Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League

The Kansas–Oklahoma–Missouri League (or KOM League) was a name of an American minor league baseball league which was established in 1946 and played through 1952. As the name indicates, the Class D level league had franchises based in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Baseball Hall of Fame members Mickey Mantle played in the league for the 1949 Independence Yankees and Burleigh Grimes managed the 1948 Independence Yankees.

Kansas–Oklahoma–Missouri League
ClassificationClass D (1946–1952)
SportMinor League Baseball
Inaugural season1946
Ceased1952
PresidentE. L. Dale (1946–1952)
No. of teams9
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles3 : Ponca City Dodgers (1948, 1950–1951)
Related
competitions		Western Association

History

The Kansas–Oklahoma–Missouri League was founded after World War II and ran from 1946 through 1952 as a Class D level league. Like many post-war minor leagues, it did not last a complete decade of play. During the seven year run of the league there were nine cities that represented the league. Four were from Kansas, four from Oklahoma and one from Missouri.[1]

E.L. Dale served as the League president for its entire seven years of operation. The Ponca City Dodgers won three of the seven league titles, winning championships in 1948, 1950 and 1951. No other team won more than one championship. The total attendance of the KOM league, in the seven year period, reached slightly over two million fans. In 1948 the league had its best year, drawing 387,980, before the league permanently folded after the 1952 season. The Kansas–Oklahoma–Missouri League League had 1,588 total players, 30 made it to the majors and one made it to the Hall of Fame.[1] In his first professional season, Mickey Mantle played for the 1949 Independence Yankees, hitting .313 with 7 HR, 63 RBI.[2] Just graduated from high school in Oklahoma, Mantle received a $1,100 signing bonus from the New York Yankees and a salary of $400 for the rest of the season.[3]

Cities represented

Standings & statistics

1946 to 1947

1946 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League - schedule
The League and all of its member teams were created. Teams were formed in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Carthage, Missouri, Chanute, Kansas, Iola, Kansas, Miami, Oklahoma, and Pittsburg, Kansas.

Team standingsAffiliateWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Chanute OwlsTopeka Owls6853.562-41,600Goldie Howard
Miami BluesBrooklyn Dodgers6954.5610.049,266Ted Vernon / Guy Froman
Iola CubsChicago Cubs6357.5254.545,231Al Reitz
Pittsburg BrownsSt. Louis Browns6159.5086.542,932Jimmie Crandall
Carthage CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals5466.45013.547,400Buzz Arlitt
Bartlesville OilersPittsburgh Pirates4773.39220.546,822Keith Willoughby

Playoffs: Iola 3 games, Miami 2; Chanute 3 games, Pittsburg 2.
Finals: Iola 3 games, Chanute 3. Rest of playoffs called off due to rain and lack of available playing grounds.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Newt KeithleyMiamiBA.346Ross GrimsleyChanuteW18
Richard BulkleyChanuteRuns111Oscar WaltermanCarthageW18
Newt KeithleyMiamiHits167Ross GrimsleyChanuteSO295
Buzz ArlittCarthageRBI82Ross GrimsleyChanuteERA1.93
Larry SingletonIolaHR10Ross GrimsleyChanutePCT.783 18-5
  • Brooklyn assigned a few players to Miami that season but the team was actually run by Ted Vernon of Amarillo, Texas. When it was discovered that the Miami Baseball Club Inc. had turned the reigns of the operation of the club to Mr. Vernon, W. G. Bramham, the President of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, sent a very stern letter to the Miami baseball officials that the rules had been violated in this matter. The next year the Dodgers moved their franchise to Ponca City, Oklahoma and Mr. Vernon returned to Amarillo.

Chanute beat Pittsburg by 3 games to 2 in the first round of the playoffs. Iola beat Miami by the same number. The championship series between Chanute and Iola ended tied at three games apiece, although Chanute won 4 games. A dispute arose between the Chanute and Iola club officials regarding Chanute selecting Dave Dennis from the Miami club for the playoffs. Although Iola owner Earl Sifers originally agreed to the arrangement he later changed his mind. By the time the dispute was settled it was too late in the fall, young men had to go back to school, the rodeo took over the ball park playing area and then the rains came.

1947 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
Teams from Independence, Kansas and Ponca City, Oklahoma joined.

