Arizona–Texas League

Arizona–Texas League
FormerlyArizona State League
ClassificationClass D (1931–1932; 1937–1939)
Class C (1940–1941, 1947–1950, 1952–1954)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1931
Ceased1954
Replaced byArizona-Mexico League
PresidentWilford S. Sullinger (1931)
Allan Stewart (1931)
P. A. Nathan (1932)
Dr. R. E. Soners (1937–1941)
G. R. Michaels (1947)
Riney B. Salmon (1948–1950)
G. R. Sloane (1952–1953)
Tim Cusick (1954)
No. of teams11
CountryMexico
United States of America
Most titles5
El Paso Texans
Related
competitions		Southwest International League

The Arizona–Texas League was a Class D level American minor league baseball league that existed for nine seasons, from 1931–32, 1937–41, 1947–50 and 1952-54. In 1951, the Arizona-Texas loop merged with the Sunset League (based primarily in California but with teams in Nevada and New Mexico) to form the Southwest International League. However, the Arizona and Texas clubs played only that one season (1951) in the new circuit before seceding and reforming the A-TL in 1952. From 1928 to 1930, it was known as the Arizona State League.

History

After the 1930 season, the Arizona State League, which began play in 1928, changed their name and evolved into the 1931 Class D Arizona–Texas League. Arizona State League president Wilford S. Sullinger remained as president of the newly named league. Former Arizona State League members Bisbee Bees, El Paso Texans, Globe Bears, Phoenix Senators and Tucson Missions continued play in the 1931 Arizona–Texas League, joined by the Nogales Internationals.[1][2]

The Arizona–Texas League was the lowest level in the minor leagues, Class D, through 1939, and upgraded to Class C from 1940 onward. Its longest tenured clubs included:

The Arizona-Texas circuit also had teams in Mexico as early as 1931, although its name did not reflect this fact. Indios de Ciudad Juárez team was a member for seven years in the 1940s and 1950s. But in 1955, when the league lost its lone Texas franchise, in El Paso, its name was formally changed to the Arizona–Mexico League. In 1958, its Phoenix franchise moved all the way up to Class AAA when it received the old San Francisco Seals club after the Giants moved West. That signaled the end of the Class C Arizona–Mexico League; its final champion in 1958 was the Douglas Copper Kings, an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

List of teams

Champion teams

  • 1931 – El Paso Texans
  • 1932 – Unknown
  • 1937 – Albuquerque Cardinals
  • 1938 – El Paso Texans
  • 1939 – Albuquerque Cardinals
  • 1940 – El Paso Texans
  • 1941 – Tucson Cowboys
  • 1947 – Globe-Miami Browns
  • 1948 – Globe-Miami Browns
  • 1949 – El Paso Texans
  • 1950 – El Paso Texans
  • 1952 – Juarez Indios
  • 1953 – Tucson Cowboys
  • 1954 – Phoenix Stars

Standings & statistics

1931 to 1940

1931 Arizona–Texas League schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
El Paso Texans 79 52 .603 – Royce Washburn
Tucson Missions 72 59 .550 7.0 Bobby Coltrin
Phoenix Senators 65 63 .508 12.5 Louis Guisto
Bisbee Bees 63 68 .481 16.0 Roy Johnson
Nogales Internationals 62 67 .481 16.0 Dick Cox
Globe Bears 49 81 .377 29.5 Mickey Shader

Playoff: El Paso 5 games, Bisbee 0.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
John Keane Bisbee BA .408 Joe Sullivan Tucson W 23
Emil Mailho Phoenix Runs 108 George Nielson El Paso SO 196
Red Anderson Tusc/Noga Hits 190 Joe Sullivan Tucson Pct .767; 23–7
Walter Carson Globe HR 34

1932 Arizona–Texas League

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Albuquerque Dons 57 42 .576 – Bobby Coltrin
Bisbee Bees 50 49 .505 7.0 Roy Johnson
El Paso Texans 51 53 .490 8.5 Royce Washburn
Tucson Lizards 44 53 .454 12.0 Mickey Shader
Phoenix Senators 8 13 .381 NA Dick Cox

