Lafayette White Sox

The Lafayette White Sox was a primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Lafayette, Louisiana between 1907 and 1976. Lafayette teams played as members of the Gulf Coast League (1907), Louisiana State League (1920), Evangeline League (1934–1942, 1948–1957) and Texas League (1975–1976).

Lafayette White Sox
1907–1976
(1907, 1920, 1934–1942, 1948–1957, 1975–1976)
Lafayette, Louisiana
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
  • Class AA (1975–1976)
  • Class C (1949–1957)
  • Class D (1907, 1920, 1934–1942, 1948)
  • Independent (1998–2000)
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 1934, 1939, 1955, 1956, 1975
Conference titles 1950
Team data
Previous names
  • Lafayette Browns (1907)
  • Lafayette Hubs (1920)
  • Lafayette White Sox (1934–1942)
  • Lafayette Bulls (1948–1953)
  • Lafayette Oilers (1954–1957)
  • Lafayette Drillers (1975–1976)
  • Bayou Bullfrogs (1998–2000)
Previous parks
  • Parkdale Park (1934–1942)
  • Clark Field (1945–1957, 1975–1976)
  • Tigue Moore Field (1998–2000)

Lafayette was an affiliate of the St. Louis Browns (1936–1941), Chicago Cubs (1955–1957) and San Francisco Giants (1975–1976).

History

In 1907, minor League baseball began in Lafayette, with the Lafayette Browns. The Browns became members of the six-team Class D Gulf Coast League. The Lafayette Browns finished with a 48–64 record and in 5th place in the 1907 regular standings along with the Lake Charles Creoles (74–46), eventual champion Alexandria White Sox (64–50), Monroe Municipals (63–55), Orange Hoo-Hoos (50–65) and [[Opelousas Indians (48–67). Lafayette folded after the 1907 season.[1][2][3][4]

Minor league baseball returned in 1920, with the Lafayette Hubsbecoming members of the short–lived Louisiana State League. On July 15, 1920, the Hubbs were in 3rd place with a 36–31 record when the six–team league folded.[5][6][7][8]

After 12 years, the Lafayette White Sox began play as charter members of the 1934 Evangeline League, winning the first league championship. The White Sox won their first league championship in 1934 and another in 1939. Their 1939 regular season record was 93–49. On April 21, 1935, White Sox pitcher William Dowie threw a no–hitter against the Rayne Rice Birds, winning 3–0. Lafayette had a second no–hitter on May 2, 1939, when Lafayette pitcher Cornelius English pitched a no–hitter in a 4–0 victory over the Alexandria Aces. Despite the moniker, the White Sox were affiliates of the St. Louis Browns from 1936–1941. On May 22, 1942, the Lafayette White Sox franchise disbanded.[9][10][11][12][13][14]

In 1948, the Lafayette Bulls returned to play as members of the Evangeline League. Lafayette would remain in the league until it folded after the 1957 season. The Bulls captured the regular season title in 1950. The franchise changed their moniker to become the Lafayette Oilers in 1954. The Oilers were affiliates of the Chicago Cubs (1955–1957). The Oilers won the 1955 Evangeline League Championship and had the best record in the 1956 season when no playoffs took place. On June 20, 1957, the team disbanded.[15][16][17][18][19]

The Evangeline League permanently folded following the 1957 season and had never become an integrated league, despite the efforts of major league affiliates (the Chicago Cubs) to assign players to the Lafayette Oilers and integrate team rosters. In 1956, some boycotts of attending games occurred after the Lafayette Oilers refused to accept the players and Lafayette Parrish, home of the Baton Rouge Rebels, passed legislation making it illegal for black players to play in its ballparks. The Evangeline League itself also officially banned non-white players from appearing on their rosters. These blocks forced the major league teams to reassign the payers to other leagues. Due to boycotts, the 1956 playoff finals, featuring Lafayette, were cancelled. Both the Lafayette Oilers and the Baton Rouge Rebels folded before the end of the 1957 season, on June 20 1957.[9][20][21][16][22]

Lafayette was without minor league baseball until the 1975 Lafayette Drillers began play as an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The Drillers became members of the Class AA Texas League and won the Texas League Championship in their first season. Lafayette finished 72–57 to finish 1st in the Eastern Division. In the 1975 playoffs, the Midland Cubs and Lafayette Drillers were tied 2 games to 2 when rain prevented completion of the series. The teams were declared co–champions. After finishing 58–76 in the 1976 season, the franchise relocated to become the Tulsa Drillers.[23][24][25]

The Bayou Bullfrogs played as members of the Independent Texas-Louisiana League from 1998 to 2000. In 1998, Lafayette finished 36–48, 5th in the standings, under managers Andy Skeels and Steve Dillard. The Bullfrogs folded after the 2000 season, after finishing 6th with a 32–51 record in 1999 and 7th with a 46–66 record in 2000.[26][27][28][29][30]

The ballparks

From 1934 to 1942, the Lafayette White Sox played at Parkdale Clark. The ballpark had a capacity of 3,500, with dimensions of (Left, Center, Right): 303-375-280. Parkdale Park was located at East Simcoe & Jefferson Boulevard in Lafayette, Louisiana.[31]

Beginning in 1948, Lafayette teams played at Clark Field through 1976, Clark Field called "Bull Stadium" when hosting the Bulls. Clark Field was located on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The ballpark was torn down in 2000.[32][33]

The Bayou Bullfrogs played at Tigue Moore Field from 1998–2000. Built in 1979, the ballpark is home to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Raijun Cajuns baseball team. The ballpark is located at 121 Reinhardt Drive, Lafayette, Louisiana.[34][27]

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
19071Lafayette BrownsClass DGulf Coast League
19201Lafayette HubsLouisiana State League
1934–19429Lafayette White SoxEvangeline League
19481Lafayette Bulls
1949–19535Class C
1954–19574Lafayette Oilers
1975–19762Lafayette DrillersClass AATexas League
1998–20003Bayou BullfrogsIndependentTexas-Louisiana League

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Lafayette Browns - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  2. "Lafayette Browns Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  3. "1907 Lafayette Browns Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. "Gulf Coast League (C) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. "Lafayette Hubs - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  6. "Louisiana State League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  7. "Lafayette Hubs Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. "1920 Lafayette Hubs Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. "Evangeline League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  10. "Lafayette White Sox - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  11. "Minor League No-Hitters 1930-1939 - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  12. "Lafayette White Sox Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "1942 Lafayette White Sox Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. "1934 Lafayette White Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. "Lafayette Bulls - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  16. "Lafayette Oilers - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  17. "1954 Lafayette Oilers Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  18. "Lafayette Bulls Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  19. "1948 Lafayette Bulls Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  20. "A League of Their Own". May 31, 2013.
  21. "Minor League history: Evangeline League". August 21, 2016.
  22. "Baton Rouge Rebels - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  23. "Lafayette Drillers - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  24. "1975 Lafayette Drillers Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  25. "1976 Lafayette Drillers Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  26. "Texas-Louisiana League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  27. "Bayou Bullfrogs - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  28. "1998 Bayou Bullfrogs Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  29. "1999 Bayou Bullfrogs Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  30. "2000 Bayou Bullfrogs Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  31. "Parkdale Park in Lafayette, LA history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  32. "Clark Field - Lafayette Louisiana - Former Home of the Lafayette Drillers / Oilers". www.digitalballparks.com.
  33. "Clark Field in Lafayette, LA history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  34. "M.L. 'Tigue' Moore Field in Lafayette, LA history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
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