# Big State League

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Big State League Classification Class B (1947–1957) Sport Minor League Baseball Folded 1957 President Walter Morris (1947–1950) Howard Green (1951–1955) Hal Sayles (1956–1957) No. of teams 22 Country United States of America Related competitions Texas League

The **Big State League** was a mid-level, [Class B](/source/Class_B_(baseball)) level circuit in American [minor league baseball](/source/Minor_league_baseball) that played for 11 seasons, from 1947 through 1957. Its member clubs were exclusively based in [Texas](/source/Texas). The [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) (1955-1956), [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) (1947, 1950) and [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) (1949, 1953) each won two league championships.

## History

It saw much change in its 11-year lifetime, with no team serving as a member in every single season. Waco came the closest, serving from 1947 to 1956. The league was known as an offense-oriented circuit.

The league debuted at the height of the short-lived [postwar](/source/World_War_II) minor league baseball boom, in [1947](/source/1947_in_baseball), with eight clubs, all unaffiliated with [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) [farm systems](/source/Farm_system). Original teams were the: [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers), [Gainesville Owls](/source/Gainesville_Owls), [Greenville Majors](/source/Greenville_Majors), [Paris Red Peppers](/source/Paris_Red_Peppers), [Sherman–Denison Twins](/source/Sherman%E2%80%93Denison_Twins), [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears), [Waco Dons](/source/Waco_Dons) and [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders).[1]

Two clubs, [Texarkana](/source/Texarkana%2C_Texas) and [Greenville](/source/Greenville%2C_Texas), won more than 100 games in 1947, and four league members exceeded 100,000 in attendance. But beginning in [1953](/source/1953_in_baseball), the Big State League's teams struggled to reach six figures in that category. Only [Corpus Christi](/source/Corpus_Christi%2C_Texas) drew over the 100,000 mark during the league's final five seasons, doing so on two occasions. The league was further weakened when a traditionally strong member, [Austin](/source/Austin%2C_Texas), moved up to the AA [Texas League](/source/Texas_League) in [1956](/source/1956_in_baseball).

The league began the [1957](/source/1957_in_baseball) campaign with only six clubs: the [Victoria Rosebuds](/source/Victoria_Rosebuds), [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers), [Beaumont Pirates](/source/Beaumont_Pirates), [Abilene Blue Sox](/source/Abilene_Blue_Sox), [Port Arthur Redlegs](/source/Port_Arthur_Redlegs) and [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders).[1] Its ranks were reduced to four when [Wichita Falls](/source/Wichita_Falls%2C_Texas) disbanded in May, while the [Port Arthur](/source/Port_Arthur%2C_Texas) team moved to [Temple](/source/Temple%2C_Texas) that same month before folding in August. Of the surviving teams, [Victoria](/source/Victoria%2C_Texas), a [Brooklyn Dodgers](/source/Brooklyn_Dodgers) farm team, outlasted Corpus Christi, [Beaumont](/source/Beaumont%2C_Texas) and [Abilene](/source/Abilene%2C_Texas) to win the league's last pennant and playoff championship.

J. [Walter Morris](/source/Walter_Morris) served as League President from 1947 through 1950, Howard Green, took over from 1951 through 1955 and Hal Sayles was in charge the final two years, 1956–57.[1]

## Cities represented

- [Abilene, Texas](/source/Abilene%2C_Texas): [Abilene Blue Sox](/source/Abilene_Blue_Sox) 1956–1957, moved from [West Texas–New Mexico League](/source/West_Texas%E2%80%93New_Mexico_League) 1946–1955

- [Austin, Texas](/source/Austin%2C_Texas): [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers) 1947–1955

- [Beaumont, Texas](/source/Beaumont%2C_Texas): [Beaumont Exporters](/source/Beaumont_Exporters) or Beaumont Shippers (depending on source) 1956; [Beaumont Pirates](/source/Beaumont_Pirates) 1957

