Capahas launch season tonight

~ Plaza Tire will have a mix of new, old faces when Valmeyer visits Capaha Field

Jess Bolen has two main criteria for returning to the Plaza Tire Capahas' dugout each summer.

Health and enjoyment.

Bolen's health is solid. He's still having plenty of fun.

So today Bolen begins his 45th season as manager of one of the nation's oldest amateur baseball teams, which was formed in 1894.

The Capahas open the campaign with an 8 p.m. first pitch against visiting Valmeyer, Ill. The squads also will play at 1 p.m. Saturday at Capaha Field.

"I say it every year, but it depends on my health, how good I feel and how much I'm still enjoying it," said the 69-year-old Bolen, who has led the Capahas to a 1,384-372 record and 29 straight trips to the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan. "I feel good and I still enjoy it."

Bolen figures to enjoy another strong season after the 2011 Capahas went 26-12 and won their sixth consecutive NBC Mid-South Regional title.

"I think we'll have a good team. Time will tell," Bolen said. "I'm looking forward to getting it going."

The Capahas' 22-man roster features 11 returners from last year along with two others who previously played for the club.

Thirteen of the 22 have played at Southeast Missouri State, including eight off this year's team. Most of the others also have Division I experience.

"People who enjoyed watching SEMO play this year, we've got a bunch of those guys," Bolen said. "We've got a lot of good former and current Division I college players and a lot of kids who played high school ball right around here."

Returning position players are first baseman Sean Bard, first baseman/third baseman Kody Campbell, infielder/outfielder Daryl Graham and second baseman/shortstop Jordan Kimball.

Returning pitchers are Kirk Boeller, Jason Chavez, Cody Hafele, Dustin Hunter, Brad LaBruyere, Anthony Maupin and Jacob Wente.

Campbell, Graham, Boeller, LaBruyere, Maupin and Wente are all Southeast products. Boeller, LaBruyere and Wente completed their eligibility this season, while Campbell has another year left.

Bard (Mississippi Valley State), Kimball (Arkansas State) and Chavez (SIU-Carbondale) are former college players. Hunter just finished his junior year at Western Illinois and Hafeli recently completed his eligibility at Kankakee (Ill.) Community College.

Position newcomers are catcher Ky Burgess, who finished at Southeast this year; catcher Tyler Qualls, who recently completed his freshman season at Louisiana Tech; shortstop Kenton Parmley, who will be a senior at Southeast and has started since his freshman year; outfielder Blake Slattery, who finished at Southeast this year; infielder/outfielder Dylan Drury, who finished at Parkland (Ill.) Junior College this year and has signed with Division II power Central Missouri State; and outfielder Jake Pewitt, who recently completed his freshman season at Parkland.

Mound additions include James Leigh and Jamie McAlister, two Southeast products who are back with the Capahas after not playing last season.

Other first-year pitchers are former Southeast hurlers Kyle Gumieny and Trent Wise -- Wise completed his eligibility this year -- along with Bryan Waldrop, a freshman at SIU-Carbondale this season.

"I think we'll have a fine team once we get some games under our belt and get used to playing together," Bolen said. "We've got some good pitchers, and it always starts with pitching."

Local high school products on the roster are Bard (Central), Boeller (Notre Dame), Campbell (Oran), Chavez (Central), Drury (Notre Dame), LaBruyere (Central), Pewitt (Notre Dame), Qualls (Jackson) and Slattery (Central).

Assisting Bolen with the coaching duties for the second straight season will be his son Tom, who retired last year following a 14-year playing career with the Capahas although he continues to fill in as a player when needed.

"He did a good job helping run the ballclub last year," Jess Bolen said. "He can always fill in if we're short of players, which usually happens in summer ball."

Noteworthy

* The Capahas will not host an NBC qualifier this year after Bolen said NBC officials told him each qualifier now must consist of at least eight teams.

But squads still can qualify for the NBC World Series through league play. The Capahas have helped form the Midwest Wood Bat League, which features several squads that have been on the schedule including Perryville.

* Today will be Jess Bolen Night at Capaha Field in honor of the manager who was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year.

Cape Girardeau mayor Harry Rediger will present Bolen with a plaque recognizing his accomplishments. All former players are invited to join in and they should be near the field by about 7:25 p.m