Phoenix disbanded May 9. The league disbanded July 24.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Dick Gyselman Albuquerque BA .392 Bill Chamberlain Phoe/Alb W 15
Dick Gyselman Albuquerque Runs 104 Guido Simoni Phoe/Tucs SO 157
Dick Gyselman Albuquerque Hits 165 Boyd Biggers El Paso ERA 3.78
Vince DiMaggio Tucson HR 25

1937 Arizona–Texas League

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
El Paso Texans 73 49 .598 – Jimmy Zinn
Tucson Cowboys 57 58 .496 12.5 Harry Krause
Albuquerque Cardinals 56 59 .487 13.5 Bill DeLancey
Bisbee Bees 51 71 .418 22.0 Mickey Shader

Playoffs: Albuquerque defeated El Paso in a one game playoff
for the second half title. Finals: Albuquerque 4 games, El Paso 3.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Richard Lang Albuquerque BA .374 Milo Candini El Paso W 21
Hubert Singer Albuquerque Runs 122 Floyd Bevens El Paso SO 179
Richard Lang Albuquerque RBI 109 Lawrence Powell Tucson ERA 2.56
James Nicholson El Paso HR 10 Ken Manning El Paso Hits 179

1938 Arizona–Texas League

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Bisbee Bees 72 58 .554 – Charlie Moglia
El Paso Texans 68 64 .515 5.0 Jimmy Zinn
Albuquerque Cardinals 67 65 .508 6.0 Bill DeLancey
Tucson Cowboys 55 75 .423 17.0 Harry Krause

Playoffs: El Paso 4 games, Bisbee 3.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Mike Simon Tucson BA .367 Jesse Flores Bisbee W 24
Dick Warfield Bisbee Runs 120 Walter Stewart El Paso W 24
Ed Morris Albuquerque Runs 120 Walter Stewart El Paso SO 270
Mike Simon Tucson Hits 195 Jesse Flores Bisbee ERA 2.37
Mike Simon Tucson RBI 121 Bill Creager Bisbee HR 20

1939 Arizona–Texas League

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Bisbee Bees 72 57 .558 – Carl Dittmar
Albuquerque Cardinals 70 60 .538 2.5 Bill DeLancey
El Paso Texans 68 62 .523 4.5 Ted Mayer
Tucson Cowboys 49 80 .380 23 Bill Salkeld / Mike Simon

Playoffs: Albuquerque 4 games, Bisbee 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bob Joratz Albuquerque BA .348 Eddie King Bisbee W 25
Bob Joratz Albuquerque Runs 126 Jack Hawkins El Paso SO 257
Willie Reyes Albuquerque RBI 124 Ned Rogers El Paso ERA 2.20
Dale Gill Bisbee Hits 182 Al Montgomery Bisbee HR 17

1940 Arizona–Texas League

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Tucson Cowboys 64 59 .520 – Lester Patterson
El Paso Texans 64 60 .516 0.5 Specs Williamson
Albuquerque Cardinals 60 64 .484 4.5 Jack Farmer
Bisbee Bees 58 63 .479 5.0 Carl Dittmar

Playoffs: El Paso 4 games, Tucson 3.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Joe Brovia El Paso BA .383 Bob Raines El Paso W 18
Elwood Curtis Albuquerque Runs 118 Frank Totaro Bisbee SO 251
Harry Clements Tucson Hits 175 Luther French Albuquerque ERA 3.50
Joe Brovia El Paso RBI 103 Joe Skeber El Paso HR 10

1941 to 1950

1941 Arizona–Texas League schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Tucson Cowboys 86 46 .652 – Lester Patterson
Albuquerque Cardinals 63 65 .492 21.0 Jimmy Zinn
El Paso Texans 61 71 .462 25.0 Specs Williamson
Bisbee Bees 51 79 .392 34.0 Carl Dittmar

