West Texas League Explained

West Texas League
Sport:Minor League Baseball
President:Walter Morris (1920–1921)
Gordon W. Northern (1922)
Lloyd B. Thomas (1922)
J. McCallister Stevenson (1928)
E.E. Lowrie (1928)
D.L. Snodgrass (1929)
Inaugural:1920
Teams:17
Country:United States of America
Continent:or
Continents:-->
Folded:1929
Most Champs:1
Abilene Eagles (1920)
Sweetwater Swatters (1921)
Amarillo Gassers (1922)
San Angelo Red Snappers (1928)
Midland Colts (1929)
Classification:Class D (1920–1922, 1928–1929)
Related Comps: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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

Abilene Eagles 1920–1922; Abilene Aces 1928–1929

Amarillo Gassers 1922

Ballinger Bearcats 1921, 1929

Big Spring Springers 1928; Big Spring Cowboys 1929

Cisco Scouts 1920–1921

Clovis Buzzers 1922

Coleman Bobcats 1928–1929

Eastland Judges 1920

Gorman Buddies 1920

Hamlin Pied Pipers 1928

Lubbock Hubbers 1922, 1928

Midland Colts 1928–1929

Mineral Wells Resorters 1920–1921

Ranger Nitros 1920–1922

San Angelo Bronchos 1921–1922; San Angelo Red Snappers 1928; San Angelo Sheep Herders 1929

Stamford Colonels 1922

Sweetwater Swatters 1920–1922

Standings & statistics

1920 West Texas Leagueschedule

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Abilene Eagles7050.583--Bugs Young / Ed Kizziar
6660.5247.0
Mineral Wells Resorters6060.50010.0Charley Stis / Bill Burns
5561.47413.0Jack York / Tom Carson
5158.46713.5Bert Hise
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!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Jim GallowayRangerBA.341Henry Meade Mineral WellsW20
Charles GressettGorm/SweetRuns77John Kolzelnick CiscoS0200
Joe BratcherCisco/EastHits126Carl Hill AbilenePCT.778 14–4
Jim GallowayRangerHR9
1921 West Texas Leagueschedule
Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Sweetwater Swatters7255.567--Pop-Boy Smith / Earl Fleharty
7057.5512.0Grady White / Hub Northen
San Angelo Bronchos6959.5392.5Luke Robinson
Mineral Wells Resorters /
Ballinger Bearcats
5772.44215.5
Ranger Nitros3743.463NA
Cisco Scouts2747.365NAJoshua 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!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Sam LangfordMin Wel/BalBA.381Murray Richburg SweetwaterW31
Warwick Comstock AbileneRuns93Murray Richburg] SweetwaterS0226
Sam LangfordMin Wel/BalHits166Murray Richburg SweetwaterPct.721 31–12
Ed Conkrite San AngeloHR17

1922 West Texas Leagueschedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Amarillo Gassers8652.623--Billy Smith / Jack Meanor
Lubbock Hubbers7956.5855.5
7557.5688.0
Sweetwater Swatters6272.46322.0
Abilene Eagles6172.45922.5Charles Anderson
San Angelo Bronchos6173.45523.0Walt Alexander / Luke Robinson
Stamford Colonels5676.42427.0Tom Price / Poston Baker
Ranger Nitros5678.41828.0Bob Allen / Joe Clayton
Playoff: Amarillo 5 games, Clovis 1.[2]
Player statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Tom Pyle RangerBA.377F. J. Smith AmarilloW21
John KingLubbock/AbilineRuns116F.J SmithAmarilloS0223
Tom PyleRangerHits183Jim Sewell ClovisPCT.778 14–4
Sam LangfordLubbockHR21
1928 West Texas Leagueschedule 1st half - 2nd half
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
San Angelo Red Snappers6947.595--
6749.5782.0Bob Couchman
Abilene Aces6154.5307.5Les Tullos / Carl Williams
Midland Colts5264.44817.0
Lubbock Hubbers4863.43218.5Bennie 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!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Bob SanguinetteMidlandBA.394Jubilo Clements San AngeloW20
Garland Orr AbileneRuns121J.H. "Hokey" Garcia San AngeloS0178
Garland Orr AbileneHits171Clarence WilliamsSan AngeloPCT.737 14–5
Bob Sanguinette MidlandHR35

1929 West Texas Leagueschedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Midland Colts6752.563--14,687Kal Segrist, Sr. / John King
6256.5254.512,922Honus Mitze / Jack Holloway
Ballinger Bearcats6256.5254.517,632Bill Bean / Ray Hill
San Angelo Sheep Herders5561.47410.515,288Walt Alexander
Abilene Aces5564.46212.07,604Carl Williams
Big Spring Cowboys5466.45013.515,288
Playoff: Coleman 3 games, Midland 3. Coleman won the title when Midland failed to appear for the seventh game.[2]
Player statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Ed KallinaMidlandBA.433Jimmie Parker BallingerW18
Julian FlowersMidlandRuns136Gene MooreMidlandS0147
Ed KallinaMidlandHits159Tom Vaughn BallingerERA2.11
Ed KallinaMidlandHR44T. BakerMidlandPCT.867 13–2

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Minor League Baseball article.
  2. Book: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball . Lloyd . Johnson . Miles . Wolff . Third . . 2007 . 978-1932391176.