Texas League

Infobox sports league

pixels = 150px
caption = Texas League logo
sport = Baseball
founded = 1902
motto =
teams = 8
country = USA
champion = Arkansas Travelers
folded =
website = [http://www.texas-league.com/ Official Website]

The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a AA ("double-A") league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1890. It was revived as a class D league in 1902, moved to class C in 1904 where it played through 1910 (except for 1906 as class D again), played at class B until 1920, and finally moved up to class A in 1921. The Texas League, like so many others, shut down during World War II. From 1959 to 1961 the Texas League and the Mexican League formed the Pan American Association. The two leagues played a limited interlocking schedule and post-season championship. In 1971, the Texas League and the Southern League were both down to seven teams. They played an interlocking schedule with the SL known as the Dixie Association. The two league played separate playoffs.

Despite the league's name only its four South Division teams are actually based in Texas. The four North Division teams are located in surrounding states including Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri.

The League's name is well known due to its association with a particular aspect of the game. A bloop single that drops between the infielders and outfielders has been called a Texas Leaguer since the 1890s, despite no evidence that it originated in the Texas League, or was any more common there than elsewhere. [http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/texas/entry/texas_leaguer_texas_league_hit/] There is a common thread throughout Civil War anecdotes that refer to a game played 30 years earlier in the Sabine Pass area. As the story goes, a union soldier hit a ball over the outfielder's head, leading him into a long chase for the ball which resulted in a bullet wound from a nearby sniper. After the incident, hits were only rewarded for balls that landed between the infielders and outfielders.

Team Moves

In recent years the Texas League has witnessed a great deal of change. Teams once known as the Jackson Generals, El Paso Diablos, Shreveport Captains, and Wichita Wranglers have all relocated to new cities and bigger stadiums.

Current teams

:¹ Hosting 2008 Texas League All-Star Game

Current team rosters

*

Complete list of Texas League teams (1902-)

* Albuquerque Dodgers
* Albuquerque Dukes
* Alexandria Aces
* Amarillo Giants
* Amarillo Gold Sox
* Amarillo Sonics
* Ardmore Rosebuds
* Ardmore Territorians
* Arkansas Travelers
* Austin Braves
* Austin Senators
* Beaumont Exporters
* Beaumont Golden Gators
* Beaumont Millionaires
* Beaumont Oil Gushers
* Beaumont Oilers
* Beaumont Roughnecks
* Brenham Orphans
* Cleburne Railroaders
* Corpus Christi Giants
* Corpus Christi Hooks
* Corsicana Oil Citys
* Corsicana Oilers
* Dallas Eagles
* Dallas Giants
* Dallas Griffins
* Dallas Marines
* Dallas Rangers
* Dallas Rebels
* Dallas Steers
* Dallas Submarines
* Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs
* El Paso Diablos
* El Paso Dodgers
* El Paso Sun Kings
* Fort Worth Cats
* Fort Worth Panthers
* Fort Worth Spurs
* Frisco RoughRiders
* Galveston Buccaneers
* Galveston Crabs
* Galveston Pirates
* Galveston Sand Crabs
* Houston Buffaloes
* Houston Wanderers
* Jackson Astros
* Jackson Generals
* Jackson Mets
* Jackson Soldiers
* Lafayette Drillers
* Longview Cannibals
* Lubbock Cubs
* Lubbock Longhorns
* Lubbock Panhandlers
* Lufkin Circles
* Memphis Blues
* Midland Angels
* Midland Cubs
* Midland RockHounds
* Northwest Arkansas Naturals
* Oklahoma City Indians
* Oklahoma City Mets
* Paris Eisenfelder's Homeseekers
* Paris Parisites
* Pueblo Coloradans
* Rio Grande Valley Giants
* Round Rock Express
* San Antonio Bears
* San Antonio Brewers
* San Antonio Bronchos
* San Antonio Bullets
* San Antonio Dodgers
* San Antonio Indians
* San Antonio Missions
* Sherman-Denison Students
* Shreveport Braves
* Shreveport Captains
* Shreveport Gassers
* Shreveport Pirates
* Shreveport Sports
* Shreveport Swamp Dragons
* Springfield Cardinals
* Temple Boll Weevils
* Texarkana Casketmakers
* Tulsa Cardinals
* Tulsa Drillers
* Tulsa Indians
* Tulsa Oilers
* Tyler Sports
* Tyler Texans
* Victoria Rosebuds
* Victoria Toros
* Waco Cubs
* Waco Navigators
* Waco Steers
* Waco Tigers
* Wichita Falls Spudders
* Wichita Kansans
* Wichita Pilots
* Wichita Wranglers
* Wichita Wingers

ee also

*List of attendance figures at domestic professional sports leagues — the Texas League in the context of leagues all over the world

External links

* [http://www.texas-league.com/ Official Texas League website]
* [http://www.txleaguelegacy.com/ Texas League Baseball - The Wakefield Collection]