East Texas League
Encyclopedia
The East Texas League was a Texas-based league in minor league baseball that existed on-and-off from 1916 to 1950.
that did not have a (known) nickname. Crockett, Nacogdoches
and Rusk
would never field a professional baseball team again. The Athletics dissolved following the season, with the next Palestine
team showing up in 1925 as the Palestine Pals in the Texas Association. The Lumbermen dissolved as well, although a team with that name played in the West Dixie League in 1934.
in 1921 and 1922 as the Paris Snappers, the Paris Grays moved to the East Texas League and finished at the top with a 76-43 record in 1923, with the Longview Cannibals
finishing last, with a 41-77 record. Other teams in the league that year were the Greenville Staplers
who played in the Texas-Oklahoma League as the Greenville Togs
in 1922; the Marshall Indians
; the Mt. Pleasant Cats and Sulphur Springs Lions.
, Sulphur Springs
and Paris
-based teams did as well, however they underwent name changes: the Greenville Staplers became the Greenville Hunters
, the Sulphur Springs Lions became the Sulphur Springs Saints and the Paris Grays became the Paris North Stars. In its very first season of existence, league newcomer the Tyler Trojans were league champions with an 83-37 record. Another team, the Texarkana Twins
, was new to the league as well.
Trojans, Greenville Hunters, Longview
Cannibals, Texarkana
Twins, Marshall
Indians and Mt. Pleasant Cats. The Sulphur Springs Saints became the Sulphur Springs Spartans
for 1925, and the Paris North Stars became the Paris Bearcats. The Bearcats won the league championship with a 76-46 record. The Spartans disbanded on June 7 of that year, and because of that the Cannibals consolidated with the Mt. Pleasant Cats, playing as the Longview-Mount Pleasant Longcats until July 12, when the team permanently settled in Longview.
and Kilgore Gushers joined the league as well. Tyler disbanded on May 5 and the entire league disbanded on May 7, with the default league champions being the Oilers who went 4-1. The Gushers and Trojans both went 1-3, while the Cannibals went 4-3.
Oilers. The Kilgore
team was now known as the Kilgore Braves
, while the Marshall team, which did not participate in the 1931 incarnation, was known as the Marshall Orphans. Jacksonville
and Palestine had representatives in the league for the first time since 1916, with teams known as the Jacksonville Jax
and Palestine Pals, respectively. The Gladewater Bears were completely new to the league, coming from the West Dixie League, where they played in 1935. The Bears won the League Championship, as they beat the Trojans four games to two in the finals. The Trojans had placed first in the regular season standings that year, going 94-56, while the Bears went 93-59 to finish second in the league. The Braves finished last in the league, going 45-106. Following the season, the Bears ceased to exist in Gladewater
. A new team with that name would show up in 1948, playing in the Lone Star League
.
, while Kilgore became the Kilgore Rangers. Texarkana had a representative in the league for the first time since 1926, with a team known as the Texarkana Liners. Despite Tyler leading the league with an 85-52 record in the regular season, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Jacksonville beat Marshall in the league finals four games to two, to become the league champions. Kilgore finished last in the league with a 42-97 record.
for the 1941 season. The Texarkana Liners changed their name back to the Texarkana Twins and moved to the Cotton States League as well.
returned to the league for the first time since 1916, with a team known as the Lufkin Foresters
. Sherman
was entirely new to the league, with a team known as the Twins. Henderson finished atop the league with an 83-56 record, and they won the League Championship as well, defeating Texarkana four games to two. Lufkin finished last in the league with a 47-92 record. The league disbanded following the 1946 season. The Oilers, Jax, Foresters and Trojans moved onto the Lone Star League
, while the Bears, Majors, Red Peppers and Twins moved onto the Big State League
. The Twins became known as the Sherman-Denison Twins.
had a representative in the league for the first time, the Bryan Bombers. They arrived from the Lone Star League. So many team arrived from the Lone Star league because that league folded following the 1948 season.
