The KOM League Flash Report for 4/25/2022

The KOM League

Flash Report

April 25, 2022

 

To access the most recent Flash Report click here: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/52030138476/

 

This link provides the name of every player to have appeared in a KOM league game and their current status.

komleaguebaseball.blogspot.com/2008/01/names.html

 

 

The previous link is part of a much larger blog carrying more information about the history of the KOM League that has been continually updated since 2008. Keep that in mind as you proceed to read this report. When that site is accessed there are more choices on the right side of the screen.

 

What is contained in the aforementioned blog represents a 26 year effort. Sure I’m slow but such is the nature of things. For those who might have an interest in following the scenario of the lives of former KOM leaguers to the last man, the information is the best source I can produce to help in that undertaking. That could well be my legacy

 

As with any project there are things that are not verifiable but it is my belief that searching for and reporting on former KOM leaguers has been about as thorough as any effort in documenting the history of any minor league. Major league history has been researched to the limit, or as close to the limit as can possibly be attained.

 

In recent days three words were inserted on the Internet KOM League Obituaries and the following was found. KOM league obituaries - Search (bing.com) Most of these only appear in that forum due to my going to the condolence site and paying my respects. There are many more obituaries of guys who played in the KOM league that you won’t find in that listing. There are names of guys on that list who claimed to have played in the old league but didn’t. One name you may run across made claim to have played in the league in 1949. However, the season opener was May 5 and he was released on May 3. At least he made it until the end of spring training.

 

While it has been a “couple of days” since a Flash Report was attempted a few more deaths of former players have been verified and even a former player who was finally found mused that he shouldn’t be alive. His story will be shared and if the reader makes it to the end of this report it may prove to be an interesting, information and humorous tale. No promise can be made for it isn’t written yet.

 

Last remaining member of the 1947 Carthage Cardinals

 

Harold Edwin Rose, Sr., 95, of Shiloh, Ga formerly of Columbus, GA passed early Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at Piedmont Northside Hospital in Columbus, GA.

 

Mr. Rose was born November 23, 1926 in Columbus, GA the son of Forest Byrd Rose and Rotchie Deford Head Rose. He was a graduate of Jordan High School. Mr. Rose was a U. S. Army veteran of WWII. Later he played professional baseball in the St Louis Cardinals organization for several years before returning home to a business career and family. He was an account Manager and Comptroller at Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Columbus and later was an owner of H&M Auto Care and then an owner of North Columbus Collision Center, LLC. In 1980 he and his wife moved to Shiloh and enjoyed his farm and home. Mr. Rose was an ordained deacon and member of the First Baptist Church, Shiloh, GA. He was preceded in death by his parents and five siblings, Julia, Eloise, Byron, Annie Merle and Donald.

 

He is survived by his wife of 75 years, Bettie Livingston Rose of Shiloh, GA, sons; H. Edwin (Regina) Rose, Jr of Cataula, GA, Grady L. (Mary Beth) Rose of Columbus, GA and Kevin Stuart Rose of Suwanee, GA; grandchildren; Kim Cantrell (Mac), Kennon Rose (Christi) and Andy Rose, great-grandchildren; Alec Cantrell (Madelyn), Emily Wilson (Jack), Lily Rose, Alexis Rose and Philip Rose, one great-great grandson Leo Cantrell and several nieces and nephews.

 

Funeral services for Mr. Rose will be held 1:00 pm Saturday, March 5, 2022 at the First Baptist Church, Shiloh with Rev. Don Voyles officiating the service. A private burial will be at the Ft. Mitchell National Cemetery in Ft. Mitchell, AL. The family will receive friends at the church at 12:30 prior to the service.

 

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given in memory of Harold Edwin Rose, Sr. to the Annadale Village, 3500 Annadale Lane Suwanee, GA 30024.

 

The Rose family is being assisted by Cox Funeral Home, 93 Prather Barnes Road Manchester, GA 31816. The family requests that you please sign the online registry and leave condolences on the Tribute Wall Page.

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Richard Allen Hibbeler

 

Many years ago contact was made with Richard Hibbeler who played second base for the 1948 Chanute, Kansas Giants, the only year of their six in the KOM league, when they were affiliated with a major league team. He was with the team for half of the games that season and he was the top statistical fielding second baseman for the 42 games he held down that position.

