| Arizona–Texas League | |
| Sport: | Minor League Baseball |
| Replaced: | Arizona-Mexico League |
| President: | Wilford S. Sullinger (1931) Allan Stewart (1931) P. A. Nathan (1932) Dr. R. E. Soners (1937–1941) G. R. Michaels (1947) Riney B. Salmon (1948–1950) G. R. Sloane (1952–1953) Tim Cusick (1954) |
| Inaugural: | 1931 |
| Teams: | 11 |
| Country: | Mexico United States of America |
| Continent: | or |
| Continents: | --> |
| Folded: | 1954 |
| Most Champs: | 5 El Paso Texans |
| Classification: | Class D (1931–1932; 1937–1939) Class C (1940–1941, 1947–1950, 1952–1954) |
| Related Comps: | Southwest International League |
The Arizona–Texas League was a Class D level American minor league baseball league that existed for nine seasons, from 1931–32, 1937–41, 1947–50 and 1952-54. In 1951, the Arizona-Texas loop merged with the Sunset League (based primarily in California but with teams in Nevada and New Mexico) to form the Southwest International League. However, the Arizona and Texas clubs played only that one season (1951) in the new circuit before seceding and reforming the A-TL in 1952. From 1928 to 1930, it was known as the Arizona State League.
After the 1930 season, the Arizona State League, which began play in 1928, changed their name and evolved into the 1931 Class D Arizona–Texas League. Arizona State League president Wilford S. Sullinger remained as president of the newly named league. Former Arizona State League members Bisbee Bees, El Paso Texans, Globe Bears, Phoenix Senators and Tucson Missions continued play in the 1931 Arizona–Texas League, joined by the Nogales Internationals.[1] [2]
The Arizona–Texas League was the lowest level in the minor leagues, Class D, through 1939, and upgraded to Class C from 1940 onward. Its longest tenured clubs included:
The Arizona-Texas circuit also had teams in Mexico as early as 1931, although its name did not reflect this fact. Indios de Ciudad Juárez team was a member for seven years in the 1940s and 1950s. But in 1955, when the league lost its lone Texas franchise, in El Paso, its name was formally changed to the Arizona–Mexico League. In 1958, its Phoenix franchise moved all the way up to Class AAA when it received the old San Francisco Seals club after the Giants moved West. That signaled the end of the Class C Arizona–Mexico League; its final champion in 1958 was the Douglas Copper Kings, an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Albuquerque Dons 1932; Albuquerque Cardinals 1937–1941
Bisbee Bees 1931–1932; 1937–1941; Bisbee Yanks 1947
El Paso Texans 1931–1932; 1937–1941; 1947–1950; 1952–1954
Globe Bears 1931
Mesa Orphans 1947
Phoenix Senators 1931–1932; 1947–1950; 1952–1953; Phoenix Stars 1954
Tucson Missions 1931; Tucson Lizards 1932; Tucson Cowboys 1937–1941; 1947–1950; 1952–1954
1931 Arizona–Texas Leagueschedule
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso Texans | 79 | 52 | .603 | – | Royce Washburn | |
| Tucson Missions | 72 | 59 | .550 | 7.0 | Bobby Coltrin | |
| 65 | 63 | .508 | 12.5 | |||
| 63 | 68 | .481 | 16.0 | Roy Johnson | ||
| Nogales Internationals | 62 | 67 | .481 | 16.0 | ||
| Globe Bears | 49 | 81 | .377 | 29.5 | Mickey Shader |
