KOM Flash Report for 3/20/2020

The KOM League

Flash Report

Quarantine Edition

March 20, 2020

 

The report for this time around is posted at: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/49679843433/ There is a feature in this report that directs the reader toward a lot of fun if they enjoy the history of baseball. There isn’t much of a chance anyone could get through all the information available.

 

Well, it finally happened. With the near complete shutdown of everything, in recent days, the natives are getting restless. Over the years there has been a lot heaped on the editor of this publication for boring the readership to death or coming short of that at least these reports have been too much to bear, at times.

 

However, it is gratifying to note that some of my harshest critics are now finding out that there are items more boring than these Flash Reports and are asking for something, from this source, to stimulate their minds during this Wuhan flu outbreak.

 

Knowing that it is impossible to write anything that would challenge the intellect of the readers a plan had to be devised.

 

Many years ago I spent a number of hours in one of the hallway’s at the Sporting News in Chesterfield, Missouri rummaging through card index files of many, not all, of those who ever signed a contract to play professional. Thousands of those cards existed and there were even multiple cards for long term players.

 

Since those days, back in the 1990’s, the Sporting News donated those cards to the Society of American Baseball Research. Those cards represent a large percentage of young men who played professional baseball. Some of the data were comprehensive from their birth up to the conclusion of a player’s career.

 

Unfortunately, some players crept into baseball without being spotted by those keeping the Sporting News records. However, there are enough to keep anyone with a curious bone in their eyelids occupied for a long time. Hopefully, long enough to get them through this “season of containment.”

 

As my contribution to stave of boredom the following is submitted.

 

For a starting point please enter this URL digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll3/id/3704/r... Immediately, you will see the Sporting News career card for the greatest catcher of all-time—Don Biebel. Well, he did play for Carthage, put up with Yours truly as the batboy in 1951 and steal signs for the Chicago Cubs a few years later when he wasn’t performing his paid duties as traveling secretary for them.

 

On the header of the page where the Biebel card is featured the following words are “LA 84 Foundation Digital Library Collection.” On the far right is a rectangular blank that has written beneath “Advanced Search.” This is where the fun begins if you have any interest in doing so. In that block you can place the name of any baseball player, from the golden age of the game, who played at any level from Class D to the major leagues. Try your favorite player’s name and see if it works.

 

It is restated that the card file is not exhaustive but can provide many hours of killing time rather than staring out the window and awaiting the “all-clear” message that it is safe to go out and eat again.

 

This morning some time was spent pulling up the names of some of the former players on my mailing and sharing their card with them. So far, every one of the guys was surprised to see their career in this format. The site was also shared with some family members of former players and they were very pleased to view the information. The following is one of the first responses. “I don't recall ever having seen that particular card although I was of course well aware of the events displayed. Terry and I were married in Hazleton (Penn.) in 1950 and we had just settled into our 1st apartment in the spring of 1951 and I decided that I would apply for voluntary retirement for one year to settle in with the idea of going back to Vero Beach spring training in 1952. Well that never happened. The Dodgers continued to send me contracts for 3 years none of which I returned. When the Dodgers proposed a contract for me to play in Ponca City I would in retrospect have really liked to have played a season there. Ponca City was the best conditioned ballpark I ever played on when I was in the minor leagues. Along with the fact that I would have revisited the K.O.M. and some of the guys still playing there that I knew I wish that had happened. You have jogged my memories of a great time in my life! Thanks--As always your avid reader. Sal Nardello.”

 

So, go to the site and let me know if you have comments or questions. Some of the Sporting News shorthand on those cards is not intuitively obvious to the casual observer, on first glance. If you need any interpretation, let me know. The fee for that service is minimal. Operators are standing by to quote that special rate.

 

In perusing a few dozen players Sporting News cards I found that my records for most of the players is more complete than what is found on those documents. So, if you pull up any former KOM leaguer and his place and date of birth is not shown it is highly likely it is on the KOM database that is now in its 27th year of construction.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

Comments from previous Flash Report

 

Hi John: I never got a reply from Bobby Ramsey's family.

 

We are so ready for spring and summer. It was about 60o here today so not bad. I went for a walk and very nice out today.

 

Cardinals baseball spring training on TV and keeps Jim happy. We were on DISH for many years and they dropped the Fox Sports Network so we found a company that carried FSN and switched carriers.

