Site of KOM League Flash Report for Week of Oct. 16--22, 2016

KOM League

Flash Report for Week of

October 16—22, 2016

 

On October 13 a notice was sent to the “purported” reading audience that the Flash Report would be carried on the Flickr site www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07 as each segment was written. Wow!!! What a rousing success that turned out to be. There were three people who liked it and one person opted to be taken off the report distribution list, forever. A few more weeks like that and I’ll be getting as many e-mails as some of the third party candidates will get votes. I’ll be on the same popularity level with Johnson and Stein.

 

If you ignored my first missive of the week, which obviously most recipients did, I need to clarify how this report was constructed. The sequence of the writing was the bulk of the report and then updates as the week progressed. As this full report reveals, there weren’t many updates

 

Second update of Flash Report for week of October 16

 

October 14. Not much has happened on the KOM front since the first batch of information was posted on the Flickr site earlier in the week. It was mentioned on Oct. 13 that the family was celebrating our daughter’s birthday. At lunch we tipped the waitress off to the fact that it was a birthday gathering. When the waitress brought the special birthday treat I asked if she could guess under what presidential term my daughter was born. In about this order she replied “Clinton, Bush, Carter, Ford, Johnson and Nixon.” To each I kept telling her to go further back. Instead of saying Eisenhower, Truman or even Roosevelt she replied “Rutherford B. Hays.”

 

I had to remind the waitress that not even my daughter’s grandmother was alive in the mid-1800’s. I was struck by the lack of the knowledge of history the waitress possessed but giving her credit she did remember the former Ohio senator and president of these here United States from 1877-1881.

 

Back home I figured some work needed to be done on the topic of the KOM league, for this report, and I took another look at the two-week career of Don Fitzgerald. I recall that he was one of nine young men who allegedly grabbed a trappers mitt and played first base for that club in 1950. The fellows playing the most games at that position were basically in this order; Gary Plant Hildebrand, Mike Stelma, Charles Robert Mann, Don Fitzgerald, John Eldon Yung, Danny Kantor, Vernon Cray and Bob Jenkins. As yet, I haven’t figured out who that 9th guy was.

 

And that brings to mind another vivid memory. One night I was the visiting team batboy for that team. Jim Oglesby was a former big leaguer and managed the club. He was sitting in the dugout during batting practice and one of the aforementioned, first basemen, came back to the dugout after taking his batting practice swings. He was felling his oats and boasted to Oglesby, pointing to the right field scoreboard, that he was going to hit a home run over it during the game. Although I’ve related this story a number of times it is relevant in this election cycle. Oglesby turned to his young first baseman and said “Son, you have as much chance of hitting a ball over that scoreboard as Abraham Lincoln has of rising from the dead, running for the presidency and winning.”

 

First update of Flash Report for week of October 16,

 

October 13: It was sort of inferred that I would update each Flash Report frequently. Well on this date in, 1961, I became a father for the first time. We had a daughter we named Cynthia Lynn over my wife’s objections. She wanted to name her Johnnie Gale so that she would have the same first name and middle initial of her father. Obviously, I won that battle. Today the would have been “Johnnie Gale” is a grandmother and my wife and I are taking her to lunch.

 

By this time, in 1961, the World Series had been over for four days and the New York Yankees dispatched the Cincinnati Reds in five games. Things some times change for the better and other times, they just change. Fifty-five years ago today I was finishing up college, pastoring a church and listening to the political ads on the radio extoling the virtues and shortcomings of the candidates—Nixon and Kenndy. I didn’t watch the World Series or the political debates that year for I didn’t have a television set capable of picking up either event. Gee, if only that was true in 2016.

 

I didn’t have much time to worry about baseball or politics back in 1961 for with having a new child, going to college and pastoring a church, I was doing a remote noon hour radio show out of Chandler, Oklahoma for radio station KUSH in Cushing, Oklahoma on a part-time basis.

 

As I said, some things change for the better and others just change. Eisehnower was replaced by Kennedy and 23.9 cents a gallon of gasoline has been replaced by prices no one in 1961 would have thought anyone would fork over for such a commodity. But, one thing stays constant. Back in the 1961 campaign there was speculation as to whether a Catholic could be president and the current political climate is filled with questioning the judgment of either Catholics or Protestants to to vote for either presidential candidate, neither of which appear to be tied to the core principles of either of those religious systems.

 

Obituary for Don Fitzgerald

 

Donald Wayne Fitzgerald, 85, passed away peacefully Sunday, June 28th 2015 in his home surrounded by his family. Services were held at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Coppell, TX. on Thursday July 2nd, 2015. Graveside services will be held at Columbus City Cemetery in Columbus Kansas at a future date.

