Texas League
 Texas League logo | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1902 |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Country | USA |
| Most recent champion(s) | San Antonio Missions |
| Official website | Official Website |
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892. 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. In 1971, the Texas League and the Southern League were both down 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.[citation needed]
Team moves
In recent years the Texas League has witnessed a great deal of change. Teams once known as the Jackson Generals, 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 | 5,800 |
| Northwest Arkansas Naturals | Kansas City Royals | Springdale, Arkansas | Arvest Ballpark | 7,305 | |
| Springfield Cardinals | St. Louis Cardinals | Springfield, Missouri | Hammons Field | 10,486 (incl. 2,500 gen. admission) | |
| Tulsa Drillers | Colorado Rockies | Tulsa, Oklahoma | ONEOK Field | 7,833 | |
| South | Corpus Christi Hooks | Houston Astros | Corpus Christi, Texas | Whataburger Field | 5,050 fixed seats, 19 luxury suites, 2,000 General Admission |
| Frisco RoughRiders | Texas Rangers | Frisco, Texas | Dr Pepper Ballpark | 10,316 (plus 20 suites, 6 patios/decks, & JCPenney Club) | |
| Midland RockHounds | Oakland Athletics | Midland, Texas | Citibank Ballpark | 6,669 | |
| San Antonio Missions | San Diego Padres | San Antonio, Texas | Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium | 9,200 |
Current team rosters
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-)
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League champions and award winners (1915-present)
Hall of fame
See also
- List of attendance figures at domestic professional sports leagues — the Texas League in the context of leagues all over the world.
References
Sources
- "Baseball in the Lone Star State: Texas League's Greatest Hits," Tom Kayser and David King, Trinity University Press 2005
Notes
External links
- Texas League official website
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