Longview finished first in the league in 1949, with a 89-51 record. Gladewater ended up winning the league championship, however, defeating the fourth-place Kilgore four games to zero. The Bombers finished last in the league, with a 48-91 record.
The league folded following the 1950 season. The Gladewater Bears, Marshall Browns, Henderson Oilers and Kilgore Drillers folded with it. The Longview Texans did not play in 1950, however Longview was represented by the Longview Cherokees
in 1952 and the Longview Pirates in 1953 in the Big State League. The Tyler Trojans became the Tyler East Texans and moved to the Big State League. A team named the Paris Indians represented Paris in Big State League from 1952 to 1953. Paris had minor league teams through 1957. Bryan had minor league teams until 1954, although none in 1951 and 1952.
1916
In 1916, the first East Texas League began play. A Class-D league, it folded on July 19 of that season. The "league champions," by default, were the Palestine Athletics and Lufkin Lumbermen, who both finished atop the league with a .609 winning percentage. The other teams in the league were the Nacogdoches Cogs, Rusk Governors, Jacksonville Tomato Pickers and a team based in Crockett, TexasCrockett, Texas
Crockett is a city in Houston County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,141. It is the county seat of Houston County.- History :...
that did not have a (known) nickname. Crockett, Nacogdoches
Nacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of...
and Rusk
Rusk, Texas
Rusk is a city in Cherokee County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,085 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cherokee County.-Geography:Rusk is located at ....
would never field a professional baseball team again. The Athletics dissolved following the season, with the next Palestine
Palestine, Texas
Palestine is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,598, and 18,458 in the 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Anderson County and is situated in East Texas...
team showing up in 1925 as the Palestine Pals in the Texas Association. The Lumbermen dissolved as well, although a team with that name played in the West Dixie League in 1934.
1923
The next incarnation of the league began play in 1923, and ran until 1926. After playing in the Texas-Oklahoma LeagueTexas-Oklahoma League
The Texas-Oklahoma League refers the name of two Minor league baseball Class-D circuits that operated between and . The first began in 1911 and finished in 1914, while the second did not even last that long, being active only in 1921 and 1922....
in 1921 and 1922 as the Paris Snappers, the Paris Grays moved to the East Texas League and finished at the top with a 76-43 record in 1923, with the Longview Cannibals
Longview Cannibals
The Longview Cannibals were a semi-pro and minor league baseball team based in Longview, Texas, USA that existed on-and-off from 1895 to 1939. In 1912, they officially joined the professional South Central League. From 1923 to 1926, in 1931 and from 1936 to 1939, they played in the East Texas League...
finishing last, with a 41-77 record. Other teams in the league that year were the Greenville Staplers
Greenville Staplers
The Greenville Staplers were a East Texas League baseball team based in Greenville, Texas, USA that played during the 1923 season. Notable players include Ed Appleton, Uel Eubanks and Chick Sorrells....
who played in the Texas-Oklahoma League as the Greenville Togs
Greenville Togs
The Greenville Togs were a Texas-Oklahoma League baseball team based in Greenville, Texas, USA that played during the 1922 season. Notable players include Horace Allen and Tom Lovelace....
in 1922; the Marshall Indians
Marshall Indians
The Marshall Indians were a minor league baseball team based in Marshall, Texas, USA that played from 1923 to 1927 in the East Texas League and Lone Star League . Notable players include Homer Peel, George Watkins and Chief Hogsett. The team finished with a winning record only once over the course...
; the Mt. Pleasant Cats and Sulphur Springs Lions.
1924
The Cannibals, Cats and Indians returned to the league in 1924. The GreenvilleGreenville, Texas
Greenville is the county seat, and the largest city, of Hunt County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,557....
, Sulphur Springs
Sulphur Springs, Texas
Sulphur Springs is a city in Hopkins County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 14,551. It is the county seat of Hopkins County.-Geography:Sulphur Springs is located at ....
and Paris
Paris, Texas
Paris, Texas is a city located northeast of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex in Lamar County, Texas, in the United States. It is situated in Northeast Texas at the western edge of the Piney Woods. Physiographically, these regions are part of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. In 1900, 9,358 people lived...
