Big State League

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Big State League
Classification
United States of America
Most titles2
Corpus Christi Clippers (1955-1956)
Texarkana Bears (1947, 1950)
Wichita Falls Spudders (1949, 1953)
Related
competitions		Texas League

The Big State League was a mid-level,

minor league baseball that played for 11 seasons, from 1947 through 1957. Its member clubs were exclusively based in Texas. The Corpus Christi Clippers (1955-1956), Texarkana Bears (1947, 1950) and Wichita Falls Spudders
(1949, 1953) each won two league championships.

History

It saw much change in its 11-year lifetime, with no team serving as a member in every single season. Waco came the closest, serving from 1947 to 1956. The league was known as an offense-oriented circuit.

The league debuted at the height of the short-lived

Waco Dons and Wichita Falls Spudders.[1]

Two clubs, Texarkana and Greenville, won more than 100 games in 1947, and four league members exceeded 100,000 in attendance. But beginning in 1953, the Big State League's teams struggled to reach six figures in that category. Only Corpus Christi drew over the 100,000 mark during the league's final five seasons, doing so on two occasions. The league was further weakened when a traditionally strong member, Austin, moved up to the AA Texas League in 1956.

The league began the

Port Arthur Redlegs and Wichita Falls Spudders.[1] Its ranks were reduced to four when Wichita Falls disbanded in May, while the Port Arthur team moved to Temple that same month before folding in August. Of the surviving teams, Victoria, a Brooklyn Dodgers farm team, outlasted Corpus Christi, Beaumont and Abilene
to win the league's last pennant and playoff championship.

J. Walter Morris served as League President from 1947 through 1950, Howard Green, took over from 1951 through 1955 and Hal Sayles was in charge the final two years, 1956–57.[1]

Cities represented

Standings & statistics

1947 to 1952

1947 Big State League
schedule

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers
Texarkana Bears 101 53 .655 - 140,333 Vern Washington
Greenville Majors 100 54 .649 1 154,356 Harry Davis, Jr.
Wichita Falls Spudders 92 61 .601 8 92,553 Bobby Goff
Paris Red Peppers 80 74 .519 21 112,449 Lloyd Rigby
Sherman-Denison Twins
 69 85 .448 32 81,550 Guy Sturdy
Gainesville Owls 65 87 .428 35 60,971 Leroy Gilchrist
Austin Pioneers 55 99 .357 46 106,099 Beau Bell
Waco Dons
 52 101 .340 48 52,577 Red Barkley
Total attendance 800,888

Season highlights
Playoffs:

Sherman-Denison Twins led the league in four categories: 188 runs scored, 248 hits, 197 RBI and 58 home runs. Vallie Eaves, Texarkana Bears pitched his team to 25 wins and Nathaniel Love of the Greenville Majors struck out 192 opposing batters. Jim Walkup of the Paris Red Peppers led the league with a 3.72 ERA.[1]

1948 Season Big State League
schedule

Team standings Won Lost Pct. GB Attend Managers
Sherman-Denison Twins
 94 51 .648 - 117,046 Jose Rodriquez
Wichita Falls Spudders 84 62 .575 10½ 130,138 Marcus Carrola
Waco Pirates 82 64 .562 12½ 82,762 Buster Chatham
Austin Pioneers 79 67 .541 15½ 163,666 Prince Oana
Gainesville Owls 69 77 .473 25½ 80,479 Babe Peebles / Jackie Reid
Paris Panthers 62 85 .422 33½ 72,636 Homer Peel
Texarkana Bears 60 83 .420 33 70,508 Ed Borom
Greenville Majors 52 93 .359 42½ 67,334 Buddy Hancken / Nat Love
Total attendance 784,569

Season highlights
Playoffs:

Sherman-Denison Twins had a 2.33 ERA.[1]

1949 Big State League
schedule

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers
Wichita Falls Spudders 90 58 .608 - 128,400 Jack Bradsher
Texarkana Bears 86 61 .585 3½ 96,522 George Archie
Austin Pioneers 86 62 .562 4 188,193 Prince Oana
Waco Pirates 76 72 .514 14 95,825 Buddy Hancken
Sherman-Denison Twins
 70 78 .473 20 77,474 Lloyd Brown / Pete Appleton
Greenville Majors 66 82 .446 24 58,500 Red Davis
Gainesville Owls 59 89 .399 31 66,544 Ray Taylor /
Lon Goldstein
Temple Eagles 58 89 .395 31½ 72,624 Barney White / Homer Peel
Total attendance 784,082

Season highlights
Playoffs:

Sherman-Denison Twins led with a 2.73 ERA.[1]

