The Texas Association was a sports league of minor league baseball teams in Texas that operated from 1923 through 1926.[1]: 113  An earlier league, initially known as the Texas-Southern League, used the same name from mid-1896 through 1899.[1]: 108–109, 171  History of the Texas Association during the 1920s follows.

Texas Association
SportBaseball
Founded1923
Ceased1926
No. of teams6
CountryUnited States
Last
champion(s)
Palestine Pals
(1926)
Most titles
  • Corsicana Oilers (2)
  • Palestine Pals (1)
  • Austin Rangers (12)
  • Sherman Twins (12)

History

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The league's inaugural schedule, as published in The Austin American on March 25, 1923

The league operated in 1923 with a six-team format. The Austin Rangers, Corsicana Oilers, Marlin Bathers, Mexia Gushers, Sherman Twins,[2] and Waco Indians made up the league that year.[1]: 291  While Mexia had the best win–loss record for the entire season, the league played a split season, with Sherman winning the first half, and Austin winning the second half.[1]: 291  Sherman and Austin played a six-game playoff series, which ended in a tie at three games each.[2][1]: 291 

The Sherman squad did not return for 1924 and was replaced by the Temple Surgeons; all other teams returned.[1]: 295  Corsicana finished in first place during both halves of the split season, thus no playoffs were held.[1]: 295 

For 1925, the Austin Rangers became the Austin Senators, while the Waco club did not return and was replaced by the Terrell Terrors; all other teams returned.[1]: 298  On May 13, Marlin moved to Palestine to become the Palestine Pals. Corsicana again won both halves of a split season.[1]: 298  Minor league legend Smead Jolley played for Corsicana that year,[3] while 12-year major league veteran Boom-Boom Beck suited up for the Marlin/Palestine club.[4]

1926 was the final year of the Texas Association, with all six teams returning from the previous year.[1]: 303  Austin won the first half of the split season and Palestine won the second half.[1]: 303  These two teams played a postseason series, won by Palestine, three games to none.[1]: 303 

No effort was made to bring the league back for 1927.[5] Teams of three cities moved to the newly formed Lone Star League (Palestine, Mexia and Corsicana) while three others ceased operations (Austin, Terrell, and Temple).[1]: 99–100  Teams based in Austin and Temple later played in the Big State League of the late 1940s and early 1950s, while Terrell has yet to field another team.[1]: 99–100 

Cities represented 1923-1926

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Standings & statistics

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1923 Texas Association

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schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Mexia Gushers 80 60 .571 -- Hub Northen
Austin Rangers 72 66 .522 7.0 Rankin Johnson
Sherman-Denison Twins 72 67 .518 7.5 A. B. Sands / Otto McIvor
Corsicana Oilers 68 70 .493 11.0 Harvey Grubb
Marlin Bathers 65 73 .471 14.0 Walt Alexander
Waco Indians 59 80 .424 20.5 Ray Falk / H. House /
Bill Reynolds / Warwick Comstock

Playoff: Austin 3 games, Sherman 3. The series was declared a tie when the two clubs could not agree upon a site for the deciding game.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Tom Pyle Sherman BA .359 Clarence Tiner Mexia W 23
Tom Pyle Sherman Runs 94 Murray Richburg Sherman SO 197
Tom Pyle Sherman Hits 199 Harvey Muns Sherman PCT .690; 20–9
Don Flynn Waco/Austin HR 22[6]

1924 Texas Association

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schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Corsicana Oilers 83 42 .664 -- John Vann
Marlin Bathers 73 55 .570 11.5 Walt Alexander
Waco Indians 65 64 .504 20.0 Otto McIvor / Tom Carson
Mexia Gushers 60 68 .469 24.5 Tuffy Fowlkes
Austin Rangers 54 72 .429 29.5 Cecil Griggs /
Fats Fleharty / Otto McIvor
Temple Surgeons 48 82 .369 37.5 Rankin Johnson

Playoff: None

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Joe Munson Carlson BA .346 Charles Gressett Marlin W 22
Bill Etheredge Corsicana Runs 106 Tex Nugent Temple SO 176
Bill Etheredge Corsicana Hits 159 William Hollis Corsicana PCT .789; 15–4
Stephen Barrett Corsicana HR 27[6]

1925 Texas Association

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schedule 1st half
schedule 2nd half

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Corsicana Oilers 85 48 .639 -- John Vann
Mexia Gushers 76 57 .571 9.0 Frank Matthews
Temple Surgeons 74 59 .556 11.0 Roy Mitchell
Austin Senators 63 70 .474 22.0 Bennie Brownlow
Marlin Bathers / Palestine Pals 58 75 .436 27.0 Fred Pipkin / Tommy McMillan
Terrell Terrors 43 90 .323 42.0 Otto McIvor /
Ed Fulton / Pete Adams

Marlin moved to Palestine May 13.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Clyde Glass Mexia BA .367 Joe Cantrell Corsicana W 22
Cotton Tucker Temple Runs 129 Dick Whitworth Austin SO 152
Smead Jolley Corsicana Hits 180 Bob Arnold Mexia PCT .706; 12–5
Clyde Glass Mexia Hits 180
Stan Keyes Terrell HR 28[6]

1926 Texas Association

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Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Austin Senators 73 49 .598 -- Charles Miller
Palestine Pals 72 53 .576 2.5 Jack Stansbury / Bob Countryman
Mexia Gushers 63 62 .504 11.5 Frank Matthews
Terrell Terrors 56 68 .452 18.0 Jimmy Maloney
Temple Surgeons 56 69 .448 18.5 Roy Mitchell
Corsicana Oilers 53 72 .424 21.5 John Vann

Playoff: Palestine 3 games, Austin 0.


Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Clyde Glass Mexia BA .361 Dick Whitworth Austin W 24
Jimmie Long Mexia Runs 99 Dick Whitworth Austin SO 176
Jimmie Long Mexia Hits 164 Les Cox Palestine SO 176
Norman Peterson Austin HR 29 Carl Littlejohn Austin PCT .824; 14–3[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles (2007). Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 9781932391176.
  2. ^ a b "No Pennant to be Awarded in the Texas Association; Sherman Plans to Appeal". Austin American-Statesman. September 24, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved August 25, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Smead Jolley Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  4. ^ "Boom-Boom Beck Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  5. ^ "New Baseball League Formed". Austin American-Statesman. AP. January 31, 1927. p. 5. Retrieved August 26, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c d Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.