- [Bryan, Texas](/source/Bryan%2C_Texas): [Bryan Majors](/source/Bryan_Majors) 1953; [Bryan Indians](/source/Bryan_Indians) 1954

- [Corpus Christi, Texas](/source/Corpus_Christi%2C_Texas): [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) 1954–1957

- [Del Rio, Texas](/source/Del_Rio%2C_Texas): [Del Rio Indians](/source/Del_Rio_Indians) 1954

- [Gainesville, Texas](/source/Gainesville%2C_Texas): [Gainesville Owls](/source/Gainesville_Owls) 1947–1951

- [Galveston, Texas](/source/Galveston%2C_Texas): [Galveston White Caps](/source/Galveston_White_Caps) 1954–1955, moved from [Gulf Coast League](/source/Florida_Complex_League#Gulf_Coast_League) 1950–1953

- [Greenville, Texas](/source/Greenville%2C_Texas): [Greenville Majors](/source/Greenville_Majors) 1947–1950, moved from [East Texas League](/source/East_Texas_League) 1946; Greenville Majors 1953

- [Harlingen, Texas](/source/Harlingen%2C_Texas): [Harlingen Capitals](/source/Harlingen_Capitals) 1954–1955, moved from [Gulf Coast League](/source/Florida_Complex_League#Gulf_Coast_League) 1951–1953 and [Rio Grande Valley League](/source/Rio_Grande_Valley_League) 1950

- [Longview, Texas](/source/Longview%2C_Texas): [Longview Cherokees](/source/Longview_Cherokees) 1952–1953

- [Lubbock, Texas](/source/Lubbock%2C_Texas): [Lubbock Hubbers](/source/Lubbock_Hubbers) 1956, moved from [West Texas–New Mexico League](/source/West_Texas%E2%80%93New_Mexico_League) 1938–1942, 1946–1955

- [Paris, Texas](/source/Paris%2C_Texas): [Paris Red Peppers](/source/Paris_Red_Peppers) 1947, moved from [East Texas League](/source/East_Texas_League) 1946; [Paris Panthers](/source/Paris_Panthers) 1948; [Paris Indians](/source/Paris_Indians) 1952–1953

- [Port Arthur, Texas](/source/Port_Arthur%2C_Texas): [Port Arthur Sea Hawks](/source/Port_Arthur_Sea_Hawks) 1955–1956, moved from [Evangeline League](/source/Evangeline_League) 1954 and [Gulf Coast League](/source/Florida_Complex_League#Gulf_Coast_League) 1950–1953; [Port Arthur Redlegs](/source/Port_Arthur_Redlegs) 1957

- [Sherman, Texas](/source/Sherman%2C_Texas) and [Denison, Texas](/source/Denison%2C_Texas): [Sherman–Denison Twins](/source/Sherman%E2%80%93Denison_Twins) 1947–1951

- [Temple, Texas](/source/Temple%2C_Texas): [Temple Eagles](/source/Temple_Eagles) 1949–1954; [Temple Redlegs](/source/Temple_Redlegs) 1957

- [Texarkana, Texas](/source/Texarkana%2C_Texas): [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) 1947–1953, moved from [East Texas League](/source/East_Texas_League) 1946

- [Texas City, Texas](/source/Texas_City%2C_Texas): [Texas City Texans](/source/Texas_City_Texans) 1955; [Texas City Exporters](/source/Texas_City_Exporters) 1956

- [Tyler, Texas](/source/Tyler%2C_Texas): [Tyler East Texans](/source/Tyler_East_Texans) 1951–1953; [Tyler Tigers](/source/Tyler_Tigers) 1954–1955

- [Victoria, Texas](/source/Victoria%2C_Texas): [Victoria Eagles](/source/Victoria_Eagles) 1956; [Victoria Rosebuds](/source/Victoria_Rosebuds) 1957, moved to [Texas League](/source/Texas_League) 1958–1961

- [Waco, Texas](/source/Waco%2C_Texas): [Waco Dons](/source/Waco_Dons) 1947; [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) 1948–1953, 1954–1956

