Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League

The Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League (KOM League) was founded after World War II and ran from 1946 through 1952 as a class D operation. Like many post-war 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.

E.L. Dale was the League President for its entire seven year operation. The Ponca City Dodgers won three of the seven league titles. They were champs in 1948, 1950 and 1951. No other team was to win more than one crown. The 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 paying customers through the gates, but as it was with most minor leagues at that time the people took to other interests and '51 & '52 proved too much for the league to handle and they closed their doors for good after the 1952 season. The late 1940s and early 1950s was the Golden Age for minor league baseball. The National Pastime thrived in small town America with hundreds of professional teams in over 50 leagues playing at every level. The lowest rung of professional baseball—Class D, the “bush leagues”—was an exciting mix of returning soldiers and recent high school grads, all with dreams of climbing up the ladder to make it to the “big show.” Of the 1,588 young men who donned a KOM League uniform, 30 made it to the majors and one made it to the Hall of Fame.

Cities Represented

• Bartlesville, OK: Bartlesville Oilers 1946-1947; Bartlesville Pirates 1948-1952
• Blackwell, OK: Blackwell Broncos1952
• Carthage, MO: Carthage Cardinals 1946-1948; Carthage Cubs 1949-1951
• Chanute, KS: Chanute Athletics 1946-1947, 1949-1950; Chanute Giants 1948;
• Independence, KS: Independence Yankees 1947-1950; Independence Browns 1952
• Iola, KS: Iola Cubs 1946-1947; Iola Indians 1948-1952
• Miami, OK: Miami Blues 1946; Miami Owls 1947-1949; Miami Eagles 1950-1952
• Pittsburg, KS: Pittsburg Browns 1946-1951; Pittsburg Pirates 1952
• Ponca City, OK: Ponca City Dodgers 1947-1952

Teams & Statistics

1946-1947

1946 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League - schedule
President: E. L. Dale

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Chanute Athletics	68	53	.562	-	41,600	Goldie Howard
Miami Blues	69	54	.561	-	49,266	Ted Vernon / Guy Froman
Iola Cubs	63	57	.525	4.5	45,231	Al Reitz
Pittsburg Browns	61	59	.508	6.5	42,932	Jimmie Crandall
Carthage Cardinals	54	66	.450	13.5	47,400	Buzz Arlitt
Bartlesville Oilers	47	73	.392	20.5	46,822	Keith 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

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Newt Keithley	Miami	BA	.346		Ross Grimsley	Chanute	W	18
Richard Bulkley	Chanute	Runs	111		Oscar Walterman	Carthage	W	18
Newt Keithley	Miami	Hits	167		Ross Grimsley	Chanute	SO	295
Buzz Arlitt	Carthage	RBI	82		Ross Grimsley	Chanute	ERA	1.93
Larry Singleton	Iola	HR	10		Ross Grimsley	Chanute	PCT	.783 18-5

1947 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
President: E. L. Dale

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Miami Owls	76	49	.608	-	53,119	William Davis
Iola Cubs	69	54	.561	6	39,862	Al Reitz
Pittsburg Browns	69	54	.561	6	59,435	Jimmie Crandall
Bartlesville Oilers	68	56	.548	7.5	64,074	Edward Marleau
Carthage Cardinals	66	59	.528	10	42,838	Woody Fair /Alvin Kluttz
Ponca City Dodgers	61	62	.496	14	55,554	Boyd Bartley
Chanute Athletics	44	80	.355	31.5	34,758	Dave Dennis / Charles Bates
Independence Yankees	41	80	.339	33	22,460	Goldie Howard

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

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Loren Packard	Miami	BA	.364		Carroll Dial	Bartlesville	W	22
Albert Solenberger	Bartlesville	Runs	131		James Morris	Miami	SO	240
Loren Packard	Miami	Hits	185		Carroll Dial	Bartlesville	ERA	3.32
Loren Packard	Miami	RBI	124		Jim Post	Pittsburg	PCT	.813 13-3
Jim Baxes	Ponca City	HR	20

1948-1949

1948 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
President: E. L. Dale

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Ponca City Dodgers	79	47	.627	-	78,305	Boyd Bartley
Independence Yankees	74	46	.617	2	46,270	Goldie Howard / Burleigh Grimes / Sanders
Bartlesville Pirates	71	52	.577	6.5	64,090	Edward Marleau
Pittsburg Browns	60	60	.500	16	53,743	Shan Deniston / Donald Smith
Miami Owls	58	66	.468	20	33,716	Arthur Priebe / James Hansen
Carthage Cardinals	51	67	.432	24	36,525	Alvin Kluttz
Iola Indians	51	72	.415	26.5	42,770	Al Reitz
Chanute Giants	44	78	.361	33	32,561	Al Smith

