KOM League Flash Report for 4/24/2021----Photo of Orvil Jacobs

The KOM League

Flash Report

for

April 24, 2021

 

 

Since precious few availed themselves of opening the April 10 Flash Report it may well be that no one cares about reading it any longer. Then, in the midst of writing these things it is found that some “faithful” readers have gone to the place where there are no computers or Flash Reports. Thus, for those still among exhaling carbon dioxide the most recent edition of KOM news and views is available at: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/51134515557/

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There are still readers

 

Hi John, It has been some time since I have written you, but we are doing well for 92 for Molly and Dick will be 92 in September. We still get out almost every day for a little while and Dick is holding his own with the cancer no pain but is pretty worn out but and very slim from what he was but still eats pretty well. All his men buddies have passed one so he doesn’t have anyone to visit with on the phone but we are very lucky to be able to stay in our own home and get out to a few dinners and try to visit on Sat. with our children in Omaha for a short visit of course they all come to our house during the week but it is nice to see them at their homes, we mostly stay out side it is hard for Dick to get up their stairs now. We still enjoy reading your news letters so keep up the good work. Talk with you later and thanks for your friendship all these years. Molly and Dick McCoy—Omaha, Nebraska

 

Ed note:

 

Dick and Molly McCoy attended almost every KOM league reunion. They even invited me to be a guest at their their 60th wedding anniversary celebration. At that event I met Dick’s mother who was a young and chipper lady of 103 years. She even cooked breakfast for Joe Beran, one of Dick’s former teammates, and Yours truly. It was a special time.

 

As far as I know Irene McCoy is the oldest person with whom I have ever conversed and I’m sure she was the oldest person whoever cooked a meal for me. Many times Dick has been reminded that he has a good number of years remaining for he has to live as long as his mother.

 

Molly’s mention of friendship is mutual. The effort to revive the memory of the KOM league had everything to do with helping the former players and their families re-establish contact and gather on a regular basis to savor the good times of another era.

 

Back in 1994 the train was speeding down the track and it was my desire to either stop it, slow it down or get on and go for the ride to the terminal. Regrettably, speeding trains don’t stop or when they do they let someone off and proceed on the journey. I know where the train is located and shortly is is going to come to a halt. Until then it is great to hear not only from the former participants of the old league but also their families for word still reaches this source that the survivors still cherish the joy it gave their loved one, in the sunset of life. That is about all you can ask for a a person who once had the hair brained idea that you could revive the memory of a league that expired the same year Harry Truman packed his belongings, in Washington, and moved home to Missouri.

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Hey John, i keep forgetting to ask you but how many of the 51 team are still with us. I know if a few but I'm sure you you can answer that in a hurry. I've recently moved hopefully for the last time and just getting settled again. Things are good but this neuropathy is getting me down.. Have to use a walker because my balance is really bad and falling on my ass too often. Thank God for my cigar band collection which keeps me buying,selling and trading. Have over 71,000 which keeps my brain exercising while i no longer have much physical activity. Look forward to your updates although the news is usually bad its nice to be able to keep updated on the good old days. Yours efforts are greatly appreciated. Stay safe, John

 

The good news is we could still put a team on the field. Some of the names I'm including were only with the club a short time. So, if there are any you don't recall that would be the reason.

 

In alphabetical order those still with us.

 

Walt Babcock

Fred Bade

Don Biebel

Len Bourdet

James Conroy

Bill Eastburn

Richard Gintert

Orvil Jacobs

Bruce Millan

Bernie Tomicki

 

A batboy from that team is still around and would consider working in an honorary capacity if that bunch decides to come out of retirement. The salary would be the same as in 1951, $15.00 a month. That was a dollar per active roster member, if they could afford it. Most never forked over a dime. My reward came later in writing about those days and reuniting with hundreds of former league players through various channels.

 

Two guys from the 1951 club saved the batboy from starvation at Miami, Okla.. You and Fred Bade "sacrificed " some of your $2.00 per diem to buy me a hamburger sans French fries and a drink. That good deed will never be forgotten. If you have further questions operators are standing by to take your calls.

 

Biebel’s reply:

 

Thanks John,(I) ’ remember a few of those names but its nice to see there are still some of us still breathing. With that kind of salary I'm sure it was the first year you filed with the IRS

 

 

Ed reply:

 

Don, a guy I told you was still living, isn’t. Orvil Jacobs didn’t spend much time in Carthage. I think he arrived from Clovis and stayed a week or so.

 

Ed note:

 

While not 100% sure I believe Jacobs arrived in late July to replace Walter Koehler who was called into service during the Korean War. He died one year and one week later in North Korea while tending a wounded soldier. Koehler was a medic.