 

In a recent trip through the KOM league database it was discovered that contact had not been made in recent times with Mr. Hibbeler. That “trip” was made on the morning of April 15, 2022. In checking his current status it was found that he passed away on April 15, 2017. I often wonder how coincidences like that occur. While I ponder that, the reader can read his obituary.

 

Obituary--Richard A. (Dick) Hibbeler, of Florissant, Missouri, fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, Saturday, April 15, 2017

 

Beloved husband of Frances M. Hibbeler; dear father and father-in-law of Rick (Valerie) Hibbeler, James (Dorothy) Hibbeler, Steve (Margaret) Hibbeler and Gregg (Carrie) Hibbeler; dear grandfather of Ryan (Holly, Kelly (Tanner) Julie (Chris), Jim, Susan (Jonathan), Michael, Christine (Jon), Andrea (Steve), Eric (Rachel), Leah, Peter, Emily, Katherine, Nicholas and Sarah; great-grandfather of 11; dear brother of Mary Jane (Tim) Sandt, and the late Donald, Charles and Kenneth Hibbeler; dear brother-in-law, uncle and friend.

 

Richard was a former standout amateur athlete who played football and basketball at North side Catholic/De Andreis High School in the 1940's. He also played professional baseball in the old New York Giants minor league system. He signed his first professional contract at the age of sixteen and was inducted into the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.

 

Richard retired from Southwestern Bell Telephone Company after 37 1/2 years, where he held a number of craft and supervisory positions. He was also active in the Fraternal Order of Eagles Alton Aerie #254 and participated in local community development affairs.

 

Memorials to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place Memphis, TN, 38105.

 

Services will be private with his family.

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Luther John Burleson—Ponca City Dodgers 1950

 

HOUSTON - Luther John “Burt” Burleson, 93, passed away peacefully in Houston, Texas on March 27, 2022.

 

Luther was born in Vera, Texas on January 27,1929 to Emma and Jules Burleson and lived most of his life in Fort Worth, Texas. He graduated from Tech High School where he was captain of the baseball team. After High School he went on to play baseball at TCU and was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Team to play in the minor league system in Hazard, North Carolina. Long bus rides and little pay were not suitable to his ambition, so he returned to Fort Worth and enrolled in Texas Wesleyan University where he met Jane Trout, the love of his life.

 

He and Jane went on to complete their master’s degree in education. After a brief career as a safety engineer for Commercial Standard Insurance Company, Luther got his first teaching job at Haltom High School as a Distributive Education Teacher. Although his career would advance considerably over the years, his time teaching and helping kids learn job skills was the happiest part of his long career in education.

 

Over the years, Luther advanced through increasing levels of responsibility and ultimately became the Director of Vocational Education in the Birdville Independent School District in Fort Worth. His passion for helping people learn skills and get jobs extended far beyond his work in the schools. He was instrumental in helping countless friends and family find a job.

 

Luther was a born leader and passionate about serving his community. He was National President of The Traveler’s Protective Association “TPA”, President of the Lions Club and NE Kiwanis Club. He coached all three of his sons in their sports activities and was a Deacon in the Baptist Church.

 

Luther loved to travel with his family and every summer took the family on long driving vacations to destinations from Los Angeles to New York City. Most of the travel was combined with his duties in TPA, which helped underwrite the travel expenses. Sports and country music were a constant source of conversation and enjoyment even into his final days. He loved the Longhorns but had a special place in his heart for the Horned Frogs.

 

Over the years, Luther overcame much adversity including prostate cancer, quadruple bypass heart surgery, loss of his right leg, breakthrough Delta Variant Covid and Omicron Covid. Through it all, he maintained his bright optimism, grateful spirit and love of God. After losing Jane in 2012, Luther moved to Houston to be closer to his sons, Rick and Mark.

 

Luther was preceded in death by his parents, Emma and Jules Burleson; older brother, Charlie Burleson; younger sister, Katherine Burleson Graves; his son, John Ross Burleson; daughter-in-law, Kimberly Yates Burleson; cousin, Clyde Sellers, and Jane, his beloved wife of 60 years.

