Milestones
Formed: January 22, 18881Baseball Contracts, The Bridgeport Morning News, Jan. 23, 1888
Status: Active
Level: Double-A
First Games: April 1, 18882Stray Bits, The St. Joseph Daily Gazette, Apr. 2, 1888
Seasons: 131 (as of 2026)
States: AR, KS, MO, NM, LA, MS, OK, TN, TX
Leadership
Trophy Case
Background
The Texas League has been operating steadily since 1902. It started in 1888 with teams in Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Galveston, Houston, and San Antonio.3Baseball Contracts, The Bridgeport Morning News, Jan. 23, 1888
At the beginning, it was a rocky road for baseball in the Lone Star State. By the end of July, Dallas, Galveston, Houston, and San Antonio along with New Orleans and Birmingham from the Southern League, formed a new loop called the Southern Texas League.4As The Season Ages, The Daily True American, Jul. 27, 18885
It was back to being called the Texas League in 1889 and played for two more seasons. It did not operate in 1891 but returned in 1982, before taking another break. It returned in 1895 for five seasons before ceasing once again for 1900 and 1901. In 1902, the league started back up and has never looked back.
It was
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Texas League Franchise List
Franchise, Years Active, League Champions
Albuquerque Dodgers, 1965-1971, 1965-1967-1970
Albuquerque Dukes, 1962-1964, None
Alexandria Aces, 1972-1975, None
Amarillo Giants, 1968-1974, None
Amarillo Gold Sox, 1959-1963, None
Amarillo Gold Sox, 1976-1982, 1976
Amarillo Sod Poodles, 2019-Present, 2019, 2023
Amarillo Sonics, 1965-1967, None
Ardmore Rosebuds, 1961, None
Ardmore Territorians, 1904, None
Arkansas Travelers, 1966-Present, 1971, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1989-, 2001, 2008, 2024
Austin Braves, 1965-1967, 1966
Austin Senators, 1888-1890 & 1897-1899, None
Austin Senators, 1905 & 1907-1908 & 1911-1914, 1907-1911
Austin Senators, 1956-1964, 1959
Beaumont Exporters, 1920-1942 & 1946-1949, 1932-1938
Beaumont Exporters, 1953-1955, None
Beaumont Golden Gators, 1983-1986, 1983
Beaumont Oilers, 1912-1917 & 1919, None
Beaumont Roughnecks, 1950-1952, None
Cleburne Railroaders, 1906, 1906
Corpus Christi Giants, 1958-1959, 1958
Corpus Christi Hooks, 2005-Present, 2006
Corsicana Oil Citys, 1902-1904, 1902-1904
Corsicana Oilers, 1905, None
Dallas Colts, 1898, 1898
Dallas Eagles, 1948-1957, 1953
Dallas Giants, 1903-1918, 1903-1910 (Co-Champions)-1917-1918
Dallas Griffins, 1902, None
Dallas Hams, 1888 & 1890 & 1892, 1888
Dallas Marines, 1919, None
Dallas Rangers, 1958, None
Dallas Rebels, 1939-1942 & 1946-1947, 1941-1946
Dallas Steers, 1897, None
Dallas Steers, 1922-1938, 1926-1929
Dallas Submarines, 1920-1921, None
Dallas Tigers, 1889, None
Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs, 1965-1971, None
Denison-Sherman Twins, 1897, None
El Paso Diablos, 1974-2004, 1978-1986-1994
El Paso Dodgers, 1972, 1972
El Paso Sun Kings, 1962-1970 & 1973, 1968
Fort Worth Cats, 1932-1942 & 1946-1958, 1937-1939-1948
Fort Worth Cats, 1964, None
Fort Worth Panthers, 1888-1890 & 1892 & 1897 -1898 & 1902-1931, 1895-1905-1920-1921-1922-1923-1924-1925-1930
Frisco RoughRiders, 2003-Present, 2004, 2022
Galveston Buccaneers, 1931-1937, 1934
Galveston Giants, 1888, None
