Central Texas League

Central Texas League
ClassificationClass D (1914–1917)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1914
CeasedJune 6, 1917
PresidentA. M. Frazier (1914)
Hulen P. Robertson (1915)
Earl C. Brown (1915–1916)
Jack C. Castellaw (1916)
Earl C. Smith (1917)
No. of teams11
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles1
Waxahachie Buffaloes (1914)
Ennis Tigers (1915)
Temple Governors (1916)
Mexia Gassers (1917)

The Central Texas League was a minor league baseball league that played from 1914 to 1917. The Central Texas League played as a six–team Class D level league and consisted of teams based exclusively in Texas. The Central Texas League never completed a full season in its four seasons of play and was sometimes called the Central Texas Trolley League. The Ennis Tigers played in each season of the league, which had a different champion each season.

History[edit]

The Central Texas League began play in 1914, as a six–team Class D level minor league, with all six franchises based in Texas.[1] The first league president was A.M. Frazier.[2] The Corsicana Athletics, Ennis Tigers, Hillsboro, Texas, Italy, Texas, Waxahachie Buffaloes and West, Texas teams were the charter franchises. The league was also known informally as the Central Texas Trolley League in its inception.[3][4][5]

In their first season of league play, the league played a split schedule. After Central Texas League games began on May 10, 1914, the second half was shortened when the league ceased play on July 25, 1914.[2] After the league stopped play the Central Texas League did have a playoff. The Waxahachie Buffaloes won the first half standings (26–15) and West won the shortened second half standings. In the playoff, the Waxahachie Buffaloes won the championship when they defeated West 3 games to 2.[3][6]

In 1915, the Central Texas League reformed and the league began play on May 17, 1915 with six members.[7] The six teams in 1915 were the Corsicana A's, Ennis Tigers, Kaufman Kings, Mexia Gassers, Terrell Cubs and Waxahachie Athletics.[8] The 1915 league presidents were Earl C. Brown and Hulen P. Robertson.[2] The league folded on July 24, 1915. The Ennis Tigers won the first half of the schedule. The Mexia Gassers won the second half of the schedule. No playoffs were held and Ennis had the best overall record at 35–26, 3.0 games ahead of the Corsicana A's.[9]

The Central Texas League formed again and began play on April 28, 1916.[10] The six league members in 1916 were the Ennis Tigers, Marlin Marlins, Mexia Gassers, Temple Governors, Terrell Terrors and Waxahachie Athletics.[11] The 1916 league presidents were Earl C. Brown and Jack C. Castellaw. The league disbanded July 16, 1916.[2] At 36–25, the Temple Governors had the best overall record, 1.0 game ahead of the Ennis Tigers, who finished with a 35–26 record.[12][13]

The Central Texas League played its final season in 1917.[14] The league dropped two franchises and began play in 1917 as a four–team league before permanently folding before the season was completed. The Central Texas League began play on May 21, 1917 with the Ennis Tigers, Marlin Marlins, Mexia Gassers and Temple Governors as the four league members.[15] The league president was Earl C. Smith. On June 1, 1917, the Temple Governors franchise, with a 4–4 record moved to become the Corsicana Athletics. On June 6, 1917 the Central Texas League permanently folded. The Mexia Gassers had the best overall record at 8–6 when the league folded. No playoffs were held.[2][12]

Central Texas League teams[edit]

Team name(s) City represented Ballpark Year(s) active
Corsicana Athletics Corsicana, Texas Athletic Park[16] 1914 to 1915, 1917
Ennis Tigers Ennis, Texas Unknown[17] 1914 to 1917
Hillsboro Hillsboro, Texas Hillsboro City Park[18] 1914
Italy Italy, Texas Italy High School*[19] 1914
Kaufman Kings Kaufman, Texas Shannon Park*[20] 1915
Marlin Marlins Marlin, Texas Marlin City Park[21] 1916 to 1917
Mexia Gassers Mexia, Texas Gusher Park[22] 1915 to 1917
Temple Governors Temple, Texas Unknown[23] 1916 to 1917
Terrell Cubs 1915
Terrell Terrors 1916 		Terrell, Texas Gill Park[24] 1915 to 1916
Waxahachie Buffaloes 1914
Waxahachie Athletics 1915-1916 		Waxahachie, Texas Jungle Park[25] 1914 to 1916
West West, Texas West High School*[26] 1914

Standings & statistics[edit]

