Vintage left handed pitcher. Like New condition with no chips, cracks or scratches. White & blue. Featuring a windmill scene on the front along with a poem. "I'm a left handed pitcher made 'specially for you. I'm quite original-and practical, too! A "southpaw" pitcher to bring you good cheer, with luck & happiness for many a year." On the back it features an ocean scene with sailing ships. On each side is a dutch girl & a dutch boy. On the bottom is written 1096. Such a cute unique pitcher! Measuring 5 inches tall, 2 1/2 inches across the base & 1 3/4 inches wide.

Exists for lefthanded and righthanded ergonomics : built-to-fit-the-hand for one-hand operation.

 

Halfframe SLR.

 

Not a videocamera, but an analoge filmcamera.

 

Has even a LCD display on his back.

 

Yashica technology at his bests.

Halfstock percussion rifle made by Theodore Clark Spangler, in either Neponset or Annawan, Illinois. It is .34 caliber, with back action lock, and made for a left-handed shooter. Left handed firearms were very rare during the 19th Century. If one was born left-handed, it was considered a birth defect. Most were "converted" to be right-handed at home or in school.

 

Theodore Clark Spangler was born in Center Township (now Wyanet Township), Bureau County, Illinois, July 11, 1850. He was one of twin sons (Theodore & Theory), born to Jacob Young Spangler and his wife, Jane Clark, who came to Bureau County from Ohio, in 1847. The family moved to Manlius Township, Bureau County, in 1852.

 

Theodore Spangler is listed as "Gunsmith & Town Marshall" in Neponset, Bureau County, in "Taxpayers & Voters of Bureau County, 1877". He is listed in the 1880 census as a gunsmith in Annawan Village, Henry County, Illinois, which is just across the county line from Bureau County. Theodore Spangler married Janetta Peebles, in Annawan, Illinois, December 11, 1871. By 1885 he was a gunsmith in Tabor, Iowa. He died in Nebraska in 1903.

There are 19 individuals in this photo and here is my best attempt at identifying them. From left to right: Hugh B. Lott Jr., Laverne Schneider, Frank Johnson, Dick Drain, Joe Beatka, Frank Winkler, Kenneth McGee-head turned to left, person with hand on shovel-unidentified but is definitely a female, Bob Ottesen, Loyd Wayne Simpson, Joe Carolan-(I think), Robert Wesley James (I think), Pat Gosney, Lloyd Koehnke, George Wegerek, May be Lowell McMillen, guy with head barely visible is not identified, Bill Enos-turned around, mining company employee and Stan Costales. Anyone wanting to add to or correct me on any of this identification, feel free to do so.

 

Look closely: The hand on that big shovel belongs to a female. Look at the fingers, the length of the sleeve as compared to the guys and the bun hair-do. Do you agree that has to be a female? If not, justify your position.

 

The KOM League

Flash Report

for the week of

June 28 thru July 3, 2015

 

Note: This report is also posted at: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/19185443761/

 

Wonder of wonders, the previous Flash Report received a huge boost in readership by virtue of it being picked up and placed in the Sunday June 21st edition of a newspaper in a former KOM league city. If you read the last Flash Report concerning James Albert Murphy now is the time to play “Guess What Newspaper Printed It.”

 

Okay, time is up. What was your guess? In the previous report the names of former Pittsburg, KS, Ponca City and Miami, OK players were mentioned. So, if you guessed a newspaper in any of those three cities carrying the article you are as wrong as those who picked the Milwaukee Brewers to be in first place on the 4th of July of this year.

 

Once something is written you wish like mad you had left some things unsaid and added other things. To illustrate my point Wayne Simpson told me that after he left Pittsburg he was confronted by Tedd Gullic, the manager of the Bartlesville Pirates, who was upset he didn’t get a chance to add him to the Bartlesville roster. At that time Gullic had just lost future big leaguers Ronnie Kline and Brandy Davis to the New Orleans Pelicans. Now, I’ve given a hint as to what newspaper picked up on the last Flash Report and shared it with their readers. If the hint isn’t clear enough here’s the link:

examiner-enterprise.com/sports/local-sports/story-reveale...

 

There is a common trait that the article generated in both the Flash Report and Bartlesville newspaper—very little comment.

 

References to check:

www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&am...

 

www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&am...

 

www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&am... (Ed note: I learned long ago NEVER to do a Google search for Brandy Davis. What you will find, under that search, has nothing to do with baseball or the guy who my wife and I called “Friend” prior to his death.)

______________________________________________________________________________

A brief respite:

 

If my memory is still functioning, I recall only two comments from the previous Flash Report that dealt directly with the late Mr. Murphy. One comment came from someone who sounded like Lawrence Welk, or a broken record, for the three word comment was “Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.” I noticed that the Bartlesville newspaper was overwhelmed with one comment on the story.

 

Another link that story had with Bartlesville was Charles “Buddy” Closs. Prior to showing up with Miami, in 1951, he had initially pitched for a brief time, in 1949, with the Bartlesville Pirates.

 

So, where am I? I think I mentioned last time I’d make some comments on the things shared with me by the fellows from the 1951 Miami Eagles, if it was possible to ascertain five to ten people had any interest in reading it. I think 10 people said in one way or another “Go for it if you don’t have anything better to do.

 

So, I’ll start with Wayne Simpson and then move on to Delbert Wichtendahl.

 

•

Wayne Simpson first tried out with the St. Louis Cardinals and later the St. Louis Browns after he go out of service in 1950. He had graduated from an agriculture high school in 1947, in three years, but elected to gone on to Roxanna, Ill. High School for another year, since it was brand new and it offered him a chance to complete four years of secondary education.

 

After graduating from high school he joined the US Navy. He tried out for both of the St. Louis teams ad good enough to be offered a $5,000 bonus by the Cardinals but he thought by signing with the Browns his trip up the baseball ladder would be much faster. He later go to know Roy Sievers who was nearly four years his senior. As they did with Simpson later, the Cardinals offered Sievers a $5,000 bonus and he turned it down thinking the road to playing big league ball in his hometown of St. Louis would be much greater by inking a pact with the “lowly Browns.” By the time Simpson was signed by the Browns, Sievers was playing in the big leagues.

 

Simpson has had a long friendship with Sievers since his early days in professional baseball that didn’t happen until 1951. After graduating from Roxanna High School Simpson spent two years in the U. S. Navy aboard a submarine. Following his one season in the KOM league he was back in the service for another four years which about sealed any baseball hopes he had. However, he never gave up on the game. Although he is now in his 85th year he maintains a great deal of interest in his vocation and avocation as a baseball card dealer. Late last year Sievers called him and said he was going to visit a casino in the area and invited Simpson to come along for breakfast. Simpson recalled that Sievers was still “pissed off” that the Browns gave Simpson a $100 bonus and didn’t give him anything. Of course, the Browns of that era were a bad organization, in Simpson’s words, and they didn’t spend any money, mostly because they didn’t have any.

 

Simpson always admired the talent of Sievers and might well be the trivia expert on the former big league star’s career. He pointed out to me that Sievers is the only man to hit pinch hit homers in both of the major leagues.

 

Coming back from his first tour of duty in the submarine corps, the Browns sent Simpson to spring training at Pine Bluff, Arkansas who then assigned him to Pittsburg, Kansas for the 1951 season. There he was managed by Bill Enos who at the time, in Simpson’s words “Was a bachelor, a close watcher of the stock market ticker tape in the hotels where the teams stayed, a decent man and a stickler for rules.”

 

One of the things for which Enos was famous involved the time the Pittsburg club left on their road trip. They always met in front of Otto’s Café on North Broadway Ave. at precisely 3:00 p.m. for all games except when the team traveled to more distant towns such as Ponca City and Bartlesville in Oklahoma. Simpson recalls that Enos would sometimes leave prior to the announced time. He recalled walking toward the meeting place one afternoon and while it was prior to the departure time, the Pittsburg bus was headed out. Although he was spotted, carrying his equipment, Enos refused to stop the bus and let him board.

 

At that juncture Simpson recalled doing an about face and stuck up his thumb as a hitchhiker. The destination that evening was Bartlesville and when he went on the field Enos approached him and exclaimed “You showed me something today .”When Simpson asked him what that was Enos proclaimed “You proved to me you want to play.”

 

Simpson played most every game with Pittsburg during his three month stay with the club except for a game in Ponca City. The team arrived in typical 100 degree Oklahoma weather and in checking into the Jens-Marie Hotel they were tired and hot. A man in an adjoining room knocked on Simpson’s door and offered him a cold beer. Simpson said that he wasn’t allowed to imbibe in a “cool one” previous to a game and the fellow offering the beer told him to drink it after the game. Before the game Enos was making the rounds of the rooms and spotted the beer. Without any discussion he told his young third baseman not to even put on the uniform that night for he wasn’t going to play.

 

In that era none of those team buses were air-conditioned except the one the Independence Yankees rented from a Greyhound subsidiary in Coffeyville, Kansas. Simpson recalls that no matter how hot the team bus got his wouldn’t allow the players to have a cold soda on those one to five hour trips. Once confronted as to why he had the rule of no cokes on the bus, Enos responded that someone could step on a empty bottle and break an ankle. In that era all the soda bottle were glass, so it was probably more of a danger getting cut than breaking a bone. Anyway, that was the thinking Enos had brought with him through a baseball career that had begun in 1939.

 

In mid-August Simpson was summoned by Enos to met him at Otto’s Cafe. When he walked in Simpson said Enos said very tersely. “Pack your bags and get out.” Then, Enos added “The incident in Ponca City didn’t have a thing to do with your release.” That was the cruelty of baseball in that era. There was always a fresh supply of “raw meat” ready to replace a player on the roster.

 

One thing that got a player released was when someone in the organization, of influence, had a relative or friend who wanted to join a certain club. Simpson’s recall of the event was that his replacement’s father was an executive with the St. Louis Browns who had once also pitched for them. He recalled seeing his replacement during fielding practice and saying to himself “And, they are replacing me, with him?” Wishing to identify the replacement I went over a list of every member of the 1951 Pittsburg Browns with Simpson. Only one player on that team I could identify as having a father who played major league baseball was Ted Koenigsmark but his father, Willis, pitched for the “other team” in St. Louis, in 1919. All the information at my disposal only indicates Pittsburg having two regular third basemen that year and other than Simpson the other guy carried the last name of England with a first name of James. Now, if someone can trace England’s father’s work history and find that he played for the Browns this part of the story will be complete.

 

With the news of his release Simpson was ready to board the Greyhound and head back to eastern Illinois but prior to leaving Otto’s, Enos said to the recently discarded ballplayer “Hang around.” In that era there was an unwritten pact that guys with teams with major league affiliation were prized commodities with other teams in the league who operated as independents and managers of those major league affiliated clubs would recommend a departing player to the independent teams.

 

Shortly, Simpson was making the short trip from Pittsburg, Kansas, down old Highway 69 to Miami, OK. Upon arriving in Miami, Simpson first met Tommy Warren who he declared was the best manager he ever had. He recalled Warren as a guy who never got on to him for anything other than admonishing him to “lay off the high, hard one.”

 

Simpson recalled that the Miami club was a lot more cohesive group who got along well and did off-field things together. When he got to Miami he saw one player on a daily basis who didn’t look like a ballplayer and did nothing by the book. He was once described as having to play the outfield for a lack of any place else to put him. When the ball was hit to him he didn’t know where to throw it so he always aimed it in the direction of the pitcher.

 

It is about time to bring Delbert Wichtendahl on to the stage for he had some vivid memories of the outfielder was “all hit and not field.” He recalled as proclaiming “I’m the greatest hitter there is.” He recalls that everything the guy did in swinging at the ball defied baseball orthodoxy but somehow he always managed to put the bat on it and frequently.

 

When people who look for “The Best Ever” in KOM lore I always advise them to take a peek at the minor league career of James “Windy“ Eldridge.. www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=eldrid001jam This guy was on a tear hitting nearly .500 in 1953 when he was injured. In spite of his injury, which was severe, he “limped” to a .407 batting average. I wish I had the citation I read many years ago but it documented how he, barring the injury, might have been the first .500 hitter in baseball history outside the Little League.

 

Wichtendahl had joined the Miami ball club prior to Simpson’s arrival. He was there the night manager Tommy Warren made off with the wrist watches and billfolds of the player’s under the ruse that he would keep on eye on them during the game. That chore usually went to Hubert “Whispering” Brooks of Benton, Arkansas. However, Brooks pitched that evening and Warren stepped up to offer his “help.”

 

When queried about the loss of the billfold and wrist watch Wichtendahl said that he didn’t lose a wrist watch for he didn’t own one but he finally had his billfold returned with the money still in it. At that point I said to him that he was the first player from that team that I ever heard from who got his valuables returned.

 

On October 28, 1931 Wichtendahl entered this world in Whittemore, Iowa. He developed into a hard throwing left-handed pitcher who was on an 11-man high school team, in 1950, that was the scourge of most all opponents in the Hawkeye state. In the state championships he hurled a no-hitter, striking out every batter he faced in the seven inning affair. In the next game he fanned 10 and attracted the attention of a Brooklyn Dodger scout. Shortly thereafter he was on an all night bus ride to Hazard, Kentucky to pitch for that Dodger minor league club managed by Max Macon in the Appalachian league.

 

What the Dodgers were looking to find out was if the 18-year old, who threw 96 mph could get the ball over the plate. Wichtendahl experienced culture shock when he arrived in “the hills.” He wasn’t sure if the locals were going to love the farm boy from Iowa or in his words “Shoot me.”

 

Well, they didn’t shoot him and in the spring of 1951 he was invited to the Dodger camp at Vero Beach. In any early exhibition game he was given the starting role against the Brooklyn Dodger regulars and shut them down 3-0. He didn’t attribute his performance as spectacular but rather claimed the Dodgers didn’t want to get hurt batting against a wild young lefthander.

 

As the cut down time arrived it was decided Wichtendahl would join George Scherger’s KOM outfit in Ponca City, Oklahoma. At least, while still being a Class D team, Wichtendahl was not going back to the hills of Kentucky.

 

What Wichtendahl experienced at Ponca City was the vast resource of Brooklyn Dodger talent. On that pitching staff with him at one time or another were 14 other guys who wanted to make a name for themselves. Joe Stanka, Dick Wiegand, Lloyd Brazda, Cliff Ohr, and Eldon DeRoin won the bulk of the games for Ponca City that year and thus guys like; George David, Don Smith, Ralph Cascella, Walt Hines, Roland Alexander, Joe Gravino, Mike Krmpotic, Gerald Foreman and Frank Alessandro were like Wichtendahl, looking for another team.

 

After appearing in six games for Ponca City, Wichtendahl was headed east to Miami, Okla. It was a good year for “Lefty” as he posted an 8-2 record, had a respectable earned run average and struck out more than he walked. And with only four wild pitches charged against him he proved not to fit the mold as “A wild lefty.”

 

There are always memorable stories no matter how long or short the stay was with any ball club. While pitching at Ponca City their first baseman, Stan Santo, fielded a ground ball and attempted to get the runner going from first to third. His mighty heave made it as far as the pitchers mound where it came in contact with Wichtendahl’s left temple and that’s all he remembered until waking up in the hospital.

 

While still at Ponca City his catcher during a contest with Miami, the team he would join later, was Gerald Boldt. The legendary minor leaguer, Gaspar del Toro, was a bit cocky in the minds of the pitcher and catcher in that game and Boldt gave the sign for Wichtendahl to “Stick the ball in the batter’s ear.” Dutifully, adhering to his catcher’s signal Wichtendahl threw the high hard one at Del Toro and he stepped back and the ball made contact with something other than the left ear. Wichtendahl turned to watch that “high hard” one clear the left field wall, easily.

 

At that juncture it was time for me to share my story, Wichtendahl, as to why Del Toro could hit a ball so far if he made contact. He used a 44-ounce Rogers Hornsby model Louisville Slugger. It was tacked and held together with white tape. I know for I still have it. During a visit to Carthage one evening in either late May or June, Miami was to play twi-light doubleheader. Tommy Warren didn’t want Del Toro using that bat and promised me it would be mine if I hid it from him for both games of the twin-bill. I’ve told this story many times and most of the readers are tired of it. However, I did say that that old bat, or its twin brother, is about 10 feet or less from where I’m sitting.

 

To make life interesting while on bus trips and to draw crowds the teams come up with various promotions. Catching animals released onto the ball field was always fun and games for the country boys and frightening to the big city boys. Miami had a contest prior to a game in 1951 where they released chickens and if one of those was captured the player received $1. The greased pig capture was more difficult and thus reaped $3 to the team holding on to the slippery animal. Simpson recalled his partner in the roundup was Jim McHugh, from Philadelphia, and he sensed that his big city teammate was afraid of both the animals they pursued that evening.

 

On road trips Tommy Warren would lead the team in gambling on license plates. Simpson recalled that Warren would always chose to play the Missouri tag numbers and his opponent would have to take the Oklahoma license numbers. The short story on that was “Missouri had more numbers on its plate than those from the Sooner State.”

 

It is likely that the Ponca City boys had more fun on their bus trips than did Miami. After a game at Pittsburg the young Dodger players loaded up and headed toward Oklahoma. They had lost the last game of the series and George Scherger wasn’t too happy to begin with. After stopping for some food and gasoline the team was loaded on the bus and awaiting Scherger’s return to the bus after paying all the bills. When Scherger got back to the bus or better yet, where the bus had been, it was gone. While Scherger was away the boys decided to make some “cat calls” in the direction of some of the Pittsburg “cuties” and the police were summoned. They ordered one of the players, which I think may have been Joe Stanka, to drive the bus to the nearby police station. That is where Scherger eventually wound up and not too happy at that.

