Bartlett Bearcats

The Bartlett Bearcats were a minor league baseball team based in Bartlett, Texas in 1914 and 1915. The Bartlett Bearcats played exclusively as members of the Class D level Middle Texas League. The Bartlett Bearcats are the only minor league team hosted in Bartlett, Texas.

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ross Youngs played for the 1915 Bartlett Bearcats at age 18.

History[]

The Bartlett Bearcats became charter members of the Class D level Middle Texas League in 1914. The Middle Texas League began play as a six–team league 1914 season. The franchises from Belton, Texas (Belton Braves), Brenham, Texas (Brenham Brewers), Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown Collegians), Lampasas, Texas (Lampasas Resorters) and Temple, Texas (Temple Tigers) joined Bartlett in league play.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The Bartlett Bearcats began play in the Middle Texas League on May 8, 1914 and finished last in the league standings. The Middle Texas League played a spit–season schedule with champions during each half. The Bartlett Bearcats did not win either half–season and placed 6th in the overall standings. Bartlett finished 32.0 games behind 1st place Temple, with an overall record of 22–59, playing under manager Robert Roundtree. The final overall standings featured the 1st place Temple Tigers (54–27), followed by the Georgetown Collegians (50–30), Brenham Brewers (50–34), Belton Braves (37–47), Lampasas Resorters (35–51) and Bartlett Bearcats (22–59).^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]}

The 1915 Middle Texas League folded in the middle of the 1915 season after having reduced to a four–team league after the season began. The Middle Texas League permanently folded on June 19, 1915, with the Bartlett Bearcats in 3rd place under manager Ike Pendleton with a 29–26 overall record. The final league standings were led by the 1st place the Belton Braves (40–19) finishing 8.0 games ahead of the 2nd place Temple Governors (32–27), followed by Bartlett (29–26) and the Austin Representatives/Taylor Producers/Brenham Kaisers (21–36). The Schulenburg Giants and Brenham Brewers franchised had both folded on June 7, 1915.^{[12][13][14][15][16][17]}

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ross Youngs played for the 1915 Bartlett Bearcats. At age 18, Youngs hit .264 in 239 at bats for the Bearcats.^[18]

Bartlett, Texas has not hosted another minor league team after the folding of the Middle Texas League.^[11]

The ballpark[]

The Bartlett Bearcats were noted to have played their home games at the Bartlett Base Ball Park. The site was cited to have possibly been located on Powell Boulevard between Lilian Street and Robinson Street, Bartlett, Texas.^[19]

(2013) Bartlett Commercial Historic District. Bartlett, Texas

Timeline[]

Year–by–year record[]

Notable alumni[]

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni[]

• Ross Youngs (1915) Inducted, 1972

Notable alumni[]

• Gene Bailey (1915)
• Rollie Naylor (1915)

See also[]

Bartlett (minor league baseball) players

References[]

External link[]

• Baseball Reference Bullpen