Flash Report for Week of Nov. 20--26, 2016 Photo of 1949 Carthage, Mo. Cubs

KOM Flash Report

For Week of

November 20—26, 2016

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The finalized Flash Report for next week is posted on Flickr at; www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/30942018931/ Since the release of the preliminary report, a day ago, there has been a sizable amount of updates. Some comments from readers have also been added.

 

There isn’t likely to be another report for a couple of weeks. Next week begins with the remembrance of two birthdays that occur on November 21. My mother, Ellawee Harrison, was born on that date near Alluwee, Oklahoma in 1914 (hence the name) and Stan Musial was born on that date, six years later in Donora, Pennsylvania. During Stan’’s final years one of his daughters, Janet, shared a photo of the family gathered around for his birthday celebration. After the passing of Stan and Mom we have remembered their birthdays and do so once more.

 

Mitigating factors against a report next week are two more birthday events and Thanksgiving. One of those birthdays happens to be personal and rather than great celebration it is a time of reflection and understanding there are far more in the past than in the future. And, as I try to think and type at the same time I understand the old Bob Wills tune is apropos, “Time Changes Everything.” Pause, and sing along: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt0lcLRSFQE and if that song doesn’t seem appropriate there is another that comes to mind. If you can get past the nasal voice of Hank Snow, listen to the words they are meaningful. www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5V1pJGymDY That song is analogous of the old KOM leaguers getting back together, like an old love.

 

An e-mail copy of this report is available, on request.

 

Photo on the Flickr site:

 

1949 Carthage Cubs

 

Front Row : Paul Hoffmeister (P), Ed Garrett (P), Woody Wuethrich (P), Phil Costa,(OF) Bob Speake, (1B) and Art Leslie (P).

 

Middle Row: Hal Brown (C), Dean Manns (C), Darrell Lorrance (P), Denny Moffitt (P) and Hank Paskiewicz (SS-2B).

 

Back Row: Glen Walden (P), Don Schmitt (INF OF), John LaPorta (3B), Bob Saban (P), Alan Burger (OF), Frank Morrow (OF) and Don Anderson (2B/ Manager).

 

Of the foregoing list of players those still living are: Paul Hoffmeister, Phil Costa, Bob Speake, Art Leslie, Hal Brown, Dean Manns, Hank Paskiewicz Don Schmitt and Alan Burger. In that photo are two former big league batboys. They are Edward Franklin Garrett who handled that task for the 1943-46 Cincinnati Reds and John Joseph LaPorta who did likewise for the 1941-43 Chicago Cubs. The following story honors the family of one of those former big league batboys.

 

I'd give up the six Mickey Mantle rookie cards that I once had to know who those two young men in the grandstand are/were. By now those boys would beat least 82 years old. That photo was taken down the third base line at Carthage Municipal Park. The stands were constructed of native field rock by a WPA project in the 1936-38 era. This Carthage team played against Mickey Mantle and the Independence Yankees.

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Death of a former score keeper and wife of Carthage 3rd baseman.

glueckertfuneralhome.com/obituaries/2016/11/10/angela-lon...

 

Note from Cindy Lange of Palatine, Ill. “Some sad news, John...My mom, Angie LaPorta, passed away yesterday afternoon. She went so peacefully in hospice care, with a harpist (thanatology... very new to me) playing in rhythm with her breathing. It was very beautiful…and, John, too fuzzy-headed to write more…Take good care and thank you for all you are doing with the former players…Cindy”

 

Ed comment:

 

Since 1949 I knew of Angie LaPorta since she was the wife of the late Johnny LaPorta who played 3rd base for the Carthage Cubs in 1949 and part of 1950.

 

Angie was a young bride and a fixture at all Carthage home games and many of those on the road. Her staple was sitting down in the seats behind the Carthage dugout filling in her scorebook at every game. She even kept the pages of that book for games that were rained out or called due inclement weather before they became official.

 

If there is one document any baseball historian would cherish it is a scorebook from someone who knew how to fill it out correctly and who would also include anecdotal material such as weather conditions and how bad the umpires were, for example. During Angie’s time at Carthage the official scorer was Fletcher Cupp who was also the sports editor of the Carthage Evening Press. During one game Fletch “went to sleep at the wheel,” so to speak, and missed a play that required the official scorer’s judgment. Following the game he approached Angie and asked if she scored it a hit or error. She said it was a hit and that is the way it went into the official account of that game and that’s how it has stood for the past 66 years and the rest of recorded time as far as baseball is concerned.