1950 Big State League

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers
Texarkana Bears 93 51 .646 - 83,604 George Archie
Gainesville Owls 82 63 .566 11½ 56,890 James Adair
Wichita Falls Spudders 80 66 .548 14 103,439 Hack Miller
Temple Eagles 74 70 .514 19 105,081 Lou Finney
Greenville Majors 75 71 .514 19 50,511 Bill Gann
Waco Pirates 72 76 .486 23 85,173 Buddy Hancken
Sherman-Denison Twins
 54 91 .372 39½ 48,762 Homer Peel
Austin Pioneers 52 94 .356 42 116,941 Prince Oana / David Sarver
Total attendance 650,401

Season highlights:
Playoffs: Texarkana Bears over Temple Eagles 4 to 2; Greenville Majors over Wichita Falls Spudders 4 to 2.
Finals: Texarkana Bears over Greenville Majors 4 to 2.
Frank Carswell of the Texarkana Bears was the leading hitter with an even .400 average. His teammate Lou Fitzgerald scored 138 runs and their teammate Milan Vacelich had 144 RBI. The Waco Pirates slugger John Powers busted 39 four baggers. Junior Bunch had 19 wins for the Temple Eagles. The strikeout leader, Jodie Phipps of the Texarkana Bears struck out 173 batters. Carmen Ferullo of the Wichita Falls Spudders led the league with a 2.89 ERA.[1]

1951 Big State League
schedule

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers
Gainesville Owls 89 58 .605 - 50,771 Hal Van Pelt
Temple Eagles 88 60 .595 1½ 112,022 Bill Herring / Jack Bradsher
Sherman-Denison Twins
 79 68 .537 10 60,059 Bill Capps
Austin Pioneers 75 72 .510 14 147,161 Thomas Jordan
Waco Pirates 75 73 .507 14½ 61,371 Walt Tauscher
Texarkana Bears 71 77 .480 18½ 57,640 Prince Oana / Joe Phipps
Gabby Lusk
Wichita Falls Spudders 66 82 .446 23½ 73,415 Bruce Ogrodowski / Cecil McClung
Tyler East Texans 47 100 .320 42 41,541 Hal Epps /
Joe Kracher / Gale Pringle
Total attendance 604,100

Season highlights:
Playoffs:

Sherman-Denison Twins led the league in both RBI, with 151 and home runs with 32. Lee Roy Jones of the Austin Pioneers and George O'Donnell of the Waco Pirates had 22 wins each and Robert Upton of the Gainesville Owls led in strikeouts with 209 and also with an ERA of 2.54.[1]

1952 Big State League
schedule

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers
Temple Eagles 85 62 .578 - 101,906 Salty Parker
Tyler East Texans 84 63 .571 1 73,337 Bill Capps
Texarkana Bears 82 65 .559 3 79,275 Tony York
Austin Pioneers 81 66 .551 4 149,601 Thomas Jordan
Paris Indians 79 68 .537 6 77,761 Red Davis
Wichita Falls Spudders 77 70 .524 8 95,240 Frank Mancuso
Longview Cherokees 71 76 .483 14 59,913 Clem Hausmann / Lou Fitzgerald
Waco Pirates 29 118 .197 56 32,966
Tedd Gullic
Total attendance 669,999

Season highlights:
Playoffs:

Billy Queen scored 157 runs while Buck Frierson of the Paris Indians had 222 base hits. Roy Sanner of the Texarkana Bears had 165 RBI and Dean Stafford of the Paris Indians /Tyler East Texans busted 47 home runs. John Andre of the Austin Pioneers led the league with 25 wins and Gale Pringle of the Tyler East Texans had 164 strikeouts and a 2.93 ERA.[1]

1953 to 1957

1953 Big State League
schedule

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers
Wichita Falls Spudders 85 58 .594 - 71,247 Whitey Wietelmann
Tyler East Texans 81 63 .563 4½ 50,273 Bill Capps
Texarkana Bears 78 68 .534 8½ 89,604 Chuck Hawley
Waco Pirates /
Longview Cherokees		 77 68 .531 9 32,646 Buster Chatham
Temple Eagles 72 73 .497 14 66,341 Salty Parker / Len Goldstein
Bryan Majors
 70 77 .476 17 30,051 Jim Adair / Clyde McDowell
Austin Pioneers 69 77 .473 17½ 73,229 Al Unser
Paris Indians 48 96 .333 47½ 40,658 Red Davis
Total attendance 454,049

Season highlights:
Waco moved to Longview, May 22; Greenville moved to Bryan, June 25.
Playoffs:

Bryan Majors had a 2.19 ERA.[1]

1954 Big State League
schedule

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers
Waco Pirates 105 42 .714 - 79,201 Jack Paepke
Tyler Tigers 92 55 .626 13 56,361 Salty Parker
Corpus Christi Clippers 87 60 .592 18 97,255 Bill Capps
Austin Pioneers 79 67 .541 25½ 85,119 George Hausmann
Galveston White Caps
 73 73 .500 31½ 34,205 Chase Riddle / Henry Robinson
Del Rio Indians
 53 93 .363 51½ 34,217 Ray Taylor / Al LaMacchia
Chuck Hawley
Harlingen Capitals
 53 94 .361 52 47,825
Sam Harshaney
Temple Eagles 44 102 .301 60½ 31,673 Fred Martin / Fred Campbell
Robert Moyer
Total attendance 465,856