| John Keane | Bisbee | BA | .408 | Tucson | W | 23 | ||
| Emil Mailho | Phoenix | Runs | 108 | George Nielson | El Paso | SO | 196 | |
| Red Anderson | Tusc/Noga | Hits | 190 | Joe Sullivan | Tucson | Pct | .767; 23–7 | |
| Walter Carson | Globe | HR | 34 |
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque Dons | 57 | 42 | .576 | – | Bobby Coltrin | |
| Bisbee Bees | 50 | 49 | .505 | 7.0 | Roy Johnson | |
| 51 | 53 | .490 | 8.5 | Royce Washburn | ||
| 44 | 53 | .454 | 12.0 | Mickey Shader | ||
| Phoenix Senators | 8 | 13 | .381 | NA |
| Dick Gyselman | Albuquerque | BA | .392 | Phoe/Alb | W | 15 | ||
| Dick Gyselman | Albuquerque | Runs | 104 | Guido Simoni | Phoe/Tucs | SO | 157 | |
| Dick Gyselman | Albuquerque | Hits | 165 | Boyd Biggers | El Paso | ERA | 3.78 | |
| Vince DiMaggio | Tucson | HR | 25 |
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso Texans | 73 | 49 | .598 | – | ||
| Tucson Cowboys | 57 | 58 | .496 | 12.5 | ||
| 56 | 59 | .487 | 13.5 | |||
| 51 | 71 | .418 | 22.0 | Mickey Shader |
| Richard Lang | Albuquerque | BA | .374 | El Paso | W | 21 | |||
| Hubert Singer | Albuquerque | Runs | 122 | Floyd Bevens | El Paso | SO | 179 | ||
| Richard Lang | Albuquerque | RBI | 109 | Lawrence Powell | Tucson | ERA | 2.56 | ||
| James Nicholson | El Paso | HR | 10 | Ken Manning | El Paso | Hits | 179 |
1938 Arizona–Texas League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bisbee Bees | 72 | 58 | .554 | – | Charlie Moglia | |
| El Paso Texans | 68 | 64 | .515 | 5.0 | ||
| 67 | 65 | .508 | 6.0 | |||
| 55 | 75 | .423 | 17.0 |
| Mike Simon | Tucson | BA | .367 | Bisbee | W | 24 | |||
| Dick Warfield | Bisbee | Runs | 120 | Walter Stewart | El Paso | W | 24 | ||
| Ed Morris | Albuquerque | Runs | 120 | Walter Stewart | El Paso | SO | 270 | ||
| Tucson | Hits | 195 | Jesse Flores | Bisbee | ERA | 2.37 | |||
| Tucson | RBI | 121 | Bill Creager | Bisbee | HR | 20 |
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bisbee Bees | 72 | 57 | .558 | – | Carl Dittmar | |
| Albuquerque Cardinals | 70 | 60 | .538 | 2.5 | ||
| 68 | 62 | .523 | 4.5 | Ted Mayer | ||
| 49 | 80 | .380 | 23 |
| Bob Joratz | Albuquerque | BA | .348 | Eddie King | Bisbee | W | 25 | ||
| Bob Joratz | Albuquerque | Runs | 126 | Jack Hawkins | El Paso | SO | 257 | ||
| Willie Reyes | Albuquerque | RBI | 124 | Ned Rogers | El Paso | ERA | 2.20 | ||
| Dale Gill | Bisbee | Hits | 182 | Al Montgomery | Bisbee | HR | 17 |
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson Cowboys | 64 | 59 | .520 | – | Lester Patterson | |
| El Paso Texans | 64 | 60 | .516 | 0.5 | Specs Williamson | |
| 60 | 64 | .484 | 4.5 | Jack Farmer | ||
| 58 | 63 | .479 | 5.0 | Carl Dittmar |
| Joe Brovia | El Paso | BA | .383 | Bob Raines | El Paso | W | 18 | ||
| Elwood Curtis | Albuquerque | Runs | 118 | Frank Totaro | Bisbee | SO | 251 | ||
| Harry Clements | Tucson | Hits | 175 | Luther French | Albuquerque | ERA | 3.50 | ||
| Joe Brovia | El Paso | RBI | 103 | Joe Skeber | El Paso | HR | 10 |
1941 Arizona–Texas Leagueschedule
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson Cowboys | 86 | 46 | .652 | – | Lester Patterson | |
