The Waco Tigers were a minor league baseball team based in

Waco, Texas Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the ...

. Between 1892 and 1905, the Tigers played in four non–consecutive seasons 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 ...

, with three of the seasons being partial seasons of play. The Waco Tigers hosted home minor league games at

Padgitt Park The Cotton Palace was an exhibition ground in the area of Clay Avenue, Dutton Avenue and South Sixteenth Street in Waco, Texas, from 1895 to 1930. It was built to highlight cotton-growing activities in the area. First Cotton Palace The choice t ...

until 1905, when the Tigers began play at

Katy Park Katy Park was a baseball park located in Waco, Texas and was used by many minor league baseball teams as well as the Baylor Bears for a short time. Significant Moments * The New York Yankees played an exhibition game against the Waco Cubs on Apr ...

. The Tigers were succeeded by the 1906

Waco Navigators The Waco Navigators were a Texas League baseball team based in Waco, Texas, United States that played from 1906 to 1919. They played their home games at Katy Park Katy Park was a baseball park located in Waco, Texas and was used by many minor le ...

, who continued Waco's membership in the Texas League through 1919.

History

In 1889 and 1890, the Tigers were preceded in minor league play by the Waco "Babies," who played both seasons as members of the independent

. The 1892 Waco "Tigers" rejoined the Texas League, which had evolved to become a Class B level league. Waco joined the league during the season. Waco joined the league on July 23, 1892 with the

San Antonio Missions The San Antonio Missions are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in San Antonio, Texas, and are named for the Spanish missions around which the city was founded. ...

, with those two teams replacing the

Dallas Hams The Dallas Rangers were a high-level minor league baseball team located in Dallas, Texas from 1958 to 1964. The team was known by the Dallas Rangers name in 1958, 1959, and 1964 and as the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers from 1960 to 1963. It played in ...

and

Fort Worth Panthers A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

, who had folded on July 7, 1892. Waco ended their season with a record of 15–18, playing the season under manager Pat Flaherty. No playoffs were held after the

Houston Mudcats The Houston Buffaloes, Houston Buffalos, or Buffs were an American minor league baseball team, and were the first minor league team to be affiliated with a Major League franchise, which was the St. Louis Cardinals. The club was founded in 1888 ...

won both half-season standings. Waco had the third best winning percentage in the league. The Texas League did not return to play in 1893. The Waco Tigers returned to minor league play in the 1897 season when the "Sherman–Denison Students" team of the Texas League relocated to Waco during the season. On July 15, 1897, the Students moved to Waco with a 44–41 record. After compiling a 19–16 record while based in Waco, The Sherman–Denison/Waco Tigers team ended the 1897 season with an overall record of 63–57. The team was managed by Pete Weckbecker,

Pearce Chiles Pearce Nuget Chiles (May 28, 1867 – December 11, 1933), nicknamed "What's The Use", was an American professional baseball player who played as both an outfielder and infielder in the Major Leagues from 1899-1900 for the Philadelphia Phillies. D ...

and Joe Dowie. The team placed second in the eight–team Class C level league standings, finishing 8.5 games behind the first place

Galveston Sand Crabs The Galveston Sand Crabs were a professional baseball team based in Texas. The team competed in the South Texas League and Texas League, and was an active baseball team from the 1903 season until the 1912 season and from 1922 to 1924. The team later ...

. In 1898, the Texas League reduced to six teams, without a Waco team. After a three year absence from the Texas League, the Waco Tigers rejoined the Class D level league for the 1902 season, folding before its completion. On July 8, 1902, Waco folded with a record of 26–36. Emmett Rogers was the Tigers' manager. The 1903 Texas League began play without a Waco team, but Waco resumed play during the season. On June 26, 1903, the Paris Parasites moved to Waco, where the team finished the season as the

Waco Steers Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the ...

. Paris had a record of 32–20 at the time of the move to Waco. The team finished with an overall record of 52–56, placing fifth in the overall regular standings and losing in the first round of the playoffs to the

Dallas Giants The Dallas Rangers were a high-level minor league baseball team located in Dallas, Texas from 1958 to 1964. The team was known by the Dallas Rangers name in 1958, 1959, and 1964 and as the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers from 1960 to 1963. It played in ...

