to 15. At the start and end of the season the teams could carry additional players.

 

Going back to the numbers cited of former KOM leaguers I would conservatively estimate that the 50 teams in league history had 15 players in the spring or added during the season that didn’t play in a single game. That would mean another 750 players who thought they had a chance at playing professional baseball. So, what I have done with the 1950 Carthage Cubs in previous reports and what is contained in the following article is an attempt to document the breadth of the outreach of a Class D operation.

 

Owners for independent teams advertised in local newspapers and even The Sporting News for players to try out for their club. One KOM newspaper even wrote, in 1950, that Iola and Chanute were advertising on bulletin boards in Kansas City post offices for players. Of course, that is where the FBI’s 10 MOST WANTED criminals were featured.

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1951 Carthage Cubs

 

The regular season roster for this team included the following individuals for whom I have biographical information that is available but not included in this report: Living members from that team are: Ernie Aiken, Water Babcock, Fred Bade, Wayne Baker, Bill Bauernfeind, George Beck, Don Biebel, Len Bourdet, J. J. Conroy, Richard Gintert, Tom Kordas, John Mudd, Bernie Tomicki, Orville Jacobs and Leonard Van de Hey. One other guy, who was batboy for that team, wrote this article and I assume he is still with us. I’ll check that out with my wife.

 

Last First Middle

Aiken Ernest William

Anderson Donald Edward

Babcock Walter Edward

Bade Frederick H.

Baker Nolan Wayne

Bauernfeind William S.

Beck George John

Biebel Donald Floyd

Bourdet Malcolm Leonard

Coffman Burton Laverne

Conroy JosephJames

Eastburn William Ellsworth

Gintert Richard Earle

Handzo Jr.John G.

Hicks Gary Benton

Jacobs Orville Mayburn

Koehler Walter Theodore

Kordas Thomas George

Lovely Jr. Vernon Scott

McClure Jr. Leonard Stephen "Bud"

McMichael Robert James

Millan Bruce E.

Milster Jack Harland

Mudd John David

Oxford Russell Charles

Paddock Thomas Edward

Reitz Albert Joseph (Manager)

Sorensen Jr .Leroy Stephen

Straub Stanton Wayne

Tomicki Bernard John

Tompkins Burton A.

Vandehey Leonard Elmer

Ward Norman Dale

Zimmer Duane Eugene

 

Young men who showed up for spring training or joined team later but never saw game action

 

***

Jack Garrett

All that is known is that he was a pitcher who Carthage spent $78 on for transportation to join the club. No evidence he ever signed a contract. He didn’t get any money for transportation home.

 

***

Jack Clayton Jean

Born: 10/11/1933 Atlantic, IA (Lived in Adair, IA when signed by Cubs)

Died: 2/ 20/1997 Colorado Springs, Colo.

Reported 6/6/1951

Disabled list 7/3/1951—Injury listed as pulled leg muscle.

Roomed with Fred Bade at 428 Sycamore St. while with Carthage. That was contained in official Carthage records on Aug. 3, 1951.

1952 Blackwell, OK

.

***

Robert Westgate (No middle name)

Born: 2/5/1932 Chicago, Ill.

Died: 12/27/1980 Hobart, Ind.

Graduate of Foreman High School in Chicago--1950

Played for Sioux Falls, SD until 7/30/1951

Reported 8/1/1951 to Carthage

Placed on disabled list and never pitched for Carthage. He had turned his ankle while with Sioux Falls three days before they sent him to Carthage “thinking” he was okay. 1952 on rosters at Topeka, Janesville, Wis. and Blackwell. Okla.

Served in U. S. Army from 10/8/1952 to 9/9/1954

Occupation: Worked for Rockford Life Ins. Company in Hobart, Ind.

Death certificate shows he died of a massive myocardial infarction at St. Mary’s Med. Center in Hobart, Ind.

