Jerry Schoonmaker Named 1955 Team Captain

(Columbia Daily Tribune, June 17, 1954)
Jerry Schoonmaker, Missouri's centerfielder, was elected captain of the 1955 Tiger baseball team by his teammates last night. The 22-year old junior from Lebanon was chosen as the Missourians returned by bus to the hotel from Omaha's Municipal stadium where the Tigers had won the first national sports crown ever garnered by an M.U. athletic team.


Jerry's older brother, Bob Schoonmaker, wasn't around for the election, however. He had been rushed by police patrol car from the field to the airport to catch a plane for New York City, where he is to marry Miss Beverly Jean Enstrom of Lebanon on a nationwide television show Monday. He had to be there at 7 o'clock this morning.
Bob was saved from leaving the Tiger-Rollins game early when it was concluded before a 10:20 o'clock deadline for his departure. Missouri Coach John (Hi) Simmons had arranged for the plane trip after a 24-hour delay because of rain had forced Schoonmaker to cancel plans to go to New York via Lebanon where he was to have picked up Miss Enstrom.
Bob was asked to say a few words before he left, and the pressure on him was evident as he confided: "I'm on my way to New York - I think I'm supposed to be married."


Catcher George Gleason was named by his teammates as the Tigers' Most Valuable player and received a trophy from the Omaha Rotarians, who sponsored Missouri. The Tigers also received team trophies from the NCAA and a beverage company, and each individual player received an engraved plaque and a gold engraved tie clasp.


Buddy Cox, second baseman, led Missouri hitters with a .412 average for the series. Todd Sickel, third baseman, was second with .381. Cox also stole five bases.


The Missouri-Rollins game drew 7,810 fans to bring the tourney total to 35,000 - a 2,000 increase over last year and the highest figure for the five years the NCAA meet has been held in Omaha.


There were loud wails of protest from the press box when Tom "Yewk", Michigan State catcher, was announced as the tournament’s most valuable player. As one writer remarked, “If he was so valuable, why wasn’t his team in the finals?”
Another called it a SOP to the Big Ten. “After all,” said another, “it was Yewk’s rock that gave Missouri a victory on Monday.”