Big Spring, Texas was home to several minor league baseball teams between 1928 and 1955. The Hamlin Pied Pipers moved from

Hamlin, Texas Hamlin is a city in Jones and Fisher Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 2,124 at the 2010 census, and in 2018, the estimated population was 1,997. The Jones County portion of Hamlin is part of the Abilene, Texas metropoli ...

to Big Spring during the 1928 season and became the Big Spring Springers, who finished 6th in the

West Texas League The West Texas League was a Class D level minor league baseball league that existed from 1920 to 1922 and from 1928 to 1929. 1920-1922 The following teams played in 1920: Abilene Eagles, Ranger Nitros, Mineral Wells Resorters, Cisco Scouts, ...

that season, 21 games out of first place under manager Armistead "Army" Magness. The team changed its name to the Big Spring Cowboys the following year and were at one point during the season managed by Nick Carter. They dissolved following the season. In 1938, the Big Spring Barons joined the

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 ...

, before they moved to

Odessa, Texas Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small section of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 114,428 at the 2020 census, ma ...

during the 1940 season and became the

Odessa Oilers Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern sho ...

. They were replaced the following season by the Big Spring Bombers, an affiliate of the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...

, but that team only lasted one season. The

Wichita Falls Spudders The Wichita Falls Spudders were a minor league baseball team that formed in 1920 and played its last game in 1957. They were based in Wichita Falls, Texas. The first Spudders team ran from 1920–1932 and played in the Texas League as an affiliat ...

moved to town in 1942 and took on the name of the Big Spring Pirates but only lasted for part of the month of June and only played road games till the league shut them down on June 20. In 1947, the Big Spring Broncs started playing in the

Longhorn League The Longhorn League was the name of a Minor league baseball circuit that operated from through in the Southwestern United States. In , it was renamed the Southwestern League and operated through before changing its name to the Sophomore Leag ...

. They were the most successful team from Big Spring as they won the championship in 1949. They became the Big Spring Cosden Cops in 1955, named after the 1929 eviction of Native Americans from oil land purchased by

James Cosden James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

References

Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Brooklyn Dodgers minor league affiliates Washington Senators minor league affiliates New York Yankees minor league affiliates 1928 establishments in Texas 1955 disestablishments in Texas Defunct baseball teams in Texas Baseball teams disestablished in 1955 Baseball teams established in 1928 {{Texas-baseball-team-stub