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West Texas League

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West Texas League
ClassificationClass D (1920–1922, 1928–1929)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1920
Ceased1929
PresidentWalter Morris (1920–1921)
Gordon W. Northern (1922)
Lloyd B. Thomas (1922)
J. McCallister Stevenson (1928)
E.E. Lowrie (1928)
D.L. Snodgrass (1929)
No. of teams17
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles1
Abilene Eagles (1920)
Sweetwater Swatters (1921)
Amarillo Gassers (1922)
San Angelo Red Snappers (1928)
Midland Colts (1929)
Related
competitions
Panhandle-Pecos Valley League

The West Texas League was a Class D level minor league baseball league that existed from 1920 to 1922 and from 1928 to 1929.

1920-1922

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The following teams played in 1920: Abilene Eagles, Ranger Nitros, Mineral Wells Resorters, Cisco Scouts, Gorman Buddies/Sweetwater Swatters and Eastland Judges.

The Abilene Eagles beat the Ranger Nitros in the playoffs to win the league championship.[1]

For the 1921 season, the Swatters, Eagles, Resorters, Nitros and Scouts returned to the league. The Resorters moved to Ballinger to become the Ballinger Bearcats. The Cisco Scouts changed their name to the Cisco Orphans. The Eastland Judges left the league and a new team, the San Angelo Bronchos, joined. The Abilene Eagles won their second championship in a row, beating the Swatters.[1]

There were multiple new teams in 1922: the Amarillo Gassers, Lubbock Hubbers, Clovis Buzzers and Stamford Colonels. No team represented Ballinger, Cisco or Mineral Wells. Amarillo won the league championship, beating the Buzzers.[2]

The league ceased play following the 1922 season and never reformed.[2]

1928-1929

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The league began play again in 1928, lasting until 1929. The following teams played in 1928: San Angelo Red Snappers, Coleman Bobcats, Abilene Aces, Midland Colts, Lubbock Hubbers and Hamlin Pied Pipers/Big Spring Springers.[2]

The Lubbock Hubbers were the only returning team from the 1922 season. The Red Snappers beat the Aces to take the league championship.[2]

New teams for the 1929 season included the San Angelo Sheep Herders and Big Spring Cowboys. The Ballinger Bearcats returned to the league. Coleman won the league championship.

Cities represented

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Standings & statistics

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1920 West Texas League schedule

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Abilene Eagles 70 50 .583 -- Bugs Young / Ed Kizziar
Ranger Nitros 66 60 .524 7.0 Jim Galloway
Mineral Wells Resorters 60 60 .500 10.0 Charley Stis / Bill Burns
Cisco Scouts 55 61 .474 13.0 Jack York / Tom Carson
Gorman Buddies / Sweetwater Swatters 51 58 .467 13.5 Bert Hise
Eastland Judges 54 67 .446 16.5 Jimmy Maloney

Gorman (36–44) moved to Sweetwater August 7, first home game August 15.
Playoff: Abilene 4 games, Ranger 3.[2]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Jim Galloway Ranger BA .341 Henry Meade Mineral Wells W 20
Charles Gressett Gorm/Sweet Runs 77 John Kolzelnick Cisco S0 200
Joe Bratcher Cisco/East Hits 126 Carl Hill Abilene PCT .778 14–4
Jim Galloway Ranger HR 9[2]

1921 West Texas League schedule

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Sweetwater Swatters 72 55 .567 -- Pop-Boy Smith / Earl Fleharty
Abilene Eagles 70 57 .551 2.0 Grady White / Hub Northen
San Angelo Bronchos 69 59 .539 2.5 Luke Robinson
Mineral Wells Resorters /
Ballinger Bearcats
57 72 .442 15.5 Roy Brashear / Vernon Brown /
Albert Briscoe / Jim Flagg / Pop-Boy Smith
Ranger Nitros 37 43 .463 NA Fletcher "Sled" Allen
Cisco Scouts 27 47 .365 NA Joshua L. Billings / Jimmy Flagg

