Court cases bring to light forgotten Southeast Missouri Baseball Association

Regional baseball teams in the Southeast Missouri region began as early as 1909. At that time, the Pemiscot Argus newspaper reported that nine teams were to be included in a proposed Southeast Missouri Baseball Association. It took another five years before the organization officially formed, in the spring of 1914. Cities that provided teams were Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Portageville, Chaffee, Caruthersville and New Madrid.

In June 1923, the association organized in Pemiscot County with four teams from Caruthersville, Steele, Deering and Hayti. By 1931, the league had grown to include 10 clubs in the towns of Steele, Hayti, Wardell, Braggadocio, Pascola, Lilbourn, New Madrid, Denton, Cooter and Holland. The league also grew to include New Madrid County. E. Frank Foster served as president with Charles Jenkins of Steele as vice-president.

In the Oliver and Oliver Law Firm Papers at the State Historical Society of Missouri-Cape Girardeau Research Center are two court cases brought by the New Madrid and Cooter baseball clubs against the treasurer of the club, Lucas M. Davis, and Fidelity and Casualty Company of New York in 1932. The clubs were suing because they were not paid for their respective first-place finishes for each half of the season. Each club's suit includes the names of the players and manager, rules of the organization, meeting minutes and two signed contracts for the players. Both cases were dismissed after Davis submitted payment to both teams.

It is not known, at this time, if any players went on to play professional ball.

The association lasted until the 1940s with different cities putting up teams each year. By the 1950s the leagues had morphed into area high school teams competing against each other.