Lone Star League

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For the indoor football league, see Lone Star Football League.
Lone Star League
FormerlyEast Texas League
ClassificationClass D (1927–1929)
Class C (1947–1948)
Class A (1977)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1927
Ceased1977
PresidentPatrick Newnam (1927–1928)
T. H. Fisher (1929)
Fred Nicholson (1947–1948)
Vernon L. Harrison (1977)
No. of teams21
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles2
Tyler Trojans
Kilgore Drillers
Related
competitions		Texas Association
Gulf States 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 (as a Class D circuit), 1947–1948 (Class C) and 1977 (Class A).

History

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Each of the three leagues was the result of a reorganization of a previous circuit. The Lone Star League of the 1920s was created by merging two Class D loops, the East Texas League and the Texas Association; it disbanded on May 16, 1929. The eight-member postwar Lone Star circuit of 1947–1948 was formed from a foundation of four teams that had played in the Class C East Texas League of 1946. After the demise of the LSL, the East Texas League was revived for the 1949–1950 seasons.

The 1977 Lone Star League was the successor of the failed Gulf States League of 1976, inheriting Texas-based GSL franchises in Beeville, Corpus Christi, Harlingen and Victoria. Like the GSL, it was an official Class A minor league, not an "independent league," although its six teams were not affiliated with Major League Baseball farm systems. The 1977 Lone Star League played an 80-game regular season schedule from June 10 to the end of August.

The defending Gulf States League champion Corpus Christi Seagulls, managed by future Major League pitching coach Leo Mazzone, dominated the Lone Star League, winning 53 of its 80 games and the South Division title. No championship playoff was held and the league folded after the 1977 campaign.

Member teams

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Standings & statistics

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1927 to 1929

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1927 Lone Star League schedule

Team name W L PCT GB Managers
Palestine Pals 69 51 .575 – Rip Ripperton
Texarkana Twins 67 53 .558 2.0 Charlie Miller
Mexia Gushers 68 55 .553 2.5 Les Hayes /
Jim Kendrick / Abe Bowman
Tyler Trojans 63 55 .534 5.0 George Jackson
Paris Snappers 54 67 .446 15.5 Red Snapp / T. H. Fisher
Corsicana Oilers 48 72 .400 21.0 Les Nunamaker / Bennie Brownlow
Marshall Indians 12 17 .414 NA Abe Bowman
Longview Cannibals 9 20 .310 NA Bennie Brownlow

Longview withdrew May 21. Marshall folded to even the number of teams. Both teams were disbanded May 22.
Finals: Tyler 4 games, Mexia 2.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Carl Reynolds Palestine BA .376 Gene McClung Corsic/Mex W 21
Buster Wisrock Marsh/Tyl Runs 87 Gene McClung Corsicana/Mexia W 21
Carl Reynolds Palestine Hits 180 E. H. McBride Long/Cors SO 139
Tom Pyle Tyler HR 26 Atlas Carter Mexia Pct .810; 17–4

1928 Lone Star League schedule

Team name W L PCT GB Managers
Texarkana Twins 75 47 .615 – Charlie Miller
Palestine Pals 72 51 .585 3.5 Walt Alexander
Tyler Trojans 67 53 .558 7.0 George Jackson
Mexia Gushers 55 66 .455 19.5 Roy Leslie
Corsicana Oilers 55 68 .447 20.5 Ray Falk
Paris Colts/Rustlers 42 81 .341 33.5 Abe Bowman /
Connally Ludwick / Turkey Gross

Finals: Palestine 4 games, Texarkana 1.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Charlie Dorman Tyler BA .408 Ed Hopkins Texarkana W 19
Charlie Dorman Tyler Runs 122 Ed Hopkins Texarkana SO 134
Charlie Dorman Tyler Hits 188 Phil Gallivan Texarkana Pct .750; 15–5
Charlie Dorman Tyler HR 39

1927 Lone Star League schedule

Team name W L GB Pct. Manager
Tyler Trojans 12 8 .600 – Roy Leslie
Palestine Pals 12 8 .600 – Dillard Payne
Sherman Snappers 9 9 .500 2.0 Red Snapp
Texarkana Twins 6 14 .300 6.0 Ray Corgan