 

Those are a few memories of two guys who played for three different teams during the 1951 KOM season. Wichtendahl accomplished something few ever did in that he played eight positions in a game that year for Ponca City. Scherger wouldn’t let him go for all nine positions since there weren’t any catcher’s mitts for lefties. However, I suspect that Wichtendahl was the only KOM player ever to play the left side of the infield who was lefthanded.

 

No matter what any of those guys experienced in the 1951 it was always difficult to top Tommy Warren. He pitched a no-hitter against Iola that year and on the day the judge’s decision came down that he would be sent to prison at the close of the season, I made the trip with the Carthage team to Miami and Warren pitched and threw a two-hitter against us.

 

A trick question might be “When did Warren appear in his last game at Miami?” Well, the year wasn’t 1951 but the next one. After arriving at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, Warren managed and played for the prison team inexplicably called “The Outlaws.” Wayne Simpson recalled that he had two brothers who played for Northeastern Oklahoma Juco at Miami and in 1952 that team played the “Outlaws” in a spring exhibition game. I would give all the nickels I own to have been able to speak with Warren after that game to get his comments on how it felt to return to the scene of many diverse memories.

________________________________________________

Featured team of the week

 

And now we come to the second in a fifty-week series of remembering a specific KOM league team. I hope I don’t spend as long on the remaining 49 teams as I did on the 1951 club. If I do that I’ll be around for another 200 weeks with this stuff and no one could handle that.

 

During the days of the Pittsburg Browns era in the KOM league on of the most productive items in that era was “Big Bertha.” Don’t get of me. Bertha was the workhorse of the Pittsburg and Midway Coal Company. In looking for creative ways to depict a baseball team the Pittsburg Browns had a team photo taken in front of the largest coal bucket ever made. www.worldslargestthings.com/kansas/bigbrutus.htm

Eleven years after the team photo was taken, Bertha was succeeded in the coal digging business by her son, Brutus.

 

During one of the field trips during the 1996 KOM reunion at Pittsburg, Kansas a large group of former players made the trip to West Mineral, Kansas and recalled that Brutus was no where near as large as his mother, Bertha. Here is a link to the team photo taken in front of Bertha in the mid part of the 1951 season. www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/19185443761/ The faces in the photo are totally from my recall from the time I was visiting team batboy for them on a couple of occasions when they came to Carthage. There are five guys I couldn’t identify so if you recognize a face I missed I’d love to add you as the photo editor of the KOM Flash Report and Old Photo Store. The names of the guys in the photo are on the Flickr site just cited.

 

Members of the 1951 Browns for at least one game were: “D” after name indicates deceased.

David Warren Barrows-D

Batboy-William Bartley- Whereabouts or fate unknown

Joseph Paul Beatka-D

Russell H. Bland Jr-D

Joseph Leduc Carolan-D

Peter Aull Cerick-D

Stanley Costales-D

George Sousa Dias-Probably still living in Hawaii

Richard Lee Drain-D

George V. Edwards Jr.-D

James Robert England- D

William Donavan Enos-D (Player-Manager)

Herb Fleischer-Whereabouts or fate unknown

Lloyd Edsil “Pat” Gosney-D

Anthony F Grundmeyer- Last known to be in Iowa.

RobertWesley James-From Datto, AR whereabouts or fate unknown

Charles Wallace Jenks-D

Lloyd Ervin Koehnke-Last known to be in Orlando, FL

Theodore Robert Koenigsmark-Last known to be in Forest Park, GA

Russell Paul Letterman-D

Hugh Benwick Lott Jr.-Killed in National Guard plane crash in 1959 at Peoria, IL

Josep hFrancis Lyles-D

Robert Kenyon McEvilly-Last known to be in Joliet, IL

Kenneth Merle McGee-D

Lowell A. McMillen-Last known to be in Park Rapids, MN

Robert John Ottesen-D

LaVerne Cleo Schneider-Last known to be in Winslow, IL

Loyd Wayne Simpson- Spoke with him this week on telephone in Godfrey, IL

Thomas T. Skole Jr.-Last known to be in Marietta, GA

Frank Albert Vaselenak-D

Walker first name unknown-In one game as pinch hitter—could have been misprint.

George Gregory Wegerek-D At time of death was known on talk radio as Dan Gregory

Fred C. Wehking Jr.-Last known to be in St. Louis, MO

Loren H. Weigelt-D On roster but never got into a game. From Spokane, WA

Roger Garon Whitehouse-Last known to be in Hillsboro, IL

Oscar Charles Wigman Jr.-D

Frank P. Winkler-Last known to be in Detroit, MI

Robert L. Zuccarini-I get my e-mail from Bob from his home in Savannah, GA

 

Although Pittsburg wound up with a 40-80-1 record, they escaped the cellar because Iola was in the league that year. The team was never going to scare anybody with their hitters with the exception of Bob Ottesen who could whack them out of the park. I recall him hitting one on the night of July 1, in Pittsburg, and the public address announcer saying he did that for a child born to him and his wife the previous night. As I recall Ottesen launched two bombs in the night doubleheader and sent Carthage down to a double defeat. That was the same night I was left behind at the Pittsburg ball park and thought I’d never see home again.

 

Numbers for the pitching staff weren’t eye-popping but Pat Gosney and Joe Beatka won 23 of the 40 games Pittsburg posted in the win column. The rest of the pitchers had to look to their earned run averages to feel good about their season. The leader in that department for the Pittsburg moundsmen was Lowell McMillen. One of the most vivid memories of the 1951 season was the bench jockeying at which Walt Babcock of Carthage excelled.

 

It was traditional that a pitcher who had pitched the previous night would be the third base coach. Lloyd Koehnke had pitched the previous night for Pittsburg and was at his coaching station when Babcock bellowed out “Koehnke, if you don’t ship up they are going to send you to Wheeling.” Koehnke was a nice guy and very polite. He turned to the dugout and asked “Where’s Wheeling?” Babcock replied “Wheeling horse manure, you dummy.” Koehnke turned around and never replied during the rest of the game to Babcock’s razzing. And, I add that like Harry S. Truman, Babcock used the barnyard name for the horse “offering.” And on that note I’m out of here.

   

Seventies fashion - and a pipe as well!

I was shocked and awed yesterday...when I was able to get the little man to sit down and do his homework, without any footdragging or complaining.

The KOM League

Flash Report

For week of

November 27, 2016

 

This report is as close as I will come of mentioning the world champions of baseball in 2016. For the success of any endeavor the road has to be paved by many others. In the case of the Chicago Cubs it took over five generations. Coming up this week is a speech I will be making to a Rotary Club. To make it a bit relevant I’ll mention the Chicago Cub affiliates of the KOM league of which there were three: Iola, Carthage and Blackwell. If my memory holds out and time permits I’ll mention a few of the KOM leagures who had a special connection with the Cubs and others who were phantoms, “passing in the night.”

 

In the previous Flash Report a photo of the 1949 Carthage Cubs was shared that was taken in front of the third base bleachers. This photo was taken a few weeks later and 350 feet in the opposite direction but on an almost direct line. It was taken in front of the scoreboard in right field. www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/30445174213/

 

There was no plan to prepare a report for this week. However, I put together some information that is contained in some of my files on each of the 36 roster members and one batboy for the 1949 version of that team: The photo included in this report is on page 65 of the KOM League Remembered book published by Arcadia in 2005 and it is still available from almost any book source.

 

1949 Carthage Cubs--Taken in front of scoreboard in right field. The only name missing from the previous night’s game, as indicated on the scoreboard, was the third baseman which was, Johnny LaPorta. Bob Speake had the evening off for that game and Hal Brown, basically a catcher, played right field. Phil Costa had replaced Bob Speake at first base.

 

Back Row: Glenn Walden, John LaPorta, Art Leslie, Allen Burger Jr., Darrell Lorrance, Denny Moffitt and Don Anderson.

Middle Row: Hal Brown, Hank Paskiewicz, Don Schmitt, Paul Hoffmeister and Frank Morrow.

Front Row: Ed Garrett, Woody Wuethrich, Bob Saban, Dean Manns, Phil Costa and Bob Speake. Harry Smith Batboy-lying down.

 

Here are a few bits of information regarding the 36-man roster plus the batboy, Harry Smith. I would suggest you only consider a name or two at each sitting and peruse the URLs to get your dose of this club. It isn’t likely I’ll ever prepare another Flash Report with this amount of detail regarding any team.

 

Alsop, Charles Franklin

B. 1/10/1929 La Porte, IN

D. 1/8/2015 LaPorte, IN

He was released by the club on June 1. He didn’t play in 1950 but played from 1951 thru 1956 in the Southern Assn., Northern, Three-I, Western, Texas, Tri-State, South Atlantic, Carolina and Midwest leagues.

Worked for Ford Motor Company and later in life collected Thunderbirds. He once inquired about one I owned.

www.legacy.com/obituaries/gazettenet/obituary-preview.asp...

 

Anderson, Donald Edward

B. 10/22/1918 Chicago, IL

D. 11/22/2010 Hemet, CA

Anderson’s career began n 1939 and was soon interrupted by WWII. After the war he began playing and managing in the Coastal Plain and Florida State leagues. He arrived in Carthage in 1949 and stayed until July 9, 1951. I have long claimed that had it not been for Anderson I would have never written a word about the KOM league. My earliest memories of him were not pleasant and I thought he disliked me as his batboy. When first starting to write about the old league I was ambivalent. In the course of writing I located Anderson and it led to one of the greatest friendships a former manager and his batboy ever had. Anderson came to Missouri a few times to visit me and from our initial reconnection, in 1995, we spoke about once a month, for over an hour each time about the past. He taught me more than anyone in my life about not holding on to misconceptions formed in youth. Much has been written in my books, newsletters and Flash Reports regarding the batboy/manager relationship. Amazingly, I’m writing this section six years to the day of his death and that wasn’t planned. Prior to his death he paid me the greatest compliment that one person could bestow on another fellow human and it is so personal I’ve never uttered it to anyone.

 

Bailey, Jr. Turner W.

B. 10/9/1928Earl Twp. LaSalle County, IL

D. 12/06/2004 Tampa, FL living in Tallahassee

He was a lefthanded pitcher who was released shortly after the opening of the season due to a sore arm. He was one of the very few roster members of that team who wasn’t located while still living.

 

Barclay Jr. Donald Thomas

B. 2/1/1926 Oak Lawn, IL

He began his career in 1947 in the Arizona-Texas league and wound up the season in the West Texas/New Mexico circuit. He was with Reno, NV in the Sunset league in 1948. He left Carthage on the 15th of June of 1949 and played the rest of the year at Charlotte, NC in the Tri-State and Concord, in the North Carolina State league. He played through 1951 winding up with Flint, MI of the Central Association.

Current location: Chicago, IL

Barclay is the first KOM leaguer that I ever recall seeing.

 

Brown Jr. Harold Albert

B. 6/7/1930 Chicago, IL

Current residence: Mt. Prospect, IL

When it came to write about Mr. Brown I sent a note, by e-mail, to his neighbor, Jim Gray. The following is Brown’s profile, in his own words prepared during Thanksgiving week of 2016.

After the season I rode home to Chicago with Bill Hornsby in his convertible. Worked in a factory waiting to be drafted in USMC (served 1951 - 1953) which was one of the best things to happen to me. Made Sergeant (in) 1952. Married Babe July 12, 1952 while still in the Corps. Got a job in furniture store late 1953 in Chicago. Nine years later opened my own furniture store with a partner. The business lasted eight years when he moved to Florida. I stayed in home furnishings and carpeting for 35 more years, showing furniture and carpeting to clients at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. We have lived in the same house in Mount Prospect, Ill. where we raised 2 daughters who gave us 2 granddaughters. I played hand ball at the local YMCA for 50 years. I am still moving, but slowly. I try to exercise daily with light weights and bicycle. My good neighbor Jim is the go between. He says he enjoys your reports as much as I do. We have made him into a Cub's fan. All in all we have had a good and happy life and would not change a thing. Sincerely, Hal Brown.”

 

Jim Gray is Brown’s friend who secured the foregoing information. “Babe and Hal are wonderful people and I wish we knew them much longer. Hal has a great since of humor and Babe is great cook, gardener and loves to set a beautiful table and decorate their home for all the holidays. Their home backs up to a park with a creek 100 feett to the north, the coyotes stroll past and attempt to nail squirrels and rabbits at my bird feeders. Hal sits and listens to his favorite team the Cubs when they aren't on television. He was excited to finally see his team win the championship through a couple nail biters that made his stomach do a couple of flips. Chicago had the 7th largest crowd ever attend the parade and celebration. They estimated five and a half million fans at the parade and Grant Park lake front venue.”

 

Burger, Jr. Allen

B. 8/26/1930 Centerville, OH

1951-53 Military Service stationed at Ft. Myer, VA

Member of the Presidential Honor Guard

Played for the 1952 Ft. Myer Colonels baseball team that won the National Baseball Congress Tournament in Wichita, Kansas The Ft. Myer team included big league hurlers Bob Purkey, Alex Konikowski and Tom Poholsky, NBA Basketball player, Jack George and former Pittsburg, Kans. Browns pitcher, John Manopoli, among notable others. I guess I could dig up the photo of that team Burger gave me and identify all the guys shown. But, very few people today would recognize any of the names shared.

 

Contreras, Jr. Domingo

B. 6/12/1930 Los Angeles, CA

He joined the club on June 26 and stayed until July 18. He had been sent to Carthage by Des Moines and when he left Carthage he went to the Cub affiliate in Visalia.

Current status: Unknown

In the many years of research I never learned anything about this man, other than he also played for Visalia, CA in 1950. The Social Security Index shows him as still being alive.

 

Costa, Philip Anthony

B. 2/22/1931 Chicago, IL

Costa’s father was 60 years old at time Philip was born. The family lived near Al Capone

Current residence: Berwyn, IL 60402

Costa was the team comic and knew a little bit of outlaw lore. On one trip from Carthage to Independence, Kans. the team passed through the town of Coffeyville. He announced to the team that he would depart the bus and finish the job the Dalton Gang bungled. That was when the townspeople armed themselves and thwarted the gang’s last bank heist. Costa promised to join the team, later, in Independence. In his trips to KOM reunions he had a lot of comments on how the Italians of KOM towns knew nothing about real cuisine of Italy. In later KOM events he’d favor his “adoring fans” with an aria from Chicagoland. Most of those within earshot welcomed the silence at the end of each outburst. Yeah, everyone enjoyed Costa. He played in 1950 for the Janesville, WI Cubs and in his in final year, 1951, he traveled a lot. He played for New Bern and Edenton, NC; Sioux Falls, SD and Clovis, NM.

 

Courtney, William Leroy

B. 5/6/1931 Camden, DE

D. 6/30/2000 Dover, DE

He reported to Carthage, in August of 1949, as a shortstop, and was too late to get into any team photo. Had he been in any of them he would have stood out as one of the tallest and slimmest fellows in the picture. He was over six feet tall and weighed less than 170. He played in the Cubs minor league system at Moultrie, GA; Sioux Falls, SD; and Grand Rapids, MI before the outbreak of the Korean War. That concluded his baseball career. I did locate him in the mid-1990’s but he didn’t have too many memories of his KOM league career other than to reflect on the fact that he and Mickey Mantle played the same position for their respective teams.

 

Erath, George Snider

B. 7/10/1927 Chicago, IL

D. 11/7/2003 High Point. NC

Career: Owner of a large furniture manufacturing company in High Point. Later owned the High Point baseball club and gave Curtis Flood a chance to play professional baseball. This URL is worth opening. It is a great story and also has a photo of Erath. www.greensboro.com/news/george-erath-patron-philanthropis... The only home run Mickey Mantle ever hit in Carthage was a fly ball to centerfield that Bill Hornsby lost as it went above the light standard and it came down and hit him in the head. Mantle circled the bases on that time at bat. Here is a brief quote from the aforementioned URL. “For all his success, George Erath often talked of one big failure — the time a then-unknown Mickey Mantle hit a home run off a young minor-league pitcher one afternoon in Missouri. Erath was that young pitcher. “I mentioned to him one time, bragging, that I’d seen Mickey Mantle play baseball in Joplin, Missouri,” remembers Bill Fenn, who was Erath’s friend for more than 30 years. “And he said, ‘That’s nothing’ and told me his story, and we had a great laugh.”

 

Another link: www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2002/06/03/daily34.html

 

Ed note: Here is this editor’s account of the Mantle home run. Sunday, August 21, 1949 was the scene of an afternoon doubleheader between the Carthage Cubs and Independence Yankees. Carthage won the first game and Erath started the second contest with a scoreless innings string of over 20 innings. He got into the third inning without being scored on. He was one out of extending his scoreless streak when a runner reached by virtue of an error. That brought up the left-handed hitting Mantle and he lofted a fly ball into medium left center. By that time of day the lights had been turned on and when the ball went above the level of the lights, Hornsby lost it. When the ball came down it hit Hornsby in the head, left fielder Don Schmitt told me that his teammate was more embarrassed than he was hurt. Anyway, Dr. Tom McNew was summoned on to the playing field to take a look at the fallen outfielder and pronounced him fit to continue. However, Erath’s scoreless streak was over although Carthage wound up winning the game. Ten years prior to that incident Dr. McNew arrived at 1226 Valley Street to bring the author of this article into the world. He pronounced the new arrival fit for this world and 77 years to the day this section was written (11/27/2016) is when McNew was the first person to lay eyes on me.

 

Garrett, Edward Franklin

B. 4/13/1925 Cincinnati, Ohio

D. 5/25/1983 Cincinnati, OH Univ. Hosp.

Batboy 1943-46 Cincinnati Reds

He was a member of the national championship American Legion team, from Cincinnati, in 1947.

