Texas League

Texas League

Texas League logo
Sport	Baseball
Founded	1902
No. of teams	8
Country	USA
Most recent champion(s)	Midland RockHounds
Official website	Official Website

The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified as a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892. It was called the Texas Association in 1895, the Texas-Southern League in 1896 and again as the Texas League from 1897–1899. It was revived as a class D league in 1902, moved to class C in 1904 where it played through 1910 (except for 1906 as class D again), played at class B until 1920, and finally moved up to class A in 1921. The Texas League, like many others, shut down during World War II. From 1959 to 1961, the Texas League and the Mexican League formed the Pan American Association. The two leagues played a limited interlocking schedule and post-season championship. By 1971, the Texas League and the Southern League had both decreased to seven teams. They played an interlocking schedule with the SL known as the Dixie Association. The two leagues played separate playoffs.

Despite the league's name, only its four South Division teams are actually based in Texas; the four North Division teams are located in surrounding states of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. The league maintains its headquarters in San Antonio.

The League's name is well known due to its association with a particular aspect of the game. A bloop single that drops between the infielders and outfielders has been called a Texas Leaguer since the 1890s, despite no evidence that it originated in the Texas League, or was any more common there than elsewhere.^[1] There is a common thread throughout Civil War anecdotes that refer to a game played 30 years earlier in the Sabine Pass area. As the story goes, a Union soldier hit a ball over the outfielder's head, leading him into a long chase for the ball which resulted in a bullet wound from a nearby sniper. After the incident, hits were only awarded for balls that landed between the infielders and outfielders.

Team moves

In recent years, the Texas League has witnessed a great deal of change. Teams once known as the Jackson Mets, El Paso Diablos, Shreveport Captains, and Wichita Wranglers have all relocated to new cities and bigger stadiums.

Current teams

Division	Team	MLB Affiliation	City	Stadium	Capacity
North	Arkansas Travelers	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	North Little Rock, Arkansas	Dickey-Stephens Park	7,200 [2]
	Northwest Arkansas Naturals	Kansas City Royals	Springdale, Arkansas	Arvest Ballpark	7,305 [3]
	Springfield Cardinals	St. Louis Cardinals	Springfield, Missouri	Hammons Field	10,486 [4]
	Tulsa Drillers	Los Angeles Dodgers	Tulsa, Oklahoma	ONEOK Field	7,833 [5]
South	Corpus Christi Hooks	Houston Astros	Corpus Christi, Texas	Whataburger Field	7,050 [6]
	Frisco RoughRiders	Texas Rangers	Frisco, Texas	Dr Pepper Ballpark	10,316 [7]
	Midland RockHounds	Oakland Athletics	Midland, Texas	Security Bank Ballpark	6,669 [8]
	San Antonio Missions	San Diego Padres	San Antonio, Texas	Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium	9,200 [9]

Current team rosters

Texas League map

Texas League timeline

League members Other Current League Other Defunct League

• In 1971, the Southern League and Texas League were both down to 7 teams so they formed the Dixie Association for one season. They played interlocking schedules but held their own separate playoffs.

Complete list of Texas League teams (1902-)

Albuquerque Dodgers Albuquerque Dukes Alexandria Aces Amarillo Giants Amarillo Gold Sox Amarillo Sonics Ardmore Rosebuds Ardmore Territorians Arkansas Travelers Austin Braves Austin Senators Beaumont Exporters Beaumont Golden Gators Beaumont Millionaires Beaumont Oil Gushers Beaumont Oilers Beaumont Roughnecks Brenham Orphans Cleburne Railroaders Corpus Christi Giants Corpus Christi Hooks Corsicana Oil Citys Corsicana Oilers Dallas Eagles Dallas Giants Dallas Griffins Dallas Marines Dallas Rangers Dallas Rebels Dallas Steers Dallas Submarines Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs El Paso Diablos El Paso Dodgers El Paso Sun Kings

Fort Worth Cats Fort Worth Panthers Fort Worth Spurs Frisco RoughRiders Galveston Buccaneers Galveston Crabs Galveston Pirates Galveston Sand Crabs Greenville Hunters Houston Buffaloes Jackson Astros Jackson Mets Jackson Soldiers Lafayette Drillers Lamesa Dodgers Lamesa Lobos Longview Cannibals Lubbock Cubs Lubbock Longhorns Lubbock Panhandlers Lufkin Circles Memphis Blues Midland Angels Midland Cubs Midland RockHounds Northwest Arkansas Naturals Oklahoma City Indians Oklahoma City Mets Paris Eisenfelder's Homeseekers Paris Parisites Pueblo Coloradans Rio Grande Valley Giants Round Rock Express

San Antonio Bears San Antonio Brewers San Antonio Bronchos San Antonio Bullets San Antonio Dodgers San Antonio Indians San Antonio Missions Sherman-Denison Students Shreveport Braves Shreveport Captains Shreveport Gassers Shreveport Pirates Shreveport Sports Shreveport Swamp Dragons Springfield Cardinals Temple Boll Weevils Texarkana Casketmakers Tulsa Cardinals Tulsa Drillers Tulsa Indians Tulsa Oilers Tyler Sports Tyler Texans Tyler Wildcats or Wildcatters Victoria Rosebuds Victoria Toros Waco Cubs Waco Navigators Waco Steers Waco Tigers Wichita Falls Spudders Wichita Kansans Wichita Pilots Wichita Wranglers Wichita Wingers

League champions and award winners

Hall of fame

References

Sources

• Baseball in the Lone Star State: Texas League's Greatest Hits, Tom Kayser and David King, Trinity University Press 2005

Notes

1. http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/texas/entry/texas_leaguer_texas_league_hit/
2. "Dickey-Stephens Park". Arkansas Diamonds: The Ballparks of Arkansas and Their History. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
3. Bergeron, Angela (2008). "Feature Story - August 2008". Engineering News-Record (McGraw-Hill). Retrieved 4 May 2015.
4. Mock, Joe. "Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri". Baseball Parks. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
5. "ONEOK Field". Tulsa Sports Commission. 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
6. Goldberg-Strassler, Jesse. "Whataburger Field / Corpus Christi Hooks". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
7. Goldberg-Strassler, Jesse (14 November 2012). "Dr Pepper Ballpark / Frisco RoughRiders". Retrieved 4 May 2015.
8. "Security Bank Ballpark". Stadiums USA. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
9. Knight, Graham. "Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium". Baseball Pilgrimages. Retrieved 4 May 2015.

External links

• Texas League official website