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

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
William Fox	Chanute	BA	.327		Harland Coffman	Independence	W	18
Louis Godla	Bartlesville	Runs	83		Lou Michels	Independence	W	18
Al Solenberger	Bartlesville	Hits	134		Joseph Tufteland	Ponca City	W	18
Charles Sturnborg	Pittsburg	RBI	78		Bill Pierro	Bartlesville	SO	300
Charles Sturnborg	Pittsburg	HR	13		Harland Coffman	Independence	ERA	1.94
Joseph Beran	Ponca City	HR	13		Joseph Tufteland	Ponca City	PCT	.900 18-2

1949 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League - schedule
President: E. L. Dale

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Independence Yankees	71	53	.573	-	46,607	Harry Craft
Bartlesville Pirates	71	55	.563	1	51,000	Tedd Gullic
Iola Indians	70	55	.560	1.5	49,491	Windy Johnson
Ponca City Dodgers	66	59	.528	5.5	62,082	Boyd Bartley
Chanute Athletics	65	60	.520	6.5	39,228	James Hansen / Charles Bates
Carthage Cubs	62	64	.492	10	38,028	Don Anderson
Miami Owls	56	69	.448	15.5	32,887	Omar Lane
Pittsburg Browns	39	85	.315	32	39,755	Al Barkus / Olan Smith

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

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Richard Drury	Bartlesville	BA	.317		Jake Thies	Chanute	W	18
Charles Weber	Independence	Runs	98		Bob Weisler	Independence	SO	240
James Bello	Independence	Hits	156		Conrad Swensson	Ponca City	ERA	1.69
Harry Bright	Miami	RBI	96		Conrad Swensson	Ponca City	PCT	.800 12-3
Bob Speake	Carthage	HR	14

1950-1951

1950 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
President: E. L. Dale

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Ponca City Dodgers	80	42	.656	-	63,313	Boyd Bartley
Bartlesville Pirates	73	48	.603	6.5	56,250	Tedd Gullic
Carthage Cubs	75	50	.600	6.5	29,080	Don Anderson
Pittsburg Browns	71	52	.577	9.5	43,953	Olan Smith / Jimmie Crandall
Miami Eagles	62	60	.508	18	27,548	Jack Hodge / Jim Oglesby / Pug Griffin
Independence Yankees	60	66	.476	22	38,274	Bunny Mick / Bones Sanders
Iola Indians	35	84	.294	43.5	23,872	Windy Johnson
Chanute Athletics	35	89	.282	46	21,372	Charles Bates / Imfeld / Chuck Hostetler

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

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Stan Gwinn	Ponca City	BA	.320		Tom Vines	Carthage	W	17
Jim Pisoni	Pittsburg	Runs	115		Donald McKeon	Miami	W	17
Don Hunter	Ponca City	Hits	152		Tom Vines	Carthage	SO	234
Loren Doll	Ponca City	Hits	152		David Elliot	Bartlesville	ERA	2.04
Harold Neighbors	Bartlesville	RBI	107		Joe Stanek	Ponca City	PCT	.846 11-2
Willard Davis	Ponca City	HR	21

1951 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
President: E. L. Dale

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Ponca City Dodgers	85	39	.686	-	44,960	George Scherger
Bartlesville Pirates	77	45	.631	7	34,296	Tedd Gullic
Miami Eagles	67	55	.549	17	23,500	Pug Griffin / Tom Warren
Carthage Cubs	60	65	.480	25.5	20,022	Don Anderson / Al Reitz
Pittsburg Browns	41	80	.339	42.5	22,534	Bill Enos
Iola Indians	38	84	.311	46	16,981	Forrest L. Crawford / Reitz / Pool / Floyd Temple

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

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Jack Denison	Ponca City	BA	.365		Ron Kline	Bartlesville	W	18
Jack Denison	Ponca City	Runs	133		Donald Cochran	Bartlesville	W	18
Jack Denison	Ponca City	Hits	167		Ron Kline	Barletsville	SO	208
Robert Ottesen	Pittsburg	RBI	89		John Mudd	Carthage	ERA	2.12
Brandy Davis	Bartlesville	HR	13		Ron Kline	Bartlesville	PCT	.818 18-4
Bill Phillips	Bartlesville	HR	13