-based teams did as well, however they underwent name changes: the Greenville Staplers became the Greenville Hunters
Greenville Hunters
The Greenville Hunters were a Texas League , North Texas League and East Texas League baseball team based in Greenville, Texas. Pepper Martin played for them....
, the Sulphur Springs Lions became the Sulphur Springs Saints and the Paris Grays became the Paris North Stars. In its very first season of existence, league newcomer the Tyler Trojans were league champions with an 83-37 record. Another team, the Texarkana Twins
Texarkana Twins
The Texarkana Twins were a South Central League , East Texas League , Lone Star League and Cotton States League baseball team based in Texarkana, Texas, USA...
, was new to the league as well.
1925
Returning to the league in 1925 were the TylerTyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
Trojans, Greenville Hunters, Longview
Longview, Texas
Longview is a city in Gregg and Harrison Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 80,455. Most of the city is located in Gregg County, of which it is the county seat; only a small part extends into the western part of neighboring Harrison County. It is...
Cannibals, Texarkana
Texarkana, Texas
Texarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue...
Twins, Marshall
Marshall, Texas
Marshall is a city in Harrison County in the northeastern corner of Texas. Marshall is a major cultural and educational center in East Texas and the tri-state area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Marshall was about 23,523...
Indians and Mt. Pleasant Cats. The Sulphur Springs Saints became the Sulphur Springs Spartans
Sulphur Springs Spartans
The Sulphur Springs Spartans were an East Texas League baseball team based in Sulphur Springs, Texas that played in 1925. They were managed by Abe Bowman and also featured future Major League Baseball All-Star Sam West....
for 1925, and the Paris North Stars became the Paris Bearcats. The Bearcats won the league championship with a 76-46 record. The Spartans disbanded on June 7 of that year, and because of that the Cannibals consolidated with the Mt. Pleasant Cats, playing as the Longview-Mount Pleasant Longcats until July 12, when the team permanently settled in Longview.
1926
1926 was the final year of the second incarnation of the East Texas League. The Longview Cannibals, Texarkana Twins, Greenville Hunters, Tyler Trojans and Paris Bearcats returned to the league with the names they held the previous year. The Marshall Indians became the Marshall Snappers-Indians. After finishing first in the league in 1925, the Bearcats finished last in the league in 1926, with a 39-81 record. The Cannibals finished with the best record in the league that year, with a mark of 83-39.1931
The league was revived in 1931, lasting not even the whole season. The Longview Cannibals and Tyler Trojans returned to the league, and newcomers the Henderson OilersHenderson Oilers
The Henderson Oilers were a minor league baseball team that played in the East Texas League in 1931, from 1936 to 1940 and in 1946; in the Dixie League in 1933; in the West Dixie League from 1934 to 1935 and from 1949 to 1950; and in the Lone Star League from 1947 to 1948...
and Kilgore Gushers joined the league as well. Tyler disbanded on May 5 and the entire league disbanded on May 7, with the default league champions being the Oilers who went 4-1. The Gushers and Trojans both went 1-3, while the Cannibals went 4-3.
1936
In 1936, the league resumed play once again, this time until 1940. For the first time in the league's history, it was a C-level league, rather than a D-level league. Returning teams were the Tyler Trojans, Longview Cannibals and HendersonHenderson, Texas
Henderson is a city in Rusk County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,273 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rusk County...
Oilers. The Kilgore
Kilgore, Texas
Kilgore is a city in Gregg and Rusk Counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the home of Kilgore College, and was also the childhood home of famous classical pianist Van Cliburn...
team was now known as the Kilgore Braves
Kilgore Braves
The Kilgore Braves were an East Texas League baseball team based in Kilgore, Texas that existed in 1936. They went 45-106 in their only year of existence, finishing in eighth place in the standings....