Season highlights:
Bryan moved to Del Rio, July 28.
Playoffs:

Galveston White Caps and the Corpus Christi Clippers led the league in hitting with a .362 average, hits with 212, had 171 RBI to go with 38 home runs. John Wilkinson of the Temple Eagles and Corpus Christi Clippers scored 151 runs. James Vitter of the Corpus Christi Clippers had 23 wins, while Gayle Pringle of the Tyler Tigers struck out 212 with a 2.58 ERA.[1]

1955 Big State League
schedule

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers
Corpus Christi Clippers 93 48 .660 - 102,788 Connie Ryan
Waco Pirates 74 69 .517 20 53,961 Stan Wentzel
Texas City Texans 71 67 .514 20½ 35,402 Bones Sanders
Port Arthur Sea Hawks 64 74 .464 27½ 71,063 Lou Fitzgerald /
Earl Perry / Jack Bumgarner
Harlingen Capitals
 65 79 .451 29½ 55,418 Ford Garrison
Austin Pioneers 58 85 .406 36 50,536 George Hausmann
Tyler Tigers 36 37 .493 NA 26,443 Jodie Phipps
Galveston White Caps
 28 30 .483 NA 19,600 Jodie Beeler
Total attendance 415,211

Season highlights:
Galveston withdrew June 12; Tyler withdrew July 1.
Playoffs:

Harlingen Capitals 1; Waco Pirates 4 games, Texas City Texans 3.
Finals: Corpus Christi Clippers 4 games, Waco Pirates 0.
Lynn Vandehey of the Texas City Texans led the league with a batting average of .377 and also led in total hits with 195. The Corpus Christi Clippers trio of Ed Charles with 135 runs scored, Dean Stafford with 159 RBI and Keith Little hit 47 home runs to lead those categories. Rene Vega of the Corpus Christi Clippers had 28 wins and a 2.69 ERA. Don Rowe of the Waco Pirates had 226 strikeouts.[1]

1956 Big State League
schedule

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers
Corpus Christi Clippers 83 57 .593 - 112,625 Sibby Sisti
Port Arthur Sea Hawks 78 62 .557 5 57,117
Lloyd Gearhart / Al Barillari
Waco Pirates 78 62 .557 5 39,096 Monty Basgall
Wichita Falls Spudders 76 64 .543 7 60,891 Danny Ozark
Abilene Blue Sox 73 67 .521 10 83,700 Alfred Evans
Lubbock Hubbers/Texas City Texans 59 81 .421 24 53,900 Bill Krueger / Jay Haney
Beaumont Exporters 57 83 .407 26 35,000 Ford Garrison
Victoria Eagles
 56 84 .400 27 35,639 James Basso /
Lou Fitzgerald / Stubby Greer
Total attendance 477,968

Season Highlights:
Lubbock transferred to Texas City July 8; Beaumont moved to Texas City July 2, and returned, July 8.
Playoffs:Corpus Christi Clippers 4 games, Wichita Falls Spudders 1.; Port Arthur Sea Hawks 4 games, Waco Pirates 3.
Finals:Port Arthur Sea Hawks 4 games, Corpus Christi Clippers 3.
James Kirby of the Port Arthur Sea Hawks was the league's leading hitter with a .358 average and 190 hits. Joe Christian of the Corpus Christi Clippers scored 119 runs with 142 RBI. Danny Ozark of the Wichita Falls Spudders homered 32 times and tied with Rudolph Mayling of the Abilene Blue Sox in the home run category. Leverette Spencer of the Port Arthur Sea Hawks had 21 pitching victories and a league best 2.37 ERA. Ramon Salgado with the Waco Pirates and Herman Greene of the Corpus Christi Clippers also had 21 pitching wins. Evans Killeen of the Abilene Blue Sox had 236 Strikeouts to lead the league.[1]

1957 Big State League
schedule

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers
Victoria Rosebuds 75 49 .605 - 42,378 Lou Rochelli
Corpus Christi Clippers 69 58 .543 7½ 56,871 Joe Just / Jack Wilkinson
Beaumont Pirates
 61 63 .492 14 56,342 Monty Basgall
Abilene Blue Sox 61 66 .480 15½ 29,995 Burl Storie
Temple Redlegs
 48 56 .461 NA 25,484 Al Barillari
Wichita Falls Spudders 4 26 .013 NA 2,558 Jack Wilkinson / Jodie Beeler
Total attendance 214,628

Season Highlights:
Playoffs: In a shortened format, the

Beaumont Pirates had a 1.95 ERA to lead the league.[1]

References
  1. ^
    ISBN 978-1932391176
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_State_League&oldid=1275929562"