 

Errata

 

A few minutes later, in researching this article, it was discovered Jacobs was assigned to Carthage on June 1 of 1951 miasing he couldn’t have been replacing Koehler. My memory is pretty clear regarding the 1951 Carthage ball club and it is my suspicion that Jacobs never played in Carthage even though he was a member of that team. It is highly probable that he reported to Carthage during a road trip to Ponca City or Bartlesville, Oklahoma and when things didn’t work out he went back to Clovis. Hindsight is pretty good and it is now a regret that item was not broached in the one telephone conversation we shared.

 

Biebel’s reply:

 

Thanks John, don’t find anymore.

 

www.legacy.com/obituaries/easternnewmexiconews/obituary.a...

 

Orvil M. Jacobs, 84, of Clovis, NM died Friday, April 10, 2015, at Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis. Graveside services will be held 2:00 PM Monday, April 13, 2015, at Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens with Pastor Furgus Tunnell officiating.

 

Orvil was born March 28, 1931, in Donley County, Texas to William Thomas and Mattie (Felty) Jacobs. He worked as a plumbing contractor in the Construction Industry. Orvil served in the US Army. (Ed note: In a long ago conversation Jacobs said he was born in a rural area of Donley County with the nearest town being Clarenden.)

 

He is survived by children Jake Jr. Jacobs, Kennewick, WA, David Jacobs, Longview, Texas, Debbie Kovacs, Longview, Texas, David (Jan) Barrows, North Fork, CA, Danny Barrows, Clovis, NM, Tracy (Mitzi) Barrows, Clovis, NM; two brothers, Richard Wiggens and Raymond Wiggens; one sister, Judy Wiggens; 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded by his parents, two wives and two grandchildren.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Muffley Funeral Home

 

www.findagrave.com/memorial/171978312/orvil-m.-jacobs

 

One thing this article clears up is the spelling of Jacob’s first name. There is a site, on the Internet, that attempts to piece together rosters of minor league teams. I believe I have detected where they obtain names on former KOM league rosters but aside from the names the site has little else. In their summary of Orvil Jacobs career they claim he never won or lost a game at Roswell and Ballinger of the Longhorn or Carthage of the KOM leagues.

 

With that bit of disinformation it provides an opening to say a bit more about Jacobs. His family moved from Texas to Clovis, New Mexico where he played football, basketball and baseball for the Clovis Wildcat high school teams. He was a center in football but was too short for that position in on the basketball team where he played forward. During his senior year he pitched for the Tigers and when he wasn’t on the mound he played third base. He graduated in May 1949 and hung out at the Clovis ballpark all summer. Although the record books don’t show him pitching professionally in 1949, he did. The Sporting News Index card for him reveals he was signed by Clovis on September 2, 1949 two days ahead of his first minor league game. digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll3/id/92465/... For those who will not read the aforementioned link, Jacobs was sent to Ballinger, Texas, of the Longhorn league to start the 1950 season and wound up with Roswell of the same league to conclude his first full year of baseball.. Clovis owned his contract and assigned it to Carthage on June 1 of 1951 and he remained thereon until June 19 when he was released. He tried again, in 1952 with Clovis who released him after a week of spring training..

 

Recalling a long ago telephone conversation.

 

It was at least 20 years ago that Orvil Jacobs conversed with this editor about his baseball career. He spoke of the brief time he was with Carthage and other things. The most outstanding memory he had from his professional baseball days was his manager at Clovis, Paul “Daffy” Dean. Yes, the brother of Dizzy Dean was running that club from the front office to the dugout. Jacobs related how pleasant it was playing for Dean. After speaking with Jacobs those many years ago a story was penned about it for something being published at the time but finding it at this late juncture in life is beyond my ability. So, an article written for the Clovis News-Journal for Sunday September 4, 1949 –page 7--is being quoted.

 

www.newspapers.com/clip/48523621/jakes-first-professional... /

 

Orville (sp) Jacobs, Clovis high school graduate last spring, came .through with colors flying in his debut with the Pioneers last Friday night .. The 18-year-old youth delivered a commendable .pitching performance in his first start as a pro, and against the heaviest hitting team in the entire West Texas-New Mexico league —Borger's Gassers—at that. "'

 

The youthful righthander, who started on the hill and at third base as well as first with the Clovis high school Wildcat team, lost spring, worked seven full innings against, the slugging Gassers, allowing only five hits for five runs during this interval... Two of the runs scored off him in a jittery first Inning when Jacobs walk«d three Gassers and gave up two hits, only one of which figured In the scoring — Bob Ferguson's double past third tallying Verdon Gilchrlst and Pat Prouix who had strolled.