Playoffs: None Scheduled

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Burl Horton El Paso BA .375 Harry Parks Albuquerque W 24
Doug Smith Tucson Runs 147 Marino Pieretti El Paso SO 237
Burl Horton El Paso Hits 216 Lee Porterfield Tucson ERA 3.01
Clarence Maddern Bisbee RBI 129 Doug Smith Tucson HR 15

1947 Arizona–Texas League schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Phoenix Senators 82 51 .617 – 55,452 Alton Biggs
Tucson Cowboys 80 52 .606 1.5 63,580 Joe Vosmik
Bisbee Yanks 74 59 .556 8.5 33,686 Charlie Metro
Juarez Indios /
Mesa Orphans		 61 69 .469 19.5 27,153 Manuel Fortes
Globe-Miami Browns 53 77 .408 27.5 60,669 Lloyd Brown
El Paso Texans 44 86 .338 36.5 39,996 Syd Cohen

Juarez disbanded June 22 after winning the first half and was replaced by Mesa June 27.
Playoffs: Tucson 2 games, Bisbee 0; Globe-Miami 2 games, Phoenix 0; Finals: Globe–Miami 3 games, Tucson 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Billy Martin Phoenix BA .392 John Conant Phoenix W 19
Pete Hughes Phoenix Runs 180 Lloyd Brown Globe-Miami SO 167
Billy Martin Phoenix Hits 230 Syd Cohen El Paso ERA 3.38
Billy Martin Phoenix RBI 174 Pete Hughes Phoenix HR 38
Pete Hughes Phoenix BB 193

1948 Arizona–Texas League

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Globe-Miami Browns 80 60 .571 – 75,001 Don Heffner
Tucson Cowboys 78 62 .557 2 79,327 Lloyd Brown
El Paso Texans 74 66 .529 6 73,766 Walter Millies
Juarez Indios 74 66 .529 6 52,525 Manuel Fortes /
Francisco Barradas
Phoenix Senators 67 73 .479 13 79,821 Alton Biggs
Bisbee-Douglas Miners 47 93 .336 33 43,610 Mel Steiner / Mitchell Chetkovitch

Playoffs: El Paso defeated Juarez in a one game playoff for third place; Globe–Miami 4 games, El Paso 2; Juarez 4 games, Tucson 1.
Finals: Globe–Miami 4 games, Juarez 3.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Gene Lillard Phoenix BA .364 Thomas Radcliff El Paso W 17
Dick Sabatini Phoenix Runs 145 Alwin Aguilar Tucson 17
Ramon Vargas Tucson Hits 197 William Abernathie Tucson 17
Daniel Baich Globe-Miami RBI 152 Edward Graham Phoenix SO 178
Daniel Baich Globe-Miami HR 27 Lloyd Brown Tucson ERA 3.01
Pete Hughes Phoenix BB 207

1949 Arizona–Texas League schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Phoenix Senators 94 55 .631 – 126,347 Don Trower
Juarez Indios 92 58 .613 2.5 85,769 Hector Leal / Victor Canales
Tucson Cowboys 74 76 .493 20.5 53,771 Gene Lillard
El Paso Texans 67 83 .447 27.5 107,778 Syd Cohen
Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings 66 83 .443 28.0 60,149 Elmer Williamson /
Paul Jones / Buck Elliott
Globe-Miami Browns 56 94 .373 38.5 60,394 Frank Volpi / Edward Dancisak

Playoffs: Phoenix 4 games, Tucson 2; El Paso 4 games, Juarez 2.
Finals: El Paso 4 games, Phoenix 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Vinicio Garcia Juarez BA .377 Edward Graham Phoenix W 24
Vinicio Garcia Juarez Runs 170 Richard Drilling Phoenix ERA 2.55
Vinicio Garcia Juarez Hits 227 William Abernathie Tucson SO 220
Dick Steinhauer Phoenix RBI 151 Gene Lillard Tucson BB 154
Gene Clough Bisbee-Douglass HR 37

