KOM League Flash Report for August 10, 2019

The KOM League

Flash Report

For

August 10, 2019

And lasting until the next one is produced

 

This report is posted at: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/48153834767/

A whole lot of research went into preparing this report even though it might appear otherwise to people with more research ability than the author of this missive.

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In the years of researching the fate of former KOM leaguers one name was difficult to uncover much information. It was known the fellow was a first baseman for the 1949-50 Chanute Athletics and that he was the league All-Star first baseman in 1950.

 

At each KOM league reunion, from 1995 through 2008, the question always arose from his former teammates “Have you found any documentation on the Air Force plane crash that took the life of Tom Norbut?” Each time all I could provide was that his funeral was held on June 10 in St. Louis.

 

Obviously, too much time was spent looking in all the wrong places. Then, this past week scanning around the Newspaper.com site this story was found in the June 7, 1957 edition of the St. Louis-Post Dispatch on page 3. It tells a pretty complete story on George Thomas Norbut Jr.. The story was carried around the country on the various wire services and some of the versions varied a little but not factually. Here is what readers saw in the Post-Dispatch.

 

St. Louis Pilot Killed in Scott (AFB) Crash

 

Engine of Supersonic, Delta-Wing Interceptor Flames Out on California Flight.

 

An Air Force jet fighter plane crashed and burned about one and one-half miles northeast of Scott Air Force base yesterday and the pilot, First Lt. George T. Norbut of St. Louis, was killed. He was trying to make an emergency landing.

 

The plane, an F-102, a supersonic delta-wing interceptor was being ferried from California to Wright-Patterson base at Dayton, Ohio, when its engine died in a “flame-out.”

 

Norbut, 29 years old, was the son of Mrs. Raymond Schaeffer, at 4037 North Newstead avenue. He was stationed at Richards-Gebauer base at Kansas City, and had been in the Air Force since 1951.

 

Radioed base.

 

The crash occurred at 1:32 p. m. A few minutes before Norbut radioed Scott base that he was in trouble and would try to land there. A runway was cleared for him and tower officers watched as he made an approach, believing that he would get in safely.

 

The plane fell in a wooded farm area about one-fourth of a mile south of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harry E. Oakley and their five children. Mrs. Oakley, who is accustomed to hearing jet planes, was not where she could see the plane come down, but told of hearing an explosion.

 

The initial explosion was followed by several smaller ones, which military policemen said were of rockets, and the fire burned for more than an hour. Wreckage was scattered over an area about one block square.

 

Spectators Kept Away.

 

Spectators were kept away from the immediate area because the plane carried some secret equipment.

 

Norbut had stopped for fuel at Tinker (AFB) base, Oklahoma City.

 

He was a graduate of Beaumont High School (St. Louis), and attended Harris Teachers College, which he left to play professional baseball, with the Chanute, Kan., team in the old K-O-M league. He was not married.

 

Ed comment:

 

Most of the former teammates of the deceased pilot, who inquired about him at reunions, are no longer around. Those who are still living are in their ninth decade of life. Norbut would have turned 90, this past May, had he survived that plane crash and the intervening vicissitudes of life. He was born in August 22, 1929 in Springfield, Illinois to Francis and George T. Norbut. By the time George Jr. was 10 years old his mother and father weren’t husband and wife any longer. George Jr. was in St. Louis by 1940 and his mother married Raymond Schaeffer. George Jr. went to St. Louis public schools graduating from Beaumont High School that produced many fine baseball players that were scouted heavily by the Browns, Yankees, Cardinals and Giants.

 

Norbut was a popular member of the Chanute ball club and was on the last team that town ever fielded in professional baseball. He was one of the “crooners” who lined up on the third base line after the last game, in 1950, and sang the hit tune of the day “Goodnight Irene.” One of the highlights of his career, according to a questionnaire he filled out for Bill Weiss, was being involved in pulling off a triple play. He was also involved in a rare game for a first baseman, in 1950. First basemen usually have the most putouts recorded in any game. However, he had a slow night in one game when he was credited with only one of those.

 

A photo of Norbut is carried on page 60 of the Arcadia publication. “The KOM League Remembered.” Those books are real cheap and available by searching the Internet for it. For those of you flat busted and broke you can go on the web and see great portions of that book for only the cost of turning on your computer. www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9780738533407

 

For those who would like to see a photo of Norbut without requiring anything more exhausting than clicking on a URL, here is how to find it. www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/20215377659/in/photoli... You’ll have to read the narrative of that Flash Report to figure where he is in that photo.

Ah, this site contains an even better photo of Norbut. It is the “Official” team photo as opposed to the previous photo which might go down as the worst team photo in history. www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/42418276610/in/photoli...