, while the Marshall team, which did not participate in the 1931 incarnation, was known as the Marshall Orphans. Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Texas
Jacksonville is located in Cherokee County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,868 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Cherokee County and part of the larger Tyler-Jacksonville Combined Statistical...
and Palestine had representatives in the league for the first time since 1916, with teams known as the Jacksonville Jax
Jacksonville Jax
The Jacksonville Jax were a minor league baseball team based at Ragsdale Park in Jacksonville, Texas, USA. They played in the West Dixie League from 1934-1935, the East Texas League from 1936-1940, and again in 1946, the Lone Star League in 1947 and the Gulf Coast League in 1950. In 1934, they were...
and Palestine Pals, respectively. The Gladewater Bears were completely new to the league, coming from the West Dixie League, where they played in 1935. The Bears won the League Championship, as they beat the Trojans four games to two in the finals. The Trojans had placed first in the regular season standings that year, going 94-56, while the Bears went 93-59 to finish second in the league. The Braves finished last in the league, going 45-106. Following the season, the Bears ceased to exist in Gladewater
Gladewater, Texas
Gladewater is a city in Gregg and Upshur Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 6,228 at the 2010 census. U.S. Highway 80 traverses the city....
. A new team with that name would show up in 1948, playing in the Lone Star League
Lone Star League
The Lone Star League was the name of three American minor professional baseball leagues located in the state of Texas during the 20th century. The leagues operated from 1927–1929 , 1947–1948 and 1977 ....
.
1937
The Tyler Trojans, Jacksonville Jax, Henderson Oilers, Palestine Pals and Longview Cannibals returned to the league with their names the same. The Marshall team changed its name to the Marshall TigersMarshall Tigers
The Marshall Tigers were an East Texas League , Cotton States League and Lone Star League baseball team based in Marshall, Texas, USA. They were affiliated with the Chicago White Sox in 1937. Multiple major leaguers, including Eddie Lopat, played for the team....
, while Kilgore became the Kilgore Rangers. Texarkana had a representative in the league for the first time since 1926, with a team known as the Texarkana Liners. Despite Tyler leading the league with an 85-52 record in the regular season, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Jacksonville beat Marshall in the league finals four games to two, to become the league champions. Kilgore finished last in the league with a 42-97 record.
1938
For the first time in East Texas League history, the same exact same teams played in the league two consecutive seasons: 1937 and 1938. Following 1937, there were no league departures, and there were no name changes or new teams for the 1938 season. The Trojans, who had finished in fourth place in the regular season, beat the Oilers, who had finished in third place during the regular season, four games to three in the league finals to win the league championship. Marshall (84-55) and Texarkana (80-60) had finished first and second in the league, respectively, however they were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. The Jax finished last with a 58-82 record.1939
No teams would leave the league following 1938, and only one team would change its name for the 1939 season: the Kilgore Rangers became the Kilgore Boomers. Aside from that, every team would stay the same. The Henderson Oilers had the best record in the league, going 85-55, while the Jacksonville Jax went only 51-89. In the league finals, the second-place Boomers beat the first-place Oilers four games to zero. The Jax again finished last in the league, this time with a 51-89 record.1940
1940 was the final year of the fourth incarnation of the East Texas League. Each team returned from the previous season, and only one team underwent a name change: the Longview Cannibals became the Longview Texans. The third-place Trojans beat the fourth-place Tigers in the league championship. Longview had finished first in the league with a 79-53 record, but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. On June 5, both the Palestine Pals and Jacksonville Jax disbanded. The Marshall Tigers moved onto the Cotton States LeagueCotton States League
The Cotton States League name was used five different times in baseball history. The first Cotton States League ran from 1902 through 1908 as a class D league. After the league shut down, another Cotton States League was reformulated in 1910, with three of the six '08 members returning for the new...
for the 1941 season. The Texarkana Liners changed their name back to the Texarkana Twins and moved to the Cotton States League as well.
