Central title gets better with years

Stories tend to grow as time passes and memories fade.

But there is no embellishment needed when the talking about the 1954 Cape Central Tigers.

The Tigers finished as conference co-champions in football, won a state title in basketball and then added a second state title with a 16-0 baseball season.

The Southeast Missourian described Central in the June 1, 1954, edition as "a pinnacle of success unparalleled in the annals of state high school sports."

Central reached this pinnacle when the baseball team defeated St. Louis Lutheran High School 5-4 on May 29, 1954, for the school's second state championship in three months.

On March 6 of that year, Central won the state basketball championship with a 79-55 win against St. Louis CBC High School.

"It was pretty overwhelming, in that it had never been done before to our knowledge," said Clarence "Dub" Suedekum, a member of both state championship teams.

Paul Stehr, Don Koch and Wood McComb also played for both teams.

Though Central won the state baseball title in 1954, the players thought that they had better chances to win in previous years, but the result never worked out in their favor. In 1952, the Tigers lost to St. Louis Central 2-0 in the state championship game. Frankie Bauman pitched a no-hitter for the Red Wings in that game. Bauman also pitched a no-hitter in the 1951 championship game against Sikeston and later signed with the Boston Red Sox for $85,000.

"They had such a great pitcher, and you weren't going to beat him," Stehr said. "You were lucky to hit him. But it probably helped in that it taught us a lot about hitting."

Central did not return to the state tournament in 1953, much to the surprise of McComb, who had moved to Kirkwood, Mo., that season.

"I was amazed that they were not up there and winning the state title," McComb said. "When we were sophomores, we were there and got beat by probably the best high school pitcher who ever lived. So that junior year, I was surprised that they were not there, with the great pitching on that team."

But everything finally went right in 1954. Central went 8-0 in the regular season and then marched through the state playoffs to become the first undefeated state baseball champion.

Stehr, McComb, Suedekum, Koch, Tony Wyatt, Jerry Moore, Malcolm Schack, Arlen Roberts and Tom Womack were the usual starters during Central's playoff run. While Suedekum was the team's No. 1 pitcher, Jerry Hinton won the state title game and was the starting pitcher in three games. Bob Hawn and Larry McKinney also saw playing time. Rounding out the roster were Dan Cobble, Dick Niedling and Bill Parks. Louis Muegge and Weldon Hager coached both state championship squads.

Central eased through the subdistrict and district games, highlighted by Suedekum's no-hitter against Perryville in the opening game, before winning four straight close games against St. Louis teams. No team outside St. Louis had previously won the state baseball title.

Central avenged their 1952 defeat by beating St. Louis Central 8-4 in the sectional at Capaha Park before heading to play the final three games in St. Louis. Central won all three games by one run.

McComb said that the players' success in basketball that year and the American Legion state titles won in 1951 and 1952 helped the players keep their concentration in St. Louis.

"There were no real blowouts on the way to the championship," McComb said. "It certainly gave us a lot of confidence that we wouldn't have otherwise had."

Suedekum said that by beating teams from St. Louis and Kansas City, the basketball championship gave the team confidence.

"I don't think we were overconfident," Suedekum said. "We knew that we had the ability to play even with them and then if the good Lord is willing, be able to come out on top."

In addition to the task of playing the bigger St. Louis schools, Central returned home after the first game in St. Louis so that the seniors could participate in graduation exercises. Central's 3-2 win against Normandy started early so that the Tigers could make the trip back to Cape Girardeau.

"We came back home to graduate that night," Suedekum said. "Then early the next morning, we headed back up there and we were so tired against McKinley from that trip down for graduation."

Said Koch: "We probably were not at 100 percent. We were good kids, we didn't party much, but we partied some and were a little tired in that game."

The partying did not seem to affect Koch in the first inning, as he hit a home run into the left field stands at old Busch Stadium.

"It was a thrill to hit one out at Sportsman's Park," Koch said. "I didn't see it hit the stands and I remember getting to first base and hearing Coach Hager yell at me, 'It's out of here. It's out of here.'"

The hit is one of the best memories for all the players.

"I can remember Don Koch hitting one over in left," Stehr said. "It was 386 feet there in old Sportsman's Park."

Suedekum added, "Koch's home run was a thrill for all of us country boys."

Koch's home run gave the Tigers an early lead, but Central could not put McKinley away until the 11th inning, winning 9-8.

In the state championship game, Central led 4-0 until Lutheran's Gary Zellinger hit an inside-the-park grand slam to tie the game in the sixth. The Tigers responded in the top of the seventh when Koch singled to drive in McComb for the winning run.

"It's 50 years later," Schack said. "But it felt really good then and feels really good now."

There were no stars on the team, the players said. Rather they were a group of good ballplayers that played as a team.

Schack said that the team's success started in grade school, when the players first began to play with and against each other.

"We had guys that played together and were worried about each other," Schack said.

While Stehr also said that the team's history of playing together led to an underlying confidence in each other, Suedekum said that maybe the biggest help was a lesson in humility two year's before.

"It helped that two years earlier the $85,000 bonus baby brought our heads back down to our hat size," Suedekum said. "Muegge told us afterwards that at least we wouldn't have to buy new hats."

Muegge served as a mentor, not only for his players, but for all the students at Central.

"We had a prince of a man for a coach," Schack said. "Lou Muegge is one of the best coaches Central has ever had."

Said Suedekum: "We owe a lot to our coach, Lou Muegge. He let us do our own thing, and every so often would give us some guidance. I believe anybody who went to Central when he was there would vouch for me, that he was a great mentor for all the guys."

Muegge passed away in July 1955 and it was a hard time for the players, some of whom served as pallbearers at the funeral.

"He was a great man who left too soon," Suedekum said. "We all miss him, even today."

The reunion for the class of 1954 is in October and Suedekum said that the players will get together and relive the memories, at least as best they can.

"We're all getting old, so we can't remember as well," Suedekum said. "So when telling a story, you add to it, knowing that you won't get caught. In fact, I think Koch's home run has now cleared the left field stands."