The Corsicana Oilers was the primary nickname of the minor league baseball teams based in

Corsicana, Texas Corsicana is a city in Navarro County, Texas, United States. It is located on Interstate 45, 56 miles northeast of Waco, Texas. The population was 23,770 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Navarro County, and an important Agri-busines ...

. In the seasons between 1902 and 1928, Corsicana teams played as members of the

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

(1902–1905),

North Texas League The North Texas League was a Class D level minor baseball league that played during the 1905 and 1907 seasons. The league featured teams based in Arkansas and Texas. History The 1905 North Texas League consisted of four charter teams, initia ...

(1907),

Central Texas League The Central Texas League was a minor league baseball league that played from 1914 to 1917. The Central Texas League played as a six–team Class D (baseball), Class D level league and consisted of teams based exclusively in Texas. The Central Texa ...

(1914–1915, 1917), Texas-Oklahoma League (1922),

Texas Association The Texas Association was a sports league of Minor League Baseball, minor league baseball teams in Texas that operated from 1923 through 1926. An earlier league, initially known as the Texas-Southern League, used the same name from mid-1896 throu ...

(1923–1926) and

Lone Star League The Lone Star League was the name of three American minor professional baseball leagues located in the state of Texas during the 20th century. The leagues operated from 1927–1929 (as a Class D circuit), 1947–1948 (Class C) and 1977 (Class A ...

(1927–1928), winning five league championships. Corsicana hosted minor league home games at Oil City Park and Athletic Park. The 1922 Corsicana "Gumbo Busters" played as a minor league affiliate of the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

. The 1902 Corsicana Oil Citys team is ranked in

The National Baseball Association's top 100 minor league teams In 2001, during the centennial celebration of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, Minor League Baseball tasked baseball historians Bill Weiss and Marshall Wright to develop a list of the top 100 best minor ...

list as one of the top all–time minor league teams.

History

Minor league baseball began in Corsicana with the 1902 Corsicana Oil Citys of the Class D level

. The Oil Citys won the league championship in dominant fashion, as the team ended the 1902 season with a record of 87–23, placing first in the Texas League under manager Mike O'Connor. On Sunday, June 15, 1902, Corsicana defeated the Texarkana Casketmakers by a score of 51–3 as J.J. Clarke reportedly hit 8 home runs in the contest. In winning both halves of the season standings, the Oil Citys' season included a 27–game winning streak. The 1902 team is listed at #51 on

of all time. 1902 Corsicana Oil Citys

In their second season, the 1903 Corsicana Oil Citys placed fourth in the Texas League final standings. Corsicana had an overall record of 54–54 under manager Mike O'Connor. The Corsicana Oil City Oil Citys won the Texas League championship. The Oil Citys ended the 1904 season with a record of 48–53, placing third in the Texas League regular seasons. Curley Maloney and Walter Salm served as managers as the Oil Citys went on to win the 1904 championship. In the extended playoffs, Corsicana defeated the Fort Worth Panthers 11 games to 8. The Corsicana Oilers began the season playing in the Texas League. However, on June 1, 1905, the Oilers had a record of 10–30 when Corsicana surrendered its franchise and was dropped from the league on June 6, 1905. The managers were Walter Salm, Con Lucid and Lou Mahaffey The Corsicana Desperados returned minor league baseball when the team became members of the 1907 Class D level

. The Desperados had a 38–21 record and were in first place when the, four–team league folded on June 30, 1907. Dee Poindexter served as manager, as Corsicana finished 2.0 games ahead of the second place Paris Athletics. In 1914, the Corsicana Athletics became charter members of the

, which was formed as a six–team Class D level league. The Athletics ended the 1914 Central Texas League regular season with a record of 26–32, placing fifth in the standings under manager Neal Kennedy. Continuing play in 1915, Corsicana placed second in the Central Texas League standings. The Athletics or A's for short, ended the 1915 season with a 32–29 record, finishing 3.0 games behind the first place Ennis Tigers. On May 27, 1915, Erwin of Corsicana threw a no-hitter against the Kaufman Kings as the Athletics won 2–0. On June 19, 1915, Corsicana pitcher Joe Page threw the second no-hitter of the season against the Ennis Tigers in a 2–1 victory. Roy Morton was the 1915 manager. The Corsicana franchise folded after the 1915 season. The Corsicana Athletics briefly returned to play in the 1917 the Central Texas League. With a 4–4 record, the Temple Governors franchise moved to Corsicana June 1, 1917. Shortly after, the team had an overall record of 6–8 under manager Paul Trammel when the Central Texas League permanently folded on June 6, 1917. The 1922 Corsicana Gumbo Busters returned the city to minor league play and were an affiliate of the

. Playing as members of the Class D level Texas-Oklahoma League, the Gumbo Busters finished the 1922 regular season with a 56–46 record, placing third in the league standings, 13.0 games behind the Paris Snappers in the final league standings. Chuck Miller and Harvey Grubb served as managers. The Corsicana "Oilers" moniker returned as the franchise joined the Class D level 1923

