Bolen heads into 40th season as manager

~ The Capahas open the season tonight at home against Valmeyer, Ill.

Jess Bolen has a simple explanation as to why he has been a fixture on Cape Girardeau's summer baseball scene for so long.

"I'd rather be doing this than sitting at home and watching TV," he said.

So Bolen will begin his 40th season as the manager of the Plaza Tire Capahas tonight when the Valmeyer (Ill.) Lakers visit Capaha Field for a 7:30 p.m. first pitch. The squads also will have a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday in Cape Girardeau.

The Capahas are coming off another impressive season, as they went 24-8 last year while making their 24th consecutive appearance in the National Baseball Congress World Series.

Bolen, who used to play for the Capahas, has a 1,253-322 record in charge of what is believed to be the nation's oldest amateur baseball team. The squad was founded in 1894.

"As long as I feel good and I really enjoy it, I want to keep going," Bolen said. "Right now I feel great. I'm ready to go, and I'm looking forward to a good year."

Asked if he ever envisioned running the Capahas this long, Bolen laughed.

"No way," he said. "But if it wasn't for all our great sponsors we've had over the years and my wife Mary raising all the money she does and doing so many other things to help out, I'd have been out of it a long time ago.

"Representing the oldest amateur team in the nation, and wanting to make sure it keeps going, it would be hard for me to get out of it. Plus, I've always got a bunch of really good kids, which makes it even more enjoyable."

Bolen will have close to an equal mix of veterans and newcomers this summer.

Returning around the field are catcher Levi Olson, first baseman Josh Ford, second baseman Seth Hudson, shortstop Robby Moore, outfielder Tom Bolen and outfielder Bryan Kurt.

Olson recently completed his eligibility at Southeast Missouri State, where as a senior he made first-team all-Ohio Valley Conference and led the Redhawks with a .343 average.

Central High School product Hudson batted .385 as a junior at Murray State this year, although he will miss the early part of the summer season with a hand injury.

Moore plays for Southeast, Central product Ford plays for Arkansas State, Kurt used to play for Southeast and Central product Bolen -- the manager's son -- ranks as the longest-tenured current Capaha with 11 years of experience.

Olson, Hudson, Moore, Ford, Bolen and Kurt all batted better than .300 last year for the Capahas, who primarily use wood bats.

Returning pitchers are Jamie McAlister, who recently completed his career at Southeast as one of the Redhawks' primary starters; Jackson's Josh Parham, who had a strong junior season as a reliever for Southeast this year; Central product and former SIU hurler Jason Chavez; Chad Bogenpohl, from Oak Ridge and Southeast; and Chaffee's Matt Stroup.

Stroup (5-1), McAlister (3-0), Chavez (3-3), Bogenpohl (2-1) and Parham (three saves) were among the Capahas top pitchers last year.

The Capahas will welcome three Southeast products around the field in outfielder Dustin Pritchett, third baseman Daryl Graham and outfielder/infielder Chris Gibson, who recently completed his eligibility.

Pritchett batted .319 as a Southeast junior this year and made the OVC all-tournament team.

Other newcomers are outfielder Zach Johnson, infielder/pitcher Scott Hubbard, and pitchers Shayn Mabury, Kyle Perry and Joe Haggerty.

Johnson, Hubbard and Mabury all played two years ago at Mineral Area College; Perry is a former Murray State star who was also with the Capahas for several seasons; and Haggerty, a former Jefferson College standout, missed this past season at Nicholls (La.) State with a shoulder injury that will force him to miss the first few weeks of the summer.

Another possible Capahas pitcher is Anthony Maupin, the top winner as a senior for Southeast this year. Bolen said Maupin will start tonight's opener, but he has a tryout next week with the independent River City Rascals. If that goes well, Bolen figures he could lose Maupin.

In addition, Bolen said, "As the season goes along, we always pick up some extra players. I'm sure that's going to happen again."

Bolen said there is a chance the Capahas could start slow, since several of their key pitchers have been out of college for at least a year.

But, as usual, expect Cape Girardeau's tradition-rich team to once again shine.

"With people like Stroup, Chavez, McAlister, Bogenpohl, Perry, maybe Maupin, Parham out of the bullpen, you've got some good arms there, so once they get some innings under their belt, I think we'll be fine," Bolen said. "We lost some good hitters, but I think we've picked up some good people.

"I think we'll have an opportunity to score some runs, but I don't think we'll have an overpowering lineup. Pitching and defense will be the way we'll have to go, but that's usually how it is with wood bats."

Added Bolen: "You always want to have a good season and you want to get to Wichita [for the NBC World Series]. That's always the ultimate goal for us, and I think we'll have the team to do it."

Again.

CAPAHAS SCHEDULE

JUNE

2 -- Valmeyer, Ill., 7:30 p.m.

3 -- Valmeyer, Ill. (2), 1 p.m.

4 -- at Tradewater, Ky. (2), 1:30 p.m.

9 -- Wayne County, Ill., 7:30 p.m.

10 -- Fairview Heights, Ill. (2), 1 p.m.

11 -- Tradewater, Ky. (2), 1:30 p.m.

13 -- at Riverdogs, 7 p.m.

14 -- at Fairview Heights, Ill., 7:30 p.m.

16 -- Riverdogs (2), 7 p.m.

17 -- St. Louis Golden Spikes (2), 1 p.m.

18 -- St. Louis Printers (2), 1 p.m.

20 -- at Riverdogs, 7 p.m.

21 -- at St. Louis Golden Spikes, 7:30 p.m.

23 -- Riverdogs (2), 6 p.m.

28 -- at St. Louis Golden Spikes, 7:30 p.m.

30 -- Riverdogs, 7 p.m.

JULY

2 -- Chicago Titans, 4 p.m.

5 -- at Riverdogs, 7 p.m.

7 -- Wayne County, Ill., TBD

8 -- at St. Louis Printers (2), 1 p.m.

9 -- Springfield, Ill. (2), 1 p.m.

12 -- at Fairview Heights, Ill., 7:30 p.m.

14-15-16 -- NBC Mid-South Regional, TBD

22 -- at Valmeyer, Ill. (2), 1 p.m.

23 -- at Springfield, Ill. (2), 1 p.m.

25 -- at Fairview Heights, Ill., 7:30 p.m.

AUGUST

TBD -- at NBC World Series, Wichita, Kan., TBD