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Catching up

 

The remainder of this report addresses the passing of former players that haven’t been mentioned previously. This feature will have limited interest among the readership but for the “few” baseball researchers who tune into this “broadcast” from time to time, this one is for them.

 

Thomas Jefferson “Snuffy” Smith www.omaha.com/obits/smith-thomas-jefferson/article_d3f3f3...

 

Smith, Thomas Jefferson March 19, 1924 - April 28, 2019 Thomas "Tom" Jefferson Smith (age 95) was born on March 19, 1924, to Wyland Smith and Augusta Glup in Omaha.

 

On Sunday morning, April 28, 2019, Tom passed peacefully in his sleep and is now with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Tom was preceded in death by his loving wife of 66 years, Marjorie Loretta Thill. He was the sixth of nine siblings, and was preceded in death by brothers, Edward Elmer Smith, Elmer Arthur Smith, and Arthur Albert Smith; and sisters, Hattie M. Selk, Loretta Darby, and Jean W. Gamerl.

 

He is survived by daughters, Suzanne Marie Smith, Sandra Jayne (Thomas) Kurmel, and Terri Jean (Stacy) Lee; grandchildren, Julie Michelle (Tyler) Fettes, Ryan Lee (Kindred) McLaughlin, and Christian Wyland Kurmel; great-grandaughter Aubrey Michelle Fettes; sisters, Joan Lorraine Powers, and Betty Lou Koch; step-grandchilren, Mandy Lee, Chelsea (Dave) Gerdes, Eric (Ashley) Lee; and five step-great-grandchildren.

 

Tom was an All State High School pitcher (Omaha South), veteran of the U.S. Navy in WWII (Pacific Theater), professional baseball player, and retired from the Union Pacific Railroad. Tom was a loving husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, and great grandfather. Visitation will be held Monday, May 6 at 10:00 a.m. at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, 7706 S. 96th Street, LaVista, Nebraska. The Celebration of Life will start a 11am following the visitation. Westlawn Hillcrest Funeral Home 5701 Center St. Omaha, NE 402-556-2500.

 

Comment:

 

Often, baseball necrologist, Jack Morris, sends along names of those from the KOM league who departed the scene. When I think he might have missed a name I get in touch as in the case of the aforementioned. “Don't know if you saw this or not. Thomas Jefferson "Snuffy" Smith was a member of the 1948 Carthage, Mo. pitching staff. His career covered a span from 1946 through 1952. He had a contract with San Francisco, for 1953, but chose not to go there.”

 

In this case Mr. Morris hadn’t seen the obituary. He said he was passing it along to his “group.” His group pays attention to that sort of thing and I even got messages from a couple of them informing me regarding of what I had shared with Morris. In this manner not much falls through the cracks in the dugout bench.

 

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John William Knoke Obituary

www.everhere.com/us/obituaries/fl/tampa/john-william-knok...

 

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of John William Knoke (Tampa, Florida), who passed away on May 9, 2019, at the age of 92, leaving to mourn family and friends. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family.

 

With that brief announcement the fate of John Knoke was learned. He was one of the first former KOM leaguer located when the project to locate them began. He pitched for both the 1947 and 1948 Pittsburg Browns after being signed by the St. Louis Browns.

 

Knoke was one of the guys who fell in love with the fans at Pittsburg, especially the Bob Mitchell family who took many young players under their wing and fed and befriended them for not only their time in Pittsburg but until the Mitchell family perished in a car accident a few years after Knoke’s time there.

 

In writing my first book about the KOM league, Knoke had a lot of memories that made the effort entertaining. He recalled the most brutal day in his career. It was July 4, 1947 when the temperature in Pittsburg was 117. He won the game by one run and lost 18 pound in the process, By the 9th inning he was so tired he could barely climb up on the mound but was saved by the fact the batters were so tired they could hardly swing. He didn’t feel too sorry for himself for his catcher lost 20 pounds wearing all that equipment.

 

On pages 98-100 in the book, Majoring in The Minors, a number of other things are contained that Knoke shared. He had numerous stories about “Two Gun” Les who the team sort of adopted during the summer. By that time he was in his mid-40’s. “Two Gun” got his name from the “loaded” cap guns he wore. He would be the security guard for the Pittsburg players as they entered the ballpark and would shot opposing players rounding third base in their attempt to score. I Could go on and on here about “Two Gun” but suffice to say, he was a big part of the fun at the old ballpark. If you have that book, go back and take a look at the pages just cited.

 

Knoke was born July 9, 1926 in Cora, Illinois. For many years he was affiliated with the Hartford Insurance Company and was a regional manager for them in Jacksonville, Florida. He had a brother by the name of Robert who was a catcher for the 1952 Independence Brown. He died in 2012 in St. Charles, Missouri.