 

After 1950 the LaPorta family never returned to Carthage except for their son who made a special trip there on the way home from a swimming tournament, in Oklahoma, in which his son participated, a couple of years ago. A couple of years after the LaPorta’s left Carthage, Fletcher Cupp did likewise. Some thirty years later Angie purchased an item in a Chicago bookstore on the Loop. Much to her surprise the cashier was Cupp and to his surprise he was engaged in conversation with a scorekeeper of the past.

 

Vito and Johnny LaPorta lived near Wrigley Field and both became Cub batboys. How near did those guys live to Wrigley Field? Well, the family lived at 3630 Racine Ave. just a block west and a block south of the Cubs lair. This is the neighborhood in 2016. .https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9480263,-87.6591462,3a,75y,282.3h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m4!1sA3prMwFUuOxRP6KJWxaSvA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4b1!6m1!1e1 The time, on a busy day, for the boys to get to work was three minutes if they walked slowly. It was the perfect job for a kid. Vito took the job when he was 16 and Johnny took over when he was 14. By far, Vito worked for the best Cub teams even being a rare Chicago batboy to have been in a World Series.

 

During the 1938 season, Vito vowed not to cut his hair until the Cubs won the pennant. At the time the old Cub catcher, Gabby Hartnett, was the manager. Later in that season another former catcher, Gabby Street, took over the managerial reigns of the Cubs. The Cubs clinched the pennant in St. Louis and the Chicago Tribune on October 2, 1938 carried a photo of the victorious Cubs celebrating and in the middle of the photo, wearing a Cubs warm-up jacket and a huge smile, was Vito the batboy. Unfortunately, he was wearing a Cubs ball cap. That was too bad in lieu of the Tribune article which stated “The radio announcers and the swarming photographers had their way in the clubhouse. To help out the latter, Gabby Street shaved the hairy head of Vito LaPorta who had announced he never would be shorn until the Cubs won the pennant.”

 

The Cubs didn’t win the World Series that year but as batboy for the losing team Vito received his world series share which amounted to $500. This is a blurb from the Piqua, Ohio Daily Call for October 13, 1938. “Chicago— Vito La Porta, Cubs' batboy, will use his $500 share of world series money to pay for an appendectomy for his brother.” Of course the appendectomy was for Johnny who was five years younger than Vito who was born in 1921. In fact, Johnny had a twin sister by the name of Lucille. She didn’t follow in the footsteps of her brothers as batboys for the Cubs. Their father, Victor “Vito” Sr. was born in Italy, in 1895, and was a candy maker when Lucille and her brothers were young.

 

Point to ponder: Had Johnny LaPorta lived he would have been 90-years of age to the day after this report was written. Thus, he had to have been born November 19, 1926. Just a coincidence? I guess.

 

This is an obituary to honor Angela Longo LaPorta but I wanted to preface it with her role in Cub history. She lived long enough to see the Cubs win a World Series. Exactly seven days later she left us.

 

Obituary:

glueckertfuneralhome.com/obituaries/2016/11/10/angela-lon... Photo included.

 

Angela Longo La Porta

Formerly of Arlington Heights

 

Angela Longo La Porta was born August 9, 1928 in Chicago to Frank and Vivian (nee D’Anna) Longo. She died November 9, 2016 in Journey Care Hospice Care at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.

 

Angela was a graduate of Roosevelt High School and later continued her education at Harper College and DeVry Institute, which contributed to her work at AT&T. She was an extraordinary cook, avid gardener, arborist, and enjoyed sewing, crafting, and many other projects. Above all, her kindness and generosity were felt by many.

 

Angela is survived by her children Cynthia (Wayne) Lange and John (Beth) La Porta; her grandchildren Nicholas Lange, Jennifer La Porta, Emily La Porta, Benjamin Lange and John Anthony La Porta and by her siblings Marie (late Frank) Blanchard, Ellie (Ed) Wilson and Alice (Joe) Sherman.

