Sunset League

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Sunset League
Classification Class C (1947–1950)
Sport Minor League Baseball
First season1947
Ceased1950
Replaced by Southwest International League
PresidentW.R. Bill Schroeder (1947)
Les Powers (1948–1950)
No. of teams13
CountryMexico
United States of America
Most titles1
Anaheim Valencias (1947)
Reno Silver Sox (1948)
Las Vegas Wranglers (1949)
El Centro Imperials (1950)
Related
competitions		 Arizona–Texas League

The Sunset League was a minor league baseball circuit that operated from 1947 through 1950.

Contents

The Sunset League was a Class C level league, with franchises based in the United States and Mexico. The league expanded from six to eight teams from 1949 to 1950. There was a previous league called the "Sunset League" that briefly played in Texas in the 1902 season.

For the 1951 season, the circuit merged with the Arizona–Texas League to form the Southwest International League.

History

In 1902, a "Sunset League" included Beaumont (8–4), Lake Charles (7–6), Crowley (6–6) and Houston (3–8). Records are from the May 27, 1902, Houston Daily Post and are not official.[ citation needed ] [1]

The Sunset League was one of many short–lived minor leagues of the late 1940s and early 1950s. The Class C level circuit ran from 1947 through 1950. Las Vegas, El Centro and Riverside were members every year. It was an extremely high offensive league; in 1947, Las Vegas averaged 9 runs a game and finished 73–67. [2] The league merged with the Arizona-Texas League in 1951 to form the Southwest International League. [3]

Cities represented

Standings and statistics

1947 to 1948

1947 Sunset League

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Riverside Dons 8060.571–45,477Norman DeWeese / Jack Rothrock
Anaheim Valencias 7961.564116,452 Jack Rothrock / Jerry Gardner
Las Vegas Wranglers 7367.521744,574 Newt Kimball
Reno Silver Sox 6969.5001022,866Thomas Lloyd
Ontario Orioles 6475.46015½23,932 Hal Spindel
El Centro Imperials 5386.38126½45,429 Bob Boken / Ray Viers

Playoffs: Riverside 3 games, Las Vegas 0; Anaheim 3 games, Ontario 0.
Finals: Anaheim 4 games, Riverside 1.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Paul ZabyLas VegasBA.401Clarence JaimeOntarioW22
Calvin FelixLas VegasRuns173 Don Robertson RenoSO242
Calvin FelixLas VegasHits236Robert MastersRiversideERA3.55
Calvin FelixLas VegasRBI182Don TisneratAnaheimPCT.765 13–4
Calvin FelixLas VegasHR52
Calvin FelixLas VegasTB443

1948 Sunset League
schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Mexicali Aguilas 8159.579–68,567Dominic Castro / Dick Wilson
Las Vegas Wranglers 7862.557341,748Ken Meyers
Reno Silver Sox 7763.550434,325Thomas Lloyd
Riverside Rubes 7466.529752,199George Caster / Henry Bartolomei
El Centro Imperials 6773.4791442,221Ray Viers
Anaheim Valencias /
San Bernardino Valencias 		4397.3073821,760Jerry Gardner / Claude "Bob" Williams

Anaheim (13–42) moved to San Bernardino June 25.
Playoffs: Reno 3 games, Mexicali 0; Las Vegas 3 games, Riverside 1.
Finals: Reno 3 games, Las Vegas 2.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Bobby Balcena MexicaliBA.369 Al Corwin RenoW26
Don BarclayRenoRuns171Robert SchulteRiversideSO276
Don JamesonRiversideHits202 Manuel Echeverria MexicaliERA2.83
Dick WilsonMexicaliRBI188 Manuel Echeverria MexicaliPCT.875 14–2
Dick WilsonMexicaliHR42

1949 to 1950

1949 Sunset League
schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Las Vegas Wranglers 8838.698–61,050Ken Meyers
Mexicali Aguilas 7947.627959,810 Ed Wheeler
San Bernardino Pioneers 6264.4922635,871 Jack Rothrock
Porterville Packers 6165.4842766,280Thomas Lloyd
El Centro Imperials 5966.47228½34,957Ray Viers / Frank Stinson
Salinas Colts/
Tijuana Potros 		5868.4603039,701 Bruce Ogrodowski
Reno Silver Sox 4975.3953837,780Lilio Marcucci
Riverside Dons 4679.36841½32,450Don Jameson

Salinas moved to Tijuana August 5.
No playoffs held

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Frosty KennedyRiversideBA.411Eugene RoenspieSan BernardinoW20
Pete Hughes Las VegasRuns156Warren KanagyRiverside/San BernSO210
Frosty KennedyRiversideHits194Erwin CouttsMexicaliERA2.69
Bobby Balcena MexicaliRBI132Bob ShoreLas VegasPCT.850 17–3
Pete Hughes Las VegasHR24
Pete Hughes Las VegasBB210

1950 Sunset League
schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Mexicali Eagles 9847.676–80,871 Dolf Luque
El Centro Imperials 8558.5951246,380Ken Meyers
Las Vegas Wranglers 7669.5242239,415 Ed Wheeler
Riverside Rubes 7372.5032349,270Ray Viers
Tijuana Potros 7077.4762939,250Zenon Ochoa /
Eugene Fernandez / Butch Moran
San Bernardino Pioneers 6580.4483328,250 Frank Demaree / Gerald Waitman
Yuma Panthers 6283.4283650,101Butch Moran / Frank Gabler
Porterville Packers 5295.3544750,213Thomas Lloyd /
Bill Harris / Joe Gonzales

Playoffs: Mexicali 2 games, Las Vegas 1; El Centro 2 games, Riverside 1.
Finals: El Centro 2 games, Mexicali 1.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Pete HughesEl CentroBA.393 Manuel Echeverria MexicaliW28
Manuel SerranoMexicaliRuns153 Manuel Echeverria MexicaliSO333
Blas GuzmanMexicaliHits216 Manuel Echeverria MexicaliERA2.74
Blas GuzmanMexicaliRBI138 Manuel Echeverria MexicaliIP328
Ron D. JohnsonLas VegasHR26 Nate Moreland El Centro/MexicaliPCT.813 13–3

[4]

Championship teams

 * Playoffs were not played

References

  1. ↑ "The Houston Daily Post (Houston, Tex.), Vol. XVIIITH YEAR, No. 53, Ed. 1, Tuesday, May 27, 1902". The Portal to Texas History. May 27, 1902.
  2. ↑ "1947 Sunset League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ↑ "1951 Southwest International League (SIL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. ↑ Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.
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