Warning: If anyone attempts to follow the life of Robert Westgate on Ancestry.com there is a Jack Anderson who has the mirror image life of Westgate. In fact, those names are intertwined to the point that Robert Westgate had two sons and those sons are also shown as sons of Jack Anderson. My conclusion—Ancestry.com doesn’t always have the correct information. Or else Westgate had an alias of Jack Anderson.

 

***

Frank Henry Bendlage—Ft. Madison, IA

Born: 4 Oct 1932- Fort Madison, Lee, Iowa, USA

Death: 21 Jul 2002 - Fort Madison, Lee, Iowa, USA

CPL US ARMY KOREA

Cemetery: Oakland Cemetery 40th St & Ave L Fort Madison, IA

www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=110951...

 

***

William E. Hurr—Forsyth, Mont.

Birth Date: 1/8/1932

Marriage Date: 23 Aug 1951

Marriage Place: Lame Deer, Rosebud, Montana

Current residence: Billings, Mt

 

****

Jacob Henry Jacobsen—Homer, Neb.

Birth : 11/1/1931 Homer, Neb.

Death: 1/2/1992 Riverside, CA.

Had played with Carthage in 1950.

Jacobsen sent a letter in 1951 asking to be released from his professional contract and Carthage sent their response to “Jacob Jackson.” They wanted a share of his bonus money before granting a release.

 

****

Donald P. Annen—Madison, WI

Born: 7/26/1926 Madison, WI

Had been with Carthage in 1950 and left town with Topeka after spring training at Carthage.

Occupation: Fireman with City of Madison

Still resides in Madison, WI and used to read these reports until he got tired of seeing how many of his former teammates were being reported as having passed away.

 

***

Robert James Lowrey—Lafayette, Ind.

Born: 2/14/1932—St. Vincent’s Hosp. Lafayette, Ind.

Died: 5/27/1996 Lafayette, Ind. St. Vincent’s Hospital

Find –A-Grave site: www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=742456...

First Marriage: Lucille Lietchy 3/9/1963

Second Marriage: Georgia Anna Melboom 2/15/1968

Robert was a Purdue Univ. graduate.

Occupation: Insurance Agent for Western Southern

Great Internet documentation on him from birth to death certificate.

 

***

Parker Dean Pyatt—Granville, Ill.

Born: 11/02/1931 Granville, Ill.

Died: 8/26/1984 Las Vegas, NV

Occupation at time of death—farmer

Burial: Granville Cemetery Putnam County Illinois, USA--Plot: Block A, Lot 26, Grave 2

Find-A-Grave citation--http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=42320815

Place of Residence: Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada

Funeral Director: Gary R. Davis, Davis Paradise Valley Funeral Home, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Dysart Funeral Chapel, Granville, Illinois

Married Beverly J. Scott

Source: State of Nevada Burial Permit

Family links: Parents: Roy Pyatt (____ - 1963)

Arlyne Kathryn Matson Pyatt (1908 - 1988)

 

***

Charles Louis Yerbic—Dunfermline, Ill.

Born: June 21, 1932 Dunfermline, Ill.

Released by Carthage May 1, 1951

Died: December 21, 2005 Grand Junction, Colo.

Served in U. S. Navy 1952-1956

 

Ed comment:

 

Contact was first made with Charles Yerbic, around 1994, when I was writing my first book about the KOM league. He told of pitching the last pre-season exhibition games for Carthage against the Alba, MO Aces an amateur team that once gave all the Boyer brothers a chance to hone their baseball skills. Carthage won that game 5-3 but Yerbic was cut the next day.

 

There was great anticipation on the part of Yerbic’s family, so much so that on January 22nd, 1951 his older brother (by 14 years) wrote the following on the letterhead of KGRH Broadcasting Company in Fayetteville, Ark. to the Carthage Chamber of Commerce. “This is to express my interest in subscribing to your local newspaper for a period of three (3) months. This special interest is brought about by the fact that my younger brother, CHARLES YERBIC is due to report to your baseball club this spring, having been given a contact with the Chicago Cubs. I would very much like to follow his activities and progress with your local club. Whatever you can do in this regard, I would appreciate very much. Very truly yours, Stephen L. Starwyck.”