1950 Arizona–Texas League schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Juarez Indios 93 55 .628 – 69,738 Syd Cohen
El Paso Texans 92 58 .613 2.0 100,212 Art Lilly
Phoenix Senators 82 68 .547 12.0 104,137 Don Trower
Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings 69 79 .466 24.0 68,651 Buck Elliott
Tucson Cowboys 64 86 .427 30.0 61,254 Hank Leiber
Globe-Miami Browns 48 102 .320 46.0 47,388 Thornton Lee

Playoffs: Phoenix 4 games, Juarez 2; El Paso 4 games, Bisbee-Douglas 2.
Finals: El Paso 4 games, Phoenix 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Art Lilly El Paso BA .386 Hector Anzamar Juarez W 25
Alfredo Perez Tucson Runs 172 Jesus Valenzuela Juarez W 25
Dick Zwaing Tucson Hits 221 Jesus Valenzuela Juarez SO 256
Len Noren Phoenix RBI 169 Jesus Valenzuela Juarez ERA 3.47
Donald Mason El Paso RBI 169 Hector Lara El Paso HR 28

1952 to 1954

1952 Arizona–Texas League

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Juarez Indios 84 55 .604 – 64,870 Manuel Fortes
El Paso Texans 79 61 .564 5.5 83,373 Art Lilly
Phoenix Senators 78 62 .557 6.5 64,410 Jeep Trower
Tucson Cowboys 61 78 .439 23.0 68,500 Don Jameson
Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings 60 80 .429 24.5 56,206 Syd Cohen
Chihuahua Dorados 57 83 .407 27.5 130,329 Domingo Santana / Marvin Williams

Playoffs: None Scheduled.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Marvin Williams Chihuahua BA .401 Wenceslao Gonzalez Juarez W 25
Felipe Hernandez Juarez Runs 144 Wenceslao Gonzalez Juarez SO 222
Dick Steinhauer Phoenix Hits 233 Donald Cantrell Phoenix ERA 3.64
Ramon Vargas El Paso RBI 143 Marvin Williams Chihuahua HR 45

1953 Arizona–Texas League

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Tucson Cowboys 90 49 .647 – 92,157 Don Jameson
Mexicali Eagles 77 62 .554 13.0 68,719 Art Lilly
Juarez Indios 74 65 .532 16.0 46,800 Manuel Fortes / Pingua Canales
El Paso Texans 60 80 .429 30.5 52,501 Diamond Cecil
Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings 59 80 .424 31.0 44,650 Syd Cohen
Phoenix Senators 58 82 .414 32.5 49,270 Buck Elliott

Playoffs: None Scheduled.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Edwin Roberts Tucson BA .392 Corky Reddell Tucson W 29
Joe Joshua Tucson Runs 164 Wenceslao Gonzalez Juarez SO 276
Roberto Canales Juarez Hits 208 Corky Reddell Tucson ERA 2.64
Lloyd Jenney Tucson RBI 152 Charles Lundgren Tucson HR 34

1954 Arizona–Texas League

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Phoenix Stars 93 47 .664 – 114,450 Jerry Gardner
Mexicali Eagles 92 48 .657 1.0 92,377 Art Lilly
Cananea Mineros 69 71 .493 24.0 85,083 Memo Garibay
El Paso Texans 69 71 .493 24.0 63,401 Syd Cohen
Tucson Cowboys 64 76 .457 29.0 60,735 Don Jameson
Nogales Yaquis 61 79 .436 32.0 98,092 Manuel Fortes / Virgilio Arteaga
Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings 57 83 .407 36.0 45,031 Edwin Roberts / Ron Smith
Juarez Indians 55 85 .393 38.0 69,365 Enrique Fernandez

Playoffs: None Scheduled.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Leo Rodriquez Cananea BA .430 Nathaniel Moreland Mexicali W 22
Ken Toothman Tucson Runs 193 Richard Schroyer Phoenix SO 196
Leo Rodriquez Cananea Hits 259 Fernando Ramirez Mexicali ERA 3.51
Earl Smith Phoenix RBI 195 Claudio Solano Cananea TB 394
Claudio Solano Cananea HR 47

[1]

References

  • Johnson, Lloyd and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997.
  1. ^ a b Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  2. ^ "1931 Arizona-Texas League (AAL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.