. The Oilers finished 1923 with a record of 68–70, placing fourth in the six–team Texas Association, 11.0 games behind the first place Mexia Gushers under manager Harvey Grubb. The 1924 Corsicana Oilers won the Texas Association Championship. The Oilers ended the 1924 season with a record of 83–42, placing first in the Texas Association standings under manager John Vann. The Oilers were 11.5 games ahead of the second place Marlin Bathers in the six–team standings. The Corsicana Oilers won a second consecutive Texas Association Championship in 1925. Again under manager John Vann, the Oilers finished the 1925 season with a record of 85–48, finishing first in the Texas Association standings, 9.0 games ahead of the second place Mexia Gushers. The 1926 Corsicana Oilers finished last in the Texas Association. With a record of 53–72, Corsicana placed sixth in the Texas Association under manager John Vann. The Oilers were 21.5 games behind the first place

Austin Senators The "Austin Senators" is the name of various minor league baseball teams based in Austin, Texas, United States which played on-and-off between 1898 and 1964. Different incarnations of the Senators have played in the Texas League (1888–1890, 1905, ...

. The Texas Association folded after the 1926 season. In 1927, the Corsicana Oilers became charter members of the

, which formed as an eight–team Class D level league. The Oilers ended the 1927 season with a record of 48–72, placing sixth in the final standings under managers Les Nunamaker and Ben Brownlow. Corsicana finished 21.0 games behind the first place Palestine Pals. In their final season of play, the 1928 Corsicana Oilers placed fifth in the Lone Star League. Corsicana ended their final season with a record of 55–68 under manager Ray Falk. The Corsicana franchise permanently folded after the 1928 season. Corsicana has not hosted another minor league baseball team.

The ballparks

Corsicana teams were noted to have played home games at Oil City Park in the seasons from 1902 to 1907. Beginning in 1914, Corsicana teams played at Athletic Park. The ballpark was located between South Seaton & South 9th Streets and between East 10th Avenue & East 11th Avenue.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

No-hitters

Notable alumni

* Walter Blair (1903) * Neal Baker (1928) *

Bruno Block James John Block (born James John Blochowicz on March 13, 1885 – August 6, 1937) was a catcher over parts of five seasons in Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major pr ...

(1905) * Jim Brown (1924) * Nig Clarke (1902) * Tex Covington (1907) * Wally Dashiell (1926) * George Edmondson (1922) * Tim Griesenbeck (1926) * Harvey Grubb (1922–1925; 1923, MGR) * Hunter Hill (1902–1903) * Jimmie Humphries (1907) *

Cobe Jones Coburn Dyas "Cobe" Jones (August 21, 1907 – June 3, 1969) was a Major League Baseball player. Jones played for the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League for two seasons. In , Jones only played in 1 game and went 1–2. In Jones played in 28 ...

(1926) *

Jack Knott John Henry Knott (March 2, 1907 – October 13, 1981) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the St. Louis Browns (1933-1938), Chicago White Sox (1938-1940) and Philadelphia Athletics (1941-1942, 1946). Knott batted and threw right-ha ...

(1926–1927) *

Tom Lovelace Thomas Rivers Lovelace (October 19, 1897 – July 12, 1979) was an American professional baseball player. Lovelace played in the Minor League Baseball, minor leagues for 11 years, from 1920 to 1932, and played in one Major League Baseball game wit ...

(1924–1927) * Con Lucid (1903, 1905, MGR) * Tex McDonald (1927) * Slim McGrew (1926) * Otto McIvor (1905) * Chuck Miller (1922, MGR) * Walter Morris (1902) * Les Nunamaker (1927, MGR) *

Tony Piet Anthony Francis Piet, born Anthony Francis Pietruszka (December 7, 1906 – December 1, 1981) was an infielder in Major League Baseball from 1931 to 1938. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, and Detroit Tigers ...

(1928) *

Bill Shores William David Shores (May 26, 1904 – February 19, 1984) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1928 to 1936 for the Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are ...

(1926) * Oscar Siemer (1923) * John Vann (1924–1926, MGR) *

Hippo Vaughn James Leslie "Hippo" Vaughn (April 9, 1888 – May 29, 1966) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. In a career that spanned thirteen seasons, he played for the New York Highlanders (1908, 1910–1912), the Washington Senat ...

(1907) ERA Title *

Lucky Wright William Simmons "Lucky" Wright (February 21, 1880 – July 6, 1941) was a professional baseball pitcher. He appeared in five games in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Naps The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball te ...

(1902)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Corsicana - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in Texas Defunct baseball teams in Texas Baseball teams established in 1902 Baseball teams disestablished in 1928 Corsicana, Texas Navarro County, Texas Defunct Texas League teams 1902 establishments in Texas 1928 disestablishments in Texas