Rio Grande Association
ClassificationClass D (1915)
SportMinor League Baseball
FounderJohn McCloskey
Inaugural season1915
CeasedJuly 5, 1915
PresidentJohn McCloskey (1915)
E.P. Hughes (1915)
No. of teams6
CountryUnited States
Most titles1
Phoenix Senators (1915)
Related
competitions		Arizona State League

The Rio Grande Association was a Class D minor baseball league that lasted for less than one season, 1915.

History

The league initially consisted of six teams based in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico: the Albuquerque Dukes, Douglas Miners, El Paso Mackmen, Las Cruces Farmers, Phoenix Senators and Tucson Old Pueblos. By May 24, the Miners and Farmers had disbanded and on July 6, the league disbanded.[1] The league was founded by John McCloskey, who also founded the Texas League.[2]

Each team that appeared in the Rio Grande Association was the first professional baseball team to come out of their respective cities, often predating their successors by many years. For example, after its appearance in the Association, Phoenix and Tucson did not again have a professional team until 1928; El Paso until 1930; Albuquerque until 1932; Douglas until 1948 and Las Cruces until 2010.

The league officially started after a meeting held at the Hotel Sheldon, at El Paso, Texas, February 18, 1915.[3]

On May 4 the league was officially accepted into the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues.[4] Tucson hosted Opening day April 26, Tucson defeated Phoenix 10-2.[5][6]

Nearly a month into the season, May 24, the Douglas and Las Cruces teams were dropped from the league due to financial difficulties. The teams' records were 5-13 and 5-14 respectively.[7]

At a league meeting held at El Paso, July 5, it was decided to close the league because of sustaining losses.[8]

The league featured multiple notable players and managers, including those who would attain major league experience and those who had major league experience. They include Kitty Brashear, Frank Huelsman (who led the league with ten home runs), Rudy Kallio, Stoney McGlynn and Herb Hall.[9][10][11][12]

Cities Represented

1915 Rio Grande Association

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Phoenix Senators 38 21 .644 -- Herbert Hester
El Paso Mackmen 36 22 .621 1.5 John McCloskey
Albuquerque Dukes 32 25 .561 5.0 George Reed
Tucson Old Pueblos 19 40 .322 19.0 Kitty Brashear / Spots MacMurdo
Douglas Miners 5 13 .278 NA William Quigley
Las Cruces Farmers 5 14 .263 NA William Hurley

Douglas and Las Cruces disbanded May 24.
The league disbanded July 6.[13]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
George Duddy El Paso BA .404 Herb Hall Phoenix W 14
John Stadille Tucson Runs 61 Grover Knight El Paso W 14
George Duddy El Paso Hits 97 Herb Hall Phoenix SO 99
Frank Huelsman Albuquerque HR 10 Sam Beer Las Cruces/El Paso SO 99
Grover Knight El Paso Pct .875; 14-2

[13]

References

  1. ^ Johnson, Lloyd (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Second Edition. Baseball America. ISBN 0-9637189-8-3.
  2. ^ "Is It True Playing Baseball Was Once A Crime In New Mexico?". www.krwg.org.
  3. ^ "Class D Baseball Is Proposed Here". Arizona Daily Star (1 ed.). Tucson, Arizona. Special. 11 February 1915. p. 3. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Rio Grande League Part Of Organized Ball". El Paso Herald (1 ed.). El Paso, Texas. Special. 8 May 1915. p. 5. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Tucson defeats Phoenix 10-2". El Paso Herald (1 ed.). El Paso, Texas. Locke. 28 April 1915. p. 8. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Standing and Schedule". Arizona Daily Star (1 ed.). Tucson, Arizona. 29 April 1915. p. 5. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Las Cruces and Douglas Dropped From The League". Albuquerque Journal (1 ed.). Albuquerque, New Mexico. Special. 25 May 1915. p. 4. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  8. ^ "League Closed For 1915 Season, Losses, Cause". Albuquerque Journal (1 ed.). Albuquerque, New Mexico. Special. 6 July 1915. p. 4. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  9. ^ "1915 Tucson Old Pueblos Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. ^ "1915 Las Cruces Farmers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  11. ^ "1915 Phoenix Senators Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. ^ "1915 Albuquerque Dukes Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. ^ a b The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN 978-1932391176.((cite book)): CS1 maint: others (link)
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