- [Wichita Falls, Texas](/source/Wichita_Falls%2C_Texas): [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) 1947–1953, moved to [Longhorn League](/source/Longhorn_League) 1954; [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) 1956–1957

## Standings & statistics

### 1947 to 1952

**1947 Big State League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59881016/1947-big-state-league-schedule/)

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers Texarkana Bears 101 53 .655 - 140,333 Vern Washington Greenville Majors 100 54 .649 1 154,356 Harry Davis, Jr. Wichita Falls Spudders 92 61 .601 8 92,553 Bobby Goff Paris Red Peppers 80 74 .519 21 112,449 Lloyd Rigby Sherman-Denison Twins 69 85 .448 32 81,550 Guy Sturdy Gainesville Owls 65 87 .428 35 60,971 Leroy Gilchrist Austin Pioneers 55 99 .357 46 106,099 Beau Bell Waco Dons 52 101 .340 48 52,577 Red Barkley Total attendance 800,888

**Season highlights** Playoffs: [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) beat the [Paris Red Peppers](/source/Paris_Red_Peppers) 4 games to 0.; [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) over the [Greenville Majors](/source/Greenville_Majors) 4 games to 2. **Finals**:[Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) 4 games to 2 over the [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders). Vern Washington of the [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) led all hitters with a .404 batting average. [Buck Frierson](/source/Buck_Frierson) of the [Sherman-Denison Twins](/source/Sherman-Denison_Twins) led the league in four categories: 188 runs scored, 248 hits, 197 RBI and 58 home runs. [Vallie Eaves](/source/Vallie_Eaves), [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) pitched his team to 25 wins and Nathaniel Love of the [Greenville Majors](/source/Greenville_Majors) struck out 192 opposing batters. [Jim Walkup](/source/Jim_Walkup_(right-handed_pitcher)) of the [Paris Red Peppers](/source/Paris_Red_Peppers) led the league with a 3.72 ERA.[1]

**1948 Season Big State League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59881086/1948-big-state-league-schedule/)

Team standings Won Lost Pct. GB Attend Managers Sherman-Denison Twins 94 51 .648 - 117,046 Jose Rodriquez Wichita Falls Spudders 84 62 .575 10½ 130,138 Marcus Carrola Waco Pirates 82 64 .562 12½ 82,762 Buster Chatham Austin Pioneers 79 67 .541 15½ 163,666 Prince Oana Gainesville Owls 69 77 .473 25½ 80,479 Babe Peebles / Jackie Reid Paris Panthers 62 85 .422 33½ 72,636 Homer Peel Texarkana Bears 60 83 .420 33 70,508 Ed Borom Greenville Majors 52 93 .359 42½ 67,334 Buddy Hancken / Nat Love Total attendance 784,569

**Season highlights** Playoffs: [Sherman-Denison Twins](/source/Sherman-Denison_Twins) 4 games [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers) 1 ; [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) 4 games [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) 0 **Finals**:[Sherman-Denison Twins](/source/Sherman-Denison_Twins) 4 wins [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) 3 wins. Vern Washington of the [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) again led the league in hitting, this time with a .384 average. Donald Cena of the [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) scored 142 runs to lead that stat. The trio from [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) of Paul Brotherton with 218 hits, Jack Bradsher, with 152 RBI and Albert McCarty with 32 HR, led those departments. Thomas Finger of the [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) had 21 wins to lead all pitchers and Glenn Blackwood who split time with the [Greenville Majors](/source/Greenville_Majors) and the [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) led the league with 176 strikeouts. Rafael Rivas of the [Sherman-Denison Twins](/source/Sherman-Denison_Twins) had a 2.33 ERA.[1]