 

That letter now raises a couple of questions. First, did Starwyck have to pay for the paper since his younger brother didn’t make the team? Secondly, was Starwyck Stephen’s radio name or was he and Yerbic step brothers? Well, I didn’t want to leave that question unanswered.

(Obituary: STARWYCK, Capt. Stephen Louis was born Dec. 19, 1918 and went home to the Lord on Dec. 7, 2011. Born to the late Katherine and Kazamir Starcevich in Kirksville, MO, he graduated from Lewiston High School in 1936 and enlisted in the Navy in August of the same year. After 11 years of straight sea duty which involved major engagements, he immediately accepted appointment in the Naval Reserve where he rose to the rank of Captain) In tracking the Starcevich family it is obvious the Austrian family descendants changed the spelling of the last to Starwyck. Kazamir Starcevich died in 1929 leaving his wife Katherine a widow. Charles Yerbic’s father married the former Katherine Starcevich/Starwyck around 1930. That is the brief story.

 

Obituary:

This link contains the only photo of Yerbic I ever saw. www.legacy.com/obituaries/gjsentinel/obituary.aspx?n=char...

 

Charles L. Yerbic (Chuck) peacefully passed away at St. Mary's Hospital on December 21st after a short illness. A Mass will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church at 10 a.m., Tuesday, December 27th in Grand Junction. The son of James and Katherine Yerbic, Chuck was born and raised in Dunfermline, Illinois. He served in the Navy for two years then attended the University of Oklahoma before graduating from Central State College with a Bachelor's degree in business. He and his wife of 39 years, Patricia Yerbic raised six sons of whom they were both very proud. He worked for General Motors for several years in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and owned and managed Yerbic Motors in Greeley, Colorado. Chuck loved spending time with his family and traveling, and he showed a fine example of leadership and inspiration. He is preceded in death by his parents, six brothers, three sisters, his wife Patricia, and his adult son Rick. Survivors include sons: Chip (and daughter-in-law Karina), Kip, Mike, Mark (and daughter-in-law Gail) and Jim; grandchildren: Jemeleh, Landon, Lyndsay, Turner and Gregory. He is also survived by his very dear friend, Giselle Roberts. Chuck will be greatly missed and remembered with love forever. Memorial contributions can be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church, 230 N. 3rd St., Grand Junction, CO 81501. Published in The Daily Sentinel on Dec. 25, 2005

 

***

Richard S. Ziegler—Affinity, W. VA.

Born: 1931 Affinity, WVA—small mining town in the Appalachian Coal fields. See this link: www.coalcampusa.com/sowv/gulf/affinity/affinity.htm

Last known address Charles Town, WVA. (Not to be confused with Charleston)

Had played with Springfield, Ill. and Spindale, NC in 1950.

Have placed a telephone call to him and left message.

 

***

Hugh Alan Wolf—Indianapolis, Ind.

Born: 6/26/1931 Indianapolis St. Vincent’s Hospital

Graduate: Broad Ripple High School 1949 played on undefeated high school baseball team.

Wolf’s father sent a letter to the Cubs asking that they release his son so he could play amateur ball in Indianapolis.

Released by Chicago Cubs May 16, 1951

Attended Butler University in Indianapolis

Last known whereabouts: Carmel, Ind. in 1993.

 

***

Emil Borgini—Mt. Clare, Ill. (Carthage office files listed him as Fred )

Born: 11/27/1929 Mt. Clare, Ill.