 

That shaky start followed the prophecy of Manager Paul Dean almost to the letter . . . Paul predicted earlier in the week, while in the midst of speculation as to what game to start Orville, that the rookie prospect would be jittery and walk several men at the start.... And If he got by the first Inning, Paul said, Jacobs would give a good account of himself.

 

It was exactly as Paul prophesled . . . "Jake" had trouble in the first inning and then settled down with the calm of a veteran to pitch fine ball for the remainder of the time he labored on the rubber . . . The Pioneer owner-manager was highly pleased at Jacobs' performance , ... "He has fine possibilities," ;; Paul said, -adding that ff "he pitches some more like that he may be a whizz of a pitcher."

 

The Pioneer Pilot reviewing Jacobs' initial starting assignment, pointed out that the young righthander displayed good form and handled himself with the poise of a veteran . . . Jacobs ' didn't show any nervousness for a rookie facing competition the first time. Paul added . . . Jacobs' fast ball had plenty of life and the curve which he delivered occasionally broke just enough to do some, the Pioneer chieftain said.

 

Paul wasn’t the only baseball expert to laud the rookie's effort ..Frank Bridges, Chicago White Sox scout, who made his home the press box for the two-game Borger series, practically did hand-springs as Jacobs worked smoothly and methodically inning after inning . . . Bridges, a veteran judge of baseball talent who roams Texas diamonds in behalf of the American league White Sox, was quite impressed with everything Jacobs did... "Looks like Paul has something there," Bridges commented as he dotted down notes on the righthander . . . Those notes won't do the Sox scout any good for the present, because Jacobs is the property of the Pioneers now.

 

The rookie righthander will finish out the season with the club, Manager Dean said, and then be instructed to report for spring training next season . . . Jacobs will get plenty of attention then , ..He also got it Friday night . . . Paul disclosed that he had planned to lift Jacobs any time after the fourth frame because "It's rough on a young pitcher playing his first game pro- professionally. Jacobs isn't In top shape like the rest of the players and going full nine inning might injure his arm.

 

Jacobs sailed along fairly smoothly for seven innings Friday night but began to tire at that stage . . . After Ken Sears singled to right, Orville (sp) threw three straight balls to Bob Ferguson the next batter . . . Manager Dean called time out at that particular stage to have a conference with his new prospect Jacobs told Paul that a skin abrasion on his middle finger was bothering him . . . Dean told the rookie to finish pitching to Ferguson to see if he could get by, and if not, Johnny Waselchuk would take over . . . Jacobs' next pitch with the fourth ball and Waselchuk strolled in from the Pioneer bull-pen ... And as Jacobs sauntered toward the dugout, he received a tremendous well-deserved ovation from the fans. Here is a photo of Jacobs at that time. www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/51134516302/

 

 

Orvil Jacobs in 1950

 

He started the 1950 season at Ballinger and concluded it at Roswell . At that time he was interviewed by the Clovis newspaper and he reported playing for Ballinger was no picnic. On his arrival he was too late for that day’s game in which he reported his new team lost 34-4. Yes, that is no misprint. He also complained about successive doubleheaders.

 

When looking a the record of any pitcher a glimpse of the team around him has to be analyzed. Although he was with two teams that season he was affiliated predominately with Ballinger. That team posted 39 victories while losing 111. That was good enough to finish 57 games behind league champion, Odessa.

 

Jacobs had a record of 2-11 but pitched 8 complete games. He managed to pitch 85 innings and gave up 80 bases on balls, hitting five batters, striking out 43, uncorking 17 wild pitches and posting an ERA of 7.39. He excelled in one department by never committing a balk.

 

Logically, the question could be asked as to how Jacobs had a shot with Carthage. He was living in Clovis and when he wasn’t picked up by any team in the Longhorn league, in June, he hung around the Clovis club which was a farm club of the Chicago Cubs in the West Texas-New Mexico league. When Carthage became shorthanded the Paul Dean took a chance, and sent him to Carthage where he had at least one appearance on the mound. That is all this old batboy recalls which is more than any living member of that team can remember.