**1949 Big State League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59881124/1949-big-state-league-schedule/)

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers Wichita Falls Spudders 90 58 .608 - 128,400 Jack Bradsher Texarkana Bears 86 61 .585 3½ 96,522 George Archie Austin Pioneers 86 62 .562 4 188,193 Prince Oana Waco Pirates 76 72 .514 14 95,825 Buddy Hancken Sherman-Denison Twins 70 78 .473 20 77,474 Lloyd Brown / Pete Appleton Greenville Majors 66 82 .446 24 58,500 Red Davis Gainesville Owls 59 89 .399 31 66,544 Ray Taylor / Lon Goldstein Temple Eagles 58 89 .395 31½ 72,624 Barney White / Homer Peel Total attendance 784,082

**Season highlights** Playoffs:[Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) over the [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) 4 games to 2; [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) over the [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers) 4 games to 1. **Finals**: [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) 4 games to 1 over the [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears). [Frank Saucier](/source/Frank_Saucier) of the [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) led the league in hitting with an average of .446 and his teammate Al McCarty scored 132 runs. [Frank Carswell](/source/Frank_Carswell) of the [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) had the most hits with 229 and also led in RBI with 145. Conklyn Meriwether of the [Greenville Majors](/source/Greenville_Majors) had 27 HR. 3 pitchers had an even 20 wins: Elwood Moore and [George Estock](/source/George_Estock) of the [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers) and Sidney Peterson of [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders). William Pierro of the [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) struck out 275 batters and [John Whitehead](/source/John_Whitehead_(baseball)) of the [Sherman-Denison Twins](/source/Sherman-Denison_Twins) led with a 2.73 ERA.[1]

**1950 Big State League**

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers Texarkana Bears 93 51 .646 - 83,604 George Archie Gainesville Owls 82 63 .566 11½ 56,890 James Adair Wichita Falls Spudders 80 66 .548 14 103,439 Hack Miller Temple Eagles 74 70 .514 19 105,081 Lou Finney Greenville Majors 75 71 .514 19 50,511 Bill Gann Waco Pirates 72 76 .486 23 85,173 Buddy Hancken Sherman-Denison Twins 54 91 .372 39½ 48,762 Homer Peel Austin Pioneers 52 94 .356 42 116,941 Prince Oana / David Sarver Total attendance 650,401

**Season highlights:** Playoffs: [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) over [Temple Eagles](/source/Temple_Eagles) 4 to 2; [Greenville Majors](/source/Greenville_Majors) over [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) 4 to 2. **Finals**: [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) over [Greenville Majors](/source/Greenville_Majors) 4 to 2. Frank Carswell of the [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) was the leading hitter with an even .400 average. His teammate [Lou Fitzgerald](/source/Lou_Fitzgerald) scored 138 runs and their teammate Milan Vacelich had 144 RBI. The [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) slugger John Powers busted 39 four baggers. Junior Bunch had 19 wins for the [Temple Eagles](/source/Temple_Eagles). The strikeout leader, Jodie Phipps of the [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) struck out 173 batters. Carmen Ferullo of the [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) led the league with a 2.89 ERA.[1]

**1951 Big State League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59881483/1951-big-state-league-schedule/)

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers Gainesville Owls 89 58 .605 - 50,771 Hal Van Pelt Temple Eagles 88 60 .595 1½ 112,022 Bill Herring / Jack Bradsher Sherman-Denison Twins 79 68 .537 10 60,059 Bill Capps Austin Pioneers 75 72 .510 14 147,161 Thomas Jordan Waco Pirates 75 73 .507 14½ 61,371 Walt Tauscher Texarkana Bears 71 77 .480 18½ 57,640 Prince Oana / Joe Phipps Gabby Lusk Wichita Falls Spudders 66 82 .446 23½ 73,415 Bruce Ogrodowski / Cecil McClung Tyler East Texans 47 100 .320 42 41,541 Hal Epps / Joe Kracher / Gale Pringle Total attendance 604,100

