Houston Buffaloes
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The Houston Buffaloes, Houston Buffalos, or Buffs were an American
The Houston Buffaloes were purchased by the Houston Sports Association in 1961 to obtain the Houston metropolitan-area territorial rights for the new expansion team in Major League baseball and the
History
Amateur predecessors (1861–1884)
On April 11, 1861, a baseball team in Houston was organized at a meeting held in the Palmer Building above J.H. Evans' dry goods store.[2] The team was simply known as the "Houston Base Ball Club".[3]
However, it is unknown if the Houston Base Ball Club played any games. The American Civil War began shortly thereafter, and there was a great lack of organized sports during this time.[2]
Following the war, a newspaper article in The Daily Telegraph was published that detailed the first baseball game by a Houston team.[2] The Houston Stonewalls defeated the Galveston Robert E. Lees at the site of the San Jacinto Battleground in what was dubbed as the Texas "State Championship" on April 21, 1868 (San Jacinto Day). The Stonewalls uniform was described as consisting of a red cap, white flannel shirt, and black pants.
In 1884, a league of primarily amateur teams was organized by Samuel L. Haine known as the "Texas League".[4] The Houston Nationals represented the city along with Galveston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Waco. Although 2–3 players per team were paid, most of the league players were strictly amateur.
The beginning (1887–1905)
Houston's first professional baseball club was officially organized by a large group of local leaders on December 31, 1887.[5] Judge E. P. Hill served as president.[5]
The Houston Buffaloes began their first season in 1888 under the name "Houston Babies". The unusual name stemmed from the fact that they were the last to join the new
The 1889 season was a productive one for Houston. Coming from San Antonio to the Magnolia City as manager of the team was John McCloskey. McCloskey had been the chief founder of the Texas League the year prior,[13] and helped the club attain their first finish as champions of the league.[14] Renamed as the "Mud Cats", Houston was still not without financial difficulty. Despite winning the Texas League in play, the Mud Cats were withheld the pennant until they paid their overdue membership fees for the season.
McCloskey remained with Houston for the next season, but in 1891, the Texas League did not play due to an inability to get financial backing.[15][16] Without a league to play, Houston did not field a team. Despite McCloskey's return to Houston, a second title for the team, and a successful reorganization of the Texas League for 1892, the league remained unstable. The next two seasons it ceased to exist, and the club followed suit.
The 1895 seasonsaw the return of the Houston ball club. With McCloskey moving to manage his hometown Louisville Colonels of the National League, Houston promoted player Ollie Pickering to manage the team. Pickering was known for having hit the most singles in a single game in 1892, and originated the "Texas Leaguer" term.[17] A pattern of continuously changing names persisted, and the 1895 Houston team named themselves the "Magnolias" after the nickname of the city.[18] Following the season, a group of Houston businessmen consisting of President John Henry Kirby, Vice-President Si Packard, and Secretary/Treasurer Sam Taub, created the Houston Baseball Association, and took ownership of the team. With a history of financial instability in Houston's previous years, the Houston Baseball Association's purpose was to support and maintain the club.
The next season heralded more change for the team, as Pickering was called up to the big league by former manager McCloskey to play for the Louisville Colonels. The 1896 season was the first in which the club would be known by the name of the "Houston Buffaloes".[19] First baseman Charlie "Jugger" Shaffer took over as manager, and the Buffaloes claimed their third league title.
From 1900 through 1902 Houston did not field a team, as the Texas League was again plagued by instability. However, in November 1902, new owner Claude Rielly revived the club when another league was formed for the next season.[20] The club decided to continue as a member of the new rival to the Texas League known as the South Texas League along with Galveston, Beaumont, and San Antonio.
Finishing with a 3rd-place league record for the 1903 season, Houston hired Wade Moore during the 1904 season, who had led San Antonio to the league title as a manager prior. For this season, the club continued as the "Lambs".[21] Although performing well for the beginning, the team discovered that their home stadium, the Houston Base Ball Park would be demolished in the middle of their season.[22] Evicted by June 1904, the team was forced to move to an old horseracing track near Harrisburg Boulevard known as Harrisburg Park.[23] At the time, the city's streetcars did not reach to this part of Houston, and fans were forced to ride the rest of the way in horse-drawn carts. With such a hassle for fans, attendance dropped dramatically, and the club was quickly losing money with rent to the racetrack.[22] Instead of maintaining a home field in Houston, the team eventually opted to finish the rest of its season on the road, but Houston was ordered by league president Bliss Gorham to continue playing at home. Rielly complied, but by this time, the team became popularly known as the "Wanderers" in the local newspapers.[22]
Stabilization and affiliation (1905–1928)
The 1905 season marked a point of stabilization for the franchise as reflected by the team's name, which remained as the "Houston Buffaloes" until their demise. A stark contrast from the previous season, the Buffaloes began playing in a brand new ballpark known as "West End Park". Under Wade Moore, the team took the 1905 South Texas League championship, which was their first since 1896.