Garrett's boyhood friends were Don and Hal Zimmer. Don is the guy who hung around the big leagues for many years as player, manager and coach. Hal, the better player of the two, was a member of the 1951 Ponca City Dodgers. Garrett was older than the Zimmer brothers by 5-6 years but according to an interview I did with Hal Zimmer, they looked up to the former Redlegs batboy. The Garrett family lived at 926 Wells St. and the Zimmers lived at 777 Sedam St. which was 1.8 miles apart. When Garrett went to his duties as batboy he was 3.1 miles from Crosley Field where the Reds played in those days. For the Zimmer brothers to get to Findlay and Western Ave. they had to travel 3.8 miles to see the Reds games, which they did as often as possible.

 

Garrett’s address was mentioned for I did the same for Johnny LaPorta, his big league batboy counterpart and Carthage Cub teammate, in 1949, in a recent story.. I gave the Google URL for LaPorta’s boyhood home and was going to do the same for Garrett but 926 Wells St. is now a vacant lot.

 

In the days the Garretts and the Zimmers were youngsters their parents took whatever Depression jobs were available. The Zimmer family operated a vegetable stand and Garrett’s father was a waiter and his mother a waitress as late as 1940

 

Hoffmeister Paul Herman

B. 12/23/1928 E. Chicago, IN

Current residence: Arlington Heights, IL 2014

He played in the North Central Kansas Amateur Baseball League of America. That is where many young men, from the Midwest, honed their baseball skills. Paul was with Manhattan, Kans. in 1948.

He also pitched at Mattoon, IL in 1949 and came back to Carthage in 1950. He didn’t play during the Korean War years of 1951-52 but returned to play from 1953-1958 with teams in the Three-I, Texas, Western, and Pacific Coast leagues.

Career: Was a Certified Public Account in Arlington Heights, Ill until retirement

In retirement he still has to put up with these Flash Reports each week.

 

Hornsby William Pennington

B. 6/2/1925 St. Louis, MO –Son of Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby.

D. 6/29/1984 Goodlettsville, TN

He played minor league baseball from 1946 through 1951.

Was hit in head by a fly ball that allowed Mickey Mantle to hit his only home run in Carthage. It was an inside-the-park homer. See that story in the URL under the George Erath citation.

Operated an Anheuser Busch distributorship at time of death.

www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=58549245

  

Johnson Leslie Thomas

B. 12/27/1929 Chamberlain, SD (Pukwana)

He reported to Carthage on May 31st as an outfielder. He also played part of that season with Boise, ID of the Pioneer league.

Current residence: Mt. Vernon, WA

My only contact with Johnson has been in regard to some very rare baseball cards, from the 1930’s, that he collected as a young man. They are so rare and expensive that I’ve given him the name of a couple of former KOM leaguers who I trust and who collect rare cards. To my knowledge, Johnson still owns those treasures of his youth.

 

Kirschner, Gordyn Samuel

B. 10/8/1930 Galveston, TX

He was a pitcher who joined the team on August 5th from Sioux Falls, SD

Current residence: Galveston, TX

 

Knapton William Bruce

B. 8/21/1927 Bloomer, WI

He played third base and catcher before being released on May 19th.

Long time basketball coach with a great record.

Current residence: The Villages, FL

www.beloit.edu/archives/documents/archival_collections/fa...

 

LaPorta, John Joseph

B. 11/19/1926Chicago, IL

He joined the team on May 27th from St. Augustine of the Florida International league where he had played for Don Anderson in 1948.

D. 6/1989

After his baseball career John worked for his father-in-law, Frank Longo, in his plating shop in Chicago.

Since the report from last week featured the LaPorta family you can refer back to it to learn about his three-year big league career with the Chicago Cubs which occurred long before he ever saw the bright lights of the Carthage town square.

 

Leslie, John Arthur

B. 10/10/1929Scott. OH

He was a pitcher who joined the team on May 26th from Clinton, IA of the Central Association. He joined the Topeka Owls in 1950 and from there it was off to the Korean War from 1951-53.

Current residence: Houston, TX

 

Lorrance, Jr Darrell Morris

B. 2/28/1928Conway, MO

D. 10/20/2013 E. Moline, IL

He first came to Carthage in late 1945 for a tryout camp held by the St. Louis Cardinals and didn’t make it. He was signed by the Chicago Cubs in 1948 when he pitched for Janesville, WI. He joined Carthage in 1949 and stayed until a sore arm caused him to quit on July5th.

Lorrance was known for his basketball talent. He led Conway, Missouri to a state basketball championship in 1945 (45-3) and was recruited to play for the legendary Adolph Rupp at the Univ. of Kentucky. He later left Kentucky to play for Sparky Stalcup at the Univ. of Missouri. He played AAU basketball for a number of years leading his Conway team to the National tournament in 1948.

 

Manns, Louis Dean

B. 2/23/1929 Centralia, IL

Dean played with Carthage in 1949 and fell in love while there. He stayed in town during the winter and worked for the B &G Construction Company and even spent some time that off-season as a cast member in Little Theater productions. He returned to Carthage in 1950 and shared the catching duties with Don Stange and Don Biebel. For an early Christmas present he went to Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. on December 13, 1950 for induction into the army. He got back to baseball in 1954 with Blackwell, Okla. after they joined the Western Association and saw action in the Pioneer and Evangeline leagues before calling it quits in 1955.

 

I tracked Manns for a few years before finding him in the Villages, in Florida. He finally made it to a couple of KOM league reunions. My oldest sister attended one of those events and upon seeing him exclaimed “Dean, I had a crush on you when I was a waitress at Red’s Café.” That was news to him and to me as well. He was one of the more popular players in Carthage baseball history.

Current residence: Centralia, IL 2010

 

McCalman, Jack Elton

B. 4/21/1930 Caddo, OK

D. 11/9/1978 Caddo, OK

There was never much found on McCalman except that he joined the Hutchinson, Kansas team later in the 1949 season after having been with both Carthage and Lumberton of the Tobacco State league. In 1950 he played at Hickory, NC and Baxley, GA before being inducted into the US Army where he spent the next two years. I never had any success in locating an obituary for Jack but did find one for his older brother that mentioned him. www.meaningfulfunerals.net/home/index.cfm/obituaries/view...

  

Meier, Allan Alfred August

B. 12/18/1928 Dixon, IA

D. 6/29/2002 Marengo, IA

Meier spent a very short time with Carthage as he didn’t show up until August 22. He had reported from Elizabethtown of the Appalachian league. He spent time serving during the Korean War which is explained in his obituary. The following was his obituary and baseball wasn’t mentioned. www.legacy.com/obituaries/gazettenet/obituary-preview.asp... “Services for Allan ‘Al’ Meier, Marengo, will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. John's Lutheran Church, Marengo. Burial will be in Marengo Cemetery, with military honors. Visitation is 4-8 p.m. today at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo. He died Saturday, June 29, 2002, at his home following a brief illness. Allan Alfred August Meier was born Dec. 18, 1928, in Dixon, Iowa. He married Janice Bruckman in 1953 in Calamus. He managed and in 1961 purchased the Marengo Elevator Company. He served in the Army from 1950-52 as a paratrooper during the Korean Conflict. A memorial fund has been established. Survivors include his wife, Janice; a daughter, Julie Storck, Marengo; sons, Steven and Greg, both of Marengo, and Scott, St. Louis, Mo.; 12 grandchildren; a sister, Nellie Weih, Bennett; brothers, Mel and Dennis, Marengo; and a brother-in-law, Clifford Danielsen, East Moline.”

  

Moffitt, Dennis Eugene

B. 3/28/1929 Visalia, CA

D. 11/7/2015 Exeter, CA

He split his time pitching for Carthage and Visalia in 1949 and in 1950 he pitched for a semi-pro team in Regina, Saskatchewan. From there he went into the service, as his obituary states.

This is the location of Moffitt’s obituary:

www.legacy.com/obituaries/visaliatimesdelta/obituary.aspx... This is a quote from it. “Dennis Moffitt was born March 28th, 1929 to Harold "Pete" and Olga Moffitt in Visalia, CA. Dennis grew up in Farmersville where he met the love of his life, Carolyn DeVault. He graduated from Visalia High School in 1948. Dennis played football and baseball in high school then attended COS following graduation. Dennis played Minor League baseball in Canada, the Visalia Cubs and in Carthage, Missouri. Dennis was drafted into the Army in 1950 for the Korean War. Dennis and Carolyn were married after his return in 1952. Dennis started up his first business in Visalia, Service Station Repair and Maintenance which he owned and operated for eight years. In 1960, Dennis managed the Consolidated Peoples Ditch Company in Farmersville, retiring after 35 years.”

 

Morrow, Frank J.

B. 4/21/1931 Brockton, MA

D. 11/26/2000 Brockton, MA

He joined the Miami, OK Eagles in 1950 and was then sent to Gladewater, TX which displeased him. Thus, he jumped that club and joined the House of David team from Benton Harbor. MI. Unable to grow facial hair the club gave him some.

Knew Rocky Marciano and worked out in his gym many times.

He always wanted to attend a KOM League reunion but each year, at the time they were held, his health prohibited his travel. In 1998 he even got as far as the airport before having to return to his home. He wrote at the time that he cried because he couldn’t make the trip. In the spring of 2000 a very happy man came up to me at Chanute, Kansas and introduced himself as Frank Morrow. He was as happy as anyone I ever met. His wife told me that her husband wasn’t doing very well but looking forward to seeing some of his old teammates was the best medicine he could take. He left the reunion and died five months later.

 

Paskiewicz, Henry F.

B. 4/15/1930 Chicago, IL

Current residence; Albuquerque, NM

Long time educator and coach in New Mexico

Hank played competitive seniors tennis and won many championships both at the state and national levels. Unbeknownst to Yours truly, Paskiewicz was coaching at Sandia High School in Albuquerque, when I lived there and my home was just a few blocks from there. Sure wish I had known at the time he was there.

 

Passarella, Robert E. Nicknamed “The Grouse”

B.2/5/1927 Scranton, PA

D. 1/3/2010 Scranton, PA in Hospice

He was released by the club on May 31st. He didn’t play again until 1951 when he signed with Cordele, GA. He played for two more seasons with the Hot Springs Bathers of the Cotton States league.

Loved reliving his memories of the KOM league with Yours truly during long telephone conversations. He was a died in the wool Yankee fan. When connections were first made between Bob and this author he had just suffered a near fatal accident while pitching batting practice to a local high school team. The communication between Passarella and I was made possible through his brother. Bob was pitching batting practice to a high school team when he was hit in the head with a line drive. He was in a coma for several days. Upon gaining consciousness he was very despondent and had lost the ability to speak or write. According to Bob, being able to talk about his baseball days helped him restore all of his communication skills. To say the least, he was an inspiration to me. He was such an inspiration that Brandy Davis, former Pittsburgh Pirate, would make special trips, on his scouting tours, in order to go to Scranton and visit Bob.

 

Rine, Jr. Robert J

B. 4/12/1926Beatrice, NE

D. 2/06/1990 Seward, NE

Robert Rine showed up at Carthage on May 5, 1949 and stayed for about a week, as a catcher, which coincided with the arrival of Dean Manns. The task in locating Rine was difficult and by the time it was accomplished I learned that he had passed away. About the only thing I knew about him, after his departure from Carthage was a June, 1950 wedding announcement. “Miss Frances Moore, daughter of Mrs., Walter Moore of Liberty, was married to Robert Rine, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cam Rine of Beatrice, Saturday, June 17, at the First Christian church. The Rev. Wayne Greene officiated in the presence of the immediate families. Attending the couple were Mr. and Mrs. Harry Qssowski. The bride was married in a white afternoon dress and wore a white carnation corsage. A wedding dinner was served at the home of Miss Bertha Rine.”

 

At one of the KOM league reunions, in Carthage, Rines’ daughter attended to visit with some of the fellows from the 1949 club, but since he was with the team such a short time, no one remembered him. In 2010 Rine was inducted, posthumously, into the Nebraska Baseball Hall of Fame. This site shows a photo of his son receiving the award for his late father. beatricedailysun.com/sports/local/hunter-one-of-five-indu...

  

Roman, Robert Anthony

B. 1/17/1927 Syracuse, NY

D. 12/24/1996 Durham, NC

Career: Roman is featured on page 59 of the book, the KOM League Remembered. He was a handsome fellow who only had to take second place to his wife, Mona, in that department. His career was 21 games for St. Augustine, FL in 1948 and he followed his manager, Don Anderson, from there to Carthage in 1949. Combined, Roman had a 41 game minor league stint. When he left Carthage he headed back to his home in Syracuse. While there he worked in retail sales and developed an interest in singing and acting in local stage productions. He was encouraged to go to New York City for tryouts on the Broadway stage. He made it and performed on Broadway as well with numerous traveling stage shows throughout this country. When the curtain calls ceased Roman and his actress wife, Mona, settled down in Durham, North Carolina. He entered the automobile business and stayed in it until his death on Christmas Eve of 1996.

  

SabanMatthew Robert Leroy

B.12/22/1930McCook, IL

D. 10/25/2008 Tempe, AZ

Career: Played 12 years of professional baseball and teamed with most of the Washington Senators, of his era who played with either Chattanooga, TN or Charlotte, NC such as Harmon Killebrew. Saban is kin to every football coach in America with his last name. That is from Lou Saban to the current coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Nick Saban.

Here is his obituary: www.legacy.com/obituaries/azcentral/obituary.aspx?n=matth... This is a brief statement from the obituary. “Bob graduated from Lyons Township High School, IL in 1949. He then began a career in baseball, playing in the KOM (KS, OK, MO) League in Carthage, MO. In 1950, Bob played in Sioux Falls, SD for a Cubs farm club, and then in Rock Hill, SC in 1951. In 1952-53, Bob served in the US Army in Albuquerque, NM at Sandia Base and was the base's ace pitcher. After serving in the Army, Bob was drafted by the Washington Senators (which became the Twins organization) and played in the South Atlantic League, primarily with the Charlotte Hornets, from 1954-1962 with stints in Macon, GA and Chattanooga, TN. In 1966, Bob and his family moved to Champaign, IL. He was an electrician in Local 601.”

 

Schmitt Donald Harald

B. 5/5/1929 Davenport, IA

He returned to Carthage in 1950 where he was a member of the All-Star team. He played most every position on the field except pitcher and catcher that year.

Current Residence: Rock Island, IL

He attended the last KOM league ever held. It was in Iola, Kansas and he was very upset on his arrival for he had received a speeding ticket on the outskirts of town. That was no way to treat a former ballplayer returning to the site of many of his All-Star performances. He had just lost his wife, Gloria, prior to the reunion.

 

Smith,Harry WilliamBatboy

B. 1/18/1935 Fayetteville, AR

D. 8/30/1999 Carthage, MO

Frederick “Pee Wee” Smith and his little brother Harry were fixtures of Carthage Cardinal and Cub teams. Pee Wee was batboy in 1947 and 1948 and was assistant groundskeeper in 1949 and the head groundskeeper in 1950 and 1951. Harry had enough of the baseball business after the 1949 season and turned the batboy job over to Estel Back. There were two young men who I recall in grade school who could hit a softball harder and further than anyone else. They both had the same last name of Smith. One was Harry who was four years my senior and the other one was Gary who was my age and no kin to either Harry or Pee Wee.. All of the Smiths, mentioned in this section, have passed away. Harry worked for Atlas Powder Company near Carthage until his death. He fell a year short of retirement.

 

Speake, Robert Charles

8/22/1930 Springfield, MO

Current residence: Topeka, KS

He was the only member of the 1949 Carthage Cubs to play major league baseball.

After his major league days became one of the top softball players in America while playing in Springfield. Mo. Moved to Topeka, Kansas where he became very successful in helping a fledgling insurance company became a powerhouse firm.

Many years ago Speake reminded me that I was a Class D writer, writing about a Class D league and that I should never pay much attention or worry about any criticism of my efforts. That sound wisdom has guided me through the two decades of chronicling the old league. He also warned me not to fall for anybody telling me how interested they were in what I was doing and how they could help me. Again, he was a prophet in his own time.

In retirement Bob has become a very talented woodcarver.

 

Stephens Frederick John

B. 8/9/1931 Cranston, IA

D. 7/25/2015 Rock Island, IL

He was another of the fellows to play shortstop for the 1949 club. He was very difficult to locate. In fact, it wasn’t until a couple of years before his passing that I located him. He said at the time that he spent his extra money and spare time at the river front casinos.

The following site contains his obituary which also includes a photograph. Since he was never in a Carthage team photo it is the only image I ever saw of him. qctimes.com/news/local/obituaries/frederick-stephens/arti...

  

Thomas Harrison Irwin

B. 11/22/1929Milan, MO

D. 2/14/2009 Edwardsville, IL

He was a left-handed pitcher who joined the team from Clovis, NM. He stayed with Carthage until June 15th when he quit due to the sore arm.

His obituary was carried in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=harris...

  

Walden, Glenn Lawrence

B. 5/31/1927 Manson (Calhoon County, IA)

D. 10/5/1993 Ft. Dodge, IA

Joined the team on June 16th from the Sioux Falls Canaries where he had pitched in 1948 and part of 1949. He returned to Carthage for a brief time in 1950.

Buried Keokuk National Cemetery; Section J Site 1001.

Enlisted in United States Navy 4/5/1945 and discharged 7/10 1946.

