- Writing parking tickets with a friendly smile (4/23/24)2
- Mayor Ford, Kiwanis light up Capaha Park's diamond (4/16/24)1
- The rise and fall of Capaha Park's wooden grandstand (4/9/24)
- Death of Judge Pat Dyer, prosecutor of the famous peonage case here in 1906 (4/2/24)2
- A third steamer Cape Girardeau was christened 100 years ago (3/26/24)
- Cape Girardeau christens its namesake (3/19/24)
- The humanist philosophy of Lester Mondale (3/12/24)1
Recalling the '47 Capahas
Last week's blog brought you the story of an old timers' baseball game played in 1972 and featuring numerous former Capahas players. Some of those who played got their baseball starts in the 1930s and '40s.
While the blog didn't mention it, another article published in 1972 to spark interest in the reunion game, a cerebral palsy benefit, talked extensively about the impressive season the Capahas had in 1947.
Here it is, along with a photograph originally published in that banner year.
Published Aug. 1, 1947, in the Southeast Missourian:
Published June 28, 1972, in the Southeast Missourian:
CAPAHAS OLD-TIMERS STARS IN '47
By RAY OWEN
Missourian sports editor
Money woes are an independent baseball manager's biggest worry, especially when state tournament time rolls around and the search starts for funds to make weekend trips. And, should a team capture the state honors, it's on to the nationals, where even longer trips are required.
This was one of the worries which faced Lewis "Lou" Weiss 25 years ago when his Cape Girardeau Capahas suddenly found themselves in the finals of the state tournament, being conducted at Sedalia.
Sentimental favorites
But, that problem was a short-lived one. After winning eight of nine games in state competition, the Southeast Missourians were sentimental favorites at Sedalia, and the host town "adopted" them.
"If you can't get the money to go to nationals from Cape Girardeau, we'll send you," was the cry of Sedalia city officials and townspeople.
"And, if this happens," pointed out Weiss, "we'll carry the Sedalia banner to the nationals."
It didn't happen.
First off, Cape Girardeau businessmen responded to the call, claiming they would "chip in" to pay the tab.
Secondly, the Capahas lost the championship game, a 6-3 decision to Kirksville.
But, that was one of the great years for the Cape Girardeau Capahas, one in which they lost only three games, two of them in state competition.
Weiss, a big right-handed pitcher who had kicked around the pro-ranks in farm club circles, did some of the chunking for the Caps, and another fellow who rose to Triple-A farm club fame, Roy Smith, provided the Girardeans with a solid one-two mound corp.
Smith, acclaimed by many old-time Girardeans as one of the best pitchers ever to come from the SEMO area, came away from Sedalia with a trophy of his own, for his performance, which included five wins. Capaha Jack Behrens, an outfielder, claimed the hitting trophy, blasting opponents for a hefty .340 mark in the 10-game series.
Weiss, who was the loser in the championship game, didn't do too badly either. He pitched three shutouts between the first and final games of the tournament.
Old-timers game
Weiss and Smith will return to baseball action this weekend, as opponents, in a three-inning old-timers game to be held at Capaha Park, in a cerebral palsy benefit game.
The game will precede a contest between the present day Capahas and a strong Carbondale, Illinois, team, which includes several members from a good Southern Illinois University team.
Tickets for the affair may be purchased at several Cape Girardeau business establishments, including Howard's Sports Shop, and the University Shop.
Game time for the old-timers: 6:30 p.m.
The Capahas took on anybody who would play them in the year 1947 and didn't lose a game after returning from the state tournament.
'Hot box' man
Leon Brinkopf, who coached the Cape Central Tigers to many SEMO championships and one state tournament title, handled the "hot-box" corner at third base. With him on the field were Marty Radmer at shortstop, Mel Schwab at first base, and Bill Crabtree at second base, where he shared duties with Jack Hinton.
Weldon Hager was an infielder, so was Albert "Junior" Gross, who also handled catching duty anytime Weiss was on he mound. When Smith was pitching, Weiss often times was the receiver.
In the outfield were Morris Gains, Jack Behrens, Pete Schwab and/or Quinton Keller. Bill Upton was a top utility player, along with Garnett Williamson.
First-game loss
The Capahas went into the state tournament with only one loss, but fell under the barrage of the Kansas City Sugar Creeks, 4-1.
Back home, the townspeople were hopeful that the team would win a game or two, just to "look good."
The Capahas did win. They bumped the Tuxedo Bears of Kansas City, 6-0, then blanked the TWA team of Kansas City. Then, the Hybrids of Lawson fell, 5-1.
In a big game against the capital city, the Capahas came away a 2-1 winner, as Smith fired hitless baseball for seven innings.
Leon Brinkopf singled, Weiss tripled and Morris poled a sacrifice fly to give the Girardeans their two runs in the seventh inning.
Jeff City scored in the ninth, but only once.
Then, followed wins over John Baker of Kansas City, 9-0, over the KC Burnetts, 2-1, and Sugar Creek again, 9-0.
To the finals
"We made only four errors after that opening game," commented Manager Weiss. "And, we were hitting the ball." Pete Schwab was .376 after the first eight games, Weiss was .357, and Behrens .333.
Capaha pitching had allowed only seven runs, four of them in the first game.
Now was the big one, against Kirksville, which had breezed through five games to reach the finals in the double elimination.
Smith was the starter. A group of some 250 Cape Girardeans had driven the 310 miles to Sedalia. A total of 1,500 fans were on hand for the game.
The Capahas jumped on the offerings of Kirksville southpaw J. Buban for four runs in the first and sent him to the showers in the second with two more runs.
It was the first time during the year that Buban had been "chased" and his first loss.
In all the Capahas collected 11 hits, including three triples and a double. Roy Smith limited Kirksville to six scattered hits, and the final score was 9-2.
Marty Radmer had a triple and a single for the Caps, Schwab had two singles and Smith added a single and a double.
Now, the Caps had to wait a week for the championship game against the same team.
'Little rest'
The Capahas had little rest. They had to come back the next night against the same team.
Weiss was the pitcher. Kirksville tagged him for three runs in the first, when a Kirksville batter crashed a three-run homer. When it was all over, the locals were on the short end of a 6-3 score.
Smith and Weiss were each selected to the all-tournament team. So was Schwab, Leon Brinkopf and Marty Radmer.
It was over. Kirksville was the champ, having played only six games. The Capahas were the runner-ups, having to battle up from the loser's ranks, to play 10 games, finishing at 8-2.
It was a great year for the Capahas, that 1947 season.
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