# Lone Star League

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For the indoor football league, see [Lone Star Football League](/source/Lone_Star_Football_League).

Lone Star League Formerly East Texas League Classification Class D (1927–1929) Class C (1947–1948) Class A (1977) Sport Minor League Baseball Folded 1977 President Patrick Newnam (1927–1928) T. H. Fisher (1929) Fred Nicholson (1947–1948) Vernon L. Harrison (1977) No. of teams 21 Country United States of America Related competitions Texas Association Gulf States League

The **Lone Star League** was the name of three [American](/source/United_States) [minor](/source/Minor_league_baseball) [professional baseball](/source/Professional_baseball) leagues located in the state of [Texas](/source/Texas) during the 20th century. The leagues operated from 1927–1929 (as a Class D circuit), 1947–1948 (Class C) and 1977 (Class A).

## 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](/source/East_Texas_League) and the [Texas Association](/source/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 [1977](/source/1977_in_baseball) Lone Star League was the successor of the failed [Gulf States League](/source/Gulf_States_League) of [1976](/source/1976_in_baseball), inheriting Texas-based GSL franchises in [Beeville](/source/Beeville%2C_Texas), [Corpus Christi](/source/Corpus_Christi%2C_Texas), [Harlingen](/source/Harlingen%2C_Texas) and [Victoria](/source/Victoria%2C_Texas). Like the GSL, it was an official Class A minor league, not an "[independent league](/source/Independent_league_baseball)," although its six teams were not affiliated with [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) [farm systems](/source/Farm_system). 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](/source/Corpus_Christi_Seagulls), managed by future Major League [pitching coach](/source/Coach_(baseball)) [Leo Mazzone](/source/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

Beeville, TX: Beeville Blazers 1977 Bryan, TX: Bryan Bombers 1947–1948 Corsicana, TX: Corsicana Oilers 1927–1928 Corpus Christi, TX: Corpus Christi Seagulls 1977 Gladewater, TX: Gladewater Bears 1948 Harlingen, TX: Harlingen Suns 1977 Henderson, TX: Henderson Oilers 1947–1948 Jacksonville, TX: Jacksonville Jax 1947 Kilgore, TX: Kilgore Drillers 1947–1948 Longview, TX: Longview Cannibals 1927; Longview Texans 1947–1948 Lufkin, TX: Lufkin Foresters 1947–1948 McAllen, TX: McAllen Dusters 1977 Marshall, TX: Marshall Indians 1927; Marshall Comets 1947; Marshall Tigers 1948 Mexia, TX: Mexia Gushers 1927–1928 Palestine, TX: Palestine Pals 1927–1929 Paris, TX: Paris Snappers 1927; Paris Colts/Rustlers 1928 Sherman, TX: Sherman Snappers 1929 Texas City, TX: Texas City Stars 1977 Texarkana, TX: Texarkana Twins 1927–1929 Tyler, TX: Tyler Trojans 1927–1929, 1947–1948 Victoria, TX: Victoria Rosebuds 1977

## Standings & statistics

### 1927 to 1929

**1927 Lone Star League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14486621/1927_lone_star_league_schedule/)

Team name W L PCT GB Managers Palestine Pals 69 51 .575 – Rip Ripperton Texarkana Twins 67 53 .558 2.0 Charlie Miller Mexia Gushers 68 55 .553 2.5 Les Hayes / Jim Kendrick / Abe Bowman Tyler Trojans 63 55 .534 5.0 George Jackson Paris Snappers 54 67 .446 15.5 Red Snapp / T. H. Fisher Corsicana Oilers 48 72 .400 21.0 Les Nunamaker / Bennie Brownlow Marshall Indians 12 17 .414 NA Abe Bowman Longview Cannibals 9 20 .310 NA Bennie 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.

Player Statistics Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot Carl Reynolds Palestine BA .376 Gene McClung Corsic/Mex W 21 Buster Wisrock Marsh/Tyl Runs 87 Gene McClung Corsicana/Mexia W 21 Carl Reynolds Palestine Hits 180 E. H. McBride Long/Cors SO 139 Tom Pyle Tyler HR 26 Atlas Carter Mexia Pct .810; 17–4

**1928 Lone Star League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60563826/1928-lone-star-league-schedule/)

Team name W L PCT GB Managers Texarkana Twins 75 47 .615 – Charlie Miller Palestine Pals 72 51 .585 3.5 Walt Alexander Tyler Trojans 67 53 .558 7.0 George Jackson Mexia Gushers 55 66 .455 19.5 Roy Leslie Corsicana Oilers 55 68 .447 20.5 Ray Falk Paris Colts/Rustlers 42 81 .341 33.5 Abe Bowman / Connally Ludwick / Turkey Gross

**Finals**: Palestine 4 games, Texarkana 1.

Player Statistics Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot Charlie Dorman Tyler BA .408 Ed Hopkins Texarkana W 19 Charlie Dorman Tyler Runs 122 Ed Hopkins Texarkana SO 134 Charlie Dorman Tyler Hits 188 Phil Gallivan Texarkana Pct .750; 15–5 Charlie Dorman Tyler HR 39

**1927 Lone Star League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60146684/1929-lone-star-league-schedule/)

Team name W L GB Pct. Manager Tyler Trojans 12 8 .600 – Roy Leslie Palestine Pals 12 8 .600 – Dillard Payne Sherman Snappers 9 9 .500 2.0 Red Snapp Texarkana Twins 6 14 .300 6.0 Ray Corgan

Texarkana disbanded May 16. The league disbanded on the same date.