May 31, 1949 received $200 W. W. II Compensation Payment from State of Iowa

Occupation in 1959 was that of bartender in Ft. Dodge, Iowa

Married to Janet Borland from Minnesota prior to 1959

Married Alice Roths 9/29/1969 at Ellsworth, Iowa

Married Ina Lewis 7/19/1983 at Shasta, Calif. (I believe this is correct)

At one time lived in Tecumseh, Kansas (East side of Topeka)

 

Werling, Ralph Charles

B. 1/11/1925 Angola, IN

D. 12/17/1994 Ft. Wayne, IN

He was one of a rather large number of catchers Carthage considered in 1949. He was released on May 31st.

Sometimes you locate a former player or his fate through the obituary of a next of kin. In this case it was his widow, Nadene. qctimes.com/news/local/obituaries/frederick-stephens/arti...

After reading Nadene’s obituary I located Ralph’s final resting place which is shown here: www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inallcem/wayne/stjohn/new/werl...

Ralph went ahead of Nadene by 16 years.

 

Wuethrich, Merle F. "Woody"

B. 9/4/1925 Eureka, IL

D. 4/17/2013 Peoria, IL

Comment: He was one of the best pitchers to ever pitch for Carthage or any other team in the KOM league. His best season was 1949 but he was pressed back into duty, on short rest, and was never the same afterward. 1950 was his final shot at baseball. His obituary tells of his life’s work in the oil business. The following URL tells it better than I can

.http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pjstar/obituary.aspx?pid=164319588

____________________________________________________________________________

Keeping track of a few former players

 

Sometimes I only know of the status of a former player by reading obituaries of their loved ones.

A number of years ago Don Annen, of the 1950 Carthage Cubs, asked to be taken off the mailing list for I carried the news of too many deaths. Checking on him last week I found the obituary of his wife: host.madison.com/news/local/obituaries/annen-dorothy-a/ar...

 

Richard Loeser of the 1948 Ponca City Dodgers is one guy who never answered any of my attempts to locate him. Even in ignoring me I have known for many years that he lives in St. Louis. In checking his status, recently I found the following: “LOESER, DELLA L. (nee Muhr) fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church on August 25, 2016 at the age of 85.

Beloved wife of Richard Loeser for 62 years. Dear sister-in-law of Robert J. Loeser.

She was a lifelong resident of St. Louis and was a very caring and loving lady to anyone she met.

Della will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Funeral Mass will be held Monday, 8/29, 10 am at St. Norbert Catholic Church. Interment Calvary Cemetery. “

VISITATION SUNDAY 4-8 PM at Stygar Florissant Chapel and Cremation Center.

Memorial contributions to American Cancer Society or American Kidney Fund appreciate

__________________________________________________________________________

Death of former Ponca City Dodger

 

HOPKINS-WILLIAM J. "HOPPY"--Age 87, of Castle Shannon, passed away on October 14, 2016, peacefully surrounded by loved ones. He was born on March 10, 1929, to the late Aaron Hopkins and Catherine Stoyle Hopkins. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Nancy (Locke) Hopkins. He is also survived by his daughter, Pamela Morocco and son-in-law, Richard Morocco; grandson, Brad (Brittany); and granddaughter, Courtney; sisters, Norma Scholl and Mary Jane (Frank) Palmer; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers and sisters, Ethel (Ed) Clark, Aaron (Grace) Hopkins, Daniel (Eleanor) Hopkins, Dorothy (John) Wasieleski, and Nancy Davies. Mr. Hopkins was a veteran, having served in the US Army from 1951 through 1957. He was also inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1984 and served on the Executive Board until his death. Per Mr. Hopkins and his family, there will be no viewing, however the family invites you to a Memorial Mass on Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Anne's Church in Castle Shannon. Arrangements by JEFFERSON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME. Contributions may be made to Pilgrimage Hospice, 2000 Cliff Mine Road, Suite 100, Pittsburgh, PA 15275.

 

Ed comment:

 

William Hopkins was one of the first of the former KOM leaguers located some two decades ago. In our conversation he recited his baseball career as beginning in 1948 with Youngstown, Ohio and Johnstown, PA in the Middle Atlantic league. In 1949 he was with both Ponca City and Johnstown, PA and in 1950 didn’t play at all. He entered military service in 1951 and played on the 28th Artillery team in Germany that finished second in the European Championships.

 

At this juncture the baseball researchers are not in agreement with Hopkins. Baseball Reference shows him back in Class D ball, in 1951, as a member of the Ada, Okla. Herefords of the Sooner State league. Hopkins told me, and his obituary shows, that he stayed in the service until 1957. That conflicts with Baseball Reference showing him playing in the St. Louis Cardinal organization as late as 1955.

 

When Hopkins was with the Ponca City Dodgers he played the outfield.

 

The foregoing information was shared with Jack Morris, baseball necrologist. His group, who look into baseball deaths, may be able to clarify the discrepancies between the record books and his obituary which states he was with Uncle Sam after 1951 and through 1957.

______________________________________________________________________________

 

The KOM League

Flash Report

June 10, 2021

  

Go to this site for the latest KOM League Flash Report: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/51136298245/

 

April 24, 2021 was the last time anyone has turned on the big computer at the KOM League office. On June 7 the owner of said computer attempted to turn it on and in so doing couldn’t remember how to use it. So, this is akin to learning to walk and talk once more.

 

What follows is a note from a California reader that inspired an attempt to piece together another report. “Hi John. Hope this message finds you happy and healthy. Haven’t received a new report from you in a while. Whether you are taking a well-deserved break, or maybe there is just nothing new to say, I just wanted you to know that some of us (at least me) miss hearing from you and haven’t forgotten about you. Many thanks for all that you have done. Enjoy your time off. “ Mark Santo (Son of the late Stan Santo of the 1951 Ponca City Dodgers.)

 

In the response to Santo he was informed that the recipient of his message had neither been healthy or happy for about a month. By asking he received some of the details. However, they won’t be shared in this report since most readers would either be bored or wouldn’t care all that much.

 

Whereas there hasn’t been a report for a few weeks, catching up on some obituaries will comprise the greater part of this missive.

 

Manuel Abril Obituary (2021) - Colton, CA - San Bernardino County Sun (legacy.com)

 

Manuel R. (Ed note: The “R” stood for Ruiz which was his mother’s maiden name) Abril, 89, loving father and grandfather, lifelong resident of Colton, CA, passed away April 23, 2021 of congestive heart failure at home. He was preceded in death by his parents Frank & Carmen Abril, brothers Frank and Arnold Abril and wife Frances Abril. He is survived by his twin brother Ernie Abril and five children: Manuel (Mooch) Abril, April Abril, Stephanie Gonzales, Ernest (Odie) Abril, Franses Homsi, 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. He was a graduate of Colton High School class of 1951. He signed and played professional baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates Organization for a year before being called to duty. He served 2 years with the U.S. Army in the Korean War. After service he resumed his baseball career for another 2 years, playing in the Kansas-Oklahoma Missouri League and the Texas League in Mexico. After his career he returned home, married and raised a family. He coached baseball for many years. First with the Catholic Youth Baseball League in San Bernardino and at Ken Hubbs Little League in Colton. Dad touched many lives. He retired from Smith Packing House in Colton. He worked for The City of Colton Community Services Parks & Recreation Department and retired after 25 years in 1994. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Church. He will be laid to rest on May 20, 2021. Services will be held at Immaculate Conception Church in Colton. Rosary at 10:30am, Mass to follow at 11:00am. Interment at Hermosa Cemetery in Colton.

 

Ed note:

 

Emmanuel and Ernesto Abril were one of three sets of twins to play in the KOM league and all did it in 1952. The others were Ronald and Donald Saatzer with the Independence Browns and Gerald and Harold Crucani of the Blackwell Broncos.

 

A picture is worth a thousand words and in this case possibly many more. Take a gander at this link if you are interested in how the Abril brothers met probably the most famous woman in the world in 1953. www.google.com/search?q=manny+and+ernie+abril+marilyn+mon...

 

In every way the sights and sounds were different, in 1953, than they were in 1952 when the Abril twins were traveling to the bright lights of small towns in Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma.

______________________________________________________________________________

Death of a former member of the 1946 Chanute Owls.

www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/jasper-jay-bono-obituary?p...

 

Jasper Bono died on April 20th, 2021 at the Cottages at Shawnee, KS, at 9:48 p.m. of heart failure after living 97 amazing years.

 

Jasper (Jay) Bono was born in 1924 in St. Louis, Missouri in the Old Deaconess Hospital on Oakland Avenue. His parents were Joseph and Lena, (nee Biondo) Bono. Both his parents immigrated to the United States from Sicily Italy. His father, Joseph, immigrated first and lived in New York for a period of time then went back and got married to Lena and brought her back to the US and moved to St. Louis. They started their family and had 3 boys and 1 girl, Ben, Sam, Rosie and Jay. Jay was the youngest of his family.

 

He loved baseball and played stick ball during his childhood years in St. Louis. He attended Beaumont High School and later attend Hadley Vocational School. where he learned technical drawing. After vocational school he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 World War 2 and was honorably discharged in 1943 after getting very ill. From there he began his career at the Defense Mapping Agency. He worked for 3 years for the Defense Mapping Agency as a Cartographer, but the love of baseball was calling him.

 

Jay went to play ball from 1946-1948 and played for the Chanute Athletics in the KOM league in Kansas and KITL league in Illinois for the Fulton Chicks. He loved it and stayed with host families through those years of playing ball. Goldie Howard was a coach with the Chanute Athletics, and he always talked about Goldie used to call him Bosco Kid because he spiced things up. After playing in those two leagues, he tried out for the St. Louis Cardinals and made their minor league team with having pretty good stats and had a batting average of 290 but was offered a job back at the Defense Mapping Agency. Colonel Nugent at the Defense Mapping Agency liked my dad wanted him back, but he said once you leave again you can’t come back. Jay thought hard about the choice and he always said his dad said get a job with a retirement and baseball in those days wasn’t the big money it was today. He took the job at the mapping agency and worked there for an amazing career of 42 years. There he made maps for the different military service branches as well as NASA for various projects such as Apollo and Space Shuttle Missions before he retired for the first time. Later he was called back after to make maps for Desert Storm the old school way before they were fully were computerized. They need his drawing skills. He met Maxine Lee Miller at the start of his career in 1948 at the defense mapping agency in the Forest Park Highlands in the dance hall and danced his first dance with his wife to be to the Bumble Boggie by Jack Fina. From there they got married in 1949 and had 4 girls, Sandra, Cynthia, Susan and Christine. He loved his girls always and worked hard to provide awesome birthdays, holidays and family vacations in the family truckster station wagon. Plus, he was always faithful in taking his girls to church every Sunday through their growing up years.

 

Jay was married for 59 years to Maxine and was only two months shy of 60 years before her passing. During his retirement after all his girls grew up, he ushered for Costello’s Ushering Company and became a main stay at the Blues Hockey Suite at the Area, (The Old Barn). He got to meet Bob Costas and Dan Kelly which he thought was so cool. Go Blues! Then he ushered Cardinal Baseball and met Jack Buck, another even cooler moment, and Ram’s Football during their Super Bowl year. Which was amazing. Also, in his retirement he ventured down to Florida with Maxine to Disney World over 40 times. They loved their time down in Florida and at Disney in particular. Maxine worked for the Disney Store for 17 years and got amazing discounts. That was one of their happiest times and if their daughters could join them, they loved it even more. During the span of his long life of 97 years, he loved baseball and hardly ever missed a Cardinal game if he could help it. If it wasn’t on TV, he had his hand-held transistor radio tuned to KMOX listening to Jack Buck and Mike Shannon. Same goes for Blues Hockey. If he wasn’t ushering a game, he was watching them play on TV. Jay loved God, life, family and fun. He was the most happy chilling watching sports, eating some good food and taking a good snooze as he would say. He will be missed by all. Rest in peace Jay!

 

Predeceased by:

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sister Rosie and brothers Bennie and Sam and his beloved wife of almost 60 years Maxine.

 

Survivors:

Jay is survived by his daughter Christine and her husband Jerry and his granddaughter Hayley of Shawnee Kansas. his daughter Cynthia and Gary of Bonne Terre Missouri, daughter Susan and husband Pete of Imperial Missouri his daughter Sandra and husband Bruce and his granddaughters Mary and Melanie of Fenton Missouri.

 

Funeral service at the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Road at Holloway, Ballwin, Saturday, 2:00 p.m. Interment Bethel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to In lieu of flowers, go out in honor of Jay Bono and have dinner with that money. Enjoy family time. He would really like that. Visitation Saturday from 12:30 p.m. until the time of the service at 2:00 p.m. Friends may sign the family’s on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.

 

Ed note:

 

Contact was made with Mr. Bono during the research of the KOM league and when conversing with him he was living in Owensville, Mo.. He extended a standing invitation to make the trip to his home for a visit but, unfortunately, that never happened. With his passing there remains only one member from the 1946 Chanute Owls and I’m not mentioning his name in this report due to the fear it might jinx him.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Member of the 1948 Bartlesville Pirates

 

WILLIAM "BILL" DEE JARRETT, JR.

www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/21057270/William-Dee-Ja... There is photo on this link.

 

August 22, 1926 - May 8th, 2021

 

Bill was born in Spartanburg, SC over 94 years ago to William Dee (Red) Jarrett, Sr. and Josephine Frances (Foster). An only child, he was raised in West Tulsa and graduated from Webster High School in 1944, aspiring to be a professional athlete. He married the girl next door, Betty Lou McDowell in 1945 and served in the army stationed in the Philippines. They settled in Red Fork in Tulsa and raised two children, then later relocated to SW Tulsa to build the house on the hill. He was self-employed in two businesses, A/C-refrigeration and commercial water treatment.

 

In 1981, he married Kathryn Zoe Burke Walker and welcomed in her children and grandchildren. They enjoyed their golden years together and he took good care of her until her death in 2020. His many lifelong enjoyments included baseball and other sports, fishing, quail hunting, gardening, family reunions, and spending time in Peel, Arkansas. If anyone needed help, you could always call on him. He was a handyman, mechanic, do-it-yourselfer, and Mr.-fix-it.

 

He was preceded in death by his parents and wife Zoe. He is survived by his daughter Heather and son Cary; granddaughters Elizabeth and Amy and grandson Jason; and great-grandchildren She'la, Abbigayle, Elijah, and Philip. Also, stepdaughters Diane Tompkins and Beverly Wilson: stepsons Burke Walker and Blake Walker, 6 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

 

Papa was loved and will be missed.

 

Ed comment::

 

Contact was established with the deceased early in the effort to document the history of the KOM league. He was a catcher for the 1948 Bartlesville Pirates, briefly, and he didn’t have a lot of memories of the old league.

 

His obituary was found this past Memorial Day and the following was shared with Jack Morris of Baseball Necrology. It pretty much sums up my knowledge of the deceased. “I had a premonition about this guy in recent days, it turned out he died earlier this month about the same time I felt as though I was going to myself.

 

His dad played a lot of minor league ball in the 1920’s and later. The Jarrett’s were from Carl Junction, Mo. near the baseball town of Alba. The senior Jarrett was playing for Spartanburg, SC the year his son was born. They settled in Tulsa following the end of Jarrett Senior’s playing days.

 

I had been working on a story about the Jarrett’s just before getting whacked by the recent illness.”

 

digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll3/id/98771/... Baseball career of Jarrett Sr.

 

digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll3/id/83646/... Baseball career of Jarrett Jr.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Alex Grieves.

 

Jack Morris of Baseball Necrology sent this note.

Unfortunately, I found another former KOM leaguer – Alex Grieves

www.kevinbrennanfamily.com/obituaries/Alexander-Grieves-2...

 

His wife died a couple of weeks later -https://www.kevinbrennanfamily.com/obituaries/Marjorie-Grieves/#!/Obituary

 

As it turned out Alex passed away in 2020 and his wife a year and two weeks later. This was my response to Morris. “I knew Marg as well and knew of her death. She and Alex spent their last days in. Topeka nursing home. Back to Alex and amateur baseball. He and Windy Johnson were from Burlingame, Kansas and knew each other very well. When Windy was named manager of the 1950 Iola Indians he offered Alex a chance to make the team. Having pitched for the Miami Owls in 1948 Alex was familiar with the KOM league. Alex refused the offer saying he could play amateur closer to home in Topeka. Alex was a prophet for the 1950 Iola club was one of the worst teams anywhere that year with nearby Chanute being just as futile.”

 

The Topeka Capital Journal obituary:

 

Alexander Junior Grieves, 93, passed away Tuesday, April 28, 2020.

Alex was born July 25, 1926, in Burlingame, Kansas, to Alexander Grieves and Thelma L. Russell Grieves.

 

He graduated from Burlingame High School in 1944. Alex served two years in the Navy as a Seabee in the Philippines. After his discharge from the service, he was a pitcher for the Topeka Owls of the Western Association League from 1948-1950.

 

Alex worked for the Topeka Air Force Depot and at DuPont for many years. He was also a sales manager for several trucking companies in Topeka.

 

He married Marjorie Zwonitzer June 14, 1952. They had two sons, Kevin Dean and Brad Alexander. They spent their married life in Topeka and upon retirement traveled to Arizona and Texas to spend their winters.

 

Alex was a member of Hope Lutheran Church and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. He was also a member of the Topeka Officials Association and spent many nights and weekends officiating high school and college football and basketball. Some memorable stories came from his officiating travels. Alex also enjoyed coaching his sons' baseball and basketball teams as they grew up.

 

Alex was an avid golfer. He had two holes-in-one and played well into his eighties. While in his eighties he twice scored his age in a round.

 

He dearly loved country dancing with Marge and the pair could burn up the dance floor. He also loved gardening and grilling and his family was quick to ask why they didn't get an invite to the steak dinners he made the two of them though occasionally he caved and invited his "crew".