 

Angela is preceded in death by her parents; and by her former husband, John Joseph La Porta. (Ed note: John died in June, 1989)

 

Visitation Sunday, November 13, 2016 from 3:00 PM until 8:00 PM at the Glueckert Funeral Home, Ltd ., 1520 N. Arlington Heights Road, (4 blocks south of Palatine Road) Arlington Heights. Prayers 9:15 AM Monday, November 14, 2016 at Glueckert Funeral Home to St. Theresa Catholic Church, 467 Benton St., Palatine, for mass at 10:00 AM. Interment St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to JourneyCare, 405 Lake Zurich Road, Barrington, IL 60010. Funeral information and condolences www.GlueckertFH.com or (847) 253-0168.

 

LaPorta family will receive the foregoing article

 

Subsequent to releasing the preliminary Flash Report this request was received.

 

The beautiful tribute you wrote for my mom went somewhere in the new format for Comcast. I was trying to forward it to family, and it's not cooperating.. When you have time, would you please resend that e-mail? It was wonderful! Thank you soooo much, especially since my mom's obituary seems like a terrible rough draft…Thank you!!! Sincerely, Cindy

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Death of one of the guys with shortest KOM career

 

It was the summer of 1998 and over 400 people gathered in Carthage, Missouri for the largest assemblage of former KOM leaguers, ever. In that group were men who played at every level of professional baseball, including the major leagues. In two countries. Each had a story to tell and others did but didn’t think so.

 

For three nights, at each banquet, a different former player was introduced. With each introduction Yours truly had a brief anecdote to share. It was the second night of the event and when introducing a former Iola Indian the comment was “Ladies and gentleman, this guy, has spent more time at this reunion than he did in his KOM career.” The gentleman arose and told his story. In his first game he was sent into the game as a pinch runner. Before the first pitch, manager Floyd Temple flashed the bunt sign. When he broke for second he slipped and scurried back to first base. When he arose from the ground and dusted himself off he looked to Temple again who flashed the steal sign once more. The runner had an idea that wouldn’t work for the catcher would pitch out. That is exactly what happened and he was thrown out, easily at second.

 

Early the next morning the hard luck baserunner was summoned to team owner, Earl Sifers office and handed his release. His KOM career didn’t even get him in the record books but earned in a spot in the lore of the old league.

 

April 29, 1952 Iola Register stated: “Manager Floyd Temple announced the signing of three additional players, resulting in a 17-man squad for the trip; The three are Norman Travis of Stratton, Colo., who has been training here while unsigned, Ernie Chastain of Algona, Iowa, infielder-outfielder who reported in from the Duluth, Minn., club that has been training at Pittsburg (KS), and Don Ripley, catcher from Nova Scotia, Canada. Another player who may be added is Gasper Del Toro, infielder-outfielder who played at Miami last year. “

 

In the news article were names of four guys only two of which ever made it in a box score. Travis was there for about eight before going back to Colorado without cracking the lineup and Ripley also went back to Nova Scotia without getting his big toe wet in KOM baseball. Gaspar Del Toro played in 125 games that year. So, by process of elimination you know that the one-game wonder for the Iola Indians was Ernie Chastain.

 

On November 16 this note was received from baseball necrologist, Jack Morris. “Hi John,

You may have seen this obituary already-http://legacy.newsok.com/obituaries/oklahoman/obituary.aspx?n=ERNEST-CHASTAIN&pid=182550160

I don’t think I’m making a big leap of faith that the Ernest Chastain in the obituary is the Ernest Chastain from the 1952 Iola Indians, am I?”

 

Mr. Morris was informed that it wasn’t a big leap of faith to make that assumption.

 

Here is the entire text of Ernie Chastain’s obituary:

 

August 19, 1931 - November 11, 2016 OKLAHOMA CITY Ernie Chastain (Ed note: Middle name was Louis) was born in Red Oak, Iowa, in 1931, to Ernest Chastain Sr. and Nora Spicer Chastain. He passed away November 11 at St. Ann's Nursing Home in Oklahoma City.

 

He grew up in Joplin, Missouri and graduated from Joplin High School where he played baseball and basketball. He married Darlene Erdman in 1951. She was a wonderful, supportive wife and mother. They were married for 57 happy years until she passed away in 2008. They lived in Miami, Oklahoma, for 15 years where he worked for BF Goodrich.

 

Ernie played minor league baseball for a short time and enjoyed officiating and coaching sports, mainly for his kids. They had 3 children, Steve, David and Cheryl. They later moved to Oklahoma City where he worked in the credit union business until retirement. After Darlene passed away, Ernie married Ruth Schmitz. They were married for over 5 years. Ruth was a faithful loving wife and was always by his side, making his last years happy.

