Hall of Fame
With right-handers Wayne France and Gary Churchwell combining to throw 14 innings of shutout baseball in St. Louis, the 1959 Joplin HS baseball team earned its second state championship.
Coached by Ken Cochran, the Eagles went 20-2 and shared the Ozark Conference title with Hillcrest.
The Ealges earned the regional championship with a 2-1 decision over Hillcrest and a berth in the MSHSAA state semi-finals.
In the semis, Churchwell tossed a complete-game two-hitter with seven strikeouts, no walks, and the Joplin defense did not commit an error as the Eagles defeated St. Louis University High 1-0.
Joplin scored its lone run in the sixth off Junior Bills' ace Bill Law when Jim Harrison reached on an error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Don Marrs and then scored on Jim Carpenter's single down the left field line.
In the championship game against St. Louis Ferguson High, France started and threw five innings stirking out three and walking two. He gave up a leadoff walk to start the sixth and then Churchwell came on the close out the game striking out two and walking one. The two pitchers combined to allow four hits.
The Eagles scored their lone run in the thirs when Jim Harrison led off the inning with a single, Don Marrs beat out a bunt to reach base and Lee Mascher single to left to score Harrison with the game-winner.
Martin Brown's defensive gem preserved the win. With runners on second and third with one out, Brown caught a fly ball in right and threw out the runner at the plate to end the threat.
1959 Baseball Team Roster
Seniors
Wayne France
C.L. (Curtis) Stokes
Jim Harrison
Larry Six
Mal Bass
Jim Edwards
Martin Brown
Gary Churchwell
Fred Ferguson
Juniors
Jim Carpenter
Don Marrs
Lee Mascher
Gayle West
John Sohosky
Sam Cushman
Greg Campbell
Sophomores
Kent Sohosky
Mike Smith
Staff
Ken Cochran, head coach
Bill "Red" Haynes, assistant coach
Richard Storm, student manager