| Albuquerque Cardinals | 63 | 65 | .492 | 21.0 | Jimmy Zinn | |
| 61 | 71 | .462 | 25.0 | Specs Williamson | ||
| 51 | 79 | .392 | 34.0 | Carl Dittmar |
| Burl Horton | El Paso | BA | .375 | Harry Parks | Albuquerque | W | 24 | ||
| Doug Smith | Tucson | Runs | 147 | Marino Pieretti | El Paso | SO | 237 | ||
| Burl Horton | El Paso | Hits | 216 | Lee Porterfield | Tucson | ERA | 3.01 | ||
| Clarence Maddern | Bisbee | RBI | 129 | Doug Smith | Tucson | HR | 15 |
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Senators | 82 | 51 | .617 | – | 55,452 | ||
| Tucson Cowboys | 80 | 52 | .606 | 1.5 | 63,580 | ||
| 74 | 59 | .556 | 8.5 | 33,686 | |||
| 61 | 69 | .469 | 19.5 | 27,153 | Manuel Fortes | ||
| Globe-Miami Browns | 53 | 77 | .408 | 27.5 | 60,669 | ||
| El Paso Texans | 44 | 86 | .338 | 36.5 | 39,996 |
| Billy Martin | Phoenix | BA | .392 | John Conant | Phoenix | W | 19 | |
| Pete Hughes | Phoenix | Runs | 180 | Lloyd Brown | Globe-Miami | SO | 167 | |
| Billy Martin | Phoenix | Hits | 230 | Syd Cohen | El Paso | ERA | 3.38 | |
| Billy Martin | Phoenix | RBI | 174 | Pete Hughes | Phoenix | HR | 38 | |
| Pete Hughes | Phoenix | BB | 193 |
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Globe-Miami Browns | 80 | 60 | .571 | – | 75,001 | ||
| Tucson Cowboys | 78 | 62 | .557 | 2 | 79,327 | ||
| 74 | 66 | .529 | 6 | 73,766 | Walter Millies | ||
| 74 | 66 | .529 | 6 | 52,525 | Manuel Fortes / Francisco Barradas | ||
| Phoenix Senators | 67 | 73 | .479 | 13 | 79,821 | ||
| Bisbee-Douglas Miners | 47 | 93 | .336 | 33 | 43,610 | Mel Steiner / Mitchell Chetkovitch |
| Gene Lillard | Phoenix | BA | .364 | Thomas Radcliff | El Paso | W | 17 | |
| Dick Sabatini | Phoenix | Runs | 145 | Alwin Aguilar | Tucson | 17 | ||
| Ramon Vargas | Tucson | Hits | 197 | William Abernathie | Tucson | 17 | ||
| Daniel Baich | Globe-Miami | RBI | 152 | Edward Graham | Phoenix | SO | 178 | |
| Daniel Baich | Globe-Miami | HR | 27 | Lloyd Brown | Tucson | ERA | 3.01 | |
| Pete Hughes | Phoenix | BB | 207 |
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Senators | 94 | 55 | .631 | – | 126,347 | Don Trower | |
| Juarez Indios | 92 | 58 | .613 | 2.5 | 85,769 | Hector Leal / Victor Canales | |
| 74 | 76 | .493 | 20.5 | 53,771 | |||
| 67 | 83 | .447 | 27.5 | 107,778 | |||
| Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings | 66 | 83 | .443 | 28.0 | 60,149 | Elmer Williamson / Paul Jones / Buck Elliott | |
| Globe-Miami Browns | 56 | 94 | .373 | 38.5 | 60,394 | Frank Volpi / Edward Dancisak |
| Vinicio Garcia | Juarez | BA | .377 | Edward Graham | Phoenix | W | 24 | |
| Vinicio Garcia | Juarez | Runs | 170 | Richard Drilling | Phoenix | ERA | 2.55 | |
| Vinicio Garcia | Juarez | Hits | 227 | William Abernathie | Tucson | SO | 220 | |
| Dick Steinhauer | Phoenix | RBI | 151 | Gene Lillard | Tucson | BB | 154 | |
| Gene Clough | Bisbee-Douglass | HR | 37 |
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juarez Indios | 93 | 55 | .628 | – | 69,738 | ||
| El Paso Texans | 92 | 58 | .613 | 2.0 | 100,212 | Art Lilly | |
| 82 | 68 | .547 | 12.0 | 104,137 | Don Trower | ||
| 69 | 79 | .466 | 24.0 | 68,651 | Buck Elliott | ||