 

Ernie dedicated his life to church and community service, primarily as a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men's charitable and fraternal organization. He served as a Grand Knight and State Deputy and held many other council and state offices. Ernie's strong Catholic faith sustained him throughout his life. He was one of the founders of the Center of Family Love in Okarche, a facility for the adult intellectually disabled, and served for many years on the board. Ernie received the Harold Wittrock Humanitarian Award in 2016 for his many years of service to the center and, in 2009, he received the KWTV Oklahoma Hero of the Year Award for his work with the disabled. He enjoyed watching baseball, the Thunder, and anything OSU. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Darlene, and his sisters, Bernice Force and Marjorie Jones Stapleton. He is survived by his wife, Ruth, of OKC; son, Steve and his wife Priscilla of OKC; son, David and his wife Susan of Stillwater; daughter, Cheryl Jones and her husband Scott of Stillwater; 9 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and Ruth's 7 children. There will be an evening prayer service 7 p.m. Thursday, November 17, and the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, November 18. Both liturgies will be held at St. Eugene Catholic Church, 2400 W. Hefner Rd., Oklahoma City, OK 73120. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Ernie's memory to: The Center of Family Love, PO Box 245, Okarche, OK 73762 (www.centeroffamilylove.org) or to St. Eugene Catholic Church (www.steugenes.org). The family would like to thank the staff at St. Ann's for their compassionate care of Ernie.

Published in The Oklahoman on Nov. 16, 2016

 

Ed comment:

 

From 1998 through his remaining years I was in contact with Chastain up to the time he entered the nursing home. Our contact was primarily by e-mail and he kept up with the news of guys with whom he had played local baseball at Joplin and Miami, OK, when playing for the B. F. Goodrich company team, with and against guys such as: Bruce Swango. Johnny LaFalier, Ray, Roy, and Max Mantle along with a number of the Boyer brothers. If you never heard of Swango, look him up: www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&am...

 

Chastain played on some top caliber American Legion teams in Joplin, in the late 1940’s, that was sponsored by Dan Stanley Ford. He gave me an original 8 X 10 photo of the 1948 team that basically comprised the 1949 Joplin High School baseball team and that photo was used in the school’s yearbook which was Chastain’s graduation year. He was also an excellent basketball player during his varsity years at Joplin, coached by legendary, Russ Kaminsky. He missed by one year of playing on a Missouri state high school championship team. In 1950 Joplin posted a 21-3 record and beating a team from St. Louis (Kirkwood) to secure the title. One of the stars of the baseball and basketball teams with whom Chastain played was Duffy Harbaugh. Chastain had high regard for Harbaugh who later signed with the Yankees minor league system. He tired of the grind and quit baseball. However, when the “big” games were played, in the area, with the Boyers vs. the Mantle’s, Harbaugh was usually the gamess leading hitter. That included Kenny Boyer, Mickey Mantle, Gene Stephens and many more.

 

Chastain returned to Iowa for a while after graduating from Joplin High School and worked for a place in Sioux City called “Bucks Booterie.” A number of former athletes worked there in the off-season. I know of another former KOM leaguer, Duane Zimmer, who worked there after the 1950 season and even used the letterhead of Bucks to send messages to his friends in Carthage.

 

When Chastain reported to Iola the newspaper listed him as being from Algona, Iowa and the Iolans probably didn’t ever know that he had spent most of his youth living in nearby Joplin, Missouri. But, if they read this report they’ll know it as well as learning that Ernie Chastain lived a productive life and being thrown out at second base, in his only KOM appearance, was just on blip on the radar screen of life.

 

Final comment:

 

This note is for Norm Travis who still receives these reports. If you remember Ernie Chastain I’m going to award you the “Reader of the Week” award. For those of you not familiar with Mr. Travis, other than what you saw earlier in this report, he was one of four young hopefuls sent to Iola, in 1952 by Bob Howsam of the Denver Bears. The others were; Victor Damon, Jerry Gleason and Chuck Sisson.

 

Second final comment:

 

Norm Travis did read the preliminary report and sent this note: “Yes I do remember Ernie Chastain, a little 2nd basemen. I have added to the comment section after your report for the week, 11/20—11/26. Thanks, Norm Travis.”

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Old Cub pitchers…do they really care?

