Beaumont Golden Gators
Encyclopedia
The Beaumont Golden Gators were a minor league baseball
team in the double A Texas League
from 1983 to 1986. Owned by insurance man Ted Moor, the team was an affiliate of the San Diego Padres
for their entire tenure. Future Major League Baseball players John Kruk
, Roberto Alomar
, Joey Cora
, Ozzie Guillén
, Sandy Alomar, Jr.
, Shane Mack, and Benito Santiago
all played at one time for the Golden Gators. The team played its home games at Vincent-Beck Stadium
on the campus of Lamar University
in Beaumont, Texas
and won the 1983 Texas League championship. Their uniforms were a gaudy gold, white, and green and the hats were of the historic pillbox variety with a white B surrounded by a golden triangle. The cities of Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange are known in local parlance as the "Golden Triangle." The oil bust in 1986 caused the local economy to falter and Moor sold the team to a group that moved them to Wichita, Kansas before the 1987 season, becoming the Wichita Pilots
. The team spent 21 seasons in Wichita, being renamed to the Wichita Wranglers
in 1989, before moving to Springdale
, Arkansas
and becoming the Northwest Arkansas Naturals
. Prior to their time in Beaumont the team had been the Amarillo Gold Sox
.
, was stabbed after a game in San Antonio, Texas
. Cora, who had been a first round draft pick, was waiting outside the team bus following the game against the San Antonio Missions
at V.J. Keefe Stadium when two men called his name and then assaulted him. He was stabbed once in the stomach and once in the arm. Cora was quickly rushed to the hospital and later made a full recovery after spending six weeks on the disabled list. A man named Jose Puente, 29, was caught at the scene and was later charged with attempted murder. No motive was ever given for the crime.
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Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team in the double A Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
from 1983 to 1986. Owned by insurance man Ted Moor, the team was an affiliate of the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
for their entire tenure. Future Major League Baseball players John Kruk
John Kruk
John Martin Kruk is a former Major League Baseball player and current baseball analyst for ESPN.-Early life and career:...
, Roberto Alomar
Roberto Alomar
Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second...
, Joey Cora
Joey Cora
Jose Manuel Cora Amaro was a baseball player known as "The Rooster" with an 11 year career in the MLB spanning the years 1987 and 1989-1998. He played for the San Diego Padres of the National League and the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians of the American League...
, Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
, Sandy Alomar, Jr.
Sandy Alomar, Jr.
Santos "Sandy" Alomar, Jr., or in the Spanish-language naming system Santos Alomar Velázquez , is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the San Diego Padres , Cleveland Indians , Chicago White Sox and , Colorado Rockies , Texas Rangers , Los Angeles Dodgers , and New York Mets...
, Shane Mack, and Benito Santiago
Benito Santiago
Benito Santiago Rivera is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. He played for twenty seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to , most notably for the San Diego Padres...
all played at one time for the Golden Gators. The team played its home games at Vincent-Beck Stadium
Vincent-Beck Stadium
Vincent–Beck Stadium is a ballpark located in Beaumont, Texas on Jim Gilligan Way . It was built in 1969 and has a capacity of 3,500 spectators. It is the home stadium of the Lamar University Cardinals baseball team...
on the campus of Lamar University
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...
in Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
and won the 1983 Texas League championship. Their uniforms were a gaudy gold, white, and green and the hats were of the historic pillbox variety with a white B surrounded by a golden triangle. The cities of Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange are known in local parlance as the "Golden Triangle." The oil bust in 1986 caused the local economy to falter and Moor sold the team to a group that moved them to Wichita, Kansas before the 1987 season, becoming the Wichita Pilots
Wichita Wranglers
The Wichita Wranglers were a minor league baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team, which played in the Texas League, was the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major-league club from 1995 to 2007, and of the San Diego Padres from 1987 to 1994. The Wranglers played in...
. The team spent 21 seasons in Wichita, being renamed to the Wichita Wranglers
Wichita Wranglers
The Wichita Wranglers were a minor league baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas. The team, which played in the Texas League, was the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major-league club from 1995 to 2007, and of the San Diego Padres from 1987 to 1994. The Wranglers played in...
in 1989, before moving to Springdale
Springdale, Arkansas
As of the census of 2010, there were 69,797 people, 22,805 households, and 16,640 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 64.7% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 1.8% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 5.7% Pacific Islander, 22% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and becoming the Northwest Arkansas Naturals
Northwest Arkansas Naturals
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are a Minor League Baseball team based in Springdale, Arkansas. The team is member of the Texas League, and serves as the Double-A affiliate to the Kansas City Royals. They relocated to Springdale from Wichita, Kansas in 2008. They were previously known as the...
. Prior to their time in Beaumont the team had been the Amarillo Gold Sox
Amarillo Gold Sox
The Amarillo Gold Sox was the name of a minor league baseball franchise that represented the city of Amarillo, Texas, in the Class D West Texas-New Mexico League, the Class A Western League and the Class AA Texas League at various times between 1939 and 1982....
.
Joey Cora stabbing
The Golden Gators received national attention when on June 22, 1986 their second baseman, Joey CoraJoey Cora
Jose Manuel Cora Amaro was a baseball player known as "The Rooster" with an 11 year career in the MLB spanning the years 1987 and 1989-1998. He played for the San Diego Padres of the National League and the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians of the American League...
, was stabbed after a game in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. Cora, who had been a first round draft pick, was waiting outside the team bus following the game against the San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
at V.J. Keefe Stadium when two men called his name and then assaulted him. He was stabbed once in the stomach and once in the arm. Cora was quickly rushed to the hospital and later made a full recovery after spending six weeks on the disabled list. A man named Jose Puente, 29, was caught at the scene and was later charged with attempted murder. No motive was ever given for the crime.
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Year-by-year record
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 68-68 | 5th | Jack Maloof | League Champs |
| 1984 | 89-47 | 1st | Bobby Tolan Bobby Tolan Robert Tolan is a former center and right fielder in Major League Baseball. Tolan, who batted and threw left-handed, played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Cincinnati Reds , San Diego Padres , Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates... |
Lost League Finals |
| 1985 | 69-67 | 4th | Bobby Tolan Bobby Tolan Robert Tolan is a former center and right fielder in Major League Baseball. Tolan, who batted and threw left-handed, played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Cincinnati Reds , San Diego Padres , Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates... |
|
| 1986 | 60-76 | 7th | Steve Smith Steve Smith (baseball) Steven John Smith is a Major League Baseball coach presently working as the third-base coach for the Cleveland Indians. Prior to his current assignment in Cleveland, he held the same position with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and Philadelphia Phillies... |
|
External links
- Beaumont Enterprise story about Padres G.M. Kevin Towers and his Golden Gators days. June 23, 2007. http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18511620&BRD=2287&PAG=461&dept_id=583964&rfi=6
Sources
- 1987 San Diego Padres media guide
- 1986 San Diego Padres media guide
- 2001 Texas League media guide