Texarkana disbanded May 16. The league disbanded on the same date.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Clyde Pratt Sherman BA .442 Leon Pettit Tyler W 5
Embert Mueller Tyler Runs 25 Leon Pettit Tyler SO 40
Clyde Pratt Sherman Hits 34 Leon Pettit Tyler Pct 1.000; 5–0
Ed Kallina Sherman HR 6
John King Tyler HR 6

1947 to 1948, 1977

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1947 Lone Star League schedule

Team name W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Kilgore Drillers 78 60 .565 – 71,685 Joe Kracher
Longview Texans 78 61 .561 0.5 73,134 Jesse Landrum
Marshall Comets 76 63 .547 2.5 51,494 Jerry Feille /Paul Kardow
Tyler Trojans 76 64 .543 3.0 64,810 Hack Miller
Jacksonville Jax 73 67 .521 6.0 37,817 Watty Watkins
Lufkin Foresters 72 68 .514 7.0 42,692 Dixie Parsons
Henderson Oilers 65 72 .474 12.5 50,000 Ray Honeycutt
Bryan Bombers 38 101 .273 40.5 36,817 Mike Mistovich /
Harry Logan / Joe Moore

Playoffs: Kilgore 4 games, Tyler 0;Marshall 4 games, Longview 1.
Finals: Kilgore 4 games, Marshall 2.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
John Stone Henderson BA .396 Jake Henson Jacksonville W 21
Lew Morton Henderson Runs 145 Robert Ross Kilgore W 21
Bob Marquis Lufkin Runs 145 Okie Flowers Longview SO 218
John Stone Henderson Hits 224 Frank Martin Longview ERA 2.55
John Stone Henderson RBI 185 Robert Ross Kilgore PCT .750 21–7
John Stone Henderson HR 32

1948 Lone Star League schedule

Team name W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Kilgore Drillers 94 44 .681 – 67,255 Joe Kracher
Longview Texans 89 50 .640 5.5 65,033 Dixie Parsons
Tyler Trojans 77 63 .550 18 67,101 Hack Miller
Henderson Oilers 69 70 .496 25.5 48,116 Guy Sturdy / John Stone /
Roland Miller / Mel Hicks
Bryan Bombers 66 74 .471 2.09 43,513 Jesse Landrum
Gladewater Bears 59 81 .421 36.0 48,056 Jim Dalrymple / Arthur Nelson
Marshall Tigers 55 83 .399 39.0 38,940 Harry Davis / Red Jones
Lufkin Foresters 48 92 .343 47.0 46,037 Red Jones /
Stan Bartkowski / Fred Millican

Playoffs: Kilgore 4 games, Henderson 3; Longview 4 games, Tyler 3.
Finals: Kilgore 4 games, Longview 0.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Joe Kracher Kilgore BA .433 Ralph Pate Longview W 23
Al Kubski Longview Runs 140 Willis Chamness Kilgore SO 162
Allen Cross Kilgore Hits 193 Otho Nitcholas Tyler ERA 1.97
John Stone Henderson RBI 146 Ralph Pate Longview PCT .885 23–3
John Stone Henderson HR 23

1977 Lone Star League

North standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Victoria Rosebuds 38 42 .475 – 14,198 Tom Zimmer
Beeville Blazers 37 43 .463 1.0 7,150 Bill Bryk
Texas City Stars 35 41 .461 1.0 12,305 Al Gallagher
South standings W L PCT GB ATTEND Managers
Corpus Christi Seagulls 53 27 .663 – 93,137 Leo Mazzone
Harlingen Suns 40 38 .513 12.0 68,203 Paul Thomas / Mike Krizmanich
McAllen Dusters 33 45 .423 19.0 35,752 Shannon Kelly / Jack Allen

Playoffs: None. Corpus Christi refused to play. Victoria and Texas City cancelled their series for a North Division championship.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Ken Jones Beeville BA .393 Nick Baltz Beeville W 12
Mike Manderino Beeville Runs 76 Armando Reyes Corpus Christi SO 101
Lloyd Thompson Corpus Christi Hits 109 Armando Reyes Corpus Christi ERA 2.59
Charles Diering Victoria Hits 109 Jim Rainey Corpus Christi RBI 67
Mark Sinovich Corpus Christi HR 16

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References

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  1. ^ Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  • Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, N.C.: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
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