The Orange Hoo–Hoos were a minor league baseball team based in

Orange, Texas Orange is a city and the county seat of Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 19,324. It is the easternmost city in Texas, located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, and is from Houst ...

. In 1907 and 1908, the Hoo–Hoos played as members of the Class D level

Gulf Coast League The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the lo ...

, before the league folded during the 1908 season. Orange hosted minor league home games at Orange City Park.

History

Minor League baseball began in Orange in 1907, when the "Hoo–Hoos" became charter members of the six–team, Class D level

. The

Alexandria White Sox The Alexandria White Sox were a minor league baseball franchise based in Alexandria, Louisiana. In 1907 and 1908, the White Sox played exclusively as members of the Class D level Gulf Coast League. The Gulf Coast League folded during the 1908 sea ...

Lafayette Browns Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to: People * Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette * House of La Fayette, a French noble family ** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757� ...

Lake Charles Creoles A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

Monroe Municipals The Cotton States League''Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: The Official Record of Minor League Baseball'' – Lloyd Johnson, Steve McDonald, Miles Wolff (editors). Publisher: Baseball America, 1997. Format: Paperback, 672pp. Language: Englis ...

and

Opelousas Indians The Opelousas Indians was the primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Opelousas, Louisiana. Between 1907 and 1941, Opelousas teams played as members of the Class D level 1907 Gulf Coast League, 1932 Cotton States League, playing ...

, joined Orange in beginning play on April 24, 1907. The "Hoo–Hoos" nickname corresponds to the local lumber industry, as Orange was home to seventeen saw mills at its height of lumber production. The

Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo The International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo, Incorporated is a fraternal and service organization whose members are involved in the forests products industry. Hoo-Hoo has members in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia a ...

is a fraternal organization, established in 1892. The organization is the oldest industrial fraternal organization in the United States and consists of lumbermen and those in trades that are related to the lumber industry. In their first season of play, the Orange Hoo–Hoos placed foruth in the Gulf Coast League standings. With a record of 50–65, playing under manager Roland Vitter, the Hoo–Hoos finished 14.5 games behind the first place Lake Charles Creoles in the final Gulf Coast League standings, as no playoffs were held. Orange Hoo–Hoos pitcher Dick Richardson led the league with a 9–1 record. In 1908, Orange played their final season, as the six–team Gulf Coast League folded during the season. The Hoo–Hoos joined the returning Alexandria White Sox and Lake Charles Creoles, along with the new Beaumont Cubs, Crowley Rice Birds and Morgan City Oyster Shuckers teams in beginning league play on April 30, 1908. On June 3, 1908, the Gulf Coast League folded, as both the Beaumont and Crowley franchises disbanded. At the time the league folded, Orange was in second place with a record of 15–16. Managed by W.C. Rucker, the Hoo–Hoos finished 5.0 games behind the first place Lake Charles Creoles in the final standings. The Gulf Coast League did not return to play in 1909. Orange, Texas has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Orange Hoo–Hoos teams played home minor league games at City Park. Today, the ballpark site is still in use as a public park, known as Orange Lions City Park. In 1920 and 1921, 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 hav ...

held their

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...

in Orange, Texas at the newly constructed West End Park, next to Orange High School. Local lumber baron

William Henry Stark William Henry Stark (March 19, 1851 – October 8, 1936) was an industrial leader whose contributions helped the city of Orange, Texas develop financially. Stark was the president of the Lutcher Moore Cypress Lumber Company of Lutcher, Louisiana ...

aided in the construction of the ballpark and forming an organization to attract a team to Orange.

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

member

Branch Rickey Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also creat ...

was the Cardinals' General Manager and chose Orange, Texas to host the Cardinals.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

No players on the Orange Hoo–Hoos rosters advanced to the major leagues.

References

External links

Orange - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Defunct Florida Complex League teams Baseball teams disestablished in 1908 Baseball teams established in 1907 Defunct baseball teams in Texas {{DEFAULTSORT:Orange Hoo-Hoos