**Season highlights:** Playoffs: [Gainesville Owls](/source/Gainesville_Owls) 4 games, [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers) 2; [Sherman-Denison Twins](/source/Sherman-Denison_Twins) 4 games, [Temple Eagles](/source/Temple_Eagles) 1. **Finals**: [Gainesville Owls](/source/Gainesville_Owls) 4 games, [Sherman-Denison Twins](/source/Sherman-Denison_Twins) 1. Les Goldstein of the [Temple Eagles](/source/Temple_Eagles) led all hitters with a .376 average and his teammate Frederick Bell had 216 hits. Bobby Phillips of the [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) scored 128 runs and Dean Stafford of the [Sherman-Denison Twins](/source/Sherman-Denison_Twins) led the league in both RBI, with 151 and home runs with 32. Lee Roy Jones of the [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers) and [George O'Donnell](/source/George_O'Donnell) of the [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) had 22 wins each and Robert Upton of the [Gainesville Owls](/source/Gainesville_Owls) led in strikeouts with 209 and also with an ERA of 2.54.[1]

**1952 Big State League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59881527/1952-big-state-league-schedule/)

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers Temple Eagles 85 62 .578 - 101,906 Salty Parker Tyler East Texans 84 63 .571 1 73,337 Bill Capps Texarkana Bears 82 65 .559 3 79,275 Tony York Austin Pioneers 81 66 .551 4 149,601 Thomas Jordan Paris Indians 79 68 .537 6 77,761 Red Davis Wichita Falls Spudders 77 70 .524 8 95,240 Frank Mancuso Longview Cherokees 71 76 .483 14 59,913 Clem Hausmann / Lou Fitzgerald Waco Pirates 29 118 .197 56 32,966 Tedd Gullic Total attendance 669,999

**Season highlights:** Playoffs: [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers) 4 games, [Temple Eagles](/source/Temple_Eagles) 1; [Tyler East Texans](/source/Tyler_East_Texans) 4 games, [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) 2. **Finals**: [Tyler East Texans](/source/Tyler_East_Texans) 4 games, [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers) 0. Bob Van Enman of the [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) led in hitting with a .387 average. His teammate [Billy Queen](/source/Billy_Queen) scored 157 runs while [Buck Frierson](/source/Buck_Frierson) of the [Paris Indians](/source/Paris_Indians) had 222 base hits. Roy Sanner of the [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) had 165 RBI and Dean Stafford of the [Paris Indians](/source/Paris_Indians) /[Tyler East Texans](/source/Tyler_East_Texans) busted 47 home runs. [John Andre](/source/John_Andr%C3%A9_(baseball)) of the [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers) led the league with 25 wins and Gale Pringle of the [Tyler East Texans](/source/Tyler_East_Texans) had 164 strikeouts and a 2.93 ERA.[1]

### 1953 to 1957

**1953 Big State League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59881572/1953-big-state-league-schedule/)

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers Wichita Falls Spudders 85 58 .594 - 71,247 Whitey Wietelmann Tyler East Texans 81 63 .563 4½ 50,273 Bill Capps Texarkana Bears 78 68 .534 8½ 89,604 Chuck Hawley Waco Pirates / Longview Cherokees 77 68 .531 9 32,646 Buster Chatham Temple Eagles 72 73 .497 14 66,341 Salty Parker / Len Goldstein Greenville Majors/Bryan Majors 70 77 .476 17 30,051 Jim Adair / Clyde McDowell Austin Pioneers 69 77 .473 17½ 73,229 Al Unser Paris Indians 48 96 .333 47½ 40,658 Red Davis Total attendance 454,049

**Season highlights:** Waco moved to Longview, May 22; Greenville moved to Bryan, June 25. Playoffs: [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) 4 games, [Longview Cherokees](/source/Longview_Cherokees) 0;[Tyler East Texans](/source/Tyler_East_Texans) 4 games, [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) 1. **Finals**: [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) 4 games, [Tyler East Texans](/source/Tyler_East_Texans) 3. Albert Neil of the [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) led five different offensive categories: .356 BA, 185 hits, 126 runs, 137 RBI and 39 home runs. [Pat Scantlebury](/source/Pat_Scantlebury) of the [Texarkana Bears](/source/Texarkana_Bears) won 24 games and struck out 177. Jodie Phipps of the [Bryan Majors](/source/Bryan_Majors) had a 2.19 ERA.[1]