Galveston Pirates, 1912-1917 & 1919-1921, None
Galveston Sand Crabs, 1889-1890 & 1892 & 1897-1899, 1890-1897 (Co-Champions)-1899
Galveston Sand Crabs, 1907-1912, None
Galveston Sand Crabs, 1922-1924, None
Greenville Hunters, 1906, None
Houston Babies, 1888, None
Houston Buffaloes, 1896-1899, 1896
Houston Buffaloes, 1907-1942 & 1946-1958, 1909-1910 (Co-Champions)-1912-1913-1914 (Co-Champions)-1928-1931-1940-1947-1951-1954-1956-1957
Houston Mud Cats, 1889-1890 & 1892, 1889-1892
Houston Red Stockings, 1888, None
Jackson Generals, 1991-1999, 1993-1996
Jackson Mets, 1975-1990, 1981-1984-1985
Lafayette Drillers, 1975-1976, 1975 (Co-Champions)
Longview Cannibals, 1932, None
Memphis Blues, 1968-1973, 1969-1973
Midland Angels, 1985-1998, None
Midland Cubs, 1972-1984, 1975 (Co-Champions)
Midland RockHounds, 1999-Present, 2005-2009-2014-2015-2016-2017
Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 2008-Present, 2010, 2021
Oklahoma City Indians, 1909-1911, None
Oklahoma City Indians, 1933-1942 & 1946-1957, 1935
Paris Eisenfelder’s Homeseekers, 1902, None
Paris Midlands, 1897, None
Paris Parasites, 1903-1904, None
Rio Grande Valley Giants, 1960-1961, None
Round Rock Express, 2000-2004, 2000
San Antonio Bears, 1920-1928, None
San Antonio Brewers, 1972-1976, None
San Antonio Bronchos, 1899, None
San Antonio Bronchos, 1907-1919, 1908
San Antonio Bullets, 1963-1964, 1964
San Antonio Cowboys, 1888, None
San Antonio Dodgers, 1977-1987, None
San Antonio Indians, 1929-1932, None
San Antonio Missionaries, 1888 & 1892 & 1897-1898, 1897 (Co-Champions)
San Antonio Missions, 1933-1942 & 1946-1962, 1933-1950-1961
San Antonio Missions, 1968-1971, None
San Antonio Missions, 1988-2018, 1997-2002-2003-2007-2011-2013
San Antonio Missions, 2022-Present, None
Sherman-Denison Students, 1902, None
Shreveport Braves, 1968-1970, None
Shreveport Captains, 1971-2000, 1990-1991-1995
Shreveport Gassers, 1915-1924, 1919
Shreveport Sports, 1925-1932, None
Shreveport Sports, 1938-1942 & 1946-1957, 1942-1952-1955
Shreveport SwampDragons, 2001-2002, None
Springfield Cardinals, 2005-Present, 2012, 2025
Temple Boll Weevils, 1905-1907, None
Texarkana Casketmakers, 1902, None
Tulsa Drillers, 1977-Present, 1982-1988-1998-2018
Tulsa Oilers, 1933-1942 & 1946-1965, 1936-1949-1960-1962-1963
Tyler Sports, 1932, None
Victoria Giants, 1961, None
Victoria Rosebuds, 1958-1961, None
Victoria Toros, 1974, 1974
Waco Babies, 1889-1890, None
Waco Cubs, 1925-1930, None
Waco Navigators, 1906-1919, 1914 (Co-Champions)-1915-1916
Waco Steers, 1903, None
Waco Texans, 1889, None
Waco Tigers, 1892 & 1897 & 1902 & 1905, None
Wichita Pilots, 1987-1988, 1987
Wichita Wind Surge, 2022-Present, None
Wichita Wranglers, 1989-2007, 1992-1999
Wichita Falls Spudders, 1920-1932, 1927
Texas League Shop
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2 Responses
It appears that the 1884 Fort Worth team did not have a nickname. They were just referred to as The Fort Worths
Hi there – If you are interested, we’d like to send you a copy of our new book: TED SULLIVAN: BARNACLE OF BASEBALL. Irish-born Sullivan cut a colorful and controversial swath through the Texas League – even claimed to be the Father of the Texas League. Book is set to be released next month on McFarland press/publishers.