Mineral Wells moved to Ballinger May 20; Cisco disbanded July 6; Ranger disbanded July 9
Playoffs: Sweetwater defeated San Angelo in a one game playoff for the first half title
Finals: Abilene 4 games, Sweetwater 2.[2]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Sam Langford Min Wel/Bal BA .381 Murray Richburg Sweetwater W 31
Warwick Comstock Abilene Runs 93 Murray Richburg] Sweetwater S0 226
Sam Langford Min Wel/Bal Hits 166 Murray Richburg Sweetwater Pct .721 31–12
Ed Conkrite San Angelo HR 17[2]

1922 West Texas League schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Amarillo Gassers 86 52 .623 -- Billy Smith / Jack Meanor
Lubbock Hubbers 79 56 .585 5.5 Sled Allen
Clovis Buzzers 75 57 .568 8.0 Dutch Wetzel
Sweetwater Swatters 62 72 .463 22.0 Pop-Boy Smith
Abilene Eagles 61 72 .459 22.5 Charles Anderson
San Angelo Bronchos 61 73 .455 23.0 Walt Alexander / Luke Robinson
Stamford Colonels 56 76 .424 27.0 Tom Price / Poston Baker
Ranger Nitros 56 78 .418 28.0 Bob Allen / Joe Clayton

Playoff: Amarillo 5 games, Clovis 1.[2]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Tom Pyle Ranger BA .377 F. J. Smith Amarillo W 21
John King Lubbock/Abiline Runs 116 F.J Smith Amarillo S0 223
Tom Pyle Ranger Hits 183 Jim Sewell Clovis PCT .778 14–4
Sam Langford Lubbock HR 21[2]

1928 West Texas League schedule 1st half - 2nd half

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
San Angelo Red Snappers 69 47 .595 -- Red Snapp
Coleman Bobcats 67 49 .578 2.0 Bob Couchman
Abilene Aces 61 54 .530 7.5 Les Tullos / Carl Williams
Midland Colts 52 64 .448 17.0 Curley Maloney / Snipe Conley
Lubbock Hubbers 48 63 .432 18.5 Bennie Brownlow / Ray Hill
Hamlin Pied Pipers /
Big Spring Springers
46 66 .411 21.0 Army Magness /
Poston Baker / J.L. Thornton

Hamlin moved to Big Spring July 3.
Playoff: San Angelo 3 games, Abilene 2.[2]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bob Sanguinette Midland BA .394 Jubilo Clements San Angelo W 20
Garland Orr Abilene Runs 121 J.H. "Hokey" Garcia San Angelo S0 178
Garland Orr Abilene Hits 171 Clarence Williams San Angelo PCT .737 14–5
Bob Sanguinette Midland HR 35[2]

1929 West Texas League schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Midland Colts 67 52 .563 -- 14,687 Kal Segrist, Sr. / John King
Coleman Bobcats 62 56 .525 4.5 12,922 Honus Mitze / Jack Holloway
Ballinger Bearcats 62 56 .525 4.5 17,632 Bill Bean / Ray Hill
San Angelo Sheep Herders 55 61 .474 10.5 15,288 Walt Alexander
Abilene Aces 55 64 .462 12.0 7,604 Carl Williams
Big Spring Cowboys 54 66 .450 13.5 15,288 Jim Payne /
Ralph Rose / Nick Carter

Playoff: Coleman 3 games, Midland 3. Coleman won the title when Midland failed to appear for the seventh game.[2]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Ed Kallina Midland BA .433 Jimmie Parker Ballinger W 18
Julian Flowers Midland Runs 136 Gene Moore Midland S0 147
Ed Kallina Midland Hits 159 Tom Vaughn Ballinger ERA 2.11
Ed Kallina Midland HR 44 T. Baker Midland PCT .867 13–2[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Minor League Baseball article".
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.