**1954 Big State League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39674719/1954_big_state_league_schedule/)

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers Waco Pirates 105 42 .714 - 79,201 Jack Paepke Tyler Tigers 92 55 .626 13 56,361 Salty Parker Corpus Christi Clippers 87 60 .592 18 97,255 Bill Capps Austin Pioneers 79 67 .541 25½ 85,119 George Hausmann Galveston White Caps 73 73 .500 31½ 34,205 Chase Riddle / Henry Robinson Bryan Indians / Del Rio Indians 53 93 .363 51½ 34,217 Ray Taylor / Al LaMacchia Chuck Hawley Harlingen Capitals 53 94 .361 52 47,825 Earl Caldwell / Sam Harshaney Temple Eagles 44 102 .301 60½ 31,673 Fred Martin / Fred Campbell Robert Moyer Total attendance 465,856

**Season highlights:** Bryan moved to Del Rio, July 28. Playoffs: [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) 4 games, [Austin Pioneers](/source/Austin_Pioneers) 2; [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) 4 games, [Tyler Tigers](/source/Tyler_Tigers) 1. **Finals**: [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) 4 games, [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) 3. Dean Stafford of the [Galveston White Caps](/source/Galveston_White_Caps) and the [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) led the league in hitting with a .362 average, hits with 212, had 171 RBI to go with 38 home runs. John Wilkinson of the [Temple Eagles](/source/Temple_Eagles) and [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) scored 151 runs. James Vitter of the [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) had 23 wins, while Gayle Pringle of the [Tyler Tigers](/source/Tyler_Tigers) struck out 212 with a 2.58 ERA.[1]

**1955 Big State League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59881629/1955-big-state-league-schedule/)

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers Corpus Christi Clippers 93 48 .660 - 102,788 Connie Ryan Waco Pirates 74 69 .517 20 53,961 Stan Wentzel Texas City Texans 71 67 .514 20½ 35,402 Bones Sanders Port Arthur Sea Hawks 64 74 .464 27½ 71,063 Lou Fitzgerald / Earl Perry / Jack Bumgarner Harlingen Capitals 65 79 .451 29½ 55,418 Ford Garrison Austin Pioneers 58 85 .406 36 50,536 George Hausmann Tyler Tigers 36 37 .493 NA 26,443 Jodie Phipps Galveston White Caps 28 30 .483 NA 19,600 Jodie Beeler Total attendance 415,211

**Season highlights:** Galveston withdrew June 12; Tyler withdrew July 1. Playoffs:[Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) 4 games, [Harlingen Capitals](/source/Harlingen_Capitals) 1; [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) 4 games, [Texas City Texans](/source/Texas_City_Texans) 3. **Finals**: [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) 4 games, [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) 0. Lynn Vandehey of the [Texas City Texans](/source/Texas_City_Texans) led the league with a batting average of .377 and also led in total hits with 195. The [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) trio of [Ed Charles](/source/Ed_Charles) with 135 runs scored, Dean Stafford with 159 RBI and Keith Little hit 47 home runs to lead those categories. Rene Vega of the [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) had 28 wins and a 2.69 ERA. [Don Rowe](/source/Don_Rowe) of the [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) had 226 strikeouts.[1]

**1956 Big State League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59881714/1956-big-state-league-schedule/)

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers Corpus Christi Clippers 83 57 .593 - 112,625 Sibby Sisti Port Arthur Sea Hawks 78 62 .557 5 57,117 Lloyd Gearhart / Al Barillari Waco Pirates 78 62 .557 5 39,096 Monty Basgall Wichita Falls Spudders 76 64 .543 7 60,891 Danny Ozark Abilene Blue Sox 73 67 .521 10 83,700 Alfred Evans Lubbock Hubbers/Texas City Texans 59 81 .421 24 53,900 Bill Krueger / Jay Haney Beaumont Exporters 57 83 .407 26 35,000 Ford Garrison Victoria Eagles 56 84 .400 27 35,639 James Basso / Lou Fitzgerald / Stubby Greer Total attendance 477,968

