Sophomore League


The Sophomore League was a Class D level minor league baseball league that operated from 1958 through 1961. League franchises were located in New Mexico and Texas. The league evolved from the Southwestern League, which played in 1956 and 1957. The name change was part of a systemic change. The circuit went from being one with almost no ties to major league baseball to a league where every team was a minor league affiliate of a major league team.

History

The Sophomore League formed in 1958 as a six–team league, evolving from the Southwestern League. The Class D level Sophomore League began play on April 28, 1958, with the Artesia Giants, Carlsbad Potashers, Hobbs Cardinals, Midland Braves, Plainview Athletics as charter members.
The Midland Braves won the Sophomore League championship in 1958, managed in part by Baseball Hall of Fame member Travis Jackson.
The Sophomore League expanded to eight teams in 1959, adding the Alpine Cowboys and Odessa Dodgers. On June 9, 1959, the San Angelo Pirates moved to Roswell, New Mexico. The Roswell Pirates finished the season in Roswell. The San Angelo/Roswell Pirates finished 48–77 overall and in last place. The franchise folded after the season. The Alpine Cowboys won the 1959 Sophomore League championship.
Baseball Hall of Fame member Willie Stargell played in the Sophomore League in 1959 for the San Angelo Pirates/Roswell Pirates, his first professional season. Stargell spoke of the difficulties he faced in playing in the league, with the region still having segregated restaurants and hotels. Stargell was threatened at gunpoint on one road trip. At age 19, Stargell hit.275 with 7 home runs and 87 RBI.
As reported in The Sporting News, Carlsbad Potashers player Gil Carter hit a home run in 1959 that was noteworthy due to its distance.
"On a hot August night in 1959, former heavyweight boxer Gil Carter smashed a pitch through Carlsbad's high-elevated air and out of Montgomery Field. The ball carried over the left field wall, soared past two city streets and landed in a peach tree. A newspaper reporter later took an aerial photo from a plane and used the picture to estimate the ball traveled 733 feet. Carter's hometown paper, The Topeka Capital-Journal, said "the blast is considered the longest home run in baseball history."
The official scorer estimated the home run to have traveled 650 feet. However, aerial photographs measurements put the distance at 700–733 feet, which would make it the longest home run ever hit in professional baseball. The ball itself was signed by Carter and he notes the distance of 733 feet.
The Hobbs Pirates won the last two Sophomore League championships in 1960 and 1961.
The Sophomore League presidents were Grady Terry, from 1958 to 1960 and C.F. Montgomery in 1960 and 1961.

Cities represented

Yearly standings

1958 Sophomore League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
East Standings-----
Midland Braves7248.600–Travis Jackson /
Earl Halstead / Ernie White
San Angelo Pirates6159.50811.0Al Kubski
Plainview Athletics5070.41722.0Vincent Plumbo
West Standings-----
Artesia Giants6357.525–Jodie Phipps
Hobbs Cardinals5961.4924.0Wayne Wallace
Carlsbad Potashers5565.4588.0Tony York
Playoff: Midland 3 games, Artesia 1
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Jim SmithHobbsBA.372John AhrensHobbsW18
Duncan Campbell
Gary Krupsky		San Angelo
Artesia		Runs116Ervin MoorePlainviewSO175
James McClainArtesiaHits161Les BassMidlandERA3.47
Craig SorensonCarlsbadRBI114Les BassMidlandPct.889; 16–2
Kenneth ClarkHobbsHR27-----

1959 Sophomore League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
North Standings-----
Carlsbad Potashers7254.571–Walt Dixon
Hobbs Cardinals7054.5651.0Thurman Tucker
Plainview Athletics6065.48011.5Bobby Hofman
Artesia Giants5075.40021.5Jodie Phipps
South Standings-----
Alpine Cowboys8834.721–Eddie Popowski
Midland Braves5670.44434.0Jimmy Brown
Odessa Dodgers5469.43934.5Roy Hartsfield
San Angelo Pirates /
Roswell Pirates		4877.38441.5Al Kubski /
Joe Bauman / Walter Millies
Playoffs: Alpine 2 games, Hobbs 0; Carlsbad 2 games, Midland 0.
Finals: Alpine 2 games, Carlsbad 0.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Emiliano TelleriaSan Angelo/RoswellBA.358Don SchwallAlpineW23
Bob StotskyAlpineRuns132Terry BarberOdessaSO214
Bob StotskyAlpineHits156Jack WarnerCarlsbadERA2.41
Bob CarruthersPlainviewRBI119Jack WarnerCarlsbadPct.812; 13–3
Gil CarterCarlsbadHR34-----

1960 Sophomore League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Alpine Cowboys7652.594–Dick Kinaman
Hobbs Pirates7058.5476.0Al Kubski
Carlsbad Potashers6664.50811.0Verlon Walker
Artesia Giants6268.47715.0George Genovese
Albuquerque Dukes5772.44219.5Bert Thiel
Odessa Dodgers5774.43520.5Edward Serrano
Alpine won the 1st half. Hobbs won the 2nd half.
Playoff: Hobbs 2 games, Alpine 1.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Gil GarridoArtesiaBA.362Ken WhitmoreHobbsW16
Roberto PenaHobbsRuns121Jose SantiagoAlbuquerqueSO217
Jesus AlouArtesiaHits188Jose SantiagoAlbuquerqueERA3.30
Dick McLaughlinOdessaRBI109Frank BorkHobbsPct.789; 15–4
Lewis BishopCarlsbadHR23-----

1961 Sophomore League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Hobbs Pirates7748.616–Al Kubski
El Paso Sun Kings7357.5626.5George Genovese
Albuquerque Dukes6463.50414.0Grady Wilson
Alpine Cowboys6263.49615.0Mel Parnell
Carlsbad Potashers5671.44122.0Lou Klein / Walt Dixon
Artesia Dodgers4878.38129.5Spider Jorgensen
Hobbs won the 1st half. Albuquerque won the 2nd half.
Playoff: Hobbs 3 games, Albuquerque 0.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Tommie MartzHobbsBA.387Jim LittleHobbsW17
Jose CardenalEl PasoRuns159Fred HatterAlpineSO201
Jose CaleroEl PasoHits180John DrysdaleArtesiaERA3.32
Mike MaloneyAlbuquerqueRBI109Jim LittleHobbsPct.850; 17–3
Jose CardenalEl PasoHR35----

[Baseball Hall of Fame] alumni