The Tyler Governors were a minor league baseball team based in

Tyler, Texas Tyler is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the largest city and county seat of Smith County, Texas, Smith County. It is also the largest city in Northeast Texas. With a 2020 census population of 105,995, Tyler was the List of cities in Texa ...

. In 1933 and 1934, the Governors played as members of the Class C level Dixie League and

West Dixie League 'The West Dixie League was an American professional minor league baseball league that operated for two seasons from 1934 to 1935 as a Class C level league. History The West Dixie League was created when the Dixie League divided into the East ...

. The Governors hosted home games at the Trojan Park Athletic Field in 1933 and the East Texas Fair Association Fair Grounds in 1934. The

Tyler Trojans The Tyler Trojans were a minor league baseball team based in Tyler, Texas that played on-and-off from 1924 to 1950. The team played in the East Texas League (1924–1926, 1931, 1936–1940, 1946, 1949–1950), Lone Star League (1927–1929, 1947– ...

preceded and succeeded the Governors in minor league play.

History

The Governors were preceded by the

, who last played in the 1931 season as members of the

East Texas League The East Texas League was a Texas–based minor league baseball league that existed between 1916 to 1950. The East Texas League played as a Class D level league in 1916 and from 1923 to 1926. The league became a Class C level league from 1936 ...

. In 1933, the Tyler "Governors" became charter members of the eight–team, Class C level Dixie League. The

Baton Rouge Solons Baton may refer to: Stick-like objects *Baton, a type of club *Baton (law enforcement) *Baston (weapon), a type of baton used in Arnis and Filipino Martial Arts *Baton charge, a coordinated tactic for dispersing crowds of people *Baton (conductin ...

El Dorado Lions EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...

, Henderson Oilers ,

Jackson Senators The Jackson Senators was the name of at least two minor league baseball teams that played in Jackson, Mississippi. First team The first known Jackson Senators club competed in the Delta League in 1904. Jackson also played as a member of the Cott ...

Longview Cannibals The Longview Cannibals were a semi-pro and minor league baseball team based in Longview, Texas, USA that existed on-and-off from 1895 to 1939. In 1912, they officially joined the professional South Central League. From 1923 to 1926, in 1931 and fro ...

Shreveport Sports The Shreveport Sports were a professional Minor League Baseball team based in Shreveport, Louisiana, in the United States. The Sports fielded a team from 1925 to 1935, 1938 to 1942, 1946 to 1957, and 1959 to 1961. They were affiliated with the ...

and

Waco Cubs The Waco Cubs were a minor league baseball team based in Waco, Texas for six years (1925–1930, 1933). The Cubs were members of the Texas League from 1925 to 1930 and the Dixie League in 1933. They played at Katy Park for their entire six-year e ...

teams joined the Governors in beginning league play on April 27, 1933. The Tyler Governors ended the 1933 Dixie League season with a record of 59–65, placing fifth. Wray Query managed the Governors, who did not qualify for the playoff won by Baton Rouge. Tyler finished 18.0 games behind first place Baton Rouge in the final regular season standings. Tyler pitcher George Mills led the league with 143 strikeouts. In 1934, the six–team, Class C level

was created when the Dixie League divided into the

East Dixie League The East Dixie League was an American professional minor league baseball league that operated for two seasons from 1934 to 1935 as a Class C level league. History The East Dixie League was created when the Dixie League split up into the East ...

and West Dixie League. The Governors were joined by the Henderson Oilers,

Jacksonville Jax The Jacksonville Jax were a minor league baseball team based at Ragsdale Park in Jacksonville, Texas, USA. They played in the West Dixie League from 1934–1935, the East Texas League from 1936–1940, and again in 1946, the Lone Star League in 194 ...

Palestine Pals The Palestine Pals were a minor league baseball team that played on-and-off from 1925 to 1940. The team played in the Texas Association (1925–1926), Lone Star League (1927–1929), West Dixie League (1934–1935) and East Texas League (1936–19 ...

and

Paris Pirates Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

in beginning West Dixie League play on April 26, 1934. The Tyler Governors of the West Dixie League ended the 1934 season with a record of 63–62, placing fourth in the final standings. Wray Query again managed the Governors, hitting .365 in 104 at–bats, while serving as the backup catcher at age 40. The Governors finished 20.0 games behind first place Jacksonville in the final West Dixie League standings, as no playoffs were held.

Fern Bell Fernando Jerome Lee Bell (January 22, 1913 – August 29, 2000) was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for two seasons. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based ...

of Tyler won the league batting title, hitting .373, while teammate Grady Bassett struck out 178 to lead the league pitchers. In 1935, the "Governors" again became the Tyler "Trojans," continuing play in the

. The Trojans captured the 1935 West Dixie League pennant.

The ballparks

The Tyler Governors hosted minor league home games at the Trojan Park Athletic Field in 1933. The ballpark was located on North Poplar Avenue between East Line Street & East Locust Street. In 1934, Temple began playing home games at the East Texas Fair Association Fair Grounds. Today, Tyler still hosts the East Texas State Fair at the fairgrounds, located at 2112 West Front Street.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

(1934) *

Kerby Farrell Major Kerby Farrell (September 3, 1913 – December 17, 1975) was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. He was a longtime minor league manager who spent a single season — 1957 — managing in Major League Baseball for the ...

(1934) *

Alex Mustaikis Alexander Dominick Mustaikis (March 26, 1909 – January 17, 1970) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the season. Listed at , 180 lb., Mustaikis batted and threw right-handed. He was born ...

(1933) *

Oscar Tuero Oscar Tuero (December 17, 1898 – October 21, 1960) was a professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of three seasons (1918–1920) with the St. Louis Cardinals. Career For his career, he compiled a 6–9 record in ...

(1934)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Tyler - Baseball Reference
Defunct baseball teams in Texas Baseball teams established in 1933 Baseball teams disestablished in 1934 Dixie League (1933 baseball) teams West Dixie League teams Sports in Tyler, Texas