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day. I plan to have a generous Irish Coffee. Yum..

If you ever hear from Bill Virdon let me know. Marge

 

Ed reply:

 

Glad to hear you can still get the Cardinal games on cable. It is great to see some spring weather. I used to know where Bill and Shirley Virdon were every spring. They made it to spring training in one capacity or another for nearly 70 years.

 

Happy St. Pat's Day to you and Jim.

 

******

In the last report a blurb was carried regarding the Monett, Mo. Redbirds playing the Fayetteville, Ark. Angels in 1939. It was reported in the brief article that the Redbirds were a bunch of spavined players. Just for the heck of it I decided to pull up the 1939 Monett roster and pick one name at random to see where the fellow was from and what became of him. The lottery pick was George Wieneke, a pitcher, who posted a 5-18 record. In going on the Internet the following was quickly found. Click on this link

www.findagrave.com/memorial/78848242/russell-g_-wieneke If you care not to hit that link you can read the following and find the same information.

 

Obituary

The son of George C. Wieneke and Ella Mary Krause, Russell was a gifted athlete. In 1939 and 1940, he pitched for a farm club of the St. Louis Cardinals that was located in Monet (sp), Missouri. He played with the team until he "threw his arm out" which, after that, limited his ability to control his pitches.

 

Russell served in the United States Army during World War II. He was a paratrooper in France and was a member of the First Special Service Force. He was a staff sergeant when he received his discharge.

 

After the war, Russell married Alby J. Suhre on 02 Mar 1946 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Alton, Madison County, Illinois. He was an orchardist in Calhoun County, Illinois until he retired in 1968. After that, he was involved in farming until 1985.

 

Russell was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Kampsville. He was a member of the V. F. W.

 

At the time of his death at Jersey Community Hospital, Russell was 79 years and 25 days old. He was survived by his wife.

 

Other survivors included 2 sons and daughters-in-law; 2 daughters and sons-in-law; 7 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; 1 brother, Ralph; and 1 sister, Mildred Hecht.

 

In addition to his parents, Russell was preceded in death by 1 brother, Virgil.

 

Visitation was held from 5 to 8 p.m. on 19 Jan 1999 at Hanks-Gubser Funeral Home in Hardin. Funeral services were conducted at 11 a.m. the following morning at St. John's Lutheran Church in Kampsville.

 

The family requested that memorials, if desired, be made to St. John's Lutheran Church or to the Calhoun Volunteer Ambulance Service.

 

*****

And still more good nicknames to go with Cornbread from the last report. Pinky, Stub, Red, Pee Wee and Skip. All from just one team. Great stuff. Bruce May...Ohio

 

*****

So, let me see if I this right... Clyde Kluttz was a catcher for the Carthage Cardinals? No disrespect to the dearly departed, but perhaps that helps explain why nicknames were not so common; the real names were tough to beat. Mark Santo

 

Ed reply:

 

Al Kluttz was the Carthage catcher/manager for the last part of 1947 and early 1948. His older brother was Clyde who caught for the Giants, Cardinals and others. Al had been injured pretty severely during WWII and some of the players said his body had so much shrapnel still imbedded in it that he looked like hamburger.

 

I better go back and clean up my report to make sure the readers know which Kluttz was at Carthage.

 

****

 

You brought up a name that was a legend when I first started scouting. He and Runt Marr were the kings of scouting – in the same category as Bert Wells – though Wells had far more clout than they. As a young scout, you greeted Hawn while on b ended knee, It didn’t take long to discover they were all mortals.

 

Truly enjoyed the Flash Report as usual. I still haven’t recycled all the back reports. I hate to see all that history go to the recycle bin. 0ne of these days - maybe when you quit. I’m still grinding out five columns a week – a full-time job. I need to stop and do what books I still have files to use – which aren’t many since the fire two years ago destroyed most of my baseball, officiating and weightlifting files.

 

Hang in there. OL’ CLARK

 

Reply to Clark

 

Thanks for the note. I knew in mentioning Fred Hawn that it would stir the pot a bit. I heard from a Fayetteville historian and author very soon after that report was shared.