 

He is preceded in death by his parents and sister, Barbara Tindell. His wife, Marge, died May 11, 2021.

 

He is survived by his sons, Kevin (Jane) and Brad (Pam) of Auburn, KS; five grandchildren, Kyle (Megan) Grieves of Kathleen, GA, Ryan (Kelli) Grieves of St. George, KS, Kimberly Grieves (Shaun McLean) of Frisco, TX, Cole (Alex) Grieves of Manhattan, KS, and Rachel Grieves of Topeka, KS; and five great grandsons, Eli, Joel, Leo, Luke and Laine Grieves.

 

Visitation is set for Sunday, June 6th from 5-7pm at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. A dual Celebration of Life for Marge and Alex will be Monday, June 7th at 10am at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, followed by a family graveside service at the Burlingame Cemetery.

 

Baseball career:

www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=grieve...

digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll3/id/67400/...

 

____________________________________________________________________________

Charles Key

 

memorials5.frontrunnerpro.com/memorials/charles-key/41272... Photo is included in the link.

 

Charles Henry Key, 88, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, passed away on Thursday, February 27, 2020 in Pryor. He was born on August 4, 1931 in Rogers, Arkansas; the son of Henry Newton and Winnie Marie (Hampton) Key. He was raised mostly by his Uncle Louis and Aunt Eulalia Corrall of Garden City, Kansas. Charles married Wilma Marie Galliart in 1950 and they were married 61 years, until her passing in 2011.

 

After graduating from Garden City High School in 1949 Charles was attending Junior College when two major league scouts from the baseball teams Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Red Sox came to look at him. Named as the Southpaw Pitching Ace, Charles signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950. Charles worked as a self – employed contractor most of his life. He wrote two books on the Winchester Model 61 Rifle with the first edition being a sell out the first year. These books have been shipped to people all over the world. Charles enjoyed his hobby of being a Winchester collector and he and his wife turned it into an eBay business. He loved attending or just watching KU Basketball and OU football games. He was a master of puzzles. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather and will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

 

Charles is survived by his son, Larry Key and wife Maria of Bixby, Oklahoma; a daughter, Jackie Weaver and husband Doug of Pryor, Oklahoma; three grandchildren, Jason Key of La Junta, Colorado, Jacqueline Hill and husband Tyler of Sunnyvale, Texas, and Kyle Weaver and wife Courtney of Yukon, Oklahoma; two great grandchildren, Tadem Key Hill and Adeline Michelle Hill. He is also survived by a brother-in-law Willie Galliart of Hutchinson, Kansas; 3 sisters-in-laws MaryAnn Ricketts of Sublette, Kansas, Renie Quint and Shirley Nuzum both of Garden City, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his parents, the Corrall's and brother-in-law Richard Galliart.

 

Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Shipman’s Funeral & Cremation Service.

 

Ed comment:

 

In the obituary it is mentioned that Mr. Key was scouted by both the Red Sox and Dodgers. Bert Wells was the man who signed most of the Dodger players out of Western Kansas and I can’t imagine the Red Sox had much of a presence there. Actually, it is my best guess that the Red Sox had their bird dog, Joe Becker, looking at the lefthanded pitcher.

 

With the passing of Charlie Key there are seven members of that 1950 championship team still with us. They live in Colorado, Arkansas, two in Texas, two in Kansas and one in California. Their names are Harry Crandall, Gary Donald Anderson, Luther John Burleson, Ernest Jordan, Clyde Girrens, Loren Doll and Roger Rossier.

 

This is the profile of Charlie Key’s career in baseball or better stated “The Brooklyn Dodger Minor League Shuffle.” digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll3/id/116528...

____________________________________________________________________________

Hank Chott

 

Over a month has transpired since the promise to write about the late Hank Chott was made. Some things have happened, in the meantime, and still no write-up. Since it has to be done right or not at all, the plans are to work on that subject for the next report. Had he still been living encouragement would be forthcoming to keep the Flash Report project going. He was a huge fan of these reports and since that placed him in a category of “a select few” he is owed a nice tribute.

_____________________________________________________________________________

A book forthcoming.

 

Fear not, the subject of this section doesn't imply that a fellow who has written three non-bestsellers is attempting a fourth tome.

 

In the past month this old guy was contacted by a person writing the official autobiography of a former KOM leaguer. All that is being revealed is the subject of the book was one of the 33 fellows who played in the league who wound up in the majors. He spent a whole lot of time playing, managing and coaching in both the American and National leagues.

 

It wouldn’t take a genius to surmise who that person might be but since I jinx most everything I’m not revealing that person’s name or the author. When the book hits the street all the pertinent information will be revealed and the reader will be apprised on the way to receive a copy of the autobiography.

 

Contact was made with the old batboy for his input about the person who is the subject of the book and the general conditions under which guys played back in the days of the KOM league.

_____________________________________________________________________________

This is the end

 

Preparing this report was a difficult task as figuring out how to turn on the computer was tough and it got more difficult as each task such as cut and past was attempted. Sometimes it took a dozen attempts before success was attained.

 

If this report makes sense to you that would come as a surprise. It you run into something that makes as much sense as taking a shower wearing a raincoat, send along your question for clarification.

   

I had an accident August 21, 2014 in the morning. I was opening a 20 year old vinyl window and the top frame came down instantly as I unlatched it to lift the bottom pane up. My middle finger of my right hand was wedged in the latch assembly and it took a bit to get my finger out. I was by myself but fortunately this was a type of window that the bottom pane tips inward for cleaning if you unlatch a small lever and my left hand was free to unlatch one side and pull my finger out. I amputated and fractured my right middle finger tip. It didn't bleed much due to the crushing. I could fill you all in on the events of that day but I don't want to keep reliving it and just heal so I can go back to work. Got five stitches, needed a splint and antibiotics for the broken bone.

 

It's been 25 days now and I still need to have a tiny cast protecting the fingertip which tingles still when I just touch it. I have feeling there but it is elevated.

 

If you've noticed I haven't been posting much lately this is why. With my nine good fingers I am still somewhat able to handle my camera. You don't know what you've got till it's gone. - Dan

Can-can dancers. What every Steam Fair needs.

Playing left-handed, Ronnie playing for a red ball.

Ronnie is one of a handful of professional players who are just as good playing left or right handed.

KOM League

Flash Report

Entering 27th Year

January 1, 2020

  

This report is a “pieced” together effort that covers the past three weeks when nothing was shared. The issue is a bit like a puzzle and can be viewed by clicking on this link: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/49287415601/

 

Believe it or not this issue is the initial communication of the 27th year something has been shared, by this source, regarding the KOM league. Obviously, the well has about gone dry so don’t expect another 27 years of material. In fact, I’m not real sure this publication will survive the year 2020. I know 20/20 vision left me long before the effort to write of the KOM league commenced. The only way this publication will last is if someone likes it and that can only be determined by the responses these reports generate.

_________________________________________________________________________

Another contact with Bill Bagwell of the 1948 Independence Yankees

 

This source spoke with Bill Bagwell (Independence Yankees—1948) on his birthday and he said “Everyday was a blessing, every meal a banquet and I do what I want.” He reported that what he liked doing was fishing, checking up on his old buddies and building boat docks for his neighbors.

 

Keeping up with his old buddies is getting scare since he only has Frank Hungerford and Ray Haley left on his calling list. Others are still living but they don’t communicate anymore.

 

There was a call from an opponent of Bagwell, from 1948, and he inquired as to whether Bagwell was still around. Unfortunately, he missed a reference to Bagwell in a recent Flash Report, not unlike a whole bunch of other readers. So, for those who missed it the first time around here is a great video carried on Shreveport, Louisiana television earlier this year. www.google.com/search?q=bill+bagwell+homer%2C+louisiana&a...

______________________________________________________________________________

Update on a member of the 1949 Independence Yankees

 

Yours truly received a Christmas card from Kenny Bennett a member of the 1949 Independence Yankee pitching staff. He is in a St. Louis, Mo. area nursing home.

______________________________________________________________________________

Companion baseball—1948 Ponca City Dodgers.

 

In a recent Flash Report a baseball, owned by Shannon Deniston, was featured. It contained the names of the members for the 1948 KOM League All-star team.

 

When entering one of my baseball storage places a ball rolled off the shelf containing the names of some of the 1948 Ponca City Dodgers. On the ball are: Dick McCoy, Gene Rogers, Joe Tufteland, Dale Copps, Leon Irwin, Ewing Turner (now in a Phoenix Nursing Home), Joe Beran, Bob Casey, Don Hall, Dale Hendricks, Boyd Bartley, Alex Muirhead, Gene Castiglione, Ray Scherschlight, Bill Delich, John Hall, Dick Spady and Edward Lefty Grove,

 

Those in the All-Star game were; Castiglione, Turner, Scherschligt, J. Hall, Dick Spady, Grove, Rogers, Delich, Casey, Beran, Muirhead, Irwin and Bartley.

 

Those who were on the team, mostly early in the season, who aren’t on the baseball or played in the All-Star game are;. Jim Carney, Bill DeGeer, Al Endriss, Robert Fiser, Donald Fleisch, Cecil Gregory, John Knott, William Korte, Tom Kubat, William Morris, Ralph Norris, William Olsson, Dane Petit, Joe Tufteland, Gale Wade, Ray John Wilson and Claude Wurman. Of all the names listed for the 1948 Ponca City Dodgers only Ray John Wilson, from Denver, was never located.

 

Hershel Leon Irwin—1948 Ponca City Dodger

 

During the month of December, after locating a 1948 Ponca City Dodgers baseball, I decided to check on Leon Irwin. In our conversation some things were learned that I didn’t find out when I first met Leon, in 1995, at a reunion of former Ponca City Dodgers.

 

His parents married in 1927 and they were natives of Stuart and Hughes, Okla. respectively.

 

Leon’s mother was picking cotton near Verden, Oklahoma the day he was born and was taken to hospital at Chickasha where he first saw the light of day. Shortly afterward the family moved to Waco, Texas. Then they moved to Tulare, California by 1930. He attended Tulare Union High School and graduated in 1947 a couple of years ahead Bob Mathias who became a household name due to his feats in the Olympic decathlon. www.google.com/search?q=bob+mathias&oq=Bob+Matthias&a... In 1948 when Leon was with Ponca City his high school friend was winning the first of his two Olympic gold medals in the decathlon.

 

Leon Attended St. Mary’s College and broke in with the Asheville Tourists of the Tri-State league in 1947 with the likes of other Dodgers hopefuls Billy DeMars, Clem Labine and Jim Roman. In 1949 he was with the Danville, Ill. Dodgers where he played for Lou Rochelli and had teammates such as Walt Moryn and Johnny Rutherford who went on to the big leagues.

Of all the teammates Leon ever had Mathias was the most famous.

 

Leon joined the United States Marines, in 1950, and was at the battle of Pusan where he was injured by enemy machine gun fire. He later returned to action.

 

He spent 1951 in Pearl Harbor Hawaii playing service baseball. Returning home he attended Fresno State and got a degree in physical education. Spent most of his career teaching and coaching at Hanford, California High School.

 

In our conversation Irwin recalled everything about his Ponca City teammates including’ the name, hometown, position and whether the player was right or lefthanded. He even claimed to remember me by saying “Ponca City wasn’t that long ago.” In that case he was in error but had the correct name for John Hall who was born at Cartoga, Costa Rica and pitched for that 1948 Ponca City team. Leon thought I was that John Hall but he passed away in Sarasota, Florida on 8/24/2018.

 

Here is an offer that most will refuse. If anyone would like to have the background information regarding every member of the 1948 Ponca City Dodgers, send along a SASE, along with several shekels, frankincense or myrrh and the data will be wrapped in swaddling clothes and sent your way, sooner or later by one of the wise-men. The question is—how many people even know what a SASE is?

 

To generate a little interest one member of the 1948 Ponca City team played professional football for the San Francisco 49ers. He is in numerous halls of fame and even played amateur baseball in Western Canada after his KOM League days. How many readers know the person that is being referenced? Send along your answer to be in the running to win absolutely nothing other than recognition for being a trivia junkie. If you want to know the answer and would like to see an article about this fellow, someday, you can make that request for the ridiculous sum of $0.00.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Potpourri of comments

 

******

December Greetings John,

 

I have just now been able to get to the recent Flash Report and very much enjoyed reading about the folks who signed the ball (1948 KOM league all-stars) and those who missed out on that opportunity. Fun Stuff!

 

Thank you so much for providing this report which I’ll share with Shan (Deniston) in the days before Christmas when we return to Lakeside for our monthly visit. I have no doubt that he will enjoy it and have his own recollections of the players which I will try to capture.

 

Keep those wildlife and kiddo pictures coming. Best wishes to you and yours for the Holidays,

Tom Ashcraft--Tucson, Ariz.

 

*********

 

Happy Holidays everybody. Loved this issue, John. Elaine Brooks from the San Francisco Bay area.

 

******

 

Excellent report, John! Found the trail of Robert Montgomery pretty darn interesting! Also, the condition of the signed all-star ball is amazing! What a treasure!

Thank you!--CORD COSLOR -- Port Charlotte, FL

 

Reply:

 

I found one yesterday that happened to roll out of my collection which was a signed ball of the 1948 Ponca City Dodgers. I'm sure it wasn't signed at the all-star game.

 

*****

Thanks for the interesting stories. I enjoyed the history of the players in the All star game. Also the part about the ladies having the crush on the player. Thanks for the effort and sharing the history. BRUCE HAYSE Tallahassee, Florida

 

********

The photo of the five names on the signed baseball from the 1948 KOM league All-Star game.

Thanks. Got it, thanks! Got it. Here you go. Jim Jay-former Kansas City A’s batboy.

 

******

 

I want you to know I do read the report. If I see something that Harry might like I read it to him. We do the best we can at this age. We eat out twice a day just to get out of the house. Think of you and Noel often. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and happy New year. Love to all. Pat Crandall--Denver, Colo.

 

A note to Judith Jordan—“This is an e-mail I just received from the Crandall’s. Harry played for your dad on that 1950 championship team.”

 

Judith’s reply –“That's awesome! Merry Christmas to you too! I know you do. I just loved and where very close to my parents. Never thought about not being able to ask question when they where here. Hindsight is amazing.” Judith Jordan—daughter of the late Boyd Bartley.

 

*********

 

Belated Happy 80th birthday! That is a special one for sure. Hope you and family, friends did some serious celebrating! I will hit 85 in June. Jim will be 89 in January.

 

I am so ready for spring and some warm walking weather. I love to walk and go to the fitness center but not the same as being outdoors. Our holidays are kind of laid back. Not having children makes holidays less exciting. However the nieces and nephews make up for it. My shingles are still hanging on. Started on Sep 10 and pain doesn't want to leave. But as the saying goes "it is what it is" Jim watches lots of basketball and football and glad he finds it interesting. My niece found the book you wrote Majoring in the Minors on Ebay. She got it for Jim and it is

different than the one he has. I think maybe it is your first publication.

 

Well, i have rattled on long enough. If you hear any news of Bill Virdon please share. Marge Qualls.

 

Reply:

 

That second book you got was the hard copy which was the much revised second edition.

Sorry that your shingles are still hanging on. Still don’t hear anything from the Virdons.

 

Tell Jim to keep watching all those ballgames. He might need to make a comeback.

 

*******

 

John, Thanks and have a great holiday season! I hope you were able to enjoy Thanksgiving with your family. R. Jason Wallace –Grandson of the late Matthew Leroy Robert Saban

 

******

Many thanks for your reports and pictures John. I'd like to wish you and your family a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Hank Chott—1950 Iola, Kans. Indians He was born in Chicago and now sends messages from his home in Glendora, Calif.

 

****

 

Thank you John for the final FR of 2019. I really enjoyed looking at all the baseball cards. Hope to hear from you in 2020. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New. Don Papst-Chanute, Kans.

______________________________________________________________________________

Obituary of Bobby Ramsey—1950 Independence Yankee

www.tnfunerals.com/obituary/bobby-ramsey-sr

 

Mr. Bobby Lamontte Ramsey, Sr., age 88, a resident of Spring Hill, (Tenn.) passed away Saturday, December 14, 2019 at Williamson Medical Center.

 

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 2 PM at Heritage Funeral Home with Rick Points officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens with Military Honors provided by the United States Air Force. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 18, 2019 from 4-7 PM at the funeral home. Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

 

Born on February 18, 1931 in Ooltewah, Tennessee, Bobby was the son of the late Willie Mae Ramsey and the late Eston E. & Claudia Ramsey. He graduated from Ooltewah High School and attended Tennessee Tech University. He served his country in the United States Air Force and was a member of Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Bobby enjoyed raising cattle while working as a maintenance welder for Monsanto Chemical Company, retiring at the age of 55. After retirement, he continued farming. He was an excellent all-American athlete who played professional baseball for the New York Yankees. In addition to baseball, he also played softball and basketball and participated in the Senior Olympics where he received numerous rewards and bowled the first 300 game at Columbia Lanes. Bobby was a great husband and caregiver to his wife, Joanne and an excellent father and grandfather who will be missed by those who knew and loved him.

 

He is survived by his sons: Bobby (Iris) Ramsey, Jr. of Madison, AL, and Timothy Eston (Tammy) Ramsey of Hohenwald, TN; grandchildren: Breanna (Andrew) Daniel, Cassie Ramsey, Cameron Dorning, Austen (Laura) Dorning; great grandchild, Clara Elizabeth Dorning; and great grandchild on the way, Saylor Jo Daniel.

 

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Joanne Doris Cole Ramsey on December 19, 2016; and brother, Harold Ramsey.

