The Okmulgee Drillers were a minor league baseball team that played in the Western Association

Western Association

The Western Association was the name of five different leagues in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries.The oldest league, originally established as the Northwestern League in 1883, was refounded as the Western Association on October 28, 1887...

 from 1920 to 1927. They were based in Okmulgee, Oklahoma

Okmulgee, Oklahoma

Okmulgee is a city in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population at the 2010 census was 12,321 a loss of 5.4 percent since the 2000 census figure of 13,022. It has been the capital of the Muscogee Nation since the United States Civil War. Okmulgee means "boiling waters" in the Creek...

. In 1922, they played at Athletic Park, and from 1923 to 1927, they played at Petrolia Park.

Under managers Whitey Hensling and Ed Brennan in 1920, the Drillers went 83-46, finishing first in the standings. They tied for the league championship that season. In 1921, they had three or four different managers. One source says they were managed by Frank Herriott, Harry Womack and Johnny Wuffli, while another says Ed Klepfer

Ed Klepfer

Edward Lloyd Klepfer, who was commonly known as "Big Ed", is a former Major League Baseball spitball pitcher who played for the New York Highlanders, Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians from 1911 to 1919....

 managed them as well. They finished seventh in the standings that season, going 71-76. Under managers Wuffli and Troy Agnew

Troy Agnew

Troy Pipkin Agnew was a minor league baseball catcher and manager. His brother is Sam Agnew.-Playing career:...

 in 1922, the Drillers finished fifth in the standings, going 56-79. They improved drastically in 1923 under manager Agnew, going 81-63 and finishing third in the league. They made it to the league finals, but lost.

The Drillers' 1924 team, according to MinorLeagueBaseball.com, was the 49th best team in minor league baseball history Under manager Agnew, they finished 110-48 that season, good for first in the league. They performed well in the postseason, winning the league championship. They were led offensively by Bud Davis

Bud Davis (pitcher)

John Wilbur Davis was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1919. He would later re-establish himself as a hitter in the minor leaguers, becoming a star player at that level...

 and Cecil Davis, who hit .400 with 51 home runs and 190 RBI and .364 with 51 home runs and 162 RBI, respectively. Joe Bratcher

Joe Bratcher

Joseph Warwick Bratcher was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1924.-External links:...

 hit .383 with 23 home runs and Bill Stellbauer

Bill Stellbauer

William Jennings "Bill" Stellbauer , was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played in with the Philadelphia Athletics. He batted and threw right-handed. Stellbauer had a .271 batting average in 25 games, 13 hits in 48 at-bats, in his one year career.He was born in Bremond, Texas and died in...

 hit .369 with 32 home runs as well. Their pitcher staff featured three twenty game winners: Guy Cantrell

Guy Cantrell

Guy Dewey Cantrell was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched from 1925-1930.-External links:...

 (21-7, 4.57 ERA), Jim Lyle

Jim Lyle

James Charles Lyle was a professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher for one season with the Washington Senators...

 (23-13, 3.97 ERA) and perhaps their best pitcher, Jim Walkup

Jim Walkup (left-handed pitcher)

James Huey "Jim" Walkup was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Walkup played for the Detroit Tigers in . In 2 career games, he had a 0-0 record, with a 5.40 ERA. He batted right and threw left-handed....

 (23-3, 2.60 ERA). Wilcy Moore

Wilcy Moore

William Wilcy "Cy" Moore was a former professional baseball right-handed pitcher over parts of six seasons with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. He led the American League in ERA as a rookie in 1927 while playing for New York.For his career, he compiled a 51-44 record, with a 3.70 ERA and...

 also went 17-6, and Walt Tauscher

Walt Tauscher

Walter Edward Tauscher was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1928 and the Washington Senators in 1931...

 went 12-4..

The Drillers would never again match the success they had in 1924. In 1925, they finished with an 80-71 record under managers Roy Corgan and Red Snapp

Red Snapp

Earl Elmer "Red" Snapp was a longtime minor league baseball player and manager notable for leading seven teams to pennants in their respective leagues.-Early years:...

, placing third in the league. Under Chick Mattick in 1926, they finished fourth in the league with a 73-85 record, and in 1927 they finished fifth in the league with a 57-75 record under manager Troy Agnew.

Notable players

• Jack Mealey
  Jack Mealey
  Maurice F. "Jack" Mealey was a long-time minor league baseball catcher, who also managed in the minor leagues and served as president of the Sooner State League for five years.-Playing career:...
  
  (born 1899) -- minor league baseball catcher, who also managed in the minor leagues and served as president of the Sooner State League