The KOM League
Flash Report
Proclaims the death
of yet another of our
"Boys of Summer"
November 21, 2006
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Its Tuesday, November 21, 2006. On this date two people, who became very significant in my life, were born. One was born in Donora, Pennsylvania and the other in Alluwee a very small village near Centralia, Oklahoma.

One of the individuals wouldn't know me from Adam, although we've conversed three times in our lives. The other person has known me all my life and 72 of hers. I wish Stan Musial and my mother HAPPY BIRTHDAY. (Janet, give your dad greetings from the readers of the KOM League Flash Report.) (From the town of Alluwee my mother was given the name, "Ellawee.")
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The death of a friend to many

He played ten games in the KOM League for the 1950 Miami, Oklahoma Eagles. From there he went into the United States Army during the Korean War. While there he played a high level of baseball on his service teams. Following his service he entered the University of Missouri, attained a doctorate and spent thirty-plus years at Central Missouri State in Warrensburg.

What I recall most was locating this gentleman about a decade ago and asking if he was the same guy who left Guide Rock, Nebraska to play for Pug Griffin's Miami club. He admitted that he was and was shocked that his baseball career was known to anyone other than close family members.

From that contact a friendship was born. Living just 90 miles apart this gentleman and his wife made many trips through Columbia on the way to antique car shows and he would always come to my home bearing rare presents, mostly homemade apple butter.

In the days when Yours Truly used to be asked to make speaking appearances I'd always let this fellow know when I'd be heading west into places like Kansas City. We'd meet at a restaurant along I-70 and travel to mostly libraries to tell the story of minor league baseball from the "dark ages."

KOM League reunions became a yearly venture for this man and his bride. Then, about a half-decade ago his wife suffered a stroke and he provided total care for the lady he vowed to love until death separated them. After his wife's death he renewed his trips to the KOM League reunions and was always willing to be of any assistance possible. Some of the finest assistance anyone could ever offer is the editing of a manuscript and he spent scores of hours with me on that project, in 2000.

This past year he was instrumental in making the memorial service at the reunion asuccess. However, at the time, he was not looking good but never once complained. As fate would have it, J. Eldon Yung was the first person to pass away who attended the 2006 KOM League reunion.

Word came late last night that Eldon passed away at 12:20 P. M. at the Country Club Manor in Warrensburg, Missouri. His condition became very grave on Sunday and all the family was called. He knew the end was near but desperately wanted to see his granddaughter. She arrived at 9:30 on Monday morning and Eldon passed away three hours later. His daughter said that it seemed as though he willed to live long enough to see the little girl.

The Good Book says "It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment." I know of no person who could stand in the presence of a Almighty Judge and have so little for which to worry. In every sense of the word Eldon Yung was a GOOD man. My wife and I had the privilege of knowing him and his wife in good and bad times. The acts of kindness, love and dedication he displayed for his mate, who was totally dependent on him for three years, should be captured on film and prescribed for every newly wed.

Eldon Yung is missed.

His farewell service will be Friday, November 24th at the First United Methodist Church in Warrensburg, Mo. at 10:00 a. m. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday there won't be a formal viewing of the body. Instead, anyone wishing to express their condolences can drop by the Williams Funeral Home on South Highway 13 in Warrensburg. Donations can be made to Phi Delta Kappa through the Williams Funeral Home.
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Wikipedia

The Internet Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, has disturbed me for sometime since what was contained therein, regarding the KOM League, was inaccurate and incomplete regarding the material it was addressing. If you have been there before and didn't like what you saw or have never been there you can reach it by clicking on the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri_League

Remember, "You're in good hands with Hall State."
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Sold at auction

19 November 2006

John,

I received a telephone call tonight from a long-time friend and college buddy who bought your three books at an auction over the weekend. Hank Inman was born in Joplin, Missouri, and started his professional career as a sportswriter at the Daily Oklahoman. I'll let Hank tell you the rest of the story. I'm looking forward to reading about this in the KOM Flash Report.

All the best, Gaylon White--Tennessee

Ed comment:

Do you think Hank will get in touch with me? Also, I'm hurt. Who would be so callous as to sell off my three books? I'd sure like to know what they brought at auction. On second thought, maybe I don't want to know.

I sit eagerly by my telephone awaiting a call from Mr. Inman.
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Spook hangs on the wall

Hi John, Dick just told me that Spook Jacobs was playing the Texas League in 1953 for Ft. Worth Cats and is hanging on our baseball picture wall in the family room. Dick and Molly --Omaha, Neb.
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A Google alert:

Google Blogs Alert for: KOM League

Pre-Thanksgiving report
By John
About a month ago I mentioned that contact had been made with the Stony Creek Inn in Columbia, Mo. regarding the possibility of holding a KOM League reunion there in 2007. I had some follow-up to do with that facility and mentioned in a ...
KOM League Class D Baseball - http://komleagueone.blogspot.com

That is a reminder, if you miss any of these Flash Reports you can get "reruns" on the aforementioned blogspot. However, no one has ever gone on-line and made a comment regarding any of the blogs. I'm about ready to open that site back up and delete it. Why go to the trouble to place those on the Internet to have them totally ignored?
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Back in Florida

Barbara Wade called on Sunday about the KOM League Remembered newsletter and her husband Gale's accident.

I suppose, in a lot of ways the newsletter and Gale Wade are a lot alike. No one was sure either one would make it and then once they did you couldn't get rid of them.

The foregoing is a great segue to let those who were skeptical know that there will be a KOM League Remembered in 2007. Barbara Wade said that she was going to send her subscription this week. It won't be coming from North Carolina since she and her injured husband have taken up winter residence in their Florida home.

Gale was out showing off his North Carolina property when he turned over a motorized cart and injured his shoulder. However, don't send cards or flowers. Barbara assures me, that even with the pain, he is putting up a gallant fight to swing his golf clubs every day.
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Something on Internet looked a lot like Carthage

Note to Jerry Hogan: That photo you placed on the Arkansas historical site for the Ark. Mo. league's Fayetteville Angels struck a chord with me. I would almost bet that photo was taken down the third base line at Carthage in 1938.
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Hogan's reply:

I believe you are right about that old Angels photo. I checked my original copy of that photo (from the U of Ark. Special Collections) and also my copy of the old Spalding Guide with the picture (it's pretty grainy) of the '38 Carthage Pirates League Champions standing in front of what looks to be that very same wall. I do have another photo of the Angels at Fayetteville's Fairgrounds Park but the picture we used in the encyclopedia entry is definitely not from the Fairgrounds. I'm old enough to have seen games and even played at the old Fairgrounds and it never had any walls of any kind. It did have a great old wooden fence with ads all over it, though. I have another picture of the '39 Angels at the Fairgrounds but the team uniforms don't say Angels on them and it's just not as good a photograph to use. Good catch on the Angels in Carthage.

Talk to you later,

Jerry
P.S. The Washington Co. (Arkansas) Historical Society has had my Angels book manuscript for over 4 months now, reviewing it for possible publication. It is supposedly being reviewed by some board members who are UA profs. Probably the kiss of death, although I hope not.