 

For those with the book “The KOM League Remembered” Knoke’s photo along with his wife and his brother Robert and his girlfriend is found on page 31. It was John’s wedding photo that he shared with the Bob Mitchell family in Pittsburg.

 

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Henry W. Carter Jr. –1946 Iola Cubs

 

Henry Carter was born July 2, 1927 in Ft. Worth, Texas. He appeared in a game at Iola on May 21, 1947 and drove in the winning run against the Independence, Kansas Yankees. He was a catcher on option from Davenport, Iowa. He only played with Iola that day and it appears he never returned to Davenport. Most likely he returned to Ft. Worth but no trace of him can be found

 

Carter had played on a Texas state amateur championship team in 1945. Prior to that he had played minor league ball at Lockport, NY in 1943. He was only 16 at that time but due to a lack of manpower, youngsters still in high school played professionally.

 

So far, there is no trace of his whereabouts or fate.

 

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David Lee Brown—1949 Miami Owls

 

David Brown was born August 11, 1929 in St. Joseph, Missouri. He died there on December 18, 2017. During his high school years he was a talented American Legion pitcher and played in Missouri state championship games in 1945 at St. Louis and 1946 at Kansas City. His goal was to be a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals but as close as he got to that was pitching for the St. Joseph Cardinals. He started with that club in 1949 and on June 14 of that year he was sent to the Miami, Okla. Owls. Had Carthage still been a St. Louis Cardinal affiliate, that year, he would have played for that club.

 

I only spoke to David Brown once in my life. I called him in 2013 and he was very ill at that time. I shared with him a number of documents but nothing was ever heard back from him in that regard.

 

There is information regarding the life of Mr. Brown, including a photo, on Ancestry.com, but nothing for which a URL can be cited with the exception of the Ancestry site which only a few readers have access. If you have Ancestry and want the links to the former right-hander in the KOM and Western Association, let me know.

 

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Frank Edwin Burwell Jr. 1949 Miami Owls

 

Frank Edwin Burwell, Jr., 93, Leavenworth, died Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. He was born May 28, 1925, in Leavenworth, Kansas, the son of Franklin and Marjorie (North) Burwell.

He was a lifelong resident of Leavenworth County and proud graduate from Jarbalo High School in 1943.

 

Frank was married to his wife, Barbara for 58 years. She lovingly cared for him and survives at home. He is also survived by a daughter, Rhonda Ecker and husband, Mark, Wrentham, Massachusetts; and a son, Frank and wife, Robyn, Phillipsburg, Kansas; a grandson, Nathan, Kansas City, Missouri. Frank was especially close to his cousins, Virginia Seymour, Leavenworth and James Throop, Denver, Colorado.

 

After a stint in the Navy during WWII, Frank worked at Munson Army Hospital as Assistant Patient Administrator where he was named Boss of the Year in 1974. He later retired and volunteered at the Leavenworth Assistance Center for 15 years.

 

Frank was preceded in death by his parents.

 

He was an accomplished baseball player and lifelong Kansas City Royals fan. Frank was a member of Sacred Heart and Saint Casmir churches. He loved quail hunting and fishing with his father, son and friends. He enjoyed hunting behind his dad’s accomplished bird dogs. He was also a gardener and shared this with many friends and family members. He was grateful to his many neighbors both in the country and here in Leavenworth and will be missed by those who knew him.

 

A memorial mass will be held at a date next spring or summer. Memorials are suggested to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Leavenworth or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Arrangements in care of R.L. Leintz Funeral Home.

 

Burwell was a left handed pitcher and outfielder for Miami. Things were going well for him until he had appendicitis. On May 28, due to his health, he was released and that concluded his professional baseball career.

 

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Richard Philip Martinez—1949 Independence Yankees and Miami Eagles

 

Long ago I had given up much hope of ever locating Mr. Martinez. All that I knew about him was his name in an early season box score for Independence when he pitched and then a mention in the Miami, Oklahoma News-Record where he had been released after just a week with the local nine in that town. He was listed as a 19-year old left-handed pitcher.

 

With the information cited in the Miami paper it wasn’t long before the name of Richard Philip Martinez was located. He was listed as having been born in Moorpark, California on May 1, 1930. A quick glance was given to the U. S. Baseball Questionnaires and there I found the form he had completed. He mentioned winning his first game against Santa Barbara which would have placed him in the California league. With a bit more research it was determined he had signed with Ventura. Ventura was Yankee Class D team and many players shuttled between there and Independence, Kansas.

 

Thus, in early May, of 1949, Martinez showed up a full month ahead of Mickey Mantle joining that club. Mantle didn’t affect his remaining on the team. The two guys who ensured Martinez wouldn’t be around long were Bob Wiesler and Steve Kraly. Both were lefthanders who would eventually wind up with the “Big Yankees” before their careers concluded.