Death: Feb. 27, 2003 Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois

 

Obituary:

 

Emil Borgini, 73, of Mount Clare died Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003, at Memorial Medical Center. He was born Nov. 27, 1929, in Mount Clare, the son of Virgil and Helen Chelli Borgini. He married Ethel Taylor in 1951 in Gillespie. Mr. Borgini, a 1947 graduate of Benld Township High School, received a bachelor's degree from Blackburn College and a master's degree from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville. He was a catcher for the Chicago Cubs from 1948-51. He was U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War. Following his military service, he was a catcher for the Chicago Cubs minor league organization in 1953. He retired as a high school teacher for Benld High School, were he coached basketball. He also had been a high school teacher and principal for Gillespie High School, where he also was the baseball coach and an assistant football coach, and had been the unit district superintendent. He was a member of Benld Lions Club, Benld Owls, VFW Post 4547 of Gillespie and was an adult driver education instructor. He was a board member of Macoupin County Housing Authority, Community Memorial Hospital in Staunton and Gillespie-Benld Area Ambulance Service. Survivors: wife, Ethel; a son, Don (wife, Kathy) Borgini of Carlinville; a daughter, Lynn Borgini of Chicago; two grandchildren; mother, Helen Borgini of Mount Clare; and a brother, Fred Borgini of Haddonfield, N.J. Services: 10:30 a.m. Monday, Kravanya Funeral Home, Gillespie, the Rev. Donna Snyder officiating. Burial: Gillespie City Cemetery.

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***

Robert Edward Schnabel—Eola, Ill. (In a recent report it was indicated he might still be alive.)

Born: June 16, 1932 Eola, Ill.

Died: November 30, 2010 Eola, Ill

Graduated St. Rita of Cascia High School –Chicago

Basketball photo in high school yearbook stated he was “long-limbed, 6’3” center who was willing to learn and always improving.

Also in spring training with Carthage in 1950

Graduate of DePaul Univ. 1952 with B. S. Degree in Chemistry.

Joined the U. S. Air Force after college and attained rank of Sergeant First Class

Find –A Grave:

www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=137663...

 

***

William Lacy Garten—Hinton, W. Va

Obituary: This provides all the pertinent information.

William Lacy "Bill" Garten, 79 of Hinton died Friday morning May 2, 2008 in Summers County A.R.H. in Hinton following a lengthy illness.

 

Born June 9, 1928 at Garten in Fayette County, he was the son of the late Lacy A. & Randolph Myers Garten.

 

Mr. Garten was a 1945 graduate of Fayetteville High School, lettering in football, basketball & track. He participated in the 1945 North-South Football Game. He was awarded a basketball scholarship by West Virginia University and attended the school until transferring to Concord College in 1946. He lettered in football, basketball & baseball at Concord and was selected All Conference in football in 1949.

 

In 1950, Bill signed a baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs, and played in the Appalachian & Western Carolina Leagues. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952 and served his country in the Korean Conflict. Upon his release in 1954, he started his teaching career at Hinton High School and was assistant football coach and head basketball and baseball coach at Hinton from 1955-1956. In 1957, he was named head football, basketball and baseball coach a Hinton High. He also served as track coach for 2 years. His accomplishments as football coach consisted of leading the Bobcats to the state finals in 1963, losing to Ceredo-Kenova, and winning the state class AA football championship in 1968, defeating Oceana 9-0. He retired as football coach after the 1978 season. He taught social studies and physical education for 30 years at Hinton High, retiring in 1985. His impact and guidance on young student athletes was immeasurable. In 2001, Summers County High School, which succeeded Hinton High School, renamed their football stadium, Garten Stadium, in honor of Coach Garten.

 

He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting grouse, turkey & deer. He also loved fishing for trout, bass & channel cats. He was a member of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, serving as Past Exalted Ruler, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Willow Wood Country Club & the Retired Teachers Associations. Bill was also a member of the Hinton First Presbyterian Church.

 

Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Elaine Bradley Garten. One son, Bill & wife Luci Garten of Nashville, TN. One daughter, Sally Garten of Barger Springs. One granddaughter, Lacy Garten.

