Capahas were old hat by 1904

No summer amateur baseball squad has a tradition quite like the Cape Girardeau Capahas.

The Capahas, believed to be the oldest amateur baseball team in the United States, go as far back as 1894, although it is not known for certain that it was their first year of existence.

What is certain is that by the time the Southeast Missourian began publishing in 1904, the Capahas had already been playing baseball for a minimum of 10 years.

The Capahas, named after the flour company and not the Capaha Indian tribe, fielded and played against some outstanding players during their early years of existence.

During those early days, many professional ballplayers would play on "barnstorming" teams and play against teams like the Capahas. In fact, in 1908, members of the St. Louis Browns beat the Capahas 11-5.

The Capahas' first manager was Bud Holiday. In 1910, Martin Oberheide was manager and the team had its first golden era, often drawing 1,000 fans at Sunday games.