 

He is survived by his sons, Rick Burleson and wife, Cecily, Mark Burleson and wife, Blake; grandchildren, Richard Lynn Burleson Jr., Justin Edward Burleson and wife, Callie, John Samuel Burleson, Madeline Burleson, Davis Burleson; brother-in-law David, Richeson and wife, Sally and a large extended family who loved and respected him.

 

The family wishes to thank the team at The Farrington at Tanglewood including Glenda Clerc, and the caring team at Altus Hospice, including Idy Akazue.

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Burl Moffitt

www.cctimesdemocrat.com/story/2929341.html

Burl Moffitt, 94, of Fagus, Mo., passed away Wednesday, January 12, 2022, in Aurora, Mo.

 

He was born on December 13, 1927, in Pollard, Ark., and was the son of the late Oscar and Maggie (Matchett) Moffitt.

Burl was united in marriage to Wanda Lucille Potter on August 8, 1952, and to this union four children were born. Wanda preceded him in death on November 9, 2002. He was also preceded in death by his parents; son, Bob Moffitt; grandson, Nicholas Killbreath; brothers, Doyle Moffitt, Charlie Moffitt, Jimmie Moffitt, Dalton "Red" Moffitt, and Dalph Moffitt; and sisters, Vera, Thelma, and Ella Mae.

 

Burl played AAA baseball (actually Class D) as a pitcher with the Independence Yankees in the KOM league and with the Belleville Stags and the Paducah Chiefs in the Mississippi-Ohio league in 1949 and 1950. He also served in the United State Navy where he was honorably discharged for his service.

 

Burl is survived by his children: Don Moffitt and wife Debbie, Keith Moffitt and wife Kathy and Melinda Moffitt and significant other, Mike Hodges of Aurora, Mo.; grandchildren: Donnie Moffitt, Amanda Moffitt, Zachary Moffitt, Ethan Moffitt, and Evan Moffitt; great-grandchildren: Izaeah, Izabel, and Lincoln; and many other relatives and friends.

 

Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, January 24, 2022, at the New Hope Cemetery in Pollard, with Bro. Charles Richardson officiating. Burial is in New Hope Cemetery in Pollard. Hoggard & Sons Funeral Home of Piggott is in charge of the arrangements.

 

This note was shared with Jack Morris, baseball necrologist.

This will come as a surprise to you as it did to me. The KOM was a triple A league. I got to know Burl pretty well. He was a short term, early season pitcher for the Independence club. He came to all the KOM reunions and always went home with a dozen or more baseball caps.

 

He lived in the small town of Fagus in the Missouri boot heel. He was a member of a billiards team that traveled all over the United States and won many tournaments. They all wore a KOM league cap to those events.

 

I lost track of Burl in the past few years and assumed he was in a nursing home. He moved to Aurora, Mo. where his son lived. That is the same town where I was a pastor in 1960.

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Salvatore John Campagna 1950 Bartlesville Pirates

 

Seldom does the occasion arise anymore that a former KOM leaguer is found and who can still recall his playing days.

 

For over a quarter century the search for Sal Campagna, a third baseman for the 1950 Bartlesville Pirates, was undertaken. From the research it was easy to document his place of birth and where he had been living since his earliest days on planet earth. As our discussion progressed he admitted hearing from this old batboy some two decades earlier but had somehow “misplaced” the letter of inquiry.

 

As it turns out that may have been a blessing in disguise for he told me some stories in our first conversation that he might not have revealed 25 years ago.

 

Note: At the conclusion the last sentence the door bell rang and a man cleaning gutters was here to do mine. Well, it turned out to be much more of a task than expected. Six hours later my train of thought was lost in about the same proportion as my energy had level diminished. Thus, the story that was to be about the life and times of Sal Campagna will have to be put on hold for the next Flash Report. It is really good and it will be shared with those who write and tell me they’d like to see it. Here is a teaser for the next report. During high school the young Campagna had a special liking for his English class. In that class were two closely related females he dated. They weren’t sister’s nor were they cousins. So you guess the relationship of the two he dated.

 

Tune in next time for the history of a man who was born to parents from Northern and Southern Italy who moved to Nebraska. His father was injured when a horse fell on him during WWI while serving in the U. S. Calvary and drew a disability that provided enough money to move to California and set up a business. That is where the story will pick up next time.

 

That is it for now.

Done