1914 Central Texas League[edit]

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Waxahachie Buffaloes 35 23 .603 – Luther Burleson /
Dee Poindexter
West 29 26 .527 4.5 Eli Walker
Ennis Tigers 31 28 .525 4.5 Ed Wicker
Italy 29 29 .500 6.0 T.A. Craig
Corsicana Athletics 26 32 .448 9.0 Gus Kennedy
Hillsboro 21 33 .389 12.0 L.C. Eastland

Season ended July 25.
Playoff: Waxahachie 3 games, West 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot
Shafer Waxahachie BA .294
Speed Corsicana Runs 32
Querry West Hits 40
Darnaby West HR 4

1915 Central Texas League[edit]

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Ennis Tigers 35 26 .574 – Ed Wicker
Corsicana A's 32 29 .525 3.0 Roy Morton
Terrell Cubs 32 30 .516 3.5 Hank Griffin
Kaufman Kings 30 32 .484 5.5 Dee Poindexter
Mexia Gassers 28 33 .459 7.0 Roy Akin
Waxahachie Athletics 27 34 .443 8.0 Anson Cole

League disbanded July 24.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Fred Wende
Wilson White		 Ennis
Terrell		 BA .3026
.3025		 Bugs Reynolds Terrell W 12
A.R. Shelton Corsicana Runs 49 Bugs Reynolds Terrell SO 157
A.R. Shelton Corsicana Hits 59 Ben Davenport Mexia PCT .750 6–2
Roy Leslie
Wilson White		 Ennis
Terrell		 HR 7

1916 Central Texas League[edit]

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Temple Governors 36 25 .590 – Paul Trammell
Ennis Tigers 35 26 .574 1.0 Ed Wicker
Mexia Gassers 32 29 .525 4.0 Roy Akin / Grady White
Terrell Terrors 29 32 .475 7.0 Hank Griffin /
Lester Pratt / Doc Nance
Waxahachie Athletics 26 35 .426 10.0 Dee Poindexter
Marlin Marlins 25 36 .410 11.0 Bob Tarleton /
Bob Countryman / Fielder Murray

League disbanded July 16.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Roy Leslie Ennis BA .359 Lester Gaines Ennis W 15
Babe Green Ennis Runs 65 Ray Francis Temple SO 126
A. Edens Ennis Hits 68 Ted Bowen Mexia ERA 1.26
A. Edens Ennis HR 10 Lester Gaines Ennis Pct .750; 15-5
W.C. Comstock Marlin HR 10 Ossee Ball Temple Pct .750; 9–3

1917 Central Texas League[edit]

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Mexia Gassers 8 6 .571 – Roy Akin
Ennis Tigers 8 7 .533 0.5 Ed Wicker
Marlin Marlins 7 8 .467 1.5 H. Sinclair /
Ray Wakefield
Temple Governors /
Corsicana Athletics		 6 8 .429 2.0 Charles Roberts

League disbanded June 6

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
A.V. Freeman Ennis W 3 Carl Hill Mexia Pct .750; 3–1
Carl Hill Mexia W 3 A.V. Freeman Ennis IP 57
F.D. Poteet Mexia W 3

[2]

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "1914 Central Texas League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  3. ^ a b "1914 Central Texas League (CTL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. ^ "TSHA | Texas League". www.tshaonline.org.
  5. ^ Southerl, Edward (June 1, 2007). "Play Ball!". Texoma Living! Online.
  6. ^ "1914 Waxahachie Buffaloes minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. ^ "1915 Central Texas League (CTL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. ^ "1915 Central Texas League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. ^ "1915 Central Texas League (CTL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. ^ "1916 Central Texas League (CTL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. ^ "1916 Central Texas League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. ^ a b "1916 Temple Governors minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. ^ "1916 Ennis Tigers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. ^ "1917 Central Texas League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. ^ "1917 Central Texas League (CTL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. ^ "Athletic Park in Corsicana, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. ^ "Unknown in Ennis, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  18. ^ "Hillsboro City Park in Hillsboro, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  19. ^ "Unknown in Italy, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  20. ^ "Unknown in Kaufman, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  21. ^ "Marlin City Park in Marlin, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  22. ^ "Gusher Park in Mexia, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  23. ^ "Unknown in Temple, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  24. ^ "Gill Park in Terrell, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  25. ^ "Unknown in Waxahachie, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  26. ^ "Unknown in West, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.

External links[edit]

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