The Bakersfield Drillers were a minor league baseball team based in

Bakersfield, California Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...

. In 1910, the Drillers played as members of the Class D level

San Joaquin Valley League The San Joaquin Valley League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1910 through 1911. The league operated primarily in the San Joaquin Valley in California. The league disbanded on July 18, 1911. The Bakersfield Drillers and T ...

, winning the league championship in a shortened season in the only season for the league. Bakersfield returned to minor league play in 1929 when the Bakersfield "Bees" played in the final shortened season of the

California State League There were at least three class D California State Leagues in operation at some point in minor league baseball history. Two lasted just a single season (1910 and 1929) and the other lasted three seasons 1913 through 1915. The 1910 version was actua ...

. Bakersfield hosted home games at Recreation Park.

History

Minor league baseball was first hosted in Bakersfield, California in 1910, when the Bakersfield Drillers became founding members of the four–team Class D level

. The

Coalinga Savages Coalinga ( or ) is a city in Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the western San Joaquin Valley, in central California about 80 miles (128 km) southeast of Salinas, California, Salinas. It was formerly known as ''Coaling Station A' ...

Tulare Merchants The Tulare Merchants were a minor league baseball team based in Tulare, California. In 1910 and 1911, the Merchants played exclusively as members of the Class D level San Joaquin Valley League, winning the 1911 league championship in their final ...

and

Visalia Pirates Visalia ( ) is a city in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley of California. The population was 141,384 as per the 2020 census. Visalia is the fifth-largest city in the San Joaquin Valley, the 42nd most populous in California, and 192nd in ...

joined Bakersfield as charter members to begin the season. On September 12, 1910, Bakersfield had a record of 21–9 under manager Brick Devereaux when the San Joaquin Valley League folded. Bakersfield was 7.5 games ahead of second place Visalia (13–17) in the standings at the time the league folded. Previously, the Tulare (13–15) franchise had folded on August 8, 1910 and Coalinga (9–14) folded on August 18, 1910. Pitcher Willard Meikle of Bakersfield led the league with 11 wins, 101 strikeouts and an 11–4 record. The Bakersfield use of the "Drillers" moniker corresponds with oil drilling in the area. The Kern River Oil Field began oil production in 1899 and is still in operation today. KernRiverOilField1910

Minor league baseball returned briefly to Bakersfield in 1929. The Bakersfield Bees began the season as members of the four–team Class D level

. The San Diego Aces, San Bernardino Padres and Santa Ana Orange Countians joined Bakersfield in league play. Josh Clark was president of the Bakersfield team. On opening day, April 10, 1929, Santa Ana defeated Bakersfield 7-6 at Recreation Park in Bakersfield. During the season, on June 17, 1929, the California State League permanently folded. At the time the league folded, Bakersfield was in 2nd place with a 32–28 overall record. Managed by Louis Guisto and Ned Porter, the Bakersfield Bees finished 2.5 games behind the 1st place San Diego Aces in the final standings. Lou Martin of Bakersfield led the league in hitting, batting .389 and player/manager Ned Porter led the California State League with 15 home runs. Bakersfield next hosted minor league baseball when the 1941

Bakersfield Badgers Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...

began play as members of the Class C level

California League The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...

The ballpark

Bakersfield hosted minor league home games at Recreation Park.

Timeline

Year-by-year records

Notable alumni

Roy Joiner Roy Merrill Joiner (October 30, 1906 – December 26, 1989), nicknamed "Pop", was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1934 to 1940. He played for the Chicago Cubs and New York Giants. Joiner was involved i ...

(1929) *

Monte Pearson Montgomery Marcellus Pearson (September 2, 1908 – January 27, 1978) was an American baseball pitcher who played ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "Hoot", he played for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Cincinnati ...

(1929) *

Bill Phebus Raymond William Phebus (August 2, 1909 – October 11, 1989) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He played parts of three seasons in the majors, from until , for the Washington Senators. After his playing career ended, Phebus briefly managed ...

(1929) *

Frenchy Uhalt Bernard Bartholomew "Frenchy" Uhalt (April 27, 1910 – September 3, 2004) was a Major League Baseball outfielder. He played in 57 games for the Chicago White Sox in . Uhalt was much better known, however, for his long career in the Pacific Coast ...

(1929)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Bakersfield - Baseball Reference
Defunct baseball teams in California Baseball teams established in 1910 Baseball teams disestablished in 1910 Baseball teams in Los Angeles Bakersfield, California

History

The ballpark

Timeline

Year-by-year records

Notable alumni

See also

References

External links