 

Pallbearers will be: Bobby Ramsey, Jr., Timothy Ramsey, Stan Coffman, Andrew Daniel, Cassie Ramsey, and Logan Bradford. Honorary pallbearers will include: Monty Uptain, Ray Uptain, and Jeremy Taft.

 

Ed comment:

 

What seems like a few months ago is in actuality, eight years. In 2011 the first contact I ever made with Ramsey occurred. A number of his 1950 Independence teammates had inquired about him and an exerted effort was made to locate the “real” guy after communicating with many men with his name.

 

During our first conversation Ramsey was very excited to know his former buddies remembered him and he inquired about all of them. He was like most fellows from that era who remembered everyone on the team and the details of where they were from, the position they played and how they acted both on and off the field. Some of those off-field antics have been related from the players to me but never revealed in these reports. If I were a younger person those “things” would make a book that a lot of “weirdos” would consume.

____________________________________________________________________________

Passing of Thomas Tilo Skole—1951 Pittsburg Browns 1952 Independence, Kansas Browns.

www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/roswell-ga/thomas-skol...

 

As the finishing touches were being made to this report an e-mail was received from Jack Morris, baseball necrologist. The terse message stated “Unfortunately, your wish for no more KOM League deaths in 2019 didn’t come true. Here’s the obituary for Tom Skole. Let’s hope there’s no more with three full days left in the year.”

 

Skole played the outfield for the Pittsburg Browns, in 1951, and its successor the Independence Browns in 1952. Also, in 1952 he played with Pine Bluff, Arkansas in the Cotton States as well as Wellsville, New York in the PONY leagues. However, the best club for whom he played was the 1953 Sandia Air Force Base team at Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Bombers were the state semi-pro champs that year and participated in the National Baseball Congress tournament at Wichita, Kansas as the representative from New Mexico.

 

The Obituary

 

Thomas Tilo Skole, 87, of Roswell, GA. passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at his home surrounded by his family.

 

Tom was born on September 13, 1932 in Philadelphia, PA. to Peter and Rose Skole. He grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana and graduated from Southside High School where he was a four-sport star in baseball, basketball, football and track and field. After high school, he received a scholarship to attend the University of Cincinnati. Soon after, he signed a contract to play professional baseball with the St. Louis Browns. Tom had a stellar athletic career and after his baseball career was complete, he enlisted in the Army and attended Army Ranger School in Fort Benning, Georgia.

 

During his time in the service while stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Tom met the love of his life Stella Roybal. They were happily married and inseparable for 65 years. While starting a family, they lived in numerous cities around the country before finally calling Roswell, Georgia their home in 1972.

 

Tom was a strong patriarch of his family and a good friend to all. He was a great father who always took care of his children. He was extremely proud of his grandchildren and loved being involved in their lives. It was always about “the family” to him and even in his final days would say to his loved ones, “just take care of Mom and take care of each other when I’m gone.” Tom was a strong, proud, and good man. He is loved and leaves a lasting legacy. He will be missed by many!

 

He is preceded in death by his parents Peter and Rose Skole, his two older brothers Warren and Ed, and his grandson, Tommy Burnett.

 

Tom is survived by his loving wife, Stella Skole of Roswell, GA; sons, Mike Skole (Roswell, GA); Tony Skole (Jody) of Charleston, SC; and Scott Skole (Tampa, FL); daughter, Robyn Burnett (David) Roswell GA; grandchildren Mackenzie Morris (Will) and Valrico, FL; Matt Skole (Madison) of Roswell, GA: Jake Skole (Athens, GA); Mickey Skole (Roswell, GA); Tilo Skole (Charleston, SC); Jack Skole (Charleston, SC); Gehrig Skole (Charleston, SC); Great Grandson Hayes Morris (Valrico, FL) and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

 

A visitation will be held at Roswell Funeral Home, 950 Mansell Road Roswell, GA. on Thursday, January 2, 2020 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

 

Funeral service will be Friday, January 3, 2020 at 2:00 pm at St Peter Chanel Catholic Church, 11330 Woodstock Road, Roswell, GA. with a reception to follow.

 

In lieu of flowers the family asks that a memorial donation be made to Roswell High School (Tommy Burnett Memorial Scholarship), 11595 King Road, Roswell, GA. 30075

 

Condolences may be left on the Thomas Tilo Skole online guest book at: www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/roswell-ga/roswell-...

______________________________________________________________________________

Necrology listing for 2019

 

With the foregoing obituary it segues into the listing of former KOM leaguers saying “so long” to this world in 2019. Format is month, date and team for whom the deceased played, by year. There is no claim made that this listing is an accurate listing of all former KOM leaguers departing this realm in the past year.

 

January

2—Paul Herman Hoffmeister—1949-50 Carthage Cubs

3---Donald Thomas Barclay—1949 Carthage Cubs

 

February

8—Stanley Ira Santo—1951 Ponca City Dodgers

 

March

1---Dale Edward Lober—1950 Carthage Cubs

30—Manley Griffin “Bud” Fossen 1950 Chanute Athletics

 

April

2—Gerald Conrad Dahms—1949-50 Bartlesvville Pirates

2---James Henry Neufeldt—1948 Carthage Cardinals

10—Leo Albert Kedzierski—1951 Bartlesville Pirates 1950 Iola Indian

19—Donald Louis Gebbs—1951 Bartlesville Pirates

25---Orville Nathaniel Eckstine—1951 league umpire

 

May

9---John William Knoke---1947-48 Pittsburg Browns

13---Ronald Julius Minnich—1952 Independence Browns

 

June

6---John David Mudd—1951 Carthage Cubs

11---Edward Clifton Scott—1949 Bartlesville Pirates 1949-50 Iola Indians

14---Ray McKee Birch—1948 Bartlesville Pirates

 

July

22---Robert Edward Lee—1946 Bartlesville Oilers

24---Joe Zavattarro Jr.—1951 Iola Indians

 

August

4--- George Seely---1947 Ponca City Dodgers (Sometimes spelled Seeley)

9---Stephen Thomas Kovach 1947 Pittsburg Browns

20---Wayne George Benstead (DVM)---1952 Blackwell Broncos

24---Richard Theodore Getter—1949 Iola Indians

29---Gilbert F. Flauto—1948 Chanute Giants 1949-50 Iola Indians

 

September

9—Casimir Ralph Stackowiak—1947 Chanute Athletics

 

October

4---Leonard Elmer Van de Hey—1950-51 Carthage Cubs

 

November

12—Keith Virgil Speck—1949-50 Independence Yankees

12---Charles Melville Sisson—1952 Iola Indians

 

December

14---Robert Lamonte Ramsey—1950 Independence Yankees (Obituary in this report)

24---Thomas Tilo Skole—1951 Pittsburg, Browns 1952 -Independence Browns

29---Joseph Walter Turek--1947 Bartlesville Pirates.

 

Former Iola batboy, Donald Womack, for three seasons --1946-48-- passed away on October 4 of this year in Phoenix, Arizona.

______________________________________________________________________________

Tidbits on some other deceased KOM leaguers

 

During the 1951 season, I recall when Thomas Edward Paddock joined the Carthage Cubs in the latter part of the campaign. He was born 3/24/1933 in Glen’s Valley, Ind. and died on his 61st birthday, 3/24/1994 in Beach Grove, Indiana at St. Francis Hospital. He had been signed by Tony Lucadello out of Southport H. S. in Indianapolis. He played 28 games for Carthage in 1951 and had a full season at Blackwell, Okla. in 1952. He was in the Army from 1953-55. After his military service he played for Burlington, Iowa in 1957 and developed into power hitter. He married 1967. In writing my first book about the KOM league many things were learned from his widow with the exception of his baseball days. They weren’t married until 10 years after he hung up his spikes. The low water mark of his career was hitting into four DP’s in one game.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Death of George Seel(e)y—Ponca City 1947

 

Born 1/3/1924 Pueblo, Colo. Died 8/4/2019 Colorado Springs. He pitched in two games for Ponca City. Let go by Ponca City and went to Zanesville, Ohio to finish season. He spent the next season with Superior of Northern league where he posted an 8-0 record.

___________________________________________________________________________

Update on former Ponca City Dodger

 

Jerry Lawrence McKown. Ponca City 1947. He was originally listed as being born March 8, 1928. However, a birth certificate was recently found that stated he was born in 1924. He graduated from Technical High School in Ft. Worth in 1946 which casts doubt on the 1924 birth date. He was 5’ 160” with blonde hair and blue eyes when he registered for the draft. On 1/19/2003 he passed away in Homassas, Florida.

____________________________________________________________________________

An article about George Beck.

www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1951-carthrage-cubs-george...

For those of you who can’t or won’t click on URL’s you are missing some great images. However, here is the narrative.

 

“Game used bat from the Kansas Oklahoma Missouri League KOM 1951 Champion Cubs. This has the name Beck stamped. Used by George beck. He can be seen in the team photo. Last Picture. (Not Included) Shipping on bat is 12.95. Please see my rare book "Majoring In The Minors" by John G. Hall listed separately. The book and bat are from the George Beck estate. “

 

That link was shared with both Walter Babcock and Don Biebel who were members of that 1951 Carthage team. As expected, Babcock was too busy to read the article but this was received from Biebel. “Thx, very interesting. Merry Christmas and yes I'm still above ground out here.”

 

“Out here,” that Biebel referenced is in Orange County, California. Biebel was the Carthage catcher the year I was batboy. He went on to a “real” career while I stayed behind and wrote about old Class D baseball some 50 years later. Biebel was the roving instructor for Chicago Cub catchers and fill in for injured Cub minor league catchers until he got the job as traveling secretary for the Wrigley Field Cubs. He held that job for about a decade before becoming the last public relations director for Charlie O. Finley’s Kansas City Athletics. I can’t think of a tougher job. If I lived closer to Biebel we could collaborate on some kind of book from that era that would most likely fall into the category of “unbelievable.” I could call it “peculiar” for there is a town south of Kansas City where Finley once threatened to move the team.

______________________________________________________________________________

Well, that concludes the first report for 2020. All reader comments will be read and those that are flattering, flowery and fantastic will be shared in the next report. Those that are vulgar, profane and critical will be sent along to my group of censors, counselors and lawyers for future action.

 

Hold the presses:

 

Just moments prior to this report being sent to the “chosen few” another obituary for 2019 was discovered. Here is what was contained therein.

 

“Obituary for Stephen T. Kovach--Stephen T. Kovach, age 94, of Commack, NY passed away on August 9, 2019 surrounded by his loving family. Proud US Navy WWII Veteran. Beloved husband of Patricia for over 71 years. Loving father of Stephen (Terrell) Kovach, Kathy (Michael) Berka, and the late Thomas (Karen) Kovach. Cherished grandfather of six and great-grandfather of one.”

 

A photo of Kovach, later in life is found in this link. www.fivesfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Stephen-Kovach-2/#!/O... I have numerous ones of him in my files and must say that he didn’t change that much from his playing days until later in life. If you have a copy of “Majoring in The Minors” his photo is found on page 342 of the second edition. Even if you don’t have that book, it’s still there.

 

Ed comments:

 

Kovach was a native of Brooklyn, NY and began his career as catcher for the 1947 Pittsburg, Kansas Browns. In 1948 he was with the Aberdeen Pheasants of the Northern league. In 1949 he was with Marshall of the East Texas league. By 1950 he was with Wichita of the Western league. He stayed in Wichita for two years where he had a career with Boeing Aircraft, playing for the Boeing Bombers championship teams and also playing with the Western league Wichita team on occasion.

 

Over the past couple of decades I always heard from Kovach around Christmas. When not hearing from him this year a check was made of the obituary files and sadly he was located. In our many conversations Kovach recalled that he caught all the highly touted St. Louis Browns pitchers in the minor leagues. He had great stories about Don Larsen, Ryne Duren and Bob Turley. Of course, baseball fans know that trio all wound up wearing the pinstripes of the New York Yankees. Larsen and Kovach remained close friends up to the time of his death. In a quirk of fate, Larsen died the day this report was shared---January 1, 2020.

 

Land Rover SVX left hand ltd. edition at Chania,Crete,Greece.

Inside each and every one of us there is a kind of music being made. We don't know the how, what or why, but trust in all things unseen and your personal bassman will never lead you astray.

Math

Various water-soluble pencils and crayons, and water, on paper.

From life / observation / mirror

9 X 11 inches

Left and right handed together

Two sessions, the first (left and right hands) 15-20 minutes, the second (right hand only) ~45 minutes

More pictures and information available at www.zimnicki.com/archtop_electric_lam_allpix.html.

(22/08/2015)

Photo posted by Moose in the TOM BIHN Forums: www.tombihn.com/forums/bag-reviews/3372-loads-lefty-love....

The KOM League Flash Report

Spanning the Bridge

Between November and December 2018

 

With the holiday season my telephone traffic increases among the former KOM leaguers. Most of the former players have either ditched their computers or never took up the habit. Recently, I checked and saw that there was a message on my cellphone. I dialed the number and the person on the telephone told me he had a call on another line and that he was going to speak with a fellow in Columbia, Mo. just as soon as his wife made the contact.

 

At that point I told the fellow on the other end of the line that the only person he knew in Columbia was John Hall and he was talking to him. I got that situation straightened out and had a nice conversation with Dick and Molly McCoy.

 

For a quarter a century I have kept tabs on the McCoy’s or better stated they have looked after me. In recent days they had been contacted by someone who has written a lot about Pepper Martin. The old Gashouse Gang member spent a lot of time with the McCoys when Dick played for Pepper at Miami Beach, in 1950. Every time McCoy calls he has a lot of stories about his former manager and none are ever repeats.

 

In the last report it was mentioned that Yours truly hadn’t accomplished much in 25 years of writing about minor league baseball except for one thing; I had managed to reunite a former member of the McAlester Rockets of the Sooner State league with a librarian from that town. They had dated in the 1955-56 era but each went their separate ways until In piecing that scenario together the McCoy’s had wondered if I could locate Martin’s widow and daughters. Since his widow remarried and his daughter’s eventually married that was a rather difficult trail to travel.

 

However, it turns out that the librarian and one of Pepper Martin’s daughters graduated in the same high school class at McAlester. That information was shared with me and I in turn sent it on to the McCoy’s in Omaha who passed the word along to the person writing about Pepper Martin. See how that works.

 

Well, many years passed and there was some more inquiry regarding the Martin family and Molly McCoy seemed to remember that I had told her long ago that I graduated from high school with Martin’s daughter. At my advanced age I know I’ve lost it but I was pretty sure I never graduated from high school in McAlester, Okla. So, Molly started looking for my long ago e-mails to her on the subject of Pepper Martin and she acknowledged that I was passing along the information from Martin’s daughter’s classmate. As a point of curiosity I asked Molly to share the date on that e-mail and I was informed it was 2007.

 

As I spoke with Molly the name of the former librarian and the name of the baseball player she married 50 years after they parted ways, in McAlester, came to me. I’ll have to look up their address and sent them a Christmas card.

 

In getting a telephone call from the McCoy’s I find out the status of some other folks I can only wonder about. Many of McCoy’s former teammates are on the north side of 90 and are in nursing homes. According to the McCoy’s John William “Bucky”Hall who pitched for the 1948 Ponca City Dodgers is in a Florida nursing facility. Gene Castiglione’s wife, Sharon, had a stroke and they are still in Benld, Illinois. The McCoy’s wanted to know if I have heard from Ray Scherschligt from Alpena, South Dakota, which I hadn’t. Since I find no record of his passing I imagine he is in a nursing facility of some type as he is now 93 years old. McCoy also drops some names from the Brooklyn Dodger system on me that never had KOM experience. One name he mentioned in the recent telephone call took me by surprise. The fellow played 13 years in the Dodger organization at high levels. But, time has a way of getting away from all of us. The fellow died on Christmas Eve, eve in 2011. I may just wait and tell the McCoy’s about this guy’s passing at a later time.

 

You have to admire the McCoy’s as they stay “in the game” even after Dick’s recent chemo and radiation treatments. If he holds on as long as his mother did he has another 16 years in which to share his stories.

 

While Dick and Molly were at Miami Beach for the 1950 season they were not aware that Pepper Martin had three daughters. He later told the McCoy’s that he was not about to bring his daughters around where there were young ballplayers. Molly chuckled in telling that story.

__________________________________________________________________

A reader enjoyed hearing about Musial

 

John: Thanks for your recent KOM League report. It brought back wonderful memories of my one encounter with Stan Musial.

 

The weekend of September 17-19, 1965, I was in Saint Louis to see the Saint Louis Billiken soccer team play Michigan State for the NCAA national championship at Washington University’s Francis Field. I never paid much attention to soccer before that day, but I was hooked after witnessing Saint Louis U. beat Michigan State 1-0 on a penalty kick. Many of Michigan State’s best players were from Saint Louis on scholarship. At that time, SLU did not offer soccer scholarships. To me, that made the win that much better.

 

On Sunday, the 19th, I went to see the Cardinals lose to the Dodgers, and afterwards that evening, I had supper at Stan and Biggies. Guess whose hand I got to shake. Yes, Stan Musial himself was working the dining room greeting dinner patrons. I didn’t wash my hand for a week. To this day, I deeply regret not being prepared to show up with a picture of Stan, so he could autograph it.

 

One more memory of Stan Musial. Growing up in Anderson, Missouri, before moving to Neosho in 1960, I was a big Cardinal baseball fan. My Uncles, who were dairy farmers on a farm outside Anderson knew this and had me convinced Stan Musial could be Pope someday. You see, growing up Catholic, and knowing you had to be a Cardinal before being Pope, they took advantage of my gullibility my pulling my leg.