| Tucson Cowboys | 64 | 86 | .427 | 30.0 | 61,254 | ||
| Globe-Miami Browns | 48 | 102 | .320 | 46.0 | 47,388 |
| Art Lilly | El Paso | BA | .386 | Hector Anzamar | Juarez | W | 25 | ||
| Alfredo Perez | Tucson | Runs | 172 | Jesus Valenzuela | Juarez | W | 25 | ||
| Dick Zwaing | Tucson | Hits | 221 | Jesus Valenzuela | Juarez | SO | 256 | ||
| Len Noren | Phoenix | RBI | 169 | Jesus Valenzuela | Juarez | ERA | 3.47 | ||
| Donald Mason | El Paso | RBI | 169 | Hector Lara | El Paso | HR | 28 |
1952 Arizona–Texas League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juarez Indios | 84 | 55 | .604 | – | 64,870 | Manuel Fortes | |
| El Paso Texans | 79 | 61 | .564 | 5.5 | 83,373 | Art Lilly | |
| 78 | 62 | .557 | 6.5 | 64,410 | Jeep Trower | ||
| 61 | 78 | .439 | 23.0 | 68,500 | Don Jameson | ||
| Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings | 60 | 80 | .429 | 24.5 | 56,206 | ||
| Chihuahua Dorados | 57 | 83 | .407 | 27.5 | 130,329 | Domingo Santana / Marvin Williams |
| Marvin Williams | Chihuahua | BA | .401 | Juarez | W | 25 | |||
| Felipe Hernandez | Juarez | Runs | 144 | Wenceslao Gonzalez | Juarez | SO | 222 | ||
| Dick Steinhauer | Phoenix | Hits | 233 | Donald Cantrell | Phoenix | ERA | 3.64 | ||
| Ramon Vargas | El Paso | RBI | 143 | Marvin Williams | Chihuahua | HR | 45 |
1953 Arizona–Texas League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson Cowboys | 90 | 49 | .647 | – | 92,157 | Don Jameson | |
| Mexicali Eagles | 77 | 62 | .554 | 13.0 | 68,719 | Art Lilly | |
| 74 | 65 | .532 | 16.0 | 46,800 | Manuel Fortes / Pingua Canales | ||
| 60 | 80 | .429 | 30.5 | 52,501 | Diamond Cecil | ||
| Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings | 59 | 80 | .424 | 31.0 | 44,650 | ||
| Phoenix Senators | 58 | 82 | .414 | 32.5 | 49,270 | Buck Elliott |
| Edwin Roberts | Tucson | BA | .392 | Corky Reddell | Tucson | W | 29 | ||
| Joe Joshua | Tucson | Runs | 164 | Wenceslao Gonzalez | Juarez | SO | 276 | ||
| Roberto Canales | Juarez | Hits | 208 | Corky Reddell | Tucson | ERA | 2.64 | ||
| Lloyd Jenney | Tucson | RBI | 152 | Charles Lundgren | Tucson | HR | 34 |
1954 Arizona–Texas League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Stars | 93 | 47 | .664 | – | 114,450 | Jerry Gardner | |
| Mexicali Eagles | 92 | 48 | .657 | 1.0 | 92,377 | Art Lilly | |
| 69 | 71 | .493 | 24.0 | 85,083 | Memo Garibay | ||
| 69 | 71 | .493 | 24.0 | 63,401 | |||
| Tucson Cowboys | 64 | 76 | .457 | 29.0 | 60,735 | Don Jameson | |
| Nogales Yaquis | 61 | 79 | .436 | 32.0 | 98,092 | Manuel Fortes / Virgilio Arteaga | |
| Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings | 57 | 83 | .407 | 36.0 | 45,031 | Edwin Roberts / Ron Smith | |
| Juarez Indians | 55 | 85 | .393 | 38.0 | 69,365 | Enrique Fernandez |
| Leo Rodriquez | Cananea | BA | .430 | Nathaniel Moreland | Mexicali | W | 22 | |
| Ken Toothman | Tucson | Runs | 193 | Richard Schroyer | Phoenix | SO | 196 | |
| Leo Rodriquez | Cananea | Hits | 259 | Fernando Ramirez | Mexicali | ERA | 3.51 | |
| Earl Smith | Phoenix | RBI | 195 | Claudio Solano | Cananea | TB | 394 | |
| Claudio Solano | Cananea | HR | 47 |