Owensboro Oilers
Minor league baseball team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Owensboro Oilers were a minor league baseball club, based in Owensboro, Kentucky, from 1936 until 1955. The team was a member of the class-D level Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (or Kitty League). The team was originally formed in 1935 as the Portageville Pirates and represented Portageville, Missouri, in the league. On July 17, 1936, the Portageville Pirates moved to Owensboro after posting a 26–35 record. The team was listed in the record books for 1936 as Portageville-Owensboro Pirates, or as the Owensboro Pirates after the move. The following year, the team was renamed the Owensboro Oilers.
- New York Yankees (1953–1955)
- Boston Braves (1946–1950)
- Boston Red Sox (1941–1942)
- Boston Bees (1939–1940)
- Cleveland Indians (1937–1938)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (1936)
| Owensboro Oilers | |
|---|---|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class D (1936–1955) |
| League | Kitty League (1936–1955) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team |
|
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (1) | 1946 |
| Team data | |
| Name |
|
| Ballpark |
|
The Oilers and Pirates were preceded in Kitty League play by the Owensboro Distillers. The Distillers played in the 1903, 1913, 1914 and 1916 seasons.[1][2]
Notable alumni
- Tony Kubek (1954) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 2008 Ford C. Frick award
- Travis Jackson (1950, MGR) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1982
- Sam Dente (1941)
- Don McMahon (1950) MLB All-Star
- Ollie Pickering (1914)
- Chuck Tanner (1946–1947) Manager: 1979 World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates
- Lee Thomas (1954) 2 x MLB All-Star
Year-by-year records
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | 44–46 | 4th | Pat Patterson / Herb Welch / L.A. Harris | no champion declared |
| 1936 | 52–67 | 6th | Hughie Wise | |
| 1937 | 56–65 | 7th | Hughie Wise | |
| 1938 | 66–64 | 6th | Hughie Wise | |
| 1939 | 75–51 | 3rd | Hughie Wise | Lost semi-finals vs. Bowling Green Barons (0–3) |
| 1940 | 69–57 | 3rd | Hughie Wise / Harold Sueme | |
| 1941 | 58–68 | 6th | Hughie Wise | |
| 1942 | 16–32 | 5th | Wally Schang | League disbanded June 19 |
| 1946 | 83–39 | 1st | Earl Browne | League Champs Won semi-finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers (3–1) Won League Championship vs. Fulton Chicks (4–3) |
| 1947 | 77–48 | 1st | Earl Browne | Lost semi-finals vs. Hopkinsville Hoppers (2–3) |
| 1948 | 74–50 | 3rd | Rex Carr | Lost semi-finals vs. Union City Greyhounds (2–3) |
| 1949 | 82–40 | 1st | Bill Adair | Lost semi-finals vs. Madisonville Miners (0–3) |
| 1950 | 64–51 | 4th | Travis Jackson | Lost semi-finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers (2–3) |
| 1951 | 71–48 | 2nd | Wayne Blackburn | Won semi-finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers (3–1) Lost League Championship vs. Fulton Railroaders (0–4) |
| 1952 | 55–65 | 5th | Pud Miller / Moose Shetler | |
| 1953 | 49–71 | 8th | Marvin Crater | |
| 1954 | 65–49 | 3rd | Marvin Crater | |
| 1955 | 53–56 | 3rd | Walter Lance / Ken Silvestri |