Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs

Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs
19651971
Fort Worth, Texas
Class-level
Previous AA
Minor league affiliations
League Texas League
Major league affiliations
Previous
Minor league titles
League titles None
Team data
Previous names
Spurs
Previous parks
Turnpike Stadium

The Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs were an American minor league baseball team in the Texas League from 1965–1971.[1] The team played in Turnpike Stadium in Arlington, Texas.[2]

The Spurs were created when the Triple-A Dallas Rangers moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1965.[3] With the opening of Turnpike Stadium, the Double-A Texas League's Fort Worth Cats, an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, moved into the new venue and adopted the regional Dallas-Fort Worth designation and the Spurs nickname.[2]

The Spurs were affiliated with the Cubs (1965–1967),[4][5] Houston Astros (1968),[6] and Baltimore Orioles (1969–1971).[7][8] In its affiliation with Baltimore, the team featured future Major League players Don Baylor,[7] Bobby Grich,[7] Enos Cabell,[8] and Wayne Garland,[8] along with managers Cal Ripken Sr.[8] and Joe Altobelli[7] and batboy Cal Ripken Jr.

The Spurs set many Texas League attendance records, especially after Turnpike Stadium expanded to a capacity of 20,500 in 1970.[9] The Dallas-Fort Worth area was considered a prime location for an expansion team or a re-located franchise. Indeed, Turnpike Stadium had been built specifically to attract a major-league team to the Metroplex. That dream nearly came to fruition when the National League expanded in 1969. But the league instead expanded to Montreal, with the Montreal Expos.[10]

Two years later, the struggling Washington Senators received American League permission to transfer to the area in 1972 as the Texas Rangers,[11] who moved into Turnpike Stadium (expanded and renamed Arlington Stadium).[12]

References

  1. Franchise History since 1902 at texas-league.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  2. 1 2 The History of Baseball in Fort Worth at fwcats.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  3. Pacific Coast League (AAA) Encyclopedia and History at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  4. 1965 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  5. 1967 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  6. 1968 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  7. 1 2 3 4 1969 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  8. 1 2 3 4 1971 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  9. A look at historic stadiums in Dallas-Fort Worth area at pe.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  10. The Team That Nearly Wasn’t: The Montreal Expos by Maury Brown at hardballtimes.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  11. Historical Moments at sportsencyclopedia.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
  12. Arlington Stadium at ballparks.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09

External links

Preceded by
Fort Worth Cats
Chicago Cubs
Double-A affiliate

1965–1967
Succeeded by
San Antonio Missions
Preceded by
Amarillo Sonics
Houston Astros
Double-A affiliate

1968
Succeeded by
Savannah Senators
Preceded by
Elmira Pioneers
Baltimore Orioles
Double-A affiliate

1969–1971
Succeeded by
Asheville Orioles
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