Cowpokes Come From Behind in Seventh to Beat Tigers, 5-3

Cook to Hurl For Bengals in Finale Today
(Columbia Daily Tribune, April 17, 1954)

The Oklahoma A&M Cowpokes came from behind with two runs in the seventh inning and went on to hand the Missouri Tigers their second defeat of the season, 5-3, on a windswept afternoon in Stillwater yesterday afternoon.

The Cowpokes' seventh-inning rally against "reliefer" Bert Beckmann came after the Tigers had taken a 3-2 lead in their half on a hit batsman, a walk, two stolen bases, and Bob Musgrave's single.

The Tigers drew first blood, with a run in the first inning off Cowpoke starter Tom Borland. Dick Dickinson, leading off, drew a walk and was forced at second on Musgrave's grounder after Todd Sickel flied out. Jerry Schoonmaker then lofted a wind-blown single to center and Musgrave scored all the way from first.

Kammer held the Aggies at bay until the fourth when Jim Woolard tied the score with a bases-empty homer. In the A&M fifth, Ron Bennett led off with a short fly to left. Sam Sayers charged in, dived for the ball, and came up with what the base umpire ruled a fair catch. Meanwhile the plate umpire had overruled and Bennett went to second as Sayers, unaware of the reversal, held the ball. Phil Finegan then lashed a triple to the right field corner and the Cowpokes were in the lead, 2-1.

With one out in the Tiger seventh Kammer was hit by a pitch and Simmons sent in Dick Adler as a pinch runner. Adler promptly stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Dickinson drew a walk and stole second and both runs scored on Musgrave's single to right.

Beckmann went to the mound for the Tigers in the Cowpoke seventh and Max Bunyard greeted him with a single. Fred Babb sacrificed and Bennett singled to score Bunyard and took second on the throw to the plate. Bennett then stole third and Paul Tretiak, assistant Tiger coach, was ordered off the premises after a heated dispute over the decision. Finegan walked and on a double steal attempt, Catcher George Gleason faked a throw to second, threw to third, hit Bennett in the back and the Aggie outfielder scampered across with the second run of the inning.


Oklahoma A&M Cowboys

1954 Record: 18-11
Missouri Valley Conference Champions

Head Coach: Toby Greene
21 years (1942-43; 1946-64)
318-132 (.707)

Missouri and Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) were both once in the Missouri Valley Conference, but never at the same time. The Tigers were members of the MVC from 1907-09 and 1927-28, while the Cowboys were in the Valley from 1925-26 and 1956-57.
MU joined the Big Six in 1929, while Oklahoma State turned the Big Seven into the Big 8 by joining in 1958.