1952

1952 Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
President: E. L. Dale

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Iola Indians	79	47	.627	-	42,327	Floyd Temple / Woody Fair
Miami Eagles	67	57	.540	11	43,008	John Davenport
Ponca City Dodgers	68	58	.540	11	55,726	Boyd Bartley
Bartlesville #/ Pittsburg	59	65	.476	19	34,267	Hersh Martin / Ed Hayes
Blackwell Broncos	57	69	.452	22	51,000	Al Reitz
Independence Browns	46	80	.365	33	39,487	Fred 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

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
John Vossen	Miami	BA	.335		Joe Vilk	Iola	W	26
Paul Weeks	Iola	Runs	128		Jim Owens	Miami	S0	300
Gaspar del Toro	Iola	Hits	155		Jim Owens	Miami	ERA	1.76
John Davenport	Miami	RBI	116		Joe Vilk	Iola	PCT	.813 26-6
Don Ervin	Miami	HR	24

League Records

Batting						Pitching
Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr		Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr
Paul Weeks	Iola	GA	127	52		Joe Vilk	Iola	GA	48	52
Leroy Coulter	Iola	GA	127	52		Bob Wiesler	Independence	BB	212	49
Jack Denison	Ponca City	BA	.365	51		John Waltman	Pittsburg	CG	25	49
Al Solenberger	Bartlesville	AB	530	47		Joe Vilk	Iola	W	26	52
Jack Denison	Ponca City	Runs	133	51		Lawrence Jaros	Chanute/Iola	LO	20	50
Loren Packard	Miami	Hits	185	47		Joe Tufteland	Ponca City	Pct	.900	48
Adolph Arlitt	Carthage	2B	44	46		Conrad Swensson	Ponca City	ERA	1.69	49
Jim Pisoni	Pittsburg	3B	16	50		Joe Vilk	Iola	IP	287	52
Don Ervin	Miami	HR	24	52		Bill Pierro	Bartlesville	ShO	6	48
R.T. Upright	Bartlesville	TB	259	48		Bill Pierro	Bartlesville	SO	300	48
Paul Weeks	Iola	SB	103	52		James Owens	Miami	SO	300	52
William Schreier	Iola	BB	133	52
Willard Davis	Ponca City	SO	169	50
Loren Packard	Miami	RBI	124	47

Major Leaguers

Bob Habenicht--Carthage / Cloyd Boyer-Carthage / Don Lenhardt-Pittsburg / Ross Grimsley--Chanute / Ed Vargo--Carthage--made it to the majors as an umpire. / Dixie Upright-Bartlesville / Jim Baxes-Ponca City / Chris Kitsos-Ponca City / Gale Wade-Ponca City / Bill Pierro-Bartlesville / Bob Mahoney-Carthage / Jim Finigan-Independence / Jake Thies-Chanute / Harry Bright-Independence and Miami / Al Pilarcik-Independence / Mickey Mantle-Independence / Bob Wiesler-Independence / Lou Skizas-Independence / Bob Speake-Carthage / Bill Upton-Iola / Steve Kraly-Independence / Chuck Locke-Pittsburg / Ed Wolfe-Bartlesville / Bill Virdon-Independence / Don Taussig-Independence / John Gabler-Independence / Ron Kline-Bartlesville / Jim Pisoni-Pittsburg / Brandy Davis-Bartlesville / Joe Stanka-Ponca City / George Scherger--Playing manager-Ponca City made it as Sparky Anderson's first base coach with the Cincinnati Reds. / Seth Morehead-Miami / Jim Owens-Miami / Andy Varga--Played for Blackwell after having played for the Chicago Cubs. / Leonard Roberts--National league umpire for a brief tenure. / Jack Blaylock Bullpen Coach for the 1948 Brooklyn Dodgers

Fellows who managed in the KOM League who had former big league experience included: / Claude Willoughby / Boyd Bartley / Al Smith (Cleveland pitcher who stopped DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak) / Harry Craft (Played centerfield in Johnny Vander Meer's back to back no hitters) / Tedd Gullic / Jim Oglesby / Pug Griffin / Hersh Martin / Chuck Hostetler / Burleigh Grimes /

Hall of Fame Alumni

• Burleigh Grimes, 1948 Manager Independence Yankees
• Mickey Mantle, 1949 Independence Yankees

Sources

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Second and Third Editions.
John Hall: KOM League Historian

External Links

The KOM League