 

Sure wish someone or an institution was interested in those old files

 

*****

 

I see that you saved the ASL/A-ML material for near the end of the report - checking to see if I'm still reading, maybe? I suspect you know this already but the Walter Lemke who wrote the article came to Fayetteville in 1928, just missing our centennial, to take over journalism classes and create the journalism department at the University of Arkansas. In addition to teaching for nearly 40 years, he wrote columns for our local paper (including covering the Fayetteville team in a column called "Angel Food") and, of course, wrote a small history of the ASL/A-ML. He gained considerable recognition during WWII for writing a newsletter (and letters) to all his students who served in the war. In 1951 he formed the Washington County Historical Society, of which I would be president some 60 years later. With regard to Freddie Hawn - well, I know you know all about him! Thanks, Jerry

 

Reply to Jerry-- Arkansas/ Missouri and Arkansas State league historian

 

www.findagrave.com/memorial/78848242/russell-g_-wieneke

 

I wondered what happened to some of those spavined players Lemke wrote about in his 1939 article. At random I picked a pitcher who lost 18 games for Monet.

 

Hogan’s reply

 

Excellent find. My full stats are buried somewhere and the only stats I have on Sgt. Wieneke in my book were that in '39 he was 9th in the league, giving up 68 walks in 187 innings (8th in the league).

 

Reply to Jerry

 

I think I could discover the fate of most of the guys who played in the ASL/ArkMo. After getting it I don't know what I'd do with it.

 

*****

 

I enjoyed reading this report. As always John, you are a master story teller. Hope all is well with you. John Charles-Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

Reply to Charles

 

John Charles is an old friend and associate in a former life when we had jobs in the health care finance industry. We enjoy life more now than then.

 

*****

Hi John, Back in 2012 I hosted a Minor League reunion in Peekskill for some of the players in the old North Atlantic League and Colonial League. Sad to say, but only one of the 7 players who attended the 3 day event are still with us. The gentleman also played in the KOM league and I just took him out to lunch about 2 weeks ago. Danny Dondero, who you knew, lost his wife about 2 years ago, and his son & daughter-in-law moved in with him at his Cortlandt Manor home. He's not as spry as he was when we did a few radio & TV shows together prior to our minor league events, but still has a great sense of humor. Oh, and of course whenever I see him, he has to remind me that he played against Mickey Mantle. Regards, Bob Mayer

 

Reply:

 

to Bob Mayer

 

I recall our conversations about Dondero and your reunions. Time does pass quickly.

 

I also remember Dondero talking about playing against Mantle. I think I mentioned how Mantle was a junior in high school when Dan played at Chanute in 1948. Mantle probably saw him play when Chanute played at Miami and he rode his bicycle to those games.

 

*****

Clarification sought and got

 

JOHN,WHEN YOU DIE YOU LOSE INTEREST FAST. DEMENTIA AND OTHER DISEASES HELP ALSO. --WALT

 

Ed reply:

 

I think I got what you were saying. Are my reports now as boring as I think they are?

 

Walt’s reply:

 

NO, I JUST THINK YOUR READERS ARE GETTING DEMENTIA AND OTHER POSSIBLE PROBLEMS THAT KEEP THEM FROM READING ANYTHING. KEEP THEM COMING. Walt.

 

Ed reply:

 

I'm sure you are right about dementia among the readership. The guy writing them is badly demented. I think I'm about a step ahead of at least one presidential candidate. Ahead in this case means being in worse condition.

 

****

Was the Goose correct?

 

An article appeared recently where former big league relief pitcher, Goose Gossage, made some pretty plain comments. Since I know nothing about “big league” baseball it was time to send the article along to a “real” expert for his opinion.

 

He replied: “Johnny: I couldn't agree more with Goose Gossage about turning baseball into a poor stepchild of a political party. One of the most insane things that's happened was the ordering of black-and-white uniforms -- I read this last summer -- for all the teams to wear on certain occasions. What? Like a funeral?

 

Good grief. And the idea of forcing relief pitchers to throw to at least two batters? Why not just make a rule that all batters must swing at the first pitch?

 

This is getting worse than rules for some backyard horseshoe-pitching tournament. If they're not careful they'll legislate baseball to the level of lawn darts and quoits. With ______(unnamed) the commissioner. -– From a famous, anonymous almost lifelong friend. (Both of us were still exhaling carbon dioxide at last check.)

 

Ed reply:

 

To all this nonsense I think Harry Caray would holler “Holy Cow.”

 

 

Done