 

Donald "Wayne" was born on September 11th 1929 in Sherwin Junction, Kansas. He graduated from Cherokee County Community High School in Columbus Kansas and furthered his education at Kansas State University. There he received an undergraduate degree in Agriculture and his masters and doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. He served two years in the Air Force during the Korean War. Returning to Columbus Kansas, he married Joan Francis Saporito. He was offered a job with a veterinarian in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he took up residence and had a successful practice for approximately 35 years. He enjoyed playing baseball, football, golf and spending time with family and friends. He delighted in taking care of his garden and listening to his favorite big band tunes. Wayne resided in Albuquerque with his family until his wife passed away in 2009. He then moved to Highland Village, TX. with his son Bryan and daughter-in-law Cindy until his passing.

 

Donald Wayne Fitzgerald was preceded in death by his wife Joan, his son Steven Wayne Fitzgerald, and brother Charles Junior Fitzgerald. He is survived by his son Bryan Wayne Fitzgerald and wife Cindy, of Highland Village, Texas; daughter-in-law Mimi Fitzgerald from Chicago, IL; his brother Lyndell Worth Fitzgerald and wife Rosita in Reston, VA; and seven grandchildren.

 

All who wish may make a donation to American Parkinson Disease Association or to Home At Last Animal Sanctuary, P.O. Box 271 Highland Park, Il. 60035-0271 in his honor.

Published in Albuquerque Journal on Aug. 2, 2015.

 

Ed comment:

 

Donald Wayne Fitzgerald was a right handed hitting and throwing first baseman for the 1950 Miami, Oklahoma Eagles. He replaced Eldon Yung at that position when Pug Griffin cast away the original roster members of that team in an austerity move. Thus, Griffin brought in a number of players from the Tri-State mining area of Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. That group included:

George Beaver—Granby, Mo.

Bill Bunch—Tulsa, Okla.

Max Burgett—Rolla, Mo.

Max Buzzard—Seneca, Mo.

George Garrison—Joplin, Mo.

Bennie Maxwell Lee—Treece, Kans.

Billy Joe Pace—Treece, Kans. Later coached at Vanderbilt Univ.

Charles Mann—Moffitt, Okla.

Bill Sartain—Although born in Chicago he was living in Columbus, Kans. at the time,

Jack Hartley Williams—Weaubleau, Mo.

Willard Winslow—Parsons, Kans.

Carl Zellar—Alderson, Okla.

 

Fitzgerald played Cardinal Junior league baseball against Mickey Mantle, et. al. back in 1947-48 and Southeast Kansas Ban Johnson league ball in 1949. He played for nearby Columbus, Kansas. His hometown, when he was born, was Sherwin Junction but the little mining town, founded February 10, 1887, was truncated to be simply, Sherwin, on September 1, 1950.

 

I would suspect that anyone who played in the KOM league would look at you askance if told they were either in Sherwin or Sherwin Junction but most everyone was. That town is located on U. S. 160 and every team passed through there at one time or another going to and from league games. Look it up on your Charles Atlas road map if curious. Sherwin is west of Carthage, southwest of Pittsburg, south of Iola and Chanute, northwest of Miami, east of Independence and northeast of Ponca City, Bartlesville and Blackwell in Oklahoma. www.mapquest.com/us/ks/sherwin-282896244

 

How most former KOM league members would get the place fixed in their minds that it was located just a few miles south of the world’s largest coal shovel at the time, Big Brutus.

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Reading opportunities for insomniacs

 

Eleven years ago I had just finished writing Mickey Mantle-Before the Glory. The draft had been sent “way far off” to have the appendix built by a real pro. The real pro wrote back about bases such as first, second and third be referred to as being of “dubious composition.” The lady writing the appendix had some other comments and this was Flash Report containing her thoughts. If everyone liked that book as much as she did it might have sold a lot more copies. Of course, she may have had affection for it since she made more money for her part than I did in writing it.

classdkomleague.blogspot.com/2005/03/bases-of-dubious-com...

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Overwhelming response to last week’s request

 

Last time we met I requested input from readers. The input being solicited was questions that I could use in addressing a service club that is facing me on December 1, 2016. I can talk about a lot of subjects for hours on end and not enlighten anyone. In an attempt to make the 30 minute speaking time more endurable I wanted questions from the readership they might ask if they were forced to sit through an early morning speech.

 

As I surmised I got precious little input with my request but I’ll take what I can extract from the readership. Here are the only questions received and they came from one person. Thus, he is the winner of the large cash prize for his effort.

 

From Jerry Hogan

 

If I understood correctly, you're going to give a talk about the KOM soon and were asking for some possible questions on topics that your audience might want to hear about? If I'm on the right track, I would want to ask this fellow who's been working on the KOM for about a zillion years one or more of the following questions:

 

1) Who are the best known KOMers to make the Major Leagues?

