Houston Buffaloes

Houston Buffs
18881961
(1903, 1905, 19071942, 19461958, 19591961)
Houston, Texas

Team Logo

Cap Insignia
Class-level
  • Triple-A (1959-1961)
  • Class A (1921-1942), (1946-1958)
  • Class B (1911-1920)
  • Class C (1907-1910)
Minor league affiliations
Major league affiliations
Name
  • Houston Buffs (1959-1961)
  • Houston Buffaloes (1889-1903), (1905), (1907-1942), (1946-1958), Babies (1888), Lambs
Ballpark
  • Busch Stadium (1953-1958) (same ballpark as Buffalo Stadium)
  • Buffalo Stadium (1928-1952)
  • West End Park (1905?-1927)
  • Houston Base Ball Park (1888?-1904?)
Minor league titles
Class titles 1928, 1947, 1956, 1957
League titles 1889, 1892, 1896, 1905, 1909, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1928, 1931, 1940, 1947, 1951, 1954, 1956, 1957

The Houston Buffaloes or Buffs were an American minor league baseball team that was founded in 1888, played in the Texas League in the years 1888-90, 1892, 1895-99, and 1907-1958 (excluding 1943-45, when the league suspended operations during World War II); in the South Texas League in the years 1903-06; and in the American Association from 1959-61. The team's last home was Buff Stadium, built in 1928. Before that, they played at West End Park, at the southeast corner of Heiner and Anderson Streets, from 1905?-1927; and at Houston Base Ball Park, at what was then the foot of Travis Street at its intersection with McGowen Street, from 1888?-1904? (currently being researched by the Larry Dierker Chapter of SABR).

From 1921-58, the Buffaloes were an important farm team of the St. Louis Cardinals at the Class A, A1 and AA levels. During that period, star players such as brothers Dizzy Dean and Daffy Dean, Solly Hemus, Vinegar Bend Mizell, Hal Epps, Don Gutteridge, Al Papai, Joe Medwick, Frank O. Mancuso, Harry Brecheen and Howie Pollet prepped in Houston on their way to the major leagues. In the 1931 season, led by former Cardinals outfielder Joe Schultz, Sr., the Buffaloes' had 108 regular-season victories (in 159 games) and won the Texas League championship. The Buffaloes' most notable period came between 1939-41, when, as a Cardinal farm laden with talent, they won three straight Texas League pennants, winning 97, 105 and 103 regular-season games in the process.

In addition to the Texas League championship pennants, the Buffaloes also won the Dixie Series against the Southern Association champions in 1928 (4-2 over the Birmingham Barons), 1947 (4-2 over the Mobile Bears), 1956 (4-2 over the Atlanta Crackers), and 1957 (4-2 over the Atlanta Crackers).

From 1950 until the Buffs' final outing in 1961, veteran radio broadcaster Loel Passe was the "Voice of the Buffs". During the 1959 season, a young television reporter with ABC affiliate KTRK-TV, Dan Rather, sat in with Passe as the play-by-play announcer for the Buffs' radio broadcast. Then in the final season of the Houston Buffaloes, Passe was joined in the booth by Ford Frick Award winner Gene Elston who went on to lead the broadcast for the Colt 45s and Houston Astros from 1962 to 1986. Passe remained with the new Houston major league franchise working alongside Elston as a color commentator until he retired from broadcasting in 1976.

In 1959, the Buffs severed ties with the Cardinals to move up to the AAA level. At the same time, Houston was selected as one of the eight members of a planned "third major league," the Continental League. However, in 1960 the city was granted an expansion franchise in the National League, to begin play in 1962. The Buffs played one last minor league season as the top farm team of the Chicago Cubs in 1961 before being succeeded by the city's NL club, the Colt .45s (known since 1965 as the Houston Astros).

Sources