West Texas–New Mexico League

The West Texas–New Mexico League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1937 through 1955, with a hiatus from 1943 to 1945 during World War II. The league started as a Class D level league, upgraded to Class C in 1946 and then a final advancement to Class B level status in 1955. League franchises were based exclusively in New Mexico and Texas.

West Texas–New Mexico League
ClassificationClass D (1937–1942)
Class C (1946–1955)
Class B (1955)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1937
Ceased1955
PresidentMilton Price (1937–1942, 1946–1951)
Ray Winkler (1952)
Hal Sayles (1953–1955)
No. of teams18
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles3
Lubbock Hubbers (1938, 1939, 1947)
Albuquerque Dukes (1949, 1950, 1953)
Pampa Oilers (1946, 1954, 1955)
Related
competitions
Western League
Southwestern League
Big State League

History

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The West Texas–New Mexico League began play in 1937 as a Class D level league, with Milton Price serving as president.[1] The Hobbs Drillers, Midland Cardinals, Monahans Trojans, Odessa Oilers, Roswell Sunshiners and Wink Spudders were the charter members in beginning league play on May 4, 1937.[2][3]

The Lubbock Hubbers (1938, 1939, 1947), Albuquerque Dukes (1949, 1950, 1953) and Pampa Oilers (1946, 1954, 1955) each won three league championships.[1]

Cities represented

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Standings & statistics

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1937 to 1942

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1937 West Texas–New Mexico League - https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61517715/1937-west-texas-new-mexico-league/ schedule]

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Wink Spudders 68 50 .576 - D.E. Perry / Joe Tate
Roswell Sunshiners 55 62 .470 12.5 Neal Rabe
Monahans Trojans 55 64 .462 13.5 Paul Trammel / Charles Bryan
Hobbs Drillers 45 74 .378 23.5 Ned Pettigrew / Fincher Withers
Odessa Oilers 28 17 .622 NA Charles Bryan
Midland Cardinals 41 25 .621 NA Wray Query / Joe Davis

Odessa withdrew June 17; Midland withdrew July 9.
Playoffs: Wink 3 games, Hobbs 0: Roswell 3 games, Monahans 2;
Finals: Wink 3 games, Roswell 0.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Robert Hood Wink BA .372 Red Hay Wink W 18
Robert Hood Wink Runs 137 Marshall Scott Roswell W 18
Mel Reist Odes/Mona Hits 182 Gene Devine Roswell SO 218
Robert Hood Wink RBI 145 Red Hay Wink ERA 3.97
Robert Hood Wink HR 30 Marshall Scott Roswell PCT .750 18-6

1938 West Texas–New Mexico League - schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Lubbock Hubbers 80 49 .620 - Hack Miller
Clovis Pioneers 71 58 .550 9.0 William Ratliff
Midland Cardinals 67 62 .519 13.0 Fincher Withers
Wink Spudders 63 65 .492 16.5 Joe Tate
Big Spring Barons 58 71 .450 22.0 Charlie Barnabee
Hobbs Boosters 48 82 .369 32.5 Neal Rabe

Playoffs: Lubbock 3 games, Wink 0: Clovis 3 games, Midland 1.
Finals: Lubbock 4 games, Clovis 1.
Total league attendance, 108,342

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Cecil Smyly Hobbs BA .367 Ernest Nelson Clovis W 20
Cecil Smyly Hobbs Runs 182 Jerry Blanchard Lubbock SO 265
Cecil Smyly Hobbs Hits 194 Red Roberts Wink ERA 3.08
Mal Stevens Lubbock RBI 132 George Bryan Lubbock PCT .688 11-5
Mal Stevens Lubbock HR 31
Jake Suytar Midland HR 31

1939 West Texas–New Mexico League - schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Lubbock Hubbers 90 48 .652 - Salty Parker
Pampa Oilers 78 59 .569 11.5 Grover Seitz
Big Spring Barons 74 64 .536 16.0 Tony Rego
Lamesa Lobos 65 73 .471 25.0 Joe Tate
Midland Cowboys 62 75 .453 27.5 Jimmy Kerr/
Charley Smith / Joe Piet
Clovis Pioneers 60 73 .451 27.5 Dick Ratliff
Abilene Apaches /
Borger Gassers
61 76 .445 28.5 Fincher Withers / Charles Bryan
Amarillo Gold Sox 57 79 .419 32.0 Neal Rabe