 

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday May 7, 2008 at Hinton First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Dr. Barbara Romfo officiating. Private interment will be in Restwood Memorial Gardens in Hinton.

 

***

James Kenneth Grubb

Born: 12/3/1926 Kankakee, Ill

Died: 1/8/1960 Chicago, Ill

Married Shirley Jean Alexander at Edwardsville, Ill. in 1950. She lived until 2007.

Paris, Ill begged Carthage to release Grubb to them in the spring of 1951 and they did and he won 15 games for them.

Having died just short of his 34th birthday raises a question I can’t answer. Maybe someone out there knows the details of his death. (Ed note: That is a subtle hint to baseball necrologist, Jack Morris to work his magic on “My Heritage.”)

 

***

Nicholas C. Agnos—Rochelle, Ill.

Born: 10/20/1930 Rochelle, Ill.

Baseball career: Played for Danville, Ill., Janesville, WI, Monroe, LA, and Carlsbad, NM between the years 1951 to 1956.

Current location. Still living with his wife, Connie, in Rochelle, Ill.

 

***

Jacob J. “Jake” Dwyer (This is the only information I could find or this man)

Mr. Dwyer may have been from Lacrosse, Wisc. but I can’t state that without reservation. So, I won’t.

In a letter from Lee Newman, President of the Carthage Baseball Assn., to Jack Sheehan of the Chicago Cubs, on July 9, 1951, it stated that C. J. Dwyer was owed money for spring training expenses. That letter also expressed the Carthage Baseball club’s regret that Don Anderson had been released as manager that same day. Newman expressed the sentiment Anderson was an honest man and they hoped the Cubs would find another place for him in the organization.

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KOM league supervisor of umpires 1950

 

For a long time I’ve wanted to write an article about a very popular figure in baseball circles in Southwest Missouri.

 

Up to 1950 the supervisor of umpires for the KOM league was Ward Elmer Mohs a postal worker from Tulsa, OK. Stories about the things Mohs endured as an umpire is the stuff of which reams are written. But, this segment is dedicated to his successor.

 

With the start of the 1950 season, league president E. L. Dale called on Joplin, Mo. baseball legend, Joe Becker to fill the role vacated by Mohs.

 

No one could have been more qualified for the head of umpires than a man born August 3, 1881 in Stupferich, Baden Germany. Joseph Jacob Becker was his name. By the turn of the 20th century the Becker’s had migrated to the United States. Of his six brothers and sisters they were all born in Chicago between the years 1886 and 1896.

 

On October 1, 1901 Becker married Wilhelmina Nicolei in Chicago. He began raising a family there where he had three sons and one daughter between 1902 and 1908. By the time he registered for the draft in 1917 he was 37 years of age and listed his occupation as a printer for the Chicago Daily News. That was his winter job. The other job started in 1911 when he took on a career in umpiring. In documentation from The Sporting News umpire cards this is a brief summary of his career:

1911-12-13-- Umpire in the Wisconsin State Illinois league

1914-15—Umpire Western Canada league

1916—Three I league

1920-1921—Western league

1922-23-24-25-26-27-28-Pacific Coast league

1929-30—International league.

 

Between the years 1908 and 1921 his wife, Wilhelmina passed away. On April 4, 1921 he married Daisy Harnish. In 1930 the Federal Census showed him as divorced and living at the Keystone Hotel in Joplin, MO. He worked as a proof reader for the Joplin Globe and scouted for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1930 through 1935. In 1936 he was hired as the business manager of the Western Assn. Joplin Miners club. He held that position through the 1940 season.

 

In 1941 Becker still worked for the Joplin Globe and scouted for the Boston Red Sox. In 1942 the New York Yankees hired him in a similar role. With WW II in full swing there wasn’t much scouting going on in 1943 so he spent most of his energy working for the Globe. In 1944 the Red Sox again hired him to be their scout in the four state area of Southwest Missouri, Northeast Arkansas, Northwest Oklahoma and Southeast Kansas. That job lasted until 1949.

