The KOM (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri) League's final reunion is scheduled to begin Sept. 7, and at least four former major league players are expected to be in Carthage for the event, according to its organizer, author John Hall.
Hall, whose baseball books on Mickey Mantle's minor league days and on the KOM League (He was a batboy for the Carthage team), said in a KOM Flash Report Tuesday that former St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals manager Whitey Herzog, former Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees second baseman Jerry Lumpe, who is a Springfield resident; former Cardinal and Pittsburgh Pirate center fielder Bill Virdon of West Plains, and former Cardinal pitcher Cloyd Boyer of Alba, are scheduled to be here for the event.
The KOM League thrived in the three states (though Carthage was the only Missouri team) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Hall has kept the group together in recent years through a magazine, an e-mail newsletter, his books, "Majoring in the Minors," and regular reunions.
One of the highlights for me during the 1999 reunion, which was also held in Carthage, was watching the old timers baseball game at Carl Lewton Stadium and seeing Virdon, who at that time was in his mid to late 60s, step up and line the first pitch over the second baseman's head into right field for a solid single as if he had never stopped playing.
The schedule for next month's reunion, according to Hall, is:
Thursday—Sept. 7
Start arriving anytime the urge hits you. If you arrive before noon you'll be on your own.
2:00—5:00 P. M. –Registration for those who didn't pre-register— Precious Moments Best Western.
6:00 P. M. Buffet at Souper Sam's at Precious Moments "World Headquarters."
8:00 P. M. Lights out and bed check by any former manager attending.
Friday—Sept. 8
7:00 to 9:00 A. M., or so. Continental Breakfast at Precious Moments Best Western..
9:00 —11:30 A. M. Sight seeing at Precious Moments or other sites around Carthage.
12:00—1:00 P. M. Lunch at Kendrick House a Civil War site on the north city limit of Carthage.
1:30—2:00 P. M. Tour of Americold. This is the underground storage facility that was the outgrowth of the closing of quarrying operations of Carthage Marble. This is one of America's largest multi-purpose storage sites and we were very fortunate to be given honor of touring it.
2:00—6:00 P. M. Nothing scheduled.
6:00 P. M. Banquet at Souper Sam's at Precious Moments World Headquarters.
Saturday Sept. 9
7:00 —8:30 A. M., or maybe 9:00 Continental Breakfast at Precious Moments Best Western.
9:00—12:00 Do whatever you like but be at Municipal Park by noon.
12:00—Picnic in the park.
1:30 P. M.—Tribute to deceased former KOM Leaguers in the old KOM League stadium. Scottish pipers, honor guard etc. will be some of the features of this special event.
3:00—5:30 P. M. Free time.
5:30 P. M—"The Last Supper" of this and all former KOM League reunions.
Special music by "The Millers" of Springfield, MO.
A word or two from a former player or two.
A few things that can't be announced in advance for quite frankly I don't know what they might be. But, as with all former reunions, something special and unanticipated will occur.
Sunday Sept. 10
Whenever you awake, "The Last Breakfast."
Then, the attendees will depart. Some will probably shed a tear or two while others will rejoice that the ordeal of KOM League reunions have finally come to an end. For most of us we’ll remember the good things that have happened over the past decade, or so, and we'll only regret we didn’t think of doing this many years prior to 1995.
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