The Alexandria Aces were a baseball team based in

Alexandria, Louisiana Alexandria is the ninth-largest city in the state of Louisiana and is the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the prin ...

. The last version of the Aces played in the

United League Baseball United League Baseball was an independent baseball league that operated in Texas. The league operated from 2006 to 2009. The league then temporarily merged with the Northern League and the Golden Baseball League to form the North American Leagu ...

in 2013. The Aces have played their home games at historic

Bringhurst Field Bringhurst Field was from 1933 to 2013 a baseball stadium in Alexandria, Louisiana. Owned by the city of Alexandria, it served as the home field of the Alexandria Aces, one of the most successful independent league baseball teams, which won va ...

, which was built in 1933 for the original Alexandria Aces.

History

That team started in 1934 as a member of the old

Evangeline League The Evangeline League began in 1934 as a six–team Class D level minor league with teams based in Louisiana, United States, later adding Mississippi and Texas based franchises. In 1935, the league was expanded to eight teams and ceased operation ...

and ceased operations with the league in 1942 due to World War II. This early era was highlighted by the presence of Hal Newhouser and Virgil Trucks, future Detroit Tigers' stars who headed the pitching staff of the 1939 Aces. The Aces (and the league) were revived after the war but once again ceased operations in 1957. Alexandria was the only city to field a team every year the Evangeline League operated. The Aces appeared regularly in the league's Shaughnessy playoffs and took the Evangeline pennant twice — in 1936 and 1940. Baseball returned to Alexandria again from 1972, with the Aces as the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...

' AA farm club, and while it only lasted four years, many major league notables passed through Alexandria – in particular All-Star pitcher Randy Jones and longtime

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

first baseman John Grubb.

Duke Snider Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider (September 19, 1926 – February 27, 2011), nicknamed "the Silver Fox" and "the Duke of Flatbush", was an American professional baseball player. Primarily a center fielder, he spent most of his Major League Baseball (M ...

also managed the team during this period. The new Aces were a charter member of the independent

Texas–Louisiana League The Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas–Louisiana League, was a independent baseball league whose member teams were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises. In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron P ...

in 1994, and the Aces won back-to-back titles in and before the league changed its name to the

Central Baseball League The Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas–Louisiana League, was a independent baseball league whose member teams were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises. In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron P ...

. In the first season of the new United League in 2006, the Aces won the inaugural ULB championship before pulling off another repeat as they would win the title once again in 2007. In 2009 the Aces joined the

Continental Baseball League The Continental Baseball League, based in Addison, Texas, was an independent minor league professional baseball league that operated for four seasons, from 2007 to 2010. The league conceived as a professional, independent baseball organization op ...

when the ULB went bankrupt. The Aces are the 2009 CBL Champions, beating the Big Bend Cowboys 2–0. In 2010, the Aces ended their contract with the CBL, citing travel costs among other reasons before joining the college wooden bat league, the Texas Collegiate League. On March 12, 2011 the front office announced that there would be a change to the team's logo for the first time since the team returned in 1994. In 2013, the Aces joined

and slightly past the halfway mark of the season, with a 24–20 record and in second place, the United League cancelled the remaining games for the Aces. Four scheduled road games were forfeited, giving the Aces an official record of 24-24. According to league CEO John Bryant, the league could not justify spending at least $100,000 for the remainder of the season because of low attendance, averaging 333 fans a game.

Team Record

All-Stars

Coaches

References

External links

Alexandria Aces home page

Facebook Group: The Alexandria Aces
{{United League Baseball Central Baseball League teams Continental Baseball League teams Evangeline Baseball League teams Texas Collegiate League teams United League Baseball teams Amateur baseball teams in Louisiana Professional baseball teams in Louisiana Baseball teams established in 1994 Baseball teams disestablished in 2013 1994 establishments in Louisiana 2013 disestablishments in Louisiana Defunct independent baseball league teams Sports in Alexandria, Louisiana Defunct baseball teams in Louisiana Detroit Tigers minor league affiliates Chicago White Sox minor league affiliates New York Yankees minor league affiliates San Diego Padres minor league affiliates