The Austin Pioneers were a minor league baseball team based in Austin, Texas from 1947 to 1955. The Pioneers were founding members of the Class B level Big State League, qualifying for the playoffs in five seasons and hosting home games at Disch Field.
| Austin Pioneers | |
|---|---|
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class B (1947–1955) |
| League | Big State League (1947–1955) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | None |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (0) | None |
| Wild card berths (5) |
|
| Team data | |
| Name | Austin Pioneers (1947–1955) |
| Ballpark | Disch Field (1947–1955) |
The Pioneers were preceded by the 1915 Austin Representatives and succeeded by the 1956 Austin Senators.
History
editPreceded in Austin by the Austin Senators, the Austin Pioneers were founded, owned and operated by Edmund P. Knebel, a local bottler of 7-Up and Nu-Grape soft drinks. Knebel had Disch Field constructed for the Pioneers. Knebel sold the team after the 1955 season, when the franchise moved to the Texas League and renamed the Austin Senators.[1][2]
The Pioneers began play in the Big State League in 1947, joining the Gainesville Owls, Greenville Majors, Paris Red Peppers, Sherman–Denison Twins, Texarkana Bears, Waco Dons and Wichita Falls Spudders as charter members.[3][4]
The Pioneers never finished higher than 3rd place in the Big State League standings during their nine seasons of play in the league. Austin qualified for the playoffs in five Big State League seasons and advanced to the Finals in 1952.[5][6]
Minor league baseball began in Austin with the 1888 Austin Senators. The Pioneers were preceded in minor league play by the 1915 Austin Representatives and succeeded by the 1956 Austin Senators.[2][5]
The ballpark
editThe Austin Pioneers played minor league home games at Disch Field. Located next to the Colorado River, the ballpark was built for the beginning of the 1947 season, financed by Pioneers' owner Edmund Knebel. Named after collegiate coach Billy Disch, the original ballpark was demolished in 1975. Today, UFCU Disch–Falk Field is a collegiate field, located on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin.[1][7][8]
Timeline
edit| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League | Ballpark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947–1955 | 9 | Austin Pioneers | Class B | Big State League | Disch Field |
Year–by–year record
edit| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 55–99 | 7th | Beau Bell | Did not qualify |
| 1948 | 79–67 | 4th | Prince Oana | Lost in 1st round |
| 1949 | 86–62 | 3rd | Prince Oana | Lost in 1st round |
| 1950 | 52–94 | 8th | Prince Oana / David Sarver | Did not qualify |
| 1951 | 75–72 | 4th | Tom Jordan | Lost in 1st round |
| 1952 | 81–66 | 4th | Tom Jordan | Lost League Finals |
| 1953 | 69–77 | 7th | Al Unser | Did not qualify |
| 1954 | 79–67 | 4th | George Hausmann | Lost in 1st round |
| 1955 | 58–85 | 6th | George Hausmann | Did not qualify |
Notable alumni
edit- John André (1952)
- Beau Bell (1947, MGR) MLB All-Star
- Fred Campbell (1949)
- Aubrey Davis (1947)
- George Estock (1947–1949)
- Ángel Fleitas (1952)
- Sam Harshany (1947)
- George Hausmann (1954–1955, MGR)
- Tex Hughson (1948) 3x MLB All-Star; Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
- Tom Jordan (1951–1952, MGR)
- Tom Kirk (1953)
- Al LaMacchia (1952–1953)
- Al Monchak (1948)
- Prince Oana (1948–1950, MGR)
- Al Unser (1953, MGR)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Austin Pioneers, Big State League". February 2, 2014.
- ^ a b "Austin, Texas Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Big State League (B) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1947 Big State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ a b Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
- ^ "1952 Big State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Disch Field - Austin Texas - Austin Pioneers / Austin Senators / Austin Braves". digitalballparks.com.
- ^ Douglass, Neal (August 20, 1948). "[Disch Field Aerials]". The Portal to Texas History.