West Texas League

Last updated
West Texas League
Classification Class D (1920–1922, 1928–1929)
Sport Minor League Baseball
First season1920
Ceased1929
PresidentWalter Morris (1920–1921)
Gordon W. Northern (1922)
Lloyd B. Thomas (1922)
J. McCallister Stevenson (1928)
E.E. Lowrie (1928)
D.L. Snodgrass (1929)
No. of teams17
Country United States of America
Most titles1
Abilene Eagles (1920)
Sweetwater Swatters (1921)
Amarillo Gassers (1922)
San Angelo Red Snappers (1928)
Midland Colts (1929)
Related
competitions
Panhandle-Pecos Valley League

The West Texas League was a Class D level minor league baseball league that existed from 1920 to 1922 and from 1928 to 1929.

Contents

1920-1922

The following teams played in 1920: Abilene Eagles, Ranger Nitros, Mineral Wells Resorters, Cisco Scouts, Gorman Buddies/Sweetwater Swatters and Eastland Judges.

The Abilene Eagles beat the Ranger Nitros in the playoffs to win the league championship. [1]

For the 1921 season, the Swatters, Eagles, Resorters, Nitros and Scouts returned to the league. The Resorters moved to Ballinger to become the Ballinger Bearcats. The Cisco Scouts changed their name to the Cisco Orphans. The Eastland Judges left the league and a new team, the San Angelo Bronchos, joined. The Abilene Eagles won their second championship in a row, beating the Swatters. [1]

There were multiple new teams in 1922: the Amarillo Gassers, Lubbock Hubbers, Clovis Buzzers and Stamford Colonels. No team represented Ballinger, Cisco or Mineral Wells. Amarillo won the league championship, beating the Buzzers. [2]

The league ceased play following the 1922 season and never reformed. [2]

1928-1929

The league began play again in 1928, lasting until 1929. The following teams played in 1928: San Angelo Red Snappers, Coleman Bobcats, Abilene Aces, Midland Colts, Lubbock Hubbers and Hamlin Pied Pipers/Big Spring Springers. [2]

The Lubbock Hubbers were the only returning team from the 1922 season. The Red Snappers beat the Aces to take the league championship. [2]

New teams for the 1929 season included the San Angelo Sheep Herders and Big Spring Cowboys. The Ballinger Bearcats returned to the league. Coleman won the league championship.

Cities represented

Standings & statistics

1920 West Texas League schedule

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Abilene Eagles 7050.583--Bugs Young / Ed Kizziar
Ranger Nitros 6660.5247.0 Jim Galloway
Mineral Wells Resorters 6060.50010.0 Charley Stis / Bill Burns
Cisco Scouts 5561.47413.0Jack York / Tom Carson
Gorman Buddies / Sweetwater Swatters 5158.46713.5Bert Hise
Eastland Judges 5467.44616.5Jimmy Maloney

Gorman (36–44) moved to Sweetwater August 7, first home game August 15.
Playoff: Abilene 4 games, Ranger 3. [2]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Jim Galloway RangerBA.341Henry MeadeMineral WellsW20
Charles GressettGorm/SweetRuns77John KolzelnickCiscoS0200
Joe Bratcher Cisco/EastHits126Carl HillAbilenePCT.778 14–4
Jim Galloway RangerHR9 [2]

1921 West Texas League schedule

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Sweetwater Swatters 7255.567-- Pop-Boy Smith / Earl Fleharty
Abilene Eagles 7057.5512.0Grady White / Hub Northen
San Angelo Bronchos 6959.5392.5Luke Robinson
Mineral Wells Resorters /
Ballinger Bearcats
5772.44215.5 Roy Brashear / Vernon Brown /
Albert Briscoe / Jim Flagg / Pop-Boy Smith
Ranger Nitros 3743.463NA Fletcher "Sled" Allen
Cisco Scouts 2747.365NAJoshua L. Billings / Jimmy Flagg

Mineral Wells moved to Ballinger May 20; Cisco disbanded July 6; Ranger disbanded July 9
Playoffs: Sweetwater defeated San Angelo in a one game playoff for the first half title
Finals: Abilene 4 games, Sweetwater 2. [2]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Sam Langford Min Wel/BalBA.381Murray RichburgSweetwaterW31
Warwick ComstockAbileneRuns93Murray Richburg]SweetwaterS0226
Sam Langford Min Wel/BalHits166Murray RichburgSweetwaterPct.721 31–12
Ed ConkriteSan AngeloHR17 [2]

1922 West Texas League schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Amarillo Gassers 8652.623--Billy Smith / Jack Meanor
Lubbock Hubbers 7956.5855.5 Sled Allen
Clovis Buzzers 7557.5688.0 Dutch Wetzel
Sweetwater Swatters 6272.46322.0 Pop-Boy Smith
Abilene Eagles 6172.45922.5Charles Anderson
San Angelo Bronchos 6173.45523.0Walt Alexander / Luke Robinson
Stamford Colonels 5676.42427.0Tom Price / Poston Baker
Ranger Nitros 5678.41828.0Bob Allen / Joe Clayton

Playoff: Amarillo 5 games, Clovis 1. [2]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Tom PyleRangerBA.377F. J. SmithAmarilloW21
John KingLubbock/AbilineRuns116F.J SmithAmarilloS0223
Tom PyleRangerHits183Jim SewellClovisPCT.778 14–4
Sam Langford LubbockHR21 [2]

1928 West Texas League schedule 1st half - 2nd half

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
San Angelo Red Snappers 6947.595-- Red Snapp
Coleman Bobcats 6749.5782.0Bob Couchman
Abilene Aces 6154.5307.5Les Tullos / Carl Williams
Midland Colts 5264.44817.0Curley Maloney / Snipe Conley
Lubbock Hubbers 4863.43218.5Bennie Brownlow / Ray Hill
Hamlin Pied Pipers /
Big Spring Springers
4666.41121.0Army Magness /
Poston Baker / J.L. Thornton

Hamlin moved to Big Spring July 3.
Playoff: San Angelo 3 games, Abilene 2. [2]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Bob SanguinetteMidlandBA.394Jubilo ClementsSan AngeloW20
Garland OrrAbileneRuns121J.H. "Hokey" GarciaSan AngeloS0178
Garland OrrAbileneHits171Clarence WilliamsSan AngeloPCT.737 14–5
Bob SanguinetteMidlandHR35 [2]

1929 West Texas League schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Midland Colts 6752.563--14,687Kal Segrist, Sr. / John King
Coleman Bobcats 6256.5254.512,922Honus Mitze / Jack Holloway
Ballinger Bearcats 6256.5254.517,632Bill Bean / Ray Hill
San Angelo Sheep Herders 5561.47410.515,288Walt Alexander
Abilene Aces 5564.46212.07,604Carl Williams
Big Spring Cowboys 5466.45013.515,288Jim Payne /
Ralph Rose / Nick Carter

Playoff: Coleman 3 games, Midland 3. Coleman won the title when Midland failed to appear for the seventh game. [2]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Ed Kallina MidlandBA.433Jimmie ParkerBallingerW18
Julian FlowersMidlandRuns136 Gene Moore MidlandS0147
Ed Kallina MidlandHits159Tom VaughnBallingerERA2.11
Ed Kallina MidlandHR44T. BakerMidlandPCT.867 13–2 [2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Minor League Baseball article". Archived from the original on 2010-03-25. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.