The Owensboro Oilers were a minor league baseball club, based in Owensboro, Kentucky, from 1936 until 1955. The team was a member of the class-D level

Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League The Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (or ''KITTY League'') was a Class D level minor league baseball circuit that went through six different periods of play between 1903 and 1955. The League hosted teams in 29 cities from the states of Ill ...

(or KITTY League). The team was originally formed in 1935 as the Portageville Pirates and represented

Portageville, Missouri Portageville is a city in New Madrid and Pemiscot counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 2,942 according to the 2020 Census. History A post office called Portageville has been in operation since 1873. The community takes its ...

, in the league. On July 17, 1936 the Portageville Pirates moved to Owensboro after posting a 26-35 record. The team was listed in the record books for 1936 as Portageville-Owensboro Pirates, or as the Owensboro Pirates after the move. The following year, the team was renamed the Owensboro Oilers. The Oilers and Pirates were preceded in Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League play by the Owensboro Distillers. The Distillers played in the 1903, 1913, 1914 and 1916 seasons.

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Tony Kubek Anthony Christopher Kubek (born October 12, 1935) is an American former professional baseball player and television broadcaster. During his nine-year playing career with the New York Yankees, Kubek played in six World Series in the late 1950s an ...

(1954) Inducted, 2008 Ford C. Frick award *

Travis Jackson Travis Calvin Jackson (November 2, 1903 – July 27, 1987) was an American baseball shortstop. In Major League Baseball (MLB), Jackson played for the New York Giants from 1922 through 1936, winning the 1933 World Series, and representing the Gi ...

(1950) Inducted, 1982

Notable alumni

Sam Dente Samuel Joseph Dente (April 26, 1922 – April 21, 2002) was a shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for five different teams between 1947 and 1955. Listed at , 175 lb., Dente batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Harrison, New ...

(1941) *

Don McMahon Donald John McMahon (January 4, 1930 – July 22, 1987) was a right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was signed by the Boston Braves before the 1950 season. He played for the Milwaukee Braves (1957 ...

(1950) MLB All-Star *

Ollie Pickering Oliver Daniel Pickering (April 9, 1870 – January 20, 1952) was an American professional baseball outfielder and manager in a 30-year career that spanned from the 1892 Houston Mudcats to the 1922 Paducah Indians. He played for a number of Maj ...

(1914) *

Chuck Tanner Charles William Tanner (July 4, 1928February 11, 2011) was an American professional baseball player and manager. A left fielder and pinch hitter who appeared in 396 games in Major League Baseball between 1955 and 1962, he was known for his unwav ...

(1946-1947) Manager: 1979 World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates * Lee Thomas (1954) 2 x MLB All-Star

Year-by-year record

References

{{Reflist Owensboro, Kentucky Baseball teams established in 1935 Defunct baseball teams in Kentucky Defunct baseball teams in Missouri Pittsburgh Pirates minor league affiliates New York Yankees minor league affiliates Boston Bees minor league affiliates Boston Braves minor league affiliates Boston Red Sox minor league affiliates Cleveland Guardians minor league affiliates 1935 establishments in Kentucky Baseball teams disestablished in 1955 1955 disestablishments in Kentucky Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League teams