Lone Star 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, 1947–1948 and 1977.

History

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 Lone Star League was the successor of the failed Gulf States League of, 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

Standings & statistics

1927 to 1929

1927 Lone Star League
Team nameWLPCTGBManagers
Palestine Pals6951.575–Rip Ripperton
Texarkana Twins6753.5582.0Charlie Miller
Mexia Gushers6855.5532.5Les Hayes /
Jim Kendrick / Abe Bowman
Tyler Trojans6355.5345.0George Jackson
Paris Snappers5467.44615.5Red Snapp / T. H. Fisher
Corsicana Oilers4872.40021.0Les Nunamaker / Bennie Brownlow
Marshall Indians1217.414NAAbe Bowman
Longview Cannibals920.310NABennie 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.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Carl ReynoldsPalestineBA.376Gene McClungCorsic/MexW21
Buster WisrockMarsh/TylRuns87Gene McClungCorsicana/MexiaW21
Carl ReynoldsPalestineHits180E. H. McBrideLong/CorsSO139
Tom PyleTylerHR26Atlas CarterMexiaPct.810; 17–4

1928 Lone Star League
Team nameWLPCTGBManagers
Texarkana Twins7547.615–Charlie Miller
Palestine Pals7251.5853.5Walt Alexander
Tyler Trojans6753.5587.0George Jackson
Mexia Gushers5566.45519.5Roy Leslie
Corsicana Oilers5568.44720.5Ray Falk
Paris Colts/Rustlers4281.34133.5Abe Bowman /
Connally Ludwick / Turkey Gross
Finals: Palestine 4 games, Texarkana 1.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Charlie DormanTylerBA.408Ed HopkinsTexarkanaW19
Charlie DormanTylerRuns122Ed HopkinsTexarkanaSO134
Charlie DormanTylerHits188Phil GallivanTexarkanaPct.750; 15–5
Charlie DormanTylerHR39----

1927 Lone Star League
Team nameWLGBPct.Manager
Tyler Trojans128.600–Roy Leslie
Palestine Pals128.600–Dillard Payne
Sherman Snappers99.5002.0Red Snapp
Texarkana Twins614.3006.0Ray Corgan
Texarkana disbanded May 16. The league disbanded on the same date.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Clyde PrattShermanBA.442Leon PettitTylerW5
Embert MuellerTylerRuns25Leon PettitTylerSO40
Clyde PrattShermanHits34Leon PettitTylerPct1.000; 5–0
Ed KallinaShermanHR6-----
John KingTylerHR6-----

1947 to 1948, 1977

1947 Lone Star League
Team nameWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Kilgore Drillers7860.565–71,685Joe Kracher
Longview Texans7861.5610.573,134Jesse Landrum
Marshall Comets7663.5472.551,494Jerry Feille /Paul Kardow
Tyler Trojans7664.5433.064,810Hack Miller
Jacksonville Jax7367.5216.037,817Watty Watkins
Lufkin Foresters7268.5147.042,692Dixie Parsons
Henderson Oilers6572.47412.550,000Ray Honeycutt
Bryan Bombers38101.27340.536,817Mike Mistovich /
Harry Logan / Joe Moore
Playoffs: Kilgore 4 games, Tyler 0;Marshall 4 games, Longview 1.
Finals: Kilgore 4 games, Marshall 2.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
John StoneHendersonBA.396Jake HensonJacksonvilleW21
Lew MortonHendersonRuns145Robert RossKilgoreW21
Bob MarquisLufkinRuns145Okie FlowersLongviewSO218
John StoneHendersonHits224Frank MartinLongviewERA2.55
John StoneHendersonRBI185Robert RossKilgorePCT.750 21–7
John StoneHendersonHR32-----

1948 Lone Star League
Team nameWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Kilgore Drillers9444.681–67,255Joe Kracher
Longview Texans8950.6405.565,033Dixie Parsons
Tyler Trojans7763.5501867,101Hack Miller
Henderson Oilers6970.49625.548,116Guy Sturdy / John Stone /
Roland Miller / Mel Hicks
Bryan Bombers6674.4712.0943,513Jesse Landrum
Gladewater Bears5981.42136.048,056Jim Dalrymple / Arthur Nelson
Marshall Tigers5583.39939.038,940Harry Davis / Red Jones
Lufkin Foresters4892.34347.046,037Red Jones /
Stan Bartkowski / Fred Millican
Playoffs: Kilgore 4 games, Henderson 3; Longview 4 games, Tyler 3.
Finals: Kilgore 4 games, Longview 0.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Joe KracherKilgoreBA.433Ralph PateLongviewW23
Al KubskiLongviewRuns140Willis ChamnessKilgoreSO162
Allen CrossKilgoreHits193Otho NitcholasTylerERA1.97
John StoneHendersonRBI146Ralph PateLongviewPCT.885 23–3
John StoneHendersonHR23-----

1977 Lone Star League
North standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Victoria Rosebuds3842.475–14,198Tom Zimmer
Beeville Blazers3743.4631.07,150Bill Bryk
Texas City Stars3541.4611.012,305Al Gallagher

South standingsWLPCTGBATTENDManagers
Corpus Christi Seagulls5327.663–93,137Leo Mazzone
Harlingen Suns4038.51312.068,203Paul Thomas / Mike Krizmanich
McAllen Dusters3345.42319.035,752Shannon Kelly / Jack Allen
Playoffs: None. Corpus Christi refused to play. Victoria and Texas City cancelled their series for a North Division championship.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Ken JonesBeevilleBA.393Nick BaltzBeevilleW12
Mike ManderinoBeevilleRuns76Armando ReyesCorpus ChristiSO101
Lloyd ThompsonCorpus ChristiHits109Armando ReyesCorpus ChristiERA2.59
Charles DieringVictoriaHits109Jim RaineyCorpus ChristiRBI67
Mark SinovichCorpus ChristiHR16-----