Oklahoma City Indians

The Oklahoma City Indians were an American minor league baseball franchise representing Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that played in the Texas League in 1909–11, 1933–42 and 1946–57, the Western League from 1918–32, the Western Association from 1914–17, and the Oklahoma State League in 1912. It played at Western League Park, Holland Field and Texas League Park.^[1]

Minor league classifications varied somewhat during the Indians' lifetime, but the Western and Texas leagues of the post-World War I era — rated Class A, A1 or Double-A — were high-level circuits that usually ranked 2-3 notches below Major League Baseball calibre.

The Indians won the 1935 Texas League championship and two years later captured 101 regular-season victories, but generally struggled in the TL standings. In the club's last three seasons, 1955–57, it lost 90, 106 and 88 games. The team spent the post-World War II period as the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, but the Oklahoma City Indians' nickname long preceded that relationship. The Indians team spent many years as an unaffiliated franchise, and in its last two seasons was a farm club of the Boston Red Sox.

Baseball Hall of Fame player Rogers Hornsby managed the Indians for part of the 1940 season, and future Hall of Fame broadcaster Curt Gowdy launched his baseball announcing career with the postwar Indians.

The Oklahoma City Indians folded when the Texas League reorganized following the 1957 season. Five years later, the Oklahoma City 89ers, Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Colt .45s, then an expansion team and now known as the Astros, debuted in the American Association. The Triple-A franchise has played continuously since 1962, and is now the Oklahoma City Dodgers.

Oklahoma City also fielded a Texas League team called the Mets or Metropolitans in 1910–1911.

Notable alumni

See also

• Oklahoma City Dodgers

References

• Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, eds., The Minor League Encyclopedia, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007.