On October 27, 1908, Claude Rielly officially sold the Houston Buffaloes to Otto Sens and J. Doak Roberts.
In 1919, the
The 1928 campaign was another landmark season for the ball club. With stars like on the roster like
Later history and succession (1928–1961)
West End Park was sold to the Houston Independent School District in 1928, and the Buffaloes moved into a brand new Buffalo Stadium on the opposite end of town.
The Buffaloes and Buffalo Stadium were depicted in the 1952 film
In addition to the Texas League championship pennants, the Buffaloes also won the Dixie Series against the Southern Association champions in 1928 (4–2 over the Birmingham Barons),[27] 1947 (4–2 over the Mobile Bears),[29] 1956 (4–2 over the Atlanta Crackers),[30] and 1957 (4–2 over the Atlanta Crackers).[31]
From 1950 until the Buffs' final outing in 1961, veteran radio broadcaster
In 1959, the Buffs severed ties with the Cardinals to move up to the Triple-A level, and then began an affiliation with the Chicago Cubs. At the same time, the City of Houston, through a group of local business leaders known as the "Houston Sports Association", was selected as one of the eight members of a planned "third major league", the Continental League, but plans eventually fell through after team owner Marty Marion could not come to an agreement to sell the team.[32] The Continental League as a whole folded in August 1960, and Marion sold the team to a group led by William Hopkins on August 16, 1960.[33] However, on October 17, 1960, the National League granted an expansion franchise to the Houston Sports Association in which their team could begin play in the 1962 season. According to the Major League Baseball Constitution, the Houston Sports Association was required to obtain territorial rights from the Houston Buffaloes in order to play in the Houston area, and again negotiations began to purchase the team.[34][35] Eventually, the Houston Sports Association purchased the Houston Buffaloes from William Hopkins on January 17, 1961.[36][37] The purchase price for the team was $393,000 USD.[38] Additionally, the HSA was forced to pay US$200,000 to the American Association because of their removal from the league.[38] The Buffs played one last minor league season as the top farm team of the Chicago Cubs in 1961 before being succeeded by the city's NL club, the Colt .45s (known since 1965 as the Houston Astros).
Many of those associated with the Houston Buffaloes organization were allowed by the ownership to continue in the major league. Manager
Similarly, the radio broadcasting team remained with the new Houston major league franchise. Loel Passe worked alongside Gene Elston as a color commentator until he retired from broadcasting in 1976. Elston continued with the Astros until 1986.
After being purchased by Houston's major league club, the Buffaloes organization served as their
Hall of Fame
The Houston Buffaloes had many associated with them who were inducted into or honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame including Dizzy Dean who played for the team from 1930–1931, "Ducky" Joe Medwick who played from 1931–1932, Chick Hafey who played for 1924, Jim Bottomley who played for 1921, and Tris Speaker who played for 1907. Commentator Gene Elston, who worked with the Buffaloes in 1961, was awarded the Ford C. Frick Award in 2006.
Other league affiliations
Major League affiliations
Prior to 1919, it was not a practice of Minor League teams to be affiliated with Major League clubs. In 1959, Houston became independent of any Major League club, but became affiliates of the Chicago Cubs for their last two seasons.
Seasons | Team | League |
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1919–1958 | St. Louis Cardinals | National League |
1960–1961 | Chicago Cubs | National League |
Minor League affiliations
It was common at one time for higher level minor league teams to have lower level minor league affiliates.
Level | Seasons | Team | Location | League |
---|---|---|---|---|
C | 1951 | Enid Buffaloes[44]
|
Enid, Oklahoma | Western Association |
Ownership and executives
Majority owners
- Robert Adair, 1888[11]
- Houston Baseball Association, 1895–1899
- Claude Rielly, 1902–1908[20]
- Otto Sens and J. Doak Roberts, 1908–1920[24][45]
- John H. Crooker, 1920–1922[46]
- H.L. "Robby" Robertson, 1922–1925[47]
- Sam Breadon, 1925–1947[48]
- Anheuser-Busch, 1948–1959
- Marty Marion, 1959–1960[49]
- William Hopkins, 1960–1961[33]
- Houston Sports Association, 1961[37]
References
- ^ "Top 100 Teams". MiLB.com. 2001. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ OL 2507140M.