 

Thus, Martinez was expendable and he was picked up by Miami where he lasted a week. After May of 1949 there is no baseball trail for him. He obviously headed back to California. By at least 1957 he had moved to San Francisco. In 1967 he became the manager of Burkes Corner Restaurant, a position he held until his death at 10:10 p. m. at San Francisco General Hospital on

May 20, 1972. His service was conducted at the Ted Meyer Mortuary and he was buried in Ivy Lawn Cemetery in Ventura.

 

*****

 

Charles William Stone

 

Charles Stone had brief stints with both the Ponca City Dodgers and Miami Eagles in 1951. He was an outfielder who was born August 30, 1932 in Chino, California. Only other item that is verifiable was his death December 16, 1991 in Salem, Oregon

 

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William Robert Huffman –Iola 1946

 

This is the obituary found for Mr. Huffman.

www.findagrave.com/memorial/122673138

 

FORT WORTH, Texas – William R. "Bob" Huffman, 87, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. He was born Jan. 2, 1926, to J. Ellis and Gladis Berry Huffman in Dallas, Texas. He was a commercial airplane pilot for many years before his retirement. He was a member of Richland Hills United Methodist Church in Richland Hills, Texas. He enjoyed woodworking, and serving the community through Habitat for Humanity, and working with his church.

 

Services will be at 10 a.m. today, Jan. 4, at Senter Funeral Home in Fulton with Bro. Terry Paul Graham officiating. Burial will be in Benefield Cemetery. Senter Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

 

He was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline Huffman; his parents, J. Ellis and Gladis Berry Huffman; and a brother, J.E. Huffman. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10 a.m. today at the funeral home.

 

Memorials may be made to Richland Hills United Methodist Church, 7301 Glenview Drive, North Richland Hills, TX 76180. Online condolences can be expressed at www.senterfuneraldirectors.com.

 

Published in Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal on Jan. 4, 2014 (Ed note; He had lived in Fairview, Mississippi and that is where he was buried.)

 

Ed comment:

 

Huffman had caught one game for the 1946 Iola Cubs. That was on July 15. He was a 1943 graduate of Birdville High School in Dallas. He spent 30 months in the United States Marines during WW II. His U.S. Baseball Questionnaire showed he was born in on January 2, 1927 when he had actually been born in 1926. He passed away one day shy of his 88th birthday.

 

When he filled out his U. S Baseball Questionnaire, in 1949, he listed four years as a professional baseball player and that his hobby was “Wemon.” As he was a 23-year old single man on June 7 of that year I sincerely suspect he got the “e” before the “o” with regard to his hobby.

 

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William Frederick Conroy

 

For the first three weeks of the 1950 season, Bill Conroy was a member of the Carthage Cubs pitching staff. On May 25 he was sent to Nazareth, Penn. If you glance through his submission in the U. S. Baseball Questionnaire you will find that he thought he went to Nazareth in 1949.

 

Conroy was born October 7, 1931 in Chicago Illinois and passed away February 25, 2013 in Palos Park, Illinois

 

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Thomas J. Robinson

 

For a quarter century research has continued in an attempt to document an early season third baseman for the Chanute Athletics by the name of Thomas Jefferson Robinson. While I’m not quite ready to declare his fate has been determined, I’m close.

 

There was a Thomas Jefferson Robinson who was born April 13, 1928 in West Frankfort, Illinois. A Thomas Robinson played third base for the Chanute through the month of May in 1950 and on November 16th of that year entered the United States Army where he served until November 17, 1952. At the time of his discharge he was a corporal

 

Not much else is known about Robinson other than he lived in New Jersey and New York before moving to Vandalia, Illinois where he passed away May 17, 1998.

 

*****

 

Charles Stock ???

 

For many years a search has been ongoing regarding a catcher for the Bartlesville, Okla. Oilers and Pirates. Here is what I know about him.

 

Born 11/24/1926 Chicago, Illinois

Graduated Kelly High School in 1942

Spent 42 months in Navy. Played on a Navy team with Johnny Mize.

Played for Chicago Hornets Semi-Pro in 1946

Played for the Lockport Reds in 1947 according to his baseball questionnaire

Attended Western Michigan Univ.

Bartlesville Oilers/Pirates 1947-48-49 Also was at Gadsden, Ala. in 1949 At Gadsden his manager was Ben Chapman.

Reported dead by a friend who attended a KOM league reunion 15 years ago.

Played in the Basin League (amateur)

 

If anyone has another further information on Stock let me know. I have photos of him taken from the early 1940’s to the mid 1950’s.

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Done