 

Thanks again John for bringing back such great memories of Stan Musial, Leo Downey

 

Ed reply:

 

I showed up at Stan’s dinner table at his restaurant, on July 2, 1950, with a little scrap of paper and a pencil used for scoring. He saw my inadequacy and took me into his office and signed an 8 X 10 glossy for me. I don’t know how long you have been on the Flash Report mailing list but in George Vescey’s book on Musial he made chapter six about my meeting with “The Man”.

 

Downey’s reply:

 

Very cool! I’m extremely jealous

 

Ed comment

 

Here is a small world tale. As I was doing next to nothing, one recent afternoon, my wife told me I had a telephone call. The person wanted to tell me of the death of someone he thought I knew, well. In fact the name didn’t ring a bell. The caller told me the deceased had attended one of my Mantle book signings at a local supermarket at least a dozen years ago. Since so few people ever came to one of those signings I decided I had better look up the obituary. Upon doing so I saw how successful the individual had been in his teaching career heading up some prestigious positions at the universities of Missouri and Oklahoma State. Upon seeing his photo I indeed recognized him. What is interesting is that Leo Downey and the deceased were raised on dairy farms in Anderson and Goodman, Mo., respectively, which are seven miles apart. And, by golly they both purchased a copy of a book written by Yours truly. Here is the obituary of the deceased. www.columbiamissourian.com/obituaries/family_obituary/joh...

 

The late Dr. Campbell was interested in a story I shared about the time Mickey Mantle and his all-star basketball team rolled into Goodman to play a game. During the winter months Mantle traveled around the four-state area of Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas with a few of his kinfolk, friends and Billy Martin. That team even played the Harlem Globetrotters at least once. Max Mantle, Mickey’s first cousin, enjoyed telling the tale of the game they played at Goodman. Martin never got to start or play very much. So, Martin convinced Mickey to let him start the Goodman game. Shortly into the contest Martin took a shot and missed. Mickey immediately called time out and when the team got to the bench Martin was told he was being taken out. When he demanded to know why he was being removed from the game Mickey replied “Because you aren’t hitting tonight.”

 

Now, the good news of all this is that the fellow who called, that I hadn’t seen for a dozen years, spoke as though he’d come by my house in the not too distant future to get some more of the Mantle books. Sure hope he makes it before Christmas.

______________________________________________________________________________

The passing of a Blackwell Bronco

 

www.meaningfulfunerals.net/?action=obituaries.obit_view&a...

 

Gerald Floyd Crucani, the son of the late John Crucani and Johanna Dernosek, was born Wednesday, October 25, 1933 in Topeka, Kansas.

 

On June 26, 1957, At Shady Grove Baptist Church in Kennett, Missouri, Gerald was united in marriage to Joe Ann Masterson, who preceded him in death on March 30, 1998.

 

Gerald grew up in Franklin, Kansas. As a young adult, he played minor league baseball for the Chicago Cubs. After a few years, he quit playing ball to join the Navy. While in the Navy, he began writing to future wife, Joe Ann, as a pen pal. Shortly after, he was honorably discharged from the Navy. He and Joe Ann then married and relocated to Kennett, Missouri and began starting a family. In addition to his three biological children, he was known as “Dad” to Charlotte, Jennifer, Tisha, and Larry. He also opened his home to many foster children throughout the years. He began working at Baker Implement in 1960 and retired in 1992. After losing his beloved wife of 40 years to cancer he began volunteering for Hospice. He then met Mary Kansas with who enjoyed a 20 year friendship with up until his passing. He enjoyed spending time with family, working in his shop, and being out in the community.

 

Mr. Crucani departed this life at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, Arkansas at the age of 85 years and 28 days.

 

He is survived by 1 son Joey Crucani (Debra); 1 daughter Tena Petix ( Alan Campbell); 2 grandsons Damon Crucani (Tori) and Levi Petix (Abigail McMullan); 2 granddaughters Tiffany Patterson (David) and Megan Weaver (Anthony) all of Kennett, Missouri; 7 great grandchildren Charlie, Kobe, Luke, Dyson, Gunnar, Ahdyn, and Laken; 2 sisters Nancy Recer (Barney) of Blue Springs, Missouri and Rosemary Shead of Kansas City, Kansas; 1 sister-in-law Betty Cruciani; and long time special friend Mary Kansas and her family along with a host of other relatives and friends.

 

He was preceded in death by 1 son Jerry Crucani, 1 daughter in-law Bonita Crucani, and 2 brothers John Crucani and twin brother Harold Crucani.

 

Visitation will be held at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Kennett, Missouri on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 6:00 P.M. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. with Reverend Johnny Bogle officiating.

 

Pallbearers include Alan Campbell, Damon Crucani, Ed Jacques, David Patterson, Levi Petix, and Anthony Weaver.

 

Ed Comments;

 

Harold was a very good songwriter. He once sent me a 78 rpm record with a song he wrote and recorded. It was titled “Baseball Season Has Begun.” It was a rather catchy tune and he assigned me the rights to it. I still have it.

 

Harold had the nickname “Twin” and Gerald was “Lefty.” For a while I thought both boys were drafted at the end of 1952. However this article from the January 10, 1958 edition of the Joplin Globe changed that misconception. “NAVY RECRUITS NINE DURING LAST MONTH—Nine district men enlisted in the navy during December, according to an announcement by Chief Lawrence Anderson of the Joplin navy recruiting station yesterday. They are as follows: Thomas Ray Dalton of Anderson: Harold Lloyd Crucani of Franklin. Kan.; George Edward Maddox of Goodman: Alan Robert Drenik of Frontenac, Kan.; Myron Earl Baker of Picher, and James Robert Harrod, Jimmy Lee Neal. Jimmie Lee Moss and” Walter Leon Eubank of Joplin.”

 

The Crucani boys watched a lot of Pittsburg, Kansas Browns, growing up. They made it to Pittsburg to play a few games when Bartlesville moved up there in mid-season, of 1952, and after the twin brothers finally hooked on with Blackwell.

 

Convincing the baseball experts that the KOM league had three sets of twins, in 1952 was 66.66% easy. Proving that the other 33.33% was the difficult task. This was carried in the June 7, 2018 edition of this publication. “An Iola Register story on Sept. 11, 1952 stated that “Iola fans only saw one pair but there were three sets of twins in the KOM league when the season ended. Pittsburg had Ernie and Emmanuel Abril, Independence—Don and Ron Saatzer and Blackwell—Harold and Gerald Crucani.” The article went on to say, in a humorous manner, that the nearest Iola came to twins were Joe Vilk and Bill Wigle. Of course, the twin comparison was in regard to the number of games won as both were pitchers, Vilk was a 21-year old right-hander from Akron, Ohio and Wigle was ten years his senior and a left-hander from Amertsburg, Ontario, Canada.

 

Many years ago, when researching my first book, I communicated with both Gerald and Harold and the contact with Harold was the more frequent. He sent me many things which included a number of photos with him and his twin brother standing next to Pete Appleton. I know everyone in this reading audience remembers Pete. He was known by a different name when he first reported to the Cincinnati Reds. It is a long story and Pete even had a longer name, at birth, which was Jablonowski. You can read all about Pete at this site: www.google.com/search?q=Pete+Jablonowski&oq=Pete+Jabl...

 

There is a lot written about Pete of both last names fame, but not much concerning the baseball careers of the brothers Crucani. Thus, I’m departing from the norm and going into the antiquity of my first book and share their story.

 

“The Crucani twins, who played at Blackwell were located in Missouri and California. Gerald and Harold were born October 25, 1933 in Topeka, Kansas. At age 18 both signed minor league contracts and appeared to be headed to the Ardmore Indians in the Sooner State League. However, by the end of the spring Harold was with Blackwell. Both Harold and Gerald played part of that season for Jackson, Tenn. in the Kitty League before going to Blackwell. Harold was and outfielder and Gerald played first base. Gerald’s most lasting memory of his time at Blackwell was the ambidexterity of Fred Bade. Gerald said he played second base and could throw right or lefthanded. Harold recalls that the Ponca City Dodgers gave him the toughest competition over-all, he says, ‘There were a lot of good ballplayers in the KOM League with very good talent who were dedicated to the sport, not just the money that might have been offered to them.’ The Crucani’s had brief stays in 1953 with Sandersville of the Georgia State League This was the extent of their professional baseball careers. Gerald played quite a bit of semipro ball around Parsons, Kansas., and worked as a butcher after his KOM days. Harold had enlisted in the Navy (1957) and eventually made it his career. He retired in 1973 as an E-7 Chief Gunners Mate. Gerald also served in the Navy and became a mechanic for 31 years before retirement. He is currently residing in Kennett, Mo. Harold in retirement calls San Diego home.”

 

How I came upon the Crucani photos with Pete Appleton.

 

On November 12, 1996 the following was received from Gerald Crucani:

 

“Dear Mr. Hall: First of all I want to thank you for all the time you have been sending me the magazine. I wanted to help what you are doing but seems like with my health problems and my wife now, just making it on a day to day basis with everything is so expensive. I have enjoyed reading the magazine very much but feel bad I am not supporting the great work you have done and still doing. Here is one of the pictures I found that I said if I did would send you one of Harold and I and Eddie Miller of the Cards. I got some more stuff to send you if I can find it somewhere in the house. If I do I will be sure to get it to you in the future. In closing thanks for everything. God Bless you and yours. Mr. Gerald Crucani—1700 Vinson St. Kennett, Mo. P. S. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. And thanks for the card.”

 

Later on Gerald found some more photos. It was one of him and his brother posing with Pete Appleton. It was of far superior quality to the photo the boys took with Eddie Miler. It is interesting that the photo with Appleton and Miller were taken in the same location. On the back of one photo it says that the photo was taken in 1951 in Florida. The other photo states the photo was taken in 1951 at Cocoa, Florida. I’m nearly positive these photos were taken a baseball camp for young hopefuls. The “A” on the baseball caps of the Crucani’s was for Arma which was another small town just north of Pittsburg, Kansas. Fans in Arma had to drive 10 miles to see KOM league games at Pittsburg while those in Franklin only had to go eight to see those games. Everyone in that area consume a lot of Chicken’s Annie’s famous chicken. search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrCwLCuSwFc4y8AAsMPxQt....

 

______________________________________________________________________________

The Death of George Nichols

 

When writing of the death of Keith Baker, in the previous report, I spent some time looking for surviving members of the 1947 Ponca City Dodgers. One member of that team, for two weeks, was George Morrill Nichols, an outfielder. He was born 7/17/1928 in Seattle, Washington.

 

Nichols was released by the Ponca City Dodgers on May 29, 1947 and didn’t play again until 1948 when he became the property of the Cleveland Indians. He played for Indian clubs at Billings, Mont., Bakersfield and Porterville, Calif. as well as Tacoma, Wash. and Yuma, Ariz. Through 1950. In 1951 Nichols had a shot with the Wichita Indians of the Western league but things didn’t pan out for him there.

 

During the years of researching the KOM league I located Nichols and his wife in Illinois. We exchanged Christmas cards a number of years. Last year I didn’t hear from them and thought it would be time to check on them again. Here is was I found: www.evanstonfuneral.com/notices/George-Nichols All that I could glean for the death listing was that he passed away April 19, 2018 in Evanston, Ill. He left this world 70 years, 11 months and 10 days after being released by the Dodgers. It would have been nice to have been able to share an obituary but none was found.

______________________________________________________________________________

I shall stop!!!

 

When this report was being anticipated there wasn’t much information available and I had planned to list the KOM deaths for 2018, the former KOM leaguers still living and those never located. That is a daunting chore when possessing a weak mind and eyes to match. But, if the snow gets heavy between now and the first of the New Year I’ll try tackling those three tasks.

 

Oh, one more thing: On Halloween I had a late evening telephone call and it was a treat, not a trick. The call came from Joliet, Illiinois and I’m happy to report I know someone in that town who isn’t incarcerated at the Federal Prison there. On the telephone was Bernie Gerl who is the sole survivor of the Duluth, Minnesota Dukes players involved in the terrible bus crash in 1948.

 

Bernie told me he can no longer attend the Dukes’ reunions but he is always remembered at those events. He still has fond memories of former KOM leaguer, Dick Getter and since Dick and Joan stay in touch I pass along to them greetings from Bernie.

 

Now, I’m done.

 

Halfstock percussion rifle made by Theodore Clark Spangler, in either Neponset or Annawan, Illinois. It is .34 caliber, with back action lock, and made for a left-handed shooter. Left handed firearms were very rare during the 19th Century. If one was born left-handed, it was considered a birth defect. Most were "converted" to be right-handed at home or in school.

 

Theodore Clark Spangler was born in Center Township (now Wyanet Township), Bureau County, Illinois, July 11, 1850. He was one of twin sons (Theodore & Theory), born to Jacob Young Spangler and his wife, Jane Clark, who came to Bureau County from Ohio, in 1847. The family moved to Manlius Township, Bureau County, in 1852.

 

Theodore Spangler is listed as "Gunsmith & Town Marshall" in Neponset, Bureau County, in "Taxpayers & Voters of Bureau County, 1877". He is listed in the 1880 census as a gunsmith in Annawan Village, Henry County, Illinois, which is just across the county line from Bureau County. Theodore Spangler married Janetta Peebles, in Annawan, Illinois, December 11, 1871. By 1885 he was a gunsmith in Tabor, Iowa. He died in Nebraska in 1903.

~6 X 8 inches

Inktense colored pencil on paper.

Right-handed.

 

Maureen's great artwork: www.flickr.com/photos/maureennathan/

Photos and portraits of Maureen: www.flickr.com/groups/portraitparty/discuss/7215762428692...

The photo I was working from for all of these: www.flickr.com/photos/maureennathan/9731687245/

 

I wanted to work with another subject the way I work with my own image - not worrying about likeness, having fun with process, indulging in whatever artistic impulse strikes me in the time I have each night. Maureen was kind enough to agree to let me have at her 'no holds barred'. I also like to work in series so I chose to make 50 portraits over 25 days, all from the same photo. The images range from likeness to insane, from detailed to quite rough, some interesting and some that I wouldn't ordinarily display, except I'm posting the whole series.

 

These were all done in a lined spiral notebook with fairly thin paper that I received last year at a computer conference. I had used the first 50 pages for a series of ink self-portraits, and now I turned it over and starting from the back, filled it with these 50 portraits of Maureen. It is now completely filled.

 

These are, of course, portraits for Julia Kay's Portrait Party (JKPP). If you're an artist and you'd like to join an international community of artists who make portraits of each other, please consider applying to join us at the Portrait Party on flickr. First read the group guidelines here: www.flickr.com/groups/portraitparty/rules/ Then click join here: www.flickr.com/groups/portraitparty/

Ibanez Xiphos awesome guitar shaped like a x

Enjoying the sunshine, Bute Park, Cardiff.

 

I don't take a lot of candid pics, but I simply couldn't resist this one. Although sunny, it was a bitterly cold day, and she seemed to be sat very "upright" with her coat collar turned up against the wind.

Love to hear this guy play the bass, but today he was playing the lead guitar #music #musician #red #guitar #lead #bassplayer #luthervandross #love #lefthanded #southpaw

Firs in the snow in La Plagne, French Alps on a sunny day. Picture was taken with left arm only as the right one was broken. Anyway I am lefthanded via 500px ift.tt/295zbpF

18

If it's my soy milk, and I'm the only one who will be drinking it, why do I need to waste a glass?

 

Efficiency! Cut out the middle man. It's better from the carton anyway. Also, anyone know of a good organic brand of soy milk?

 

it's finally starting to get cold here in nc. i'm hoping to take a trip up to the mountains soon and snap some pictures.

The KOM League Flash Report

for

The week of 4th of July

 

This Flash Report with the wedding photo of Gilbert Flauto and Gloria Burkhardt is on the Flicker site at: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/35629754425/

 

On May 22nd of this year a former KOM leaguer passed away. All attempts at finding a full obituary were futile. I came to the conclusion that the deceased outlived most everyone who could write one about his life. Every attempt was made to contact family members and funeral home personnel and all that I could positively determine was that he was cremated, in Florida.

 

Fortunately, I spoke with the deceased a number of times during his “speaking” years. He alternated between Florida and New York during his retirement years. He was in the jewelry business and a very bright man. At the end of 2016 a long conversation was held over the telephone with Bob Nichols a teammate of the deceased for part of the 1948 season and all of 1949. Thankfully, I took a lot of mental notes and they were contained in the KOM League Flash Report for Week of Jan. 8, 2017. It was carried in story about the 1949 Iola Indians. If you forgot the details, here are a few.

 

**

 

With the passing of George Boselo the members of the 1949 Iola Indians still living are: Richard F. “Gil” Flauto, Dick Getter, Dean Rothrock, Bill Anderson and Jerry Whalen. I have never been able to determine the fate of Edward C. Scott who was a native of Southwest City, MO and a graduate of the University of Missouri. That 1949 Iola team had the least turnover of roster members in KOM league history. Counting manager, Windy Johnson, there were just 23 young men with that team.

 

One of the smartest guys with whom Nichols ever played was Gilbert Flauto from New York City. He was sent to Chanute by the New York Giants in 1948, from their Class C team in Erie, Pennsylvania, and was soon cut loose and signed by the Iola Indians. He played a little outfield to begin his career but soon became a first baseman. He returned to Iola in 1949 and played the entire season. Nichols recalls that when Flauto hit a baseball, by the time he reached first base, he had already figured out his batting average depending upon whether he was safe or out. I asked Nichols what Flauto did with his talent and learned that he became a jewelry designer. That may be why he still divides his time between Florida and Ballston Lake, New York which is located north of Schenectady.

 

**

Carthage and Iola are scheduled Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights at Bronson. temporary home field of the Indians. The games there will be at the usual time, 8:15, with regular admission prices. Howard Dawson, Bronson produce dealer, owns the facilities there and has offered them for use by the Iola club.