. Waco did not filed a franchise in the 1904 Texas League, as the team resumed play in Paris. Waco played their final season as the "Tigers" in the 1905 Class C level Texas League. The 1905 team was owned by Henry Fabian and the Tigers began play at

, designed by Fabian. The Waco Tigers ended the 1905 season with a 65–65 record, placing fourth in the final standings. Don Curtis and Mike O'Connor served as managers, as Waco finished 5.5 games behind the first place Fort Worth Panthers. Waco's Scott Ragsdale won the league batting title, hitting .292 and teammate Stan Stovall led the league with five home runs. Fabian battled with

Sunday laws Sunday is the day of the week between Saturday and Monday. In most Western countries, Sunday is a day of rest and a part of the weekend. It is often considered the first day of the week. For most observant adherents of Christianity, Sunday ...

in Waco. After being arrested three times for scheduling games at Katy Park on Sundays, Fabian took the matter to court and won at the state level. After the 1905 season, he sold the Waco team to a local businessman. Waco continued play in the 1906 Texas League, becoming the

. The Navigators played continuously in the league through 1919.

The ballparks

The Waco Tigers and Steers played home minor league games at Padgitt Park through the 1904 season.The park was founded in the 1880's. The park was later purchased from owner and namesake Tom Padgitt and became known as the

Cotton Palace The Cotton Palace was an exhibition ground in the area of Clay Avenue, Dutton Avenue and South Sixteenth Street in Waco, Texas, from 1895 to 1930. It was built to highlight cotton-growing activities in the area. First Cotton Palace The choice t ...

. In 1905 the Tigers began play at

. Designed by Waco owner and player Henry Fabian, the ballpark opened in time to host a presidential visit by

Teddy Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

on April 6, 1905. Used through the 1960's, the ballpark was located at the corner of Eighth Street & Webster Avenue. Today, the Katy Field site is a commercial property.Diagram of Katy Field, cited in footnotes a
Cottonseed Clark biography
/ref>

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

Warren Wallace Beckwith Warren Wallace Beckwith Sr. (August 10, 1874 – September 24, 1955) was an American sportsman who served as a minor league baseball player during the late 1800s. His first wife was Jessie Harlan Lincoln, a member of the Lincoln family and grandd ...

(1897) * George Bristow (1897) * Bill Butler (1903) *

(1897, MGR) * Pat Flaherty (1892, MGR) *

Bill Kemmer William Edward Kemmer (November 15, 1873 – June 8, 1945), nicknamed "Big Bill", was a third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played for the Louisville Colonels in 1895 and also had a 17-year minor league career. Kenner stood at and weighed ...

(1897) *

Charlie Krehmeyer Charles L. Krehmeyer (July 5, 1863 – February 10, 1926) was a 19th-century professional baseball player. He was a member of a small fraternity—left-handed catchers. Although official sources give an 1863 birthdate, research by his SABR biogra ...

(1892) *

Sport McAllister Lewis William "Sport" McAllister (July 23, 1874 – July 17, 1962) was a professional baseball player. He played seven seasons in Major League Baseball with the Cleveland Spiders (1896–1899), Detroit Tigers (1901–1903), and Baltimore ...

(1892) *

Algie McBride Algernon Griggs "Algie" McBride (May 23, 1869 – January 10, 1956), was an American professional baseball player in the late 19th and early 20th century. Born in Washington, D.C. in 1869, he played as an outfielder for five seasons in Major Leag ...

(1892) * Reeve McKay (1903) * Frank Moore (1902) * Tex Pruiett (1905) * Emmett Rogers (1902, MGR) *

Bobby Rothermel Edward Hill "Bobby" Rothermel (December 18, 1870 – February 11, 1927), was an American infielder in Major League Baseball for one season with the Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based ...

(1897) *

Tubby Spencer Edward Russell "Tubby" Spencer (January 26, 1884 – February 1, 1945) was a catcher for the St. Louis Browns (1905–08), Boston Red Sox (1909), Philadelphia Phillies (1911), and Detroit Tigers (1916–18). He led the American League in being hi ...

(1905) * Ed Taylor (1903) * Pete Weckbecker (1897, MGR) *

George Whiteman George (Lucky) Whiteman (December 23, 1884 – February 10, 1947) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball, playing mainly as a left fielder for the Boston Red Sox, Boston Americans / Red Sox (1907, 1918) and New York Yankees (1913) between a ...

(1905)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Defunct baseball teams in Texas Baseball teams established in 1892 Baseball teams disestablished in 1905 Waco, Texas Defunct Texas League teams