 

One of the recommendations Becker made to the Red Sox began in earnest, in 1948. Becker knew every baseball person in his area and was a great friend of Barney Barnett of Baxter Springs, Kansas. When Barney formed his first version of the Baxter Springs Whiz Kids, in 1944, they didn’t have uniforms. Becker, from his role as the business manager of the Joplin Miners, a couple of years earlier knew where the Miners old uniforms were stored. They were the home uniforms of the 1939 New York Yankees that had been sent to Joplin for the Miners to wear in 1941-42. Becker obtained the uniforms and gave them to Barnett who outfitted his team of young men in uniforms that were many sizes too large for them but at least they had uniforms. I have a photo of those young men in those Yankee/Miner uniforms as they posed in front of Barnett’s home in 1944. I may have to dig that out sometime and put it on Flickr. When Barnett was through with those uniforms they were claimed by a mining team called “The Bar Hill Miners.”

Note: A day later I dug up the first Whiz Kid photo and to see it you’ll have to visit this site: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/28138983596/ All the players are wearing Yankee uniforms with the exception of Ben Craig. Craig is the man mentioned in a Flash Report, a couple of weeks ago, who wants his ashes scattered in the Kansas City, KS area. If you missed that story or want to see it again, let me know. These are the Whiz Kids in the photo that is attached to this report on the Flickr site. Photo was taken in front of the home of Barney Barnett in Baxter Springs, Kansas—June 22, 1944

Left to right: Bill Crow, Sonny Helms, Charles “Frog” Heavin, Dean Cannon, Calvin Mischler, Cecil Crow, Barney Barnett, Guy Crow-Kneeling-batboy, Ben Craig, Jack Moore, Dick Barnett, Bob (Bocky) Myers and Elmer Weaver. (The only living members from that photo are Charles Heavin and Ben Craig. Craig was the only Whiz Kid not wearing a New York Yankee jersey. For historical perspective this team predated Mickey Mantle joining them by three years.)

 

To make a long story even more so, Becker hung out at Baxter Springs to the point that if you ever see a photo, like one of the 1947 versions of the Whiz Kids and an older gentleman in the back row wearing a light colored hat, that was Becker. Over and over he called the Red Sox front office telling them about the Baxter Springs shortstop and that they should allow him to offer Mickey Mantle’s dad enough money in order to make Mantle the property of the Red Sox. But, there was no interest in him by the “Bean-Towners.”

 

By virtue of the KOM league hiring Becker, in 1950, as their supervisor of umpires, which basically ended his scouting and active umpiring career. He had some decisions to make such as recommending the firing of Davey Crockett, that year, for changing his calls on two occasions and causing havoc that league president E. L. Dale didn’t want.

 

Becker lived another seven years following his season as head of KOM umpires. He was involved in the social life of Joplin as well as other things. Age the age of 72, in 1953, he was involved in an automobile accident , in Joplin, and it occurred when he ran a stop sign and hit another car. Four years later he passed away on Christmas Eve.

 

When he passed away the old ballpark in Joplin was still called, Miner’s Park. However, under the urging of local baseball enthusiasts such as former big leaguers Ferrell Anderson and Al Gerheauser, the ballpark was named Joe Becker Stadium. Having the ballpark named after him was quite an accomplishment for Joplin was also called “home” by Charles Evard “Gabby” Street. www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&am...

 

There were many baseball people who confused Joe Becker of Joplin with Joe Becker of St. Louis. When the Duluth Dukes experienced their bus crash in 1948 many thought that the Joe Becker Jr. who was in that crash was from Joplin. Joe Becker, from Joplin had a son but he was born in 1904 and never played professional baseball.

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I'm done!!!

 

Done