{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox Minor League Baseball |name = Owensboro Oilers |firstseason = 1936 |lastseason = 1955 |allyears = 1936–1942, 1946–1955 |city = Owensboro, Kentucky |misc = |logo = |uniformlogo = |class level = Class D (1936–1955) |conference = |division = |league = Kitty League (1936–1955) |majorleague = {{plainlist| *New York Yankees (1953–1955) *Boston Braves (1946–1950) *Boston Red Sox (1941–1942) *Boston Bees (1939–1940) *Cleveland Indians (1937–1938) *Pittsburgh Pirates (1936) }} |nickname = {{plainlist| *Owensboro Oilers (1937–1955) *Owensboro Pirates (1936) }} |ballpark = {{plainlist| *Miller Field (1938–1955) *ORC Field (1937) *Southside Park (1936) }} |leaguechamps = 1946 |leaguenum = 1 |divisionchamps = |owner = |manager = |gm = }} The '''Owensboro Oilers''' were a minor league baseball club, based in Owensboro, Kentucky, from 1936 until 1955. The team was a member of the class-D level Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (or Kitty League). The team was originally formed in 1935 as the Portageville Pirates and represented Portageville, Missouri, in the league. On July 17, 1936, the Portageville Pirates moved to Owensboro after posting a 26–35 record. The team was listed in the record books for 1936 as '''Portageville-Owensboro Pirates''', or as the '''Owensboro Pirates''' after the move. The following year, the team was renamed the Owensboro Oilers.
The Oilers and Pirates were preceded in Kitty League play by the '''Owensboro Distillers'''. The Distillers played in the 1903, 1913, 1914 and 1916 seasons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-od13586/y-1903|title=1903 Owensboro Distillers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/t-od13586|title=Owensboro Distillers minor league baseball Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref>
==Notable alumni==
* Tony Kubek (1954) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 2008 Ford C. Frick award * Travis Jackson (1950, MGR) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1982 * Sam Dente (1941) * Don McMahon (1950) MLB All-Star * Ollie Pickering (1914) * Chuck Tanner (1946–1947) Manager: 1979 World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates * Lee Thomas (1954) 2 x MLB All-Star
==Year-by-year records== {{unreferenced section|date=October 2022}} {|class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Record ! Finish ! Manager ! Playoffs |- |1935 || 44–46 || 4th || Pat Patterson / Herb Welch / L.A. Harris || no champion declared |- |1936 || 52–67 || 6th || Hughie Wise || |- |1937 || 56–65 || 7th || Hughie Wise || |- |1938 || 66–64 || 6th || Hughie Wise || |- |1939 || 75–51 || 3rd || Hughie Wise || Lost semi-finals vs. Bowling Green Barons (0–3) |- |1940 || 69–57 || 3rd || Hughie Wise / Harold Sueme || |- |1941 || 58–68 || 6th || Hughie Wise || |- |1942 || 16–32 || 5th || Wally Schang || League disbanded June 19 |- | |- bgcolor="#FFD800" |1946 || 83–39 || 1st || Earl Browne || '''League Champs'''<br />Won semi-finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers (3–1)<br /> Won League Championship vs. Fulton Chicks (4–3) |- |1947 || 77–48 || 1st || Earl Browne || Lost semi-finals vs. Hopkinsville Hoppers (2–3) |- |1948 || 74–50 || 3rd || Rex Carr || Lost semi-finals vs. Union City Greyhounds (2–3) |- |1949 || 82–40 || 1st || Bill Adair || Lost semi-finals vs. Madisonville Miners (0–3) |- |1950 || 64–51 || 4th || '''Travis Jackson''' || Lost semi-finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers (2–3) |- |1951 || 71–48 || 2nd || Wayne Blackburn || Won semi-finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers (3–1)<br /> Lost League Championship vs. Fulton Railroaders (0–4) |- |1952 || 55–65 || 5th || Pud Miller/ Moose Shetler || |- |1953 || 49–71 || 8th || Marvin Crater || |- |1954 || 65–49 || 3rd || Marvin Crater || |- |1955 || 53–56 || 3rd || Walter Lance / Ken Silvestri || |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Owensboro, Kentucky Category:Baseball teams established in 1935 Category:Defunct baseball teams in Kentucky Category:Defunct baseball teams in Missouri Category:Pittsburgh Pirates minor league affiliates Category:New York Yankees minor league affiliates Category:Boston Braves minor league affiliates Category:Boston Red Sox minor league affiliates Category:Cleveland Guardians minor league affiliates Category:1935 establishments in Kentucky Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1955 Category:1955 disestablishments in Kentucky Category:Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League teams