Team standingsAffiliateWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Miami OwlsTopeka Owls7649.608-53,119William Davis
Iola CubsChicago Cubs6954.5616.039,862Al Reitz
Pittsburg BrownsSt. Louis Browns6954.5616.059,435Jimmie Crandall
Bartlesville OilersPittsburgh Pirates6856.5487.564,074Edward Marleau
Carthage CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals6659.52810.042,838Woody Fair / Alvin Kluttz
Ponca City DodgersBrooklyn Dodgers6162.49614.055,554Boyd Bartley
Chanute AthleticsNone4480.35531.534,758Dave Dennis / Charles Bates
Independence YankeesNew York Yankees4180.33933.022,460Goldie Howard

Playoffs: Miami 3 games, Bartlesville 1; Iola 3 games, Pittsburg 1.
Finals: Miami 4 games, Iola 1.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Loren PackardMiamiBA.364Carroll DialBartlesvilleW22
Albert SolenbergerBartlesvilleRuns131James MorrisMiamiSO240
Loren PackardMiamiHits185Carroll DialBartlesvilleERA3.32
Loren PackardMiamiRBI124Jim PostPittsburgPCT.813 13-3
Jim BaxesPonca CityHR20

1948 to 1949

1948 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League

Team standingsAffiliateWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Ponca City DodgersBrooklyn Dodgers7947.627-78,305Boyd Bartley
Independence YankeesNew York Yankees7446.6172.046,270Goldie Howard /
Burleigh Grimes / Bones Sanders
Bartlesville PiratesPittsburgh Pirates7152.5776.564,090Edward Marleau
Pittsburg BrownsSt. Louis Browns6060.50016.053,743Shan Deniston / Donald Smith
Miami OwlsTopeka Owls5866.46820.033,716Arthur Priebe / James Hansen
Carthage CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals5167.43224.036,525Alvin Kluttz
Iola IndiansCleveland Indians5172.41526.542,770Al Reitz
Chanute GiantsNew York Giants4478.36133.032,561Al Smith

Playoffs: Pittsburg 3 games, Ponca City 2; Independence 3 games, Bartlesville 2.
Finals: Independence 4 games, Pittsburg 1.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
William FoxChanuteBA.327Harland CoffmanIndependenceW18
Louis GodlaBartlesvilleRuns83Lou MichelsIndependenceW18
Al SolenbergerBartlesvilleHits134Joseph TuftelandPonca CityW18
Charles SturnborgPittsburgRBI78Bill PierroBartlesvilleSO300
Charles SturnborgPittsburgHR13Harland CoffmanIndependenceERA1.94
Joseph BeranPonca CityHR13Joseph TuftelandPonca CityPCT.900 18-2

1949 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
schedule

Team standingsAffiliateWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Independence YankeesNew York Yankees7153.573-46,607Harry Craft
Bartlesville PiratesPittsburgh Pirates7155.5631.051,000Tedd Gullic
Iola IndiansCleveland Indians7055.5601.549,491Windy Johnson
Ponca City DodgersBrooklyn Dodgers6659.5285.562,082Boyd Bartley
Chanute AthleticsNone6560.5206.539,228James Hansen / Charles Bates
Carthage CubsChicago Cubs6264.49210.038,028Don Anderson
Miami OwlsTopeka Owls5669.44815.532,887Omar Lane
Pittsburg BrownsSt. Louis Browns3985.31532.039,755Al Barkus / Olan Smith

Playoffs: Independence 3 games, Ponca City 1; Iola 3 games, Bartlesville 1.
Finals: Independence 3 games, Iola 0.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Richard DruryBartlesvilleBA.317Jake ThiesChanuteW18
Charles WeberIndependenceRuns98Bob WeislerIndependenceSO240
James BelloIndependenceHits156Conrad SwenssonPonca CityERA1.69
Harry BrightMiamiRBI96Conrad SwenssonPonca CityPCT.800 12-3
Bob SpeakeCarthageHR14

1950 to 1952

1950 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League

Team standingsAffiliateWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Ponca City DodgersBrooklyn Dodgers8042.656-63,313Boyd Bartley
Bartlesville PiratesPittsburgh Pirates7348.6036.556,250Tedd Gullic
Carthage CubsChicago Cubs7550.6006.529,080Don Anderson
Pittsburg BrownsSt. Louis Browns7152.5779.543,953Olan Smith / Jimmie Crandall
Miami EaglesNone6260.50818.027,548Jack Hodge / Jim Oglesby / Pug Griffin
Independence YankeesNew York Yankees6066.47622.038,274Bunny Mick / Bones Sanders
Iola IndiansNone3584.29443.523,872Windy Johnson
Chanute AthleticsNone3589.28246.021,372Charles Bates /
Thomas Imfeld / Chuck Hostetler