Player Statistics Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot Clyde Pratt Sherman BA .442 Leon Pettit Tyler W 5 Embert Mueller Tyler Runs 25 Leon Pettit Tyler SO 40 Clyde Pratt Sherman Hits 34 Leon Pettit Tyler Pct 1.000; 5–0 Ed Kallina Sherman HR 6 John King Tyler HR 6

### 1947 to 1948, 1977

**1947 Lone Star League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60564353/1947-lone-star-league-schedule/)

Team name W L PCT GB Attend Managers Kilgore Drillers 78 60 .565 – 71,685 Joe Kracher Longview Texans 78 61 .561 0.5 73,134 Jesse Landrum Marshall Comets 76 63 .547 2.5 51,494 Jerry Feille /Paul Kardow Tyler Trojans 76 64 .543 3.0 64,810 Hack Miller Jacksonville Jax 73 67 .521 6.0 37,817 Watty Watkins Lufkin Foresters 72 68 .514 7.0 42,692 Dixie Parsons Henderson Oilers 65 72 .474 12.5 50,000 Ray Honeycutt Bryan Bombers 38 101 .273 40.5 36,817 Mike Mistovich / Harry Logan / Joe Moore

Playoffs: Kilgore 4 games, Tyler 0;Marshall 4 games, Longview 1. **Finals**: Kilgore 4 games, Marshall 2.

Player Statistics Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot John Stone Henderson BA .396 Jake Henson Jacksonville W 21 Lew Morton Henderson Runs 145 Robert Ross Kilgore W 21 Bob Marquis Lufkin Runs 145 Okie Flowers Longview SO 218 John Stone Henderson Hits 224 Frank Martin Longview ERA 2.55 John Stone Henderson RBI 185 Robert Ross Kilgore PCT .750 21–7 John Stone Henderson HR 32

**1948 Lone Star League** [schedule](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60564567/1948-lone-star-league-schedule/)

Team name W L PCT GB Attend Managers Kilgore Drillers 94 44 .681 – 67,255 Joe Kracher Longview Texans 89 50 .640 5.5 65,033 Dixie Parsons Tyler Trojans 77 63 .550 18 67,101 Hack Miller Henderson Oilers 69 70 .496 25.5 48,116 Guy Sturdy / John Stone / Roland Miller / Mel Hicks Bryan Bombers 66 74 .471 2.09 43,513 Jesse Landrum Gladewater Bears 59 81 .421 36.0 48,056 Jim Dalrymple / Arthur Nelson Marshall Tigers 55 83 .399 39.0 38,940 Harry Davis / Red Jones Lufkin Foresters 48 92 .343 47.0 46,037 Red Jones / Stan Bartkowski / Fred Millican

Playoffs: Kilgore 4 games, Henderson 3; Longview 4 games, Tyler 3. **Finals**: Kilgore 4 games, Longview 0.

Player Statistics Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot Joe Kracher Kilgore BA .433 Ralph Pate Longview W 23 Al Kubski Longview Runs 140 Willis Chamness Kilgore SO 162 Allen Cross Kilgore Hits 193 Otho Nitcholas Tyler ERA 1.97 John Stone Henderson RBI 146 Ralph Pate Longview PCT .885 23–3 John Stone Henderson HR 23

**1977 Lone Star League**

North standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers Victoria Rosebuds 38 42 .475 – 14,198 Tom Zimmer Beeville Blazers 37 43 .463 1.0 7,150 Bill Bryk Texas City Stars 35 41 .461 1.0 12,305 Al Gallagher

South standings W L PCT GB ATTEND Managers Corpus Christi Seagulls 53 27 .663 – 93,137 Leo Mazzone Harlingen Suns 40 38 .513 12.0 68,203 Paul Thomas / Mike Krizmanich McAllen Dusters 33 45 .423 19.0 35,752 Shannon Kelly / Jack Allen

Playoffs: None. Corpus Christi refused to play. Victoria and Texas City cancelled their series for a North Division championship.

Player Statistics Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot Ken Jones Beeville BA .393 Nick Baltz Beeville W 12 Mike Manderino Beeville Runs 76 Armando Reyes Corpus Christi SO 101 Lloyd Thompson Corpus Christi Hits 109 Armando Reyes Corpus Christi ERA 2.59 Charles Diering Victoria Hits 109 Jim Rainey Corpus Christi RBI 67 Mark Sinovich Corpus Christi HR 16

[1]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-encyc_1-0)** Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, 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).

- Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). *The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball* (2nd ed.). Durham, N.C.: Baseball America. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-9637189-8-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9637189-8-3).

## External links

- [1927–1929 Lone Star League page](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?code=LONE&class=D) at [Baseball Reference](/source/Baseball_Reference)

- [1947–1948 Lone Star League page](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?code=LONE&class=C) at [Baseball Reference](/source/Baseball_Reference)

- [1977 Lone Star League page](https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?code=LONE&class=A) at [Baseball Reference](/source/Baseball_Reference)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lone Star League](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Star_League) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Star_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.