Total league attendance, 273,374
Abilene moved to Borger July 9.
Playoffs: Lubbock 3 games, Big Spring 0: Pampa 3 games, Lamesa 2.
Finals: Lubbock 4 games, Pampa 1.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Gordon Nell Pampa BA .392 Jodie Marek Big Spring W 23
Gordon Nell Pampa Runs 152 Howard Parks Abil/Borg SO 202
Gordon Nell Pampa Hits 207 Lee Harris Lubbock ERA 2.97
Gordon Nell Pampa RBI 189 Lee Harris Lubbock PCT .818 18-4
Gordon Nell Pampa HR 44

1940 West Texas–New Mexico League - schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Pampa Oilers 83 56 .601 - Grover Seitz
Amarillo Gold Sox 82 58 .586 1.5 Claude Jonnard
Lubbock Hubbers 81 59 .579 2.5 Charlie Engle
Borger Gassers 79 60 .568 4.0 Pete Susko / Gordon Nell
Lamesa Lobos 71 69 .507 12.5 Joe Tate
Midland Cowboys 59 81 .421 24.5 Sammy Hale
Clovis Pioneers 58 80 .420 24.5 Howard Taylor
Big Spring Barons /
Odessa Oilers
45 95 .321 38.5 Tony Rego / Stanley Bolton

Total league attendance, 240,679
Big Spring moved to Odessa June 20.
Playoffs: Borger 3 games, Pampa 0: Lubbock 3 games, Amarillo 0.
Finals: Borger 4 games, Lubbock 3.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Edwin Schweda Lubbock BA .422 Rex Dilbeck Pampa W 23
Grover Seitz Pampa Runs 163 Willie Ramsdell Big Spring/Odessa W 23
William Scopetone Big Spring/Borger Hits 217 Russell Crider Amarillo SO 266
Gordon Nell Borger RBI 175 Pat Ralsh Lubbock ERA 3.25
Gordon Nell Borger HR 40 Pat Ralsh Lubbock PCT .833 20-4

1941 West Texas–New Mexico League - schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Big Spring Bombers 91 45 .669 - Joe Tate
Borger Gassers 89 47 .654 2.0 Gordon Nell
Clovis Pioneers 76 58 .567 14.0 Howard Taylor / Grover Seitz
Amarillo Gold Sox 72 64 .529 19.0 Claude Jonnard
Lubbock Hubbers 61 78 .439 31.5 Charlie Engle
Lamesa Lobos 59 80 .424 33.5 Sam Scaling
Pampa Oilers 55 79 .410 35.0 Dutch Prather / Sammy Hale
Wichita Falls Spudders 43 95 .312 49.0 Sammy Hale / Neal Rabe

Total Attendance, 183,395.
Playoffs: Big Spring 3 games, Amarillo 0: Clovis 3 games, Borger 2.
Finals: Clovis 4 games, Big Spring 3.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Frank Hargrove Amarillo BA .388 Willie Ramsdell Big Spring W 25
James Haney Big Spring Runs 143 Russell Crider Amarillo SO 232
Stuart Williams Borger Hits 210 John McParland Pampa ERA 2.03
Dutch Prather Pam/Ama RBI 142 Udell Moore Borger PCT .824 14-3
Gordon Nell Borger HR 28

1942 West Texas–New Mexico League - schedule

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Clovis Pioneers 52 19 .732 - Grover Seitz
Lamesa Dodgers 43 27 .614 8.5 Joe Tate
Amarillo Gold Sox 38 29 .567 12.0 Claude Jonnard
Pampa Oilers 36 32 .529 14.5 William Ratliff
Borger Gassers 33 39 .458 19.5 Hugh Willingham
Lubbock Hubbers 30 42 .417 22.5 Monty Stratton
Albuquerque Dukes 25 30 .455 NA Dixie Howell / E. Miller
Wichita Falls Spudders /
Big Spring Pirates
8 47 .145 NA George Milstead

Wichita Falls moved to Big Spring May 22. The Pirates withdrew June 20.; Albuquerque withdrew June 23.
The league disbanded July 25.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Frank Warren Borger BA .402 Kenneth Wyatt Clovis W 17
Leroy Koenig Lubbock Runs 88 Kenneth Wyatt Clovis SO 129
Vincent Castino Lubbock Hits 106 Kenneth Wyatt Clovis ERA 2.09
Frank Hargrove Amarillo RBI 84 Kenneth Wyatt Clovis PCT 1.000 17-0
Frank Hargrove Amarillo HR 22

[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  2. ^ "1937 West Texas-New Mexico League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ^ "1937 West Texas-New Mexico League (WTNML) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
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Sources

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The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, Second Edition.