 

The foregoing must have been an error in reporting for the Iola Indians played the Independence Yankees on July 27th at Bronson. This was the report. “July 28, 1948

From 700 to 800 fans watched the first game ever played on Howard Dawson's new lighted field at Bronson. Earl Sifers, lola club president, said the installation of the lights was completed only the day before. Bronson has a good playing field and the lights were unusually good after adjustments were made during the game.”

 

The Iola Indians defeated the Independence Yankees 5-3 with John Peterman being the winning pitcher and Billy Bagwell taking the loss. At this juncture I could take up a couple of pages writing about that game, but won’t. Independence had a starting lineup that night of: Al Pilarcik-CF, Tommy Gott—LF, Jim Finigan-2B, Charlie Joe Fontana-RF, Bob Hamric-3B, Jim Davis-SS, Nick Ananias-1B, Ray Haley-C and the previously mentioned Bill Bagwell on the mound. That lineup is important to remember as this tale progresses. Iola started Whitey Wood-RF, Gil Flauto-1B, Jack Jordan-2B, Hal Fortine-CF, Jim Cahill-LF, Bob Marsden-3B, Mervin Dubbers-SS, Buck Walz-C and John Peterman-P.

 

This Flickr site has the photo of the 1948 Independence team that made the trip to Bronson. www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/32105835606

Iola generally had great team photos but 1948 was an exception. Thus, none is featured in this edition for that team. Name identification of those in the 1948 Independence team photo is mostly free for the asking. It isn’t included here due to the already too lengthy report.

 

The major occurrences in that game were future big leaguer, Jim Finigan got three infield hits, Iola pitcher, John Peterman had three RBI’s and Gil Flauto pulled the hidden ball trick on Tommy Gott at first base. Al Pilarcik also played in that game and made it to the big time but he didn’t do anything big time at Bronson that evening.

 

**

Gilbert Flauto May 22, 2017 Obituary

www.hollywoodmemorialgardens.com/obituary/184528/Gilbert-...

 

When searching for the obituary, the Hunter’s Funeral Home had this note “Will be available soon. Sign up below if you'd like to receive an email when the obituary is published or leave a tribute.” A tribute was left by Yours truly. Checking on the tribute, later, I couldn’t find it.

 

Assuming there was another way at getting the information I placed a call to the funeral and home spoke with two people and assumed from the conversation that anything from them would not be forthcoming.

 

Knowing that Gil’s wife had died in 2013 I went to the Internet and pulled up her obituary www.afterlife.co/us/obituary-ballston-lake-gloria-m-flaut... After reading that obituary I discovered one of Flauto’s daugher’s had passed away one year after his wife did. Another attempt was made to locate the remaining two daughters and one telephone number was no longer active and another daughter had a listed number but calling it only resulted in no answer.

 

Concluding remarks

 

Most likely, I will never see an official obituary for Gilbert Flauto but I’ll let the foregoing statements suffice for one. He was a KOM league All-Star, in 1949, and played first base against the Independence Yankees in that game. Back in New York, he enjoyed, in his later years, talking about playing against Mickey Mantle for three months of the 1949 season and then participating in the league championship series, against Independence, when the series went to the final game before Independence won in extra innings.

 

When asking anyone from the 1948 season what their most vivid memory of Flauto was the answer would be his being hit in the jaw with a pitch. On page 145 of Majoring in The Minors is a photo of Flauto with a big bandage on his right jaw. Right next to that photo is Don. Hall. Flauto was plunked by Don Hall of the Ponca City Dodgers while he was still on the Chanute roster. Since minor league teams never spent much money on any player who was injured, they were just released, Flauto shortly afterward was sent packing and he went 26 miles north and was signed by Iola. Hall, from Estherville, Iowa was a big righthaned pitcher who the Dodgers signed because he could throw 100 mph and since Bob Feller was from Van Meter, some 170 miles south, they hoped lightning would strike twice. It didn’t.

 

Oh, if you have a copy of Majoring in The Minors you could figure out from what side of the plate Flauto batted by looking at the jaw. Remember, the bandage was on the right jaw. Ah, that one was too easy.

________________________________________________________________________

Some Flickr messages

 

Subject: Bartlesville baseball

Date: June 23rd, 2017

 

Hi John- I recently found all the research you've done on the KOM League and I am very impressed. I'm researching Oklahoma baseball teams as well and recently found a picture of a Bartlesville team that the only note with it is 1940's. I'm wondering if I can send it to you to see if you know which team this is?

 

Thanks for the help. Dan Bewley--Tulsa

 

Ed reply:

 

Briefly, I told the sender of that note I could identify any Bartlesville team photo by year, all the images on the photo and if they were living or dead. If they were dead, where they died and if alive,where they are.

 

****

April 26, 2017--Hass_53 said:

 

Dear Mr. Hall, Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your Flickr posts concerning the KOM league. I have a lot of family living in Miami, OK and know the area reasonably well. Also loved your book. Was unaware there was a 2nd edition and will have to look for it. Thanks again for your hard work and contributions to the game. Bruce

 

Hass--12 minutes ago

 

Hass_53 said: Am also curious as to the exact location of the park that the Miami team played at. Bruce Hass

 

Ed comment:

 

To the first message I advised Mr. Hass there a no more copies of my first book available except the possibility someone has one posted on the Internet. To the question about where Miami played, I advised him it was at Fairgrounds Park. The place was built for horse racing, not baseball, but it was home for about 434 Miami Blues, Eagles and Owls games.

 

The comments made by Flickr readers and the responses I make to them are a bit confusing to follow. Maybe the new owners of Flickr will make the communication much easier. If you wish to comment on anything I place on Flickr get in touch with me at my e-mail address: j03.john@gmail.com

 

***

Shame on editor of this publication.

 

In last week’s edition there was quite a bit to say regarding the late Robert Dale Boxell. There was one glaring omission.. His obituary mentioned his signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates after graduation in 1949. As Dizzy Dean would have said “I slud right past that one.”

 

Boxell did appear in a few games for the 1949 Bartlesville Pirates. In early February of 1950 he was one of about 100 Pittsburgh minor leaguers who were summoned to report to San Bernardino, Calif. for initial training at Perris Hill Park, according to the February 12th edition of the San Bernardino Sun. cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19500212.1.26 Players were sent there from the rosters of the Indianapolis Indians, New Orleans Pelicans and other Pirate affiliates from Charleston, SC; Hutchinson, KS; Albany, NY; Bartlesville, OK; Greenville, AL: Modesto, CA: and Tallahassee, Fl

 

There were many names at that camp who made it big with the Pirates such as: Frank Thomas, Bob Friend, Vernon Law and many others. The most celebrated player at that camp was Paul Pettit of Lomita, California who signed the first $100,000 bonus in baseball history, up to that time. However, almost everyone else at that camp had to have previous professional experience and Boxell received his in a short stint at Bartlesville in 1949. The Pirates gave Boxell $500 to sign and got almost as much benefit from him as they did, from a pitching standpoint, from Pettit.

 

In 1950 the Bartlesville Pirates trained at Hutchinson, KS. Boxell was cited in the April 14, 1950 of the Hutchinson News as being assigned to the Hutchinson roster. However, the Pittsburgh, PA Press reported on April 20, page 64, that Boxell was going to Bartlesville. www.newspapers.com/newspage/142182950/ (Foregoing URL not accessible with subscription. Only added for benefit of researchers who wish to verify my statements) Boxell indeed was in Bartlesville to start the season and his time there was detailed in last week’s edition of this publication.

 

Looking back at the more detailed account I had on Boxell, in my first book, it was found that Bartlesville released him on June 16, 1950. That is when he left to join the Pittsburg, Kansas Browns for short time. From there he was signed by the Detroit Tigers and went to Wausau, WI of the Wisconsin State league where he saw limited action.

________________________________________________________________________

Comments from last report;

 

***

Sorry, John, in my scan, I ‘found’ no picture of an IOLA uniform . bob s. Iola Indians 1950 and now living in Clifton Park, NY.

 

Ed comment:

 

The fake news arm of the KOM league publications wishes to assert there is a photo of an Iola uniform on the Internet. Take a look-se at this: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/9534050814 Furthermore, the data I have at my disposal indicates that photo has been accessed 70,348 times. Maybe Bob S. has gone there to look at himself “three score, ten and a few hundred times.”

 

***

Note from a 1949 Independence Yankee

 

Tried to answer your newsletter can't figure out the flicker thing.

 

(I’m) 88+ and still kicking. Busy with the Shriners clowns, flying my RC (radio controlled) airplanes, local historical society, member of our local shooting range and trying to keep my wife of 50 years happy. A few aches and pains but all I do is take a happy pill and the world turns rosy. Jim Cobb

 

P. S. No tomatoes on my plants as yet

 

Ed comment:

 

In telling the story of my conversation with Jim Bello (Belotti) last week I listed all the living members of the 1949 Independence Yankees.

 

James Cobb made it to that club, in mid-season after Bob Wiesler suffered a broken jaw. Wiesler suffered the injury when one of his teammates wanted to know how close he could come to the big lefthanded pitchers headed, swinging as hard as he could, without making contact. He found out and Wiesler consumed his nutrition, through a straw for many weeks. He even returned home to St. Louis, for a while.

 

During Wiesler’s absence the Yankees assigned Cobb to Independence from their Twin Falls, Idaho affiliate. In my cache of photos I have a Kodak photo of a group of Twin Falls players gathered around an older gentleman and they appear to be listening intently. Some of the players I later got to know such as the older brother, I never had, Bob Newbill and John “Beanstalk” Hurley. The “old man” they were listening, to as depicted in the photo was Tyrus Raymond “Ty” Cobb. The other Cobb in the photo was Jim. He was a native of Washougal, Washington. When Wiesler returned to the roster Cobb went back to Twin Falls but with something that couldn’t be replaced. He too the baseball cap he wore at Independence. The team was one cap short and when the team brought back Nick Ananias from Ventura of the California league he had to bring his cap. There are many photos of the 1949 Independence Yankees that have been reproduced since Mickey Mantle died. If you have one look at the team photo and you will see the block letter “I” on that cap with the exception of Ananias whose cap has “:V,” not for victory but Ventura.

 

End of story right? Wrong. For many years I had a complete 1949 Independence Yankee uniform from the socks to the jersey with one exception. The exception was the cap. Even though I never asked for it or knew of its existence, one day a package showed up at my house and inside the very light box was the ball cap James Cobb took back to the Pioneer league in 1949 then on to his home in Washougal, Washington at the close of the season. When the cap made its way to Columbia, Mo it had been sent from Portland, Oregon. If you were sitting where I’m now pounding out this report you could look up and about two feet and four inches away is that cap just begging to be worn again. I will don wear it for I’m not worthy of such an honor.

 

Bob Mallon

 

When I informed Bob Mallon, Mantle’s first roommate in pro baseball, about the call from Jim Bello he opined that Bello would probably not remember him. I assured Mallon that Bello indeed did. Thus, when Bello has this report printed out for him, by his neighbor, he’s apt to have a story or two about Mallon.

 

Ed reply:

 

He remembers you. Skizas used to raid his closet. When Jim confronted him Skizas would say that the clothes looked better on him.

 

Nothing is ignored

 

***

 

The value of the Mantle bat

 

Good stories How much do you think the bat will go for? Bruce—Tallahassee, Florida

 

Ed comment:

 

Last week I mentioned a special Mantle-Maris bat that a reader was wishing to sell. When one reader asked how high it might go I had to admit I didn’t know. However, I did tell him how far it would go if the owner didn’t get a fair offer for it. The distance is Sweden.

 

***

Home Run Derby remembered:

 

As a youngster home run derby was a favorite. Thomas Drake

 

John I always like those Homerun Derby videos especially because they were filmed at Wrigley Field in L.A. I’ve visited that site twice and it’s nice to see that old footage. Barry McMahon—Ladysmith, BC, Canada

________________________________________________________________________

Did anyone read this entire report?

 

Black 'woody' water-soluble crayon on paper, and water.

Freehand from a photo

7.5 X 9 inches

Left & right handed (prob left crayon and right water)

< 5 minutes

 

Arturo, Spain for JKPP

 

Portrait of Arturo for JKPP.

Arturo's own fantastic work: www.flickr.com/photos/espinosa_rosique/

Photos and portraits of Arturo: www.flickr.com/groups/portraitparty/discuss/7215762548661...

 

I *was* looking at a photo of Arturo facing to the left, and out came this gentleman, facing to the right.

 

Perhaps he is Arturo's protective spirit, or then again his imaginary friend, or then again, just something I made up. In any event, I find this the most interesting of the three.

 

I think this was canson mi-teintes paper which really was too thin for the amount of water I threw at it, but then again it did spread the crayon around nicely.

  

Photo posted by Moose in the TOM BIHN Forums: www.tombihn.com/forums/bag-reviews/3372-loads-lefty-love....

Seen outside Cardiff Central Police Station. I haven't seen this around Cardiff before, so I think it must be visiting from another station.

Photo posted by Moose in the TOM BIHN Forums: www.tombihn.com/forums/bag-reviews/3372-loads-lefty-love....

A close-up of a left-handed person filling in a crossword puzzles

Photo posted by Moose in the TOM BIHN Forums: www.tombihn.com/forums/bag-reviews/3372-loads-lefty-love....

Various water-soluble pencils and crayons on paper.

From life / observation / mirror

26 X 20 inches

Started as left and right handed together, but converted to strictly left-handed with right-handed erasing.

30 minutes

I know this isn't the best Crossbill photograph but it is illustrative as it does show the crossed mandibles quite well. Crossbill bills can be either left or right handed, and (in Common Crossbill) there is a pretty even split between both types. The upper mandible is fixed to the skull and is centrally placed but it is the lower mandible that can swing either way. The ones like this where the lower mandible goes to the left are known as sinistrals and when the lower mandible points right they are known as dextrals. Sinister and Dexter are Latin terms for left and right and derived words are still in use today. Left-handedness was once associated with a shifty personality and the word sinister comes from that. Dextrous, meaning adept or nimble-fingered comes for the word for right-handedness. Back to Crossbills, as well as having an asymmetrical beak, they also have more developed musculature on one side of the lower cheek, and left and right handed birds approach cones from different directions. This one's a male with orange-red plumage while females are yellow-green. I photographed this one near Holmfirth in West Yorkshire.

Firking around the archives, I found this one of myself & my elder son having a Chinese meal in Ibiza. The expression on his face is priceless and no - he's not drunk! :) I also noticed he holds his knife & fork the same way as I do, although he's not lefthanded.

 

Fotos Encadenadas:

an. copa de agua

sig. expresión chiflada

 

Tony Iommi

 

Black Sabbath

 

LG Arena, The NEC, Birmingham, UK

.

.

.

 

Misty morning, clouds in the sky

Without warning a wizard walks by

Casting his shadow, weaving his spell

Flowing clothes, tinkling bell

 

Never talking, just keeps walking spreading his magic

 

Evil power disappears

Demons worry when the wizard is near

He turns tears into joy

Everyone’s happy when the wizard walks by

 

Never talking, just keeps walking spreading his magic

 

Sun is shining, clouds have gone by

All the people give a happy sigh

He has passed by, giving his sign

Left all the people feeling so fine

Bronze. Frederick Edward MacWilliam, 1981. Wakefield Hepworth Gallery, Yorkshire

TalkPhotography.co.uk 52 Photo Challenge 2021 Week 31 Hands

This woman was getting an ink tattoo of a plumeria at the International Marketplace in Waikiki.

4 years ago!

 

Pen and watercolor on paper.

4 X 6 inches.

From imagination.

Simultaneous left and tight-handed, blind (eyes closed) drawing, with right-handed, sighted watercolor.

 

Original Post

As for the rest - I think the last couple days shows that drawing with both hands together and eyes closed leads to some creepy self-portraits!

 

Today's Commentary

My simultaneous left-and right-handed drawing has gotten alot better but maybe not with my eyes closed. I'll have to try this again some time soon.

 

This is a past self-portrait from my Daily Portrait Project, in which I made a non-photographic image of myself every day for three years, from 3/15/07 to 3/15/10. Soon they'll all be loaded on flickr, you can find them in this set: www.flickr.com/photos/juliakay/sets/72157619599543783/

 

The first year of the project is now available as a book: www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2418516

Volumes II and III coming soon...

 

 

Tony Iommi

 

Black Sabbath

 

LG Arena, The NEC, Birmingham, UK

Various water-soluble pencils and crayons on paper.

From life / observation / mirror

26 X 20 inches

Started as left and right handed together, but after the first 10 minutes, converted to strictly left-handed with right-handed erasing.

    

Day 01 - 01/18 - 30 m - red oxide. Left & a little right.

Day 02 - 01/19 - 70 m - deep rose. Drew with the left, erased with the right.

Day 03 - 01/21 - 30 m - leaf green. Drew with the left, erased with the right.

Day 04 - 01/22 - 30 m - payne's gray. Drew with the left, erased with the right.

Day 05 - 01/23 - 36 m - dark purple. Drew with the left, erased with the right.

Day 06 - 01/24 - 30 m - thistle. Drew with the left, erased with the right.

Day 07 - 01/25 - 35 m - dusky purple. Drew with the left, erased with the right.

Day 08 - 02/05 - 30 m - prussian blue. Drew with the left, erased with the right.

Day 09 - 02/07 - 35 m - prussian blue & indian red. Drew with the left, erased with the right.

Day 10 - 02/10 30 m - prussian blue & light olive. Drew with the left, erased with the right.

~6 hours... so far.

 

Since it can be hard to see without lining them up side by side... main differences here are the left eye and more work on the hair.