Capahas manager Tom Bolen wins 100th game

The Capahas are not just America's oldest amateur baseball team, but also a Bolen family tradition.

Tom Bolen took the managerial reigns from his father, Jess Bolen, in 2017 and won his 100th game after sweeping the Saline County Monarchs 25-9 and 25-0 on Sunday.

Bolen had to be reminded about the milestone by his teenage son, T.J. Bolen, who manages the scoreboard during games and takes an at-bat here and there. Jess managed the Capahas for 50 years before his son became the skipper, and is still a fixture within the team and the community.

"Dad left a pretty big ladder to try to climb," Bolen said. "I think he's got 1,500 wins or whatnot. I know I won't ever get to that point. It's always it's been in the family for 60, almost 70 years. We come out we play baseball. It's free entertainment for the local players and it gives local kids an opportunity to play competitive baseball."

The Capahas finished last season 4-18 but entered this summer with a brand new team, featuring plenty of junior college players.

"It's a complete overhaul," Bolen said. "I like getting junior college players because it seems like they're a little more hungry to get to that four-year school and continue their athletic career."

While the roster seems new, the Capahas there are quite a few familiar faces on this year's squad, many of whom have recently played high school ball in the SEMO Conference.

"I love going to the kids from Notre Dame, Jackson, Cape Central, Charleston," Bolen said. "They're all coached by great coaches, and when they get to you, they've been taught the game, and it's easier to coach them.

"I've heard a lot of the conversations about when they played against each other in high school or the SEMO conference tournament," he said. "That's what I love to hear, is the kids competing against each other, and then they're now on the same team."

Ty Thatcher (Cape Central), Grant James (Notre Dame), Ben Bledsoe (Charleston), and Dawson Crawford (Charleston) are among a pitching staff that Bolen considers the deepest he's ever had in his coaching career.

"I think that the pitching staff is the deepest that we've ever had, or I've ever had in my two years of coaching at Lindenwood or my sixth year here," Bolen said. "We're 10 pitchers deep, and every single one of them goes out there and is effective, and that's all you can ask for."

The Capahas host Millstadt on Saturday, June 3, and travel north on Sunday, June 4, to take on the St. Louis Spikes. Both doubleheaders start at 1:30 p.m., with the second game starting at around 3:30 p.m.