Playoffs: Ponca City 3 games, Pittsburg 2; Bartlesville 3 games, Carthage 1.
Finals: Ponca City 3 games, Bartlesville 1.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Stan GwinnPonca CityBA.320Tom VinesCarthageW17
Jim PisoniPittsburgRuns115Donald McKeonMiamiW17
Don HunterPonca CityHits152Tom VinesCarthageSO234
Loren DollPonca CityHits152David ElliotBartlesvilleERA2.04
Harold NeighborsBartlesvilleRBI107Joe StanekPonca CityPCT.846 11-2
Willard DavisPonca CityHR21

1951 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
The teams in Chanute and Independence folded.

Team standingsAffiliateWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Ponca City DodgersBrooklyn Dodgers8539.686-44,960George Scherger
Bartlesville PiratesPittsburgh Pirates7745.6317.034,296Tedd Gullic
Miami EaglesNone6755.54917.023,500Pug Griffin / Tom Warren
Carthage CubsChicago Cubs6065.48025.520,022Don Anderson / Al Reitz
Pittsburg BrownsSt. Louis Browns4180.33942.522,534Bill Enos
Iola IndiansNone3884.31146.016,981Forrest L. Crawford / Al Reitz/
Mason Pool / Floyd Temple

Playoffs: Carthage 3 games, Ponca City 2; Miami 3 games, Bartletsville 1.
Finals: Carthage 3 games, Miami 0.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Jack DenisonPonca CityBA.365Ron KlineBartlesvilleW18
Jack DenisonPonca CityRuns133Donald CochranBartlesvilleW18
Jack DenisonPonca CityHits167Ron KlineBarletsvilleSO208
Robert OttesenPittsburgRBI89John MuddCarthageERA2.12
Brandy DavisBartlesvilleHR13Ron KlineBartlesvillePCT.818 18-4
Bill PhillipsBartlesvilleHR13

1952 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
The Carthage Cubs moved to Blackwell, Oklahoma. The Pittsburg Brownies moved to Independence, Kansas. The Bartlesville Pirates moved to the now-vacant Pittsburg on July 7.

Team standingsAffiliateWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Iola IndiansNone7947.627-42,327Floyd Temple / Woody Fair
Miami EaglesPhiladelphia Phillies6757.54011.043,008John Davenport
Ponca City DodgersBrooklyn Dodgers6858.54011.055,726Boyd Bartley
Bartlesville Pirates /
Pittsburg Pirates		Pittsburgh Pirates5965.47619.034,267Hersh Martin / Ed Hayes
Blackwell BroncosChicago Cubs5769.45222.051,000Al Reitz
Independence BrownsSt. Louis Browns4680.36533.039,487Fred Collins

Bartlesville moved to Pittsburg July 7.
Playoffs: Ponca City 1 game, Iola 0; Miami 1 game, Pittsburg 0;
Finals: Miami 2 games, Ponca City 0.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
John VossenMiamiBA.335Joe VilkIolaW26
Paul WeeksIolaRuns128[Jim OwensMiamiS0300
Gaspar del ToroIolaHits155Jim OwensMiamiERA1.76
John DavenportMiamiRBI116Joe VilkIolaPCT.813 26-6
Don ErvinMiamiHR24

[1]

References
  1. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN 978-1932391176.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. "Mickey Mantle Minor Leagues Statistics". Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  3. "Mickey Mantle – Society for American Baseball Research".
  • Sumner, Benjamin Barrett. Minor League Baseball Standings:All North American Leagues, Through 1999. Jefferson, N.C.:McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0781-6
  • Hall, John G. "Majoring in the Minors--a glimpse of baseball in a small town. 1996 Oklahoma Bylines. ISBN 1-882336-09-7. Reprinted 2000 by Inter-State Printing. Sedalia, Missouri.
  • Hall, John G. "The KOM League Remembered." Arcadia Publishing. Charleston SC, Chicago IL, Portsmouth NH, San Francisco. ISBN 0-7385-3340-8.
  • Hall, John G. "Mickey Mantle Before the Glory." Leathers Publishing, Leawood, Kansas 2006. ISBN 1-58597-317-3.
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