2) Did anyone ever win the triple crown in the KOM?

3) What pitcher had the most wins in a season?

4) How long did Adolph "Buzz" Arlett (sp? was it Arlitt?) play/manage in the KOM? [Had to ask that for my ASL/A-ML fan base.😊] (Ed note: Those acronyms stand for Arkansas State and Arkansas Missouri leagues, the forerunners to the KOM league. Buzz did spell his last name “Arlitt.”)

5) Did one team or another dominate the league overall or during a particular time span?

 

Those are just some of the questions that a young cub reporter might ask of the veteran KOM scribe!—Jerry Hogan, Fayetteville, Ark.

 

Ed reply:

 

Good questions, all. Never gave any thought to triple crown winners since that was never mentioned around Class D circles. But, to answer your question, no one accomplished that feat.

 

Joe Vilk won the most games, for Iola, in 1952 for Woody Fair, his manager, knew how to manipulate the situation. He was trying to keep Jim Owens of Miami from winning it, and did so by two wins. Owens was by far the more dominating pitcher of the two. Owens made it to the big leagues.

 

The most famous KOM leaguers to make it to the majors were: Jake Thies, Harry Bright, Bob Mahoney, Charlie Locke, Jim Pisoni, Bill Upton, R, T. Upright, Jim Finigan, Bill Pierro, Al Pilarcik, Ed Wolfe, Ronnie Kline, Joe Stanka, Christopher Kitsos, John Gabler, Don Taussig, Seth Morehead, Bill Upton, Cloyd Boyer, Lou Skizas, Bob Wiesler, Steve Kraly, Bob Speake, and Jim Baxes. There are a few more but those are the big names, right? (Ed note: Notice how I cleverly left out some obvious names—like Mantle and Virdon.

 

Buzz Arlitt played for 20 years in the KOM league but he is only credited with being there in 1946. He couldn't wait to get out of the Cardinal organization even though they offered him the Carthage job in 1947. (Ed note: Notice how I exaggerated. The KOM only operated for seven seasons.)

 

The most dominant teams were Chanute and Miami in 1946 and 1947 when they were affiliated with the Topeka Owls. After the Independence Yankees and Ponca City Dodgers joined the league, in 1947, they generally ruled the roost for the rest of the history of the league.

 

Again, thanks for sending along those questions. The answers to all your suggestions are in the big green book but I don't have any left to give to the people at the upcoming Rotary meeting. The last time I was there I gave everyone a Mantle book. Bad move. One guy went out and told scores of people I was giving away Mantle books and I had free loaders calling me incessantly. I put a quick end to that.

 

Hogan’s reply:

 

I knew you'd know those answers immediately! Good luck with your talk - if I read you right.

 

Ed reply:

 

More...Joe Vilk won 26 games in a 126 game season for Iola in 1952.. At today's major league schedule had he put up those kind of numbers he would have won 36 games.

 

The closest anyone ever came to winning the triple crown was Bill Stumborg of the 1948 Pittsburg, Kansas Browns. He tied with Joe Beran for home runs with 13, had a league leading 78 RBIs and hit .317 to .327 for Bill Fox of Chanute. That was the year of the dead Worth baseball where all pitchers had ERA's at 3.00 or below and all but a dozen players hit below .300

 

Hogan’s reply:

Cool numbers. Bill Stumborg had a mighty good 1948 season! And Vilk's 26 wins is really impressive.

 

Ed reply:

 

Stumborg was a bull of a guy who had played pro ball prior to WW II. He was an Illinois native who stayed in Kansas and worked for the State at the same time I did. Problem was, I didn't know it at the time. He died in 1978 about the time I was packing up to leave the Sunflower State.

 

Vilk was a 5' 10", 150 pounder from Footedale, Pennsylvania and died in the Cleveland Clinic at age 48. The guy with 24 wins that same year was Jim Owens at Miami. Owens was around long enough to make it to the big leagues. After leaving baseball he worked on building the Alaska pipeline.

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Comment about 2006 article written by Bill Clark regarding KOM reunion

 

John, I don’t remember ever having read that article from the 2006 reunion. Wow, that was great reading. I am trying to remember what year it was when I drove over to Carthage in the a.m. prior to a (Pittsburg, KS Univ.) Gorilla game? Met lots of nice folks though, that I do remember. And hooked up with Coach Sam (Dixon) again. You have certainly filled a huge void in the lives of those old-timers John, one for which there is no way to pay you back except all the comments and compliments you receive from those players themselves, and/or surviving family members, and friends. Thanks for all you do, again!!! Casey—in Metro. Kansas City

 

Ed reply:

 

You were there in 2006. You drove over before the football game. I remember it like yesterday. I gave you a hard time for snubbing the reunion for an old football game. I know it was 2006 for that was the only year we had a September reunion.

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Done