The Sunset League was a minor league baseball circuit that operated from

1947 It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...

through 1950. The Sunset League was a Class C level league, with franchises based in the United States and

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. The league expanded from six to eight teams from 1949 to 1950. There was a previous league called the "Sunset League" that briefly played in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

in the 1902 season. For the 1951 season, the circuit merged with the

Arizona–Texas League The Arizona–Texas League was a Class D level American minor league baseball league that existed for nine seasons, from 1931–32, 1937–41, 1947–50 and 1952-54. In 1951, the Arizona-Texas loop merged with the Sunset League (based primarily ...

to form the

Southwest International League The Southwest International League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1951 through 1952. The league was formed through the merger of the Sunset League and Arizona–Texas League in 1951. The league hosted franchises based in ...

History

In 1902, a "Sunset League" included Beaumont (8–4), Lake Charles (7–6), Crowley (6–6) and Houston (3–8). Records are from the May 27, 1902 Houston Daily Post and are not official. The Sunset League was one of many short–lived minor leagues of the late 1940s and early 1950s. The Class C level circuit ran from

through 1950. Las Vegas, El Centro and Riverside were members every year. It was an extremely high offensive league; in 1947, Las Vegas averaged 9 runs a game and finished 73–67. The league merged with the Arizona-Texas League in 1951 to form the

Cities represented

Anaheim, CA Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...

: Anaheim Valencias (1947); Anaheim/San Bernardino Valencias (1948) *

El Centro, CA El Centro (Spanish for "The Center") is a city and county seat of Imperial County, California, United States. El Centro is the largest city in the Imperial Valley, the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban are ...

: El Centro Imperials (1947–1950) *

Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

: Las Vegas Wranglers (1947–1950) *

Mexicali, Baja California Mexicali (; ) is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California. The city, seat of the Mexicali Municipality, has a population of 689,775, according to the 2010 census, while the Calexico–Mexicali metropolitan area is home to 1,000,0 ...

: Mexicali Eagles (1948–1949) *

Ontario, CA Ontario is a city in southwestern San Bernardino County in the U.S. state of California, east of downtown Los Angeles and west of downtown San Bernardino, the county seat. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire metropolitan area, ...

: Ontario Orioles (1947) *

Porterville, CA Porterville is a city in the San Joaquin Valley, in Tulare County, California, United States. It is part of the Visalia-Porterville metropolitan statistical area. Since its incorporation in 1902, the city's population has grown as it annexed ne ...

Porterville Packers Porterville may refer to: * Porterville, California * Porterville, Kansas * Porterville, Mississippi * Porterville, Texas * Porterville, Utah * Porterville, Western Cape Porterville is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The t ...

(1949–1950) *

Reno, NV Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...

Reno Silver Sox The Reno Silver Sox were a minor league baseball team that existed on and off from 1947 to 1992. The team name is derived from the nickname of Nevada, the "Silver State". There was another baseball team known as the Reno Silver Sox who played i ...

(1947–1949) * Riverside, CA: Riverside Dons (1947; 1949);

Riverside Rubes The Riverside Rubes/Dons were a minor league baseball team, based in Riverside, California that played in the Sunset League The Sunset League was a minor league baseball circuit that operated from 1947 through 1950. The Sunset League was a ...

(1948; 1950) *

Salinas, CA Salinas (; Spanish for "Salt Marsh or Salt Flats") is a city in California and the county seat of Monterey County. With a population of 163,542 in the 2020 Census, Salinas is the most populous city in Monterey County. Salinas is an urban area l ...

: Salinas Colts (1949) *

San Bernardino, CA San Bernardino (; Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other ...

: San Bernardino Pioneers (1949–1950) * Tijuana, Baja CA:

Tijuana Potros The Tijuana Cimarrones were a professional independent baseball franchise based in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. They were originally a minor league baseball team in Liga Mexicana de Béisbol (Mexican Baseball League), but joined the Golden B ...

(1949–1950) *

Yuma, AZ Yuma ( coc, Yuum) is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. The city's population was 93,064 at the 2010 census, up from the 2000 census population of 77,515. Yuma is the principal city of the Yuma, Arizona, M ...

: Yuma Panthers (1950)

Standings & statistics

1947 to 1948

1947 Sunset League Playoffs: Riverside 3 games, Las Vegas 0; Anaheim 3 games, Ontario 0.
Finals: Anaheim 4 games, Riverside 1. 1948 Sunset League
schedule
Anaheim (13–42) moved to San Bernardino June 25.
Playoffs: Reno 3 games, Mexicali 0; Las Vegas 3 games, Riverside 1.
Finals: Reno 3 games, Las Vegas 2.

1949 to 1950

1949 Sunset League
schedule
Salinas moved to Tijuana August 5.
Playoffs: None Scheduled. 1950 Sunset League
schedule
Playoffs: Mexicali 2 games, Las Vegas 1; El Centro 2 games, Riverside 1.
Finals: El Centro 2 games, Mexicali 1.

Championship teams

* 1947 – Anaheim Valencias * 1948 – Reno Silver Sox * 1949 – Las Vegas Wranglers * * 1950 – El Centro Imperials : * ''Playoffs were not played''

References

* Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles (1993). ''Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball''. Baseball America. {{reflist

External links

Baseball Reference – 1947 Sunset League

Baseball Reference – 1948 Sunset League

Baseball Reference – 1949 Sunset League

Baseball Reference – 1950 Sunset League

Mike McCann's Minor League Baseball Page
1947 establishments in the United States 1950 disestablishments in the United States Baseball leagues in California Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Baseball leagues in Nevada Baseball leagues in Arizona