 

An afterthought

 

Since Jacobs didn’t finish the only game in which he participated, in 1949, it demanded the final score of the game be found. When Jacobs left the game, in the 7th inning his replacement was John Waselchuk of Peabody, Massachusetts. Clovis was leading 9-5 but lost by a final score of 10-9. Curiosity led to looking up Waselchuk and it was interesting that

 

Since Jacobs didn’t finish the game and the column didn’t provide the score it demanded that the final score of the game be found. When Jacobs left the game, in the 7th inning his replacement was John Waselchuk of Peabody, Massachusetts. When looking at an article at this site www.salemnews.com/sports/peabodys-waselchuk-reflects-on-p... it was found that Hank Aaron faced this fellow four years later in the Sally League and in his book called him a “Pip squeak.” Read that article and you will see that Aaron remembered the “Pip squeak” a lot better than Walt Babcock who he encountered a year earlier in the Northern league.

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Babcock and Aaron

 

Recently, Walt Babcock shared the following information and it was a challenge to see how it could be used. Well, the foregoing article about Hank Aaron and John Waselchuk gave the perfect segue. It wouldn’t have been much of a stretch had Jacobs, Waselchuk and Babcock wound up on the same roster in 1951 as they were all in the Chicago Cub organization. This is the article Babcock shared regarding Aaron and his comments follow

 

www.news4jax.com/news/local/2021/04/13/henry-l-aaron-fiel...?

 

 

I can say he deserves this. In 1952 I played in the Northern league against Hank and we both made the All-star team. I was the leading pitcher in the league and Hank was the best hitter. I pitched the first three innings and in the fourth inning, Hank slid into second and hurt his knee. Dick Dozier was our sports writer who became the director of sports for the Chicago Tribune. He asked me to take his car and take Hank to the hospital to have his knee examined. About half-way to the hospital he said “I don’t think my knee is hurt that badly so just take me to the hotel.” I did and two years later I saw him when he was playing for Milwaukee. I went on the field and we re-introduced ourselves. I found out as we talked he didn’t remember anything about the Northern League nor that he played on the All-star nor the canceled ride to the hospital. What a great hitter he turned out to be, setting the Major League record for home runs. Walt.

 

Since Babcock has shared versions of the foregoing story previously it provides the opportunity to relive the spring of 1950 when out of the north came the Topeka, Owls, Sioux Falls Canaries and the Janesville Cubs to train at the home facilities of the Carthage Cubs.

 

Like the spring of 1950 it is cold once again in the Midwest. Sitting at the computer on April 20 a lot came to mind as the snow covered the newly sprouted plants and leaves. It was a set up for the next day when the temperature went below freezing and greatly harmed much of the hard work done this spring.

 

Seventy-one years go in a hurry, about as long as a one-inch snowfall lasts in late April. Back in 1950 there was an exhibition baseball game played between the Janesville Cubs and Sioux Falls Canaries. I was shagging the bats for the Canaries. The lead-off man hit a ground ball toward third base that didn’t pick up any steam on its way to the Janesville third baseman, Harry Bright. What it accumulated was enough snow to make it cantaloupe size. Bright picked it up, shook off the snow, threw it to first base and a very forgettable game was underway.

 

Since this is a “shaggy dog” format report when thinking of Orvil Jacobs at Clovis it reminded me of Bright. Bright left spring training with Janesville but shortly thereafter he was on his way to Clovis. He missed playing with Jacobs for by that time he was in Ballinger. However, that season Bright was a teammate of six former KOM leaguers or a couple who would be the next year. Oh, by the way, Bright had a memorable year at Clovis leading the West-Texas New Mexico league with a .413 batting average. It is my guess should anyone ever speak with John Waselchuk that he would agree that Bright was a very good ballplayer.

 

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Jack Dunn

 

Good job! Thank you. Keep them coming! Jack Dunn. Ex. Center Fielder

 

Ed note:

 

Jack is a former Dodger farm hand and a long-time successful baseball coach at Portland State. His comments always spur me to attempt another report. When the news arrives that he no longer reads the reports it will be time to shut off the computer—permanently.

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I didn’t lose my place

 

In listing the surviving members of the 1951 Carthage Cubs this information was shared in a follow up e-mail to Don Biebel.

 

Richard Gintert’s whereabouts was updated through an obituary for his wife who died last year. He was an Ohio guy who now lives in LaBelle,Florida

 

Len Bourdet is still going.

www.fresnoahof.org/individual-details.php?id=62

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Another former KOM leaguer exits the train

 

As this report was being finalized it dawned on this old guy that one of the most faithful readers of these reports hadn’t communicated for a few months. Thus, a quick search of the necrology files indicated he exited the train of life on December 17, 2020. The fellow was Henry Chott Jr. who pitched in one KOM league game, in 1950. His is a great story and in order to do it justice it will be featured in the next report. His passing has been shared with the SABR necrology group but the real story is now an item of research which has already taken me back to Czechoslovakia and will be shared with the faithful few readers of this report.

Done