Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League
| Sport | Minor League Baseball (Class D) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1946 |
| Ceased | 1952 |
| No. of teams | 9 |
| Country | USA |
| Most titles | 3 : Ponca City Dodgers (1948, 1950-1951) |
The Kansas–Oklahoma–Missouri League (or KOM League) was a name of an American minor league baseball league which was established in 1946. It existed for seven seasons (1946-1952) as a Class D League. Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee Mickey Mantle played in the league for the Independence Yankees in 1949, hitting .313 with 7 HR, 63 RBI.[1]
Teams
- Bartlesville Oilers (1946-1947); Bartlesville Pirates (1948-1952)
- Blackwell Broncos (1952)
- Carthage Cardinals (1946-1948); Carthage Cubs (1949-1951)
- Chanute Athletics (1946-1947, 1949-1950); Chanute Giants (1948);
- Independence Yankees (1947-1950); Independence Browns 1952
- Iola Cubs (1946-1947); Iola Indians (1948-1952)
- Miami Blues (1946); Miami Owls (1947-1949); Miami Eagles (1950-1952)
- Pittsburg Browns (1946-1951); Pittsburg Pirates (1952)
- Ponca City Dodgers (1947-1952)
Year by Year
1946
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.
| Chanute Owls | Topeka, Kansas Owls | 68-53 |
| Miami Blues | Brooklyn Dodgers * | 69-54 |
| Iola Cubs | Chicago Cubs | 63-57 |
| Pittsburg Browns | St. Louis Browns | 61-59 |
| Carthage Cardinals | St. Louis Cardinals | 54-66 |
| Bartlesville Oilers | Pittsburgh Pirates | 47-73 |
- 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
Teams from Independence, Kansas and Ponca City, Oklahoma joined.
| Miami Owls Topeka, | Topeka, Kansas Owls | 76-49 |
| Iola Cubs | Chicago Cubs | 69-54 |
| Pittsburg Browns | St. Louis Browns | 69-54 |
| Bartlesville Oilers | Pittsburgh Pirates | 68-56 |
| Carthage Cardinals | St. Louis Cardinals | 66-59 |
| Ponca City Dodgers | Brooklyn Dodgers | 61-67 |
| Chanute Athletics | Independent | 44-80 |
| Independence Yankees | New York Yankees | 41-80 |
Miami beats Bartlesville in the first round of the playoffs 3 games to 1. Iola beat Pittsburgh by the same number. Miami won the championship over Iola, 4 games to 1.
1948
| Ponca City Dodgers | Brooklyn Dodgers | 79-47 |
| Independence Yankees | New York Yankees | 74-46 |
| Bartlesville Pirates | Pittsburgh Pirates | 71-52 |
| Pittsburg Browns | St. Louis Browns | 60-60 |
| Miami Owls | Topeka, Kansas Owls | 58-66 |
| Carthage Cardinals | St. Louis Cardinals | 51-67 |
| Iola Indians | Working agreement with Cleveland | 51-72 |
| Chanute Giants | New York Giants | 44-78 |
The Independence Yankees defeated Pittsburg Browns 4 games to 1.
1949
| Independence Yankees | New York Yankees | 71-53 |
| Bartlesville Pirates | Pittsburgh Pirates | 71-55 |
| Iola Indians | Cleveland Indians | 70-55 |
| Ponca City Dodgers | Brooklyn Dodgers | 66-59 |
| Chanute Athletics | Independent | 65-60 |
| Carthage Cubs | Chicago Cubs | 62-64 |
| Miami Owls | Topeka, Kansas Owls | 56-69 |
| Pittsburg Browns | St. Louis Browns | 39-85 |
Independence beat Ponca City 3 games to 1 in the first playoff round. Iola beat Bartlesville by the same number. Independence beat Iola three games to none for the championship.
1950
| Ponca City Dodgers | Brooklyn Dodgers | 80-42 |
| Bartlesville Pirates | Pittsburgh Pirates | 73-48 |
| Carthage Cubs | Chicago Cubs | 75-50 |
| Pittsburg Browns | St. Louis Browns | 71-52 |
| Miami Eagles | Independent | 62-60 |
| Independence Yankees | New York Yankees | 60-66 |
| Iola Indians | Independent | 35-84 |
| Chanute Athletics | Independent | 35-89 |
Ponca City beats Pittsburgh 3 games to 2 in the first round of playoffs. Bartlesville beat Carthage 3 games to one. Ponca City won the championship, defeating Bartlesville 3 games to 1.
1951
The teams in Chanute and Independence folded.
| Ponca City Dodgers | Brooklyn Dodgers | 85-39 |
| Bartlesville Pirates | Pittsburgh Pirates | 77-45 |
| Miami Eagles | Independent | 67-55 |
| Carthage Cubs | Chicago Cubs | 60-65 |
| Pittsburg Browns | St. Louis Browns | 41-80 |
| Iola Indians | Independent | 38-84 |
Carthage beat Ponca City 3 games to 2 in the first round. Miami beat Bartlesville 3 games to 1. Carthage beat Miami for the championship, winning the series 3 games to none.
1952
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.
| Iola Indians | Independent | 79-47 |
| Miami Eagles | Philadelphia Phillies | 67-57 |
| Ponca City Dodgers | Brooklyn Dodgers | 68-58 |
| Bartlesville Pirates/Pittsburg, Kansas. Pirates | Pittsburgh Pirates | 59-65 |
| Blackwell Broncos | Chicago Cubs | 57-69 |
| Independence Browns | St. Louis Browns | 46-80 |
Miami and Ponca City started a playoff series, with Miami winning both games. Then all the teams, and the league itself, folded.
References
- ↑ "Independence Yankees - BR Bullpen". Baseball-reference.com. 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
External links
- 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.