- ^ "Base Ball Club". The Weekly Telegraph. April 16, 1861. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ISBN 0890156093.
- ^ Galveston Daily News. February 12, 1888. p. 3.
- ^ Lomax, John Nova (May 16, 2012). "Houston's Babies Play Vintage Baseball". Houston Press. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ^ "Base Ball". Galveston Daily News. March 4, 1888. p. 3.
- ^ "Were Not Shut Out". Houston Chronicle (2nd ed.). March 7, 1888. p. 5.
- ^ "Houston Downs Galveston". Fort Worth Daily Gazette. April 2, 1888. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
- ISBN 0890156093.
- ^ a b "Directors and Stockholders of the Houston Association". Galveston Daily News. July 24, 1888. p. 3.
- Galveston Daily News. July 25, 1888. p. 2.
- ^ Justic, Eric (March 15, 2006). "Big names, big scores, big crowds". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- ^ Lomax, John Nova (May 16, 2012). "Houston's Babies Play Vintage Baseball". Houston Press. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- ISBN 0-312-05470-X.
- ^ "Texas League Individual Records". Texas League. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ "Notes of the Diamond". Fort Worth Gazette. March 18, 1895. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- Houston Daily Post. April 18, 1896. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
- ^ Houston Daily Post. November 14, 1902. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ^ "Come Home On Thursday". Houston Chronicle. June 22, 1904. p. 12.
- ^ a b c Lomax, John Nova (May 16, 2012). "Vintage Baseball: The Wanderers". Houston Press. Retrieved February 12, 2013.
- ^ "At Home For A Change". Houston Chronicle. July 29, 1904. p. 10.
- ^ The Shawnee News. October 28, 1908. p. 4. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
- Galveston Daily News. March 22, 1909. p. 4.
- ^ "Branch Rickey, 83, Dies in Missouri". The New York Times. December 10, 1965.
- ^ a b "Houston Takes Title by 4th Straight Win". The Selma Times-Journal. Selma. October 4, 1928. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Weiss, Bill; Wright, Marshall. "Top 100 Teams: 42. 1931 Houston Buffaloes". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
- ^ "Houston Wins Dixie Series From Mobile". Victoria Advocate. Victoria. October 5, 1947. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Houston Clips Atlanta, Wins Dixie Series". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene. October 7, 1956. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Buffs Repeat in Dixie Play". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth. October 7, 1957. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Russell Drops Plans to Buy Buff Franchise". Bonham Daily Favorite. January 24, 1960. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
- ^ St. Petersburg Times. August 17, 1960. p. 3-C.
- ^ "New York-Houston Get National Franchises". Lodi News-Sentinel. October 11, 1960.
- ^ "Houston Baseball Muddled for '61". The Victoria Advocate. October 21, 1960. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
- ^ "Association Franchise to Houston". TimesDaily. January 18, 1961. Pg. 2, Sec. 7. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
- ^ a b "Houston Will Get Emphasis, Paul Declares". Observer–Reporter. January 19, 1961. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
- ^ a b Considine, Bob (November 22, 1961). "Going Bigtime Proves Costly". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. p. 4.
- ^ Peebles, Dick (September 20, 1961). "Craft Was Richards' 'Boy' From Beginning". Houston Chronicle.
- ^ Toth, Susan (August 13, 1992). "Looking Back on Oklahoma". The Oklahoman. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ^ "Buffs' AAA Franchise Goes to Oklahoma City". Baytown Sun. July 16, 1961. p. 9.
- Mexia Daily News. November 12, 1970. p. 11. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ^ "Astros, Rangers swap Triple-A affiliates". ESPN. September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ISBN 9780786468447.
- ^ "The Texas League" (PDF). Sporting Life. November 14, 1908. p. 9. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
- ^ Ankenman, Fred (July 22, 1976). "Fred Ankenman". Houston Oral History Project (Interview). Interviewed by Louis Marchiafava. Houston: Houston Public Library. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- Galveston Daily News. August 24, 1922. p. 7. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- Winnipeg Evening Tribune. February 8, 1943. p. 13. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ "Marion Gets Lumps as Front Office Man". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. March 22, 1960. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
Further reading
- The Texas League 1888–1987: A Century of Baseball, Bill O'Neal, c.1987