**Season Highlights:** Lubbock transferred to Texas City July 8; Beaumont moved to Texas City July 2, and returned, July 8. Playoffs:[Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) 4 games, [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) 1.; [Port Arthur Sea Hawks](/source/Port_Arthur_Sea_Hawks) 4 games, [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) 3. **Finals**:[Port Arthur Sea Hawks](/source/Port_Arthur_Sea_Hawks) 4 games, [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) 3. James Kirby of the [Port Arthur Sea Hawks](/source/Port_Arthur_Sea_Hawks) was the league's leading hitter with a .358 average and 190 hits. Joe Christian of the [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) scored 119 runs with 142 RBI. [Danny Ozark](/source/Danny_Ozark) of the [Wichita Falls Spudders](/source/Wichita_Falls_Spudders) homered 32 times and tied with Rudolph Mayling of the [Abilene Blue Sox](/source/Abilene_Blue_Sox) in the home run category. Leverette Spencer of the [Port Arthur Sea Hawks](/source/Port_Arthur_Sea_Hawks) had 21 pitching victories and a league best 2.37 ERA. Ramon Salgado with the [Waco Pirates](/source/Waco_Pirates) and Herman Greene of the [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) also had 21 pitching wins. [Evans Killeen](/source/Evans_Killeen) of the [Abilene Blue Sox](/source/Abilene_Blue_Sox) had 236 Strikeouts to lead the league.[1]

**1957 Big State League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59881759/1957-big-state-league-schedule/)

Team standings Won Lost Pct GB Attend Managers Victoria Rosebuds 75 49 .605 - 42,378 Lou Rochelli Corpus Christi Clippers 69 58 .543 7½ 56,871 Joe Just / Jack Wilkinson Beaumont Pirates 61 63 .492 14 56,342 Monty Basgall Abilene Blue Sox 61 66 .480 15½ 29,995 Burl Storie Port Arthur Redlegs / Temple Redlegs 48 56 .461 NA 25,484 Al Barillari Wichita Falls Spudders 4 26 .013 NA 2,558 Jack Wilkinson / Jodie Beeler Total attendance 214,628

**Season Highlights:** Playoffs: In a shortened format, the [Victoria Rosebuds](/source/Victoria_Rosebuds) beat the [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) 4 games to 1. Wichita Falls withdrew May 23. Port Arthur (20-15) moved to Temple May 30. Temple withdrew August 20. Tony Washington of the [Beaumont Pirates](/source/Beaumont_Pirates) led the last year of the league in hitting with a .356 average. He also led with 179 hits. [Nate Peeples](/source/Nate_Peeples) of the [Corpus Christi Clippers](/source/Corpus_Christi_Clippers) scored 116 runs and had 99 RBI to lead those categories. [Don Miles](/source/Don_Miles) of the [Victoria Rosebuds](/source/Victoria_Rosebuds) hit 28 home runs. In the pitching finalie, Chris Niclosi of the [Victoria Rosebuds](/source/Victoria_Rosebuds) had 21 wins and 208 strikeouts and [Dave Wickersham](/source/Dave_Wickersham) of the [Beaumont Pirates](/source/Beaumont_Pirates) had a 1.95 ERA to lead the league.[1]

## References

- Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, editors: *The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball.* Durham, North Carolina: [Baseball America](/source/Baseball_America), 1997.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-encyc_1-13) Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). *The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball* (Third ed.). [Baseball America](/source/Baseball_America). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1932391176](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1932391176).

## External links

- [Baseball Reference](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?code=BSTL&class=B)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Big State League](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_State_League) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_State_League?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.