Temple Eagles

The Temple Eagles was a primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Temple, Texas between 1905 and 1957. Temple teams played as members of the Texas League (1905–1907), Middle Texas League (1914–1915), Central Texas League (1916–1917), Texas Association (1924–1926) and Big State League (1949–1954, 1957).

Temple played as a minor league affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds in 1957.

History[]

Minor league baseball began when in Temple, Texas with the 1905 Temple Boll Weevils, who joined as members of the Class C level Texas League. Temple remained as a member of the Texas League through 1907. The Temple Tigers and Temple Governors were members of the Class D level Middle Texas League in 1914 and 1915. The Temple Governors played in the Class D level Central Texas League in 1916 and 1917. The 1917 team moved during the season to become the Corsicana Athletics.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]}

In 1924, minor league baseball returned when the Temple Surgeons became members of the Class D level Texas Association. The Surgeons remained in the Texas Association from 1924 through 1926.^{[13][14][15][16]}

The 1949 Temple Eagles joined the Class B level Big State League, playing with the Austin Pioneers, Gainesville Owls, Greenville Majors, Sherman–Denison Twins, Texarkana Bears, Waco Pirates and Wichita Falls Spudders as fellow league members.^[17][18]

Playing in the eight–team Big State League, the 1949 Temple Eagles finished with a 58–89 record, placing 8th. Amputee and former All-Star major league pitcher Monty Stratton pitched briefly for Temple in 1949. Stratton pitched for Temple in the same year that the motion picture The Stratton Story was released nationwide in theaters, starring Jimmy Stewart as Stratton. With a prosthetic leg, Stratton pitched 4 innings in one game for Temple in 1949, taking the loss in the game after giving up 4 unearned runs.^{[19][20][21][22][23][24]}

Continuing play in the 1950 Big State League, the Temple Eagles finished the season with a 74–70 record to place 4th, drawing 105,081 home season attendance. In 1951, the Eagles had a record of 88–60 to place 2nd, finishing 1.0 games behind the 1st place Gainsville Owls. Temple had home season attendance of 112,022 in 1951.^{[19][20][21][25][26]}

The 1952 Temple Eagles finished with a 85–62 record and won the Big State League pennant, finishing 1.0 game ahead of the Tyler East Texans and drawing 101, 906 fans for the season. In the playoffs, Temple was defeated 4 games to 1 by the Austin Pioneers. Temple followed with a 72–73 record in 1953 to place 5th in 1953. Temple's 1954 season resulted in a last place finish, as the Eagles finished 44–102 and finished 60.5 games behind the 1st place Waco Pirates, playing under three managers. The Temple Eagles franchise folded after the 1954 season in which they had season attendance of 31,673.^{[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]}

On May 30, 1957, minor league baseball briefly returned to Temple, as the Port Arthur Redlegs moved to Temple. Playing as the Temple Redlegs, the Port Arthur/Temple team was an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team finished with a 48–56 overall record, after a 20-15 record in Port Arthur and a 28-31 record in Temple. The team folded on August 20, 1957, before the end of the season and the Big State League permanently folded after the 1957 season.^{[37][38][39][40][41][42][43]}

The ballparks[]

Early Temple teams reportedly played home games at Woodson Field. The site is still in use as a football and soccer facility for Temple High School. Woodson Field is located at 670 West Elm, Temple, Texas 76501.^[44][45]

From 1924 to 1926, the Temple Surgeons were noted to have played home games at the 15th Street Park. The ballpark was the same park as Woodson Field and was located near North 15th Street & West Elm Avenue.^[5]

Beginning in 1949, Temple teams were noted to have played minor league home games at American Legion Park in Temple, Texas.^[46]

(1910) Main Street. Temple, Texas.

Timeline[]

Notable alumni[]

See also[]

Temple Boll Weevils players
Temple Eagles players
Temple Redlegs players
Temple Surgeons players

References[]

External links[]

Temple, TX - BR Bullpen Baseball Reference