Texas-Louisiana League (1994-2001)
Central Baseball League (2002-2004)
United League Baseball (2006-2010)
Tombstone
Born: November 30, 1993 – Texas-Louisiana League founding franchise
Folded: November 2004
Re-Born: 2006
Folded (Again): October 2010
Texas-Louisiana League Champions: 1999
Central Baseball League Championships: None
United League Baseball Champions: 2008-2009-2010
Stadium
Potter County Memorial Stadium (4,000)12003 Central Baseball League Media Guide
Ownership & Affiliation
Owners:
- 1998-????: Texas-Louisiana League (Horn Chen, et al.)2Tompkins, Bob. “Chen takes over ownership, begins revitalization”. The Town Talk (Alexandria, LA). May 17, 1998
- 2009-2010: Reunion Sports Group (Byron Pierce, John Bryant, et al.)
Major League Affiliation: Independent
Background
The Amarillo Dillas were an independent minor league baseball club that toughed it out for 16 seasons in a series of ramshackle indy leagues.
The Dillas got off to a promising start in 1994. Opening on May 27th drew 6,278 fans, eager to witness the city’s first pro baseball game since the departure of the Amarillo Gold Sox of of the Texas League twelve years earlier. A July 4th home game & fireworks show later that summer saw a league record 7,719 come through the turnstiles. The Dillas finished the 1994 season with a winning record (48-40) and led the Texas-Louisiana League in announced attendance (134,439).
Of the eight cities that formed the Texas-Louisiana League in 1994, Amarillo was only three still active when the league played its final season under its original name in 2001. The other stalwarts were the Alexandria Aces of Louisiana and the Rio Grande Valley Whitewings of Harlingen, Texas. Prior to the 2002 season, the Texas-Louisiana League changed its name to the Central Baseball League.
Decline
The 2000’s were unkind to the Dillas, particularly off the field. The original Dillas closed their doors in November 2004 due to financial and stadium troubles.
After sitting out the summer of 2005, a new version of the Dillas launched in 2006 in United League Baseball. The United League was a Texas-only indy loop created by Byron Pierce and John Bryant, the original founders of the Dillas and the Texas-Louisiana League back in 1994. The Dillas won three consecutive championship in the United League from 2008 to 2010. But ongoing financial troubles resulted in the team’s eviction from Potter County Memorial Stadium in late 2010 and ultimate demise.
The Dillas were swiftly replaced by the Amarillo Sox of the independent American Association who set up shop at Potter County Memorial Stadium for the 2011 season.
Trivia
Amarillo’s mascot was a boot-and-bandanna wearing armadillo known as ‘The Dilla Dude’.
Downloads
7-7-1995 Amarillo Dillas vs. Pueblo Bighorns Game Notes
Links
United League Baseball Programs
###