 

In the last issue it was mentioned that contact had been reestablished with Joe Stanka. At one time in his career, the former Dodger signee was in the Chicago Cub organization. There he got to know and become friends with Paul Hoffmeister (as seen in the photo for this report.) Over the years Mary Lou Hoffmeister and Jean Stanka have kept in touch. This was a note received from Mary Lou this week. “Jean Stanka called this morning . Was great to hear from her. She said that Joe wasn't interested in baseball anymore. I think that I was more excited about Cubs than Paul was. Happy Thanksgiving! Mary Lou.”

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The passing of Eddie Carnett grabbed the news cycle

 

From free-lance writer, Greg Echlin in Kansas City came the following. “John, I thought you might enjoy this. Please pass it along.”

echlinsports.com/election-day-memorial-service-held-for-b...

 

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From a writer for the Columbia, Mo. Tribune came this note: “The name of Carl Miles popped up as living in Trenton, Mo., and was the 2nd oldest ex-major leaguer. (Ed note: That was shared in a Flash Report from April 2016. Things dos change rapidly.)

 

I assume this is the same Carl Miles who graduated from MU in 1940(?) after three years as MU’s leading pitcher. He died earlier this year in Florida after living several years in retirement in Columbia before moving to Florida.

 

He signed with the Athletics upon graduation, but, I didn’t find him in the Baseball Encyclopedia I think he entered the Service.

 

His brother still lives here. Jack Miles was the executive director of the Missouri Stat High School Athletic Assn. (MSHAA) for over 20 years. Not sure if he has a land line anymore. Jack was taken into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame last year.

 

I’ve written two columns about Carl Miles not being in the MU Athletic Hall of Fame, but no one cares about the old guys today. Carl should be joined by RHP Frank Graham who graduated from here in 1942. He and Carl made MU the best of the Big Six (Conference) for 5 years. Carl may have lived in Trenton, but not lately.” Bill Clark (Better known as Ole’ Clark and featured at this site. www.columbiatribune.com/users/profile/bclark/ )

 

Ed comment:

 

Carl Miles did appear in two games for the Philadelphia A’s, in 1940, and posted a 13.50 ERA. In his total of eight innings, on the mound, he gave up nine hits, 12 runs of all of which were earned. On top of those hits he also walked eight batters. Two guys managed to hit homers off him.

 

That brief stint, in the big leagues, earned him a shot in Class B in 1941, 1942 and 1944. He stayed with the Philadelphia organization until 1944 when the Brooklyn Dodgers signed him to pitch and switch hit. He fared better as a hitter than he did on the mound. In fact, he was a .750 (3-4) hitter for the 1940 Philadelphia A’s and hit .284 for the Trenton franchise in 1944 The guy may have been miscast.

 

Reader comment:

 

To prove nothing gets by the readership of this report a note was received from Bob Moore, regarding Frank Graham, mentioned in Clark’s article.

 

Hi John. Just a quick note wishing a Happy Thanksgiving for you & yours. I do enjoy your weekly reports & was glad to see a brief mention of a long time friend, Frank Graham. While I had known Frank for most of my life, my sports connection was only Church League softball. Frank was still playing in his 70's, sometimes with the benefit of a pinch runner..... Old ball players don't like to slow down!!! He was no doubt a great ball player, but missed the KOM connection I guess.

 

Frank lived in the Columbia for big part of adult life. I last visited with him at his home in SW Columbia and in the "Neighborhood" before his death. His obit tells more than I can. He was a member of Midway Locust Grove UMC, & was friends with my folks (& many others) as result of his church & neighborhood activities. In addition to his baseball & 4-H career, he was just a fine gentleman to be around.

www.columbiatribune.com/obituaries/frank-graham/article_5...

 

 

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The conclusion:

 

Once again another report has reached its merciful conclusion. On a regular basis the readership is informed they don’t have to receive this “Forced Fun for Free.” I’m an old guy who has run up that long hill of Class D baseball with many of the heroes from my youth. That started when Harry Truman was friends with a couple of owners of KOM league teams. So, many of the former players have ascended that hill and gone to the other side just as have the former owners and their friend Harry. If you are now tired of reading about the memories of baseball players from seven decades ago and the manner in which they are presented just let the guy who sends them your way know. There is still enough gasoline in the tank and brain cells left to figure out how to delete names from the distribution list. Happy Thanksgiving!!! We have so much for which to be thankful.

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Done