1946
The league made a one-year comeback in 1946, with the Oilers, Trojans and Jax returning. Texarkana came back with a new team name, the Texarkana Bears, as did Greenville (which hadn't had a team in the league since 1926), its team known as the Greenville Majors. Paris, too, returned with a team called the Paris Red Peppers, and LufkinLufkin, Texas
Lufkin is a city in Angelina County, Texas, United States. Founded in 1882, the population was 35,067 in 2010. It is the county seat of Angelina County, and is situated in Deep East Texas.-History:...
returned to the league for the first time since 1916, with a team known as the Lufkin Foresters
Lufkin Foresters
The Lufkin Foresters were a minor league baseball team based in Lufkin, Texas that played in the East Texas League in 1946 and in the Lone Star League in 1947 and 1948.-Year-by-year record:...
. Sherman
Sherman, Texas
Sherman is a city in and the county seat of Grayson County, Texas, United States. The city's estimated population as of 2009 was 38,407. It is also one of two principal cities in the Sherman-Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
was entirely new to the league, with a team known as the Twins. Henderson finished atop the league with an 83-56 record, and they won the League Championship as well, defeating Texarkana four games to two. Lufkin finished last in the league with a 47-92 record. The league disbanded following the 1946 season. The Oilers, Jax, Foresters and Trojans moved onto the Lone Star League
Lone Star League
The Lone Star League was the name of three American minor professional baseball leagues located in the state of Texas during the 20th century. The leagues operated from 1927–1929 , 1947–1948 and 1977 ....
, while the Bears, Majors, Red Peppers and Twins moved onto the Big State League
Big State League
The Big State League was a mid-level, Class B circuit in American minor league baseball that played for 11 seasons, from 1947 through 1957. Its member clubs were exclusively based in Texas. It saw a lot of transition in its 11-year lifetime, with no team serving as a member in every single season....
. The Twins became known as the Sherman-Denison Twins.
1949
1949 was the beginning of the sixth and final incarnation of the East Texas League. It would last until 1950. The Longview Texans returned to the league after not playing in it during the 1946 incarnation, coming from the Lone Star League. The Gladewater Bears returned as well, after not playing in the league since 1936. They too arrived from the Lone Star League. The Tyler Trojans and Henderson Oilers returned after spending time in the Lone Star League, as well. The Paris team arrived from the Big State League, changing its name from the Paris Rockets (it changed its name to the Rockets for the 1948 Big State League season) to the Paris Panthers. Kilgore returned as the Kilgore Drillers, coming from the Lone Star League. The Marshall team was now known as the Marshall Browns. They arrived from the Lone Star League, where they were known as the Marshall Comets in 1947 and Marshall Tigers in 1948. Bryan, TexasBryan, Texas
Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley . It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south...
had a representative in the league for the first time, the Bryan Bombers. They arrived from the Lone Star League. So many team arrived from the Lone Star league because that league folded following the 1948 season.
Longview finished first in the league in 1949, with a 89-51 record. Gladewater ended up winning the league championship, however, defeating the fourth-place Kilgore four games to zero. The Bombers finished last in the league, with a 48-91 record.
1950
Every team that played in the league in 1949 returned for 1950, with the Bombers changing their name to the Bryan Sports. The Sports and Paris Panthers disbanded on July 20. Gladewater led the league with a 92-45 record, but second-place Marshall beat fourth-place Longview four games to one in the finals.The league folded following the 1950 season. The Gladewater Bears, Marshall Browns, Henderson Oilers and Kilgore Drillers folded with it. The Longview Texans did not play in 1950, however Longview was represented by the Longview Cherokees
Longview Cherokees
The Longview Cherokees were a Big State League baseball team based in Longview, Texas that existed in 1952. They went 71-76 in their only year of existence.Clem Hausmann and Andy Anderson played for them....
in 1952 and the Longview Pirates in 1953 in the Big State League. The Tyler Trojans became the Tyler East Texans and moved to the Big State League. A team named the Paris Indians represented Paris in Big State League from 1952 to 1953. Paris had minor league teams through 1957. Bryan had minor league teams until 1954, although none in 1951 and 1952.