The Chickasha Chiefs were a minor league baseball team based in Chickasha, Oklahoma. The Chiefs played as members of the Class D level Sooner State League from 1948 to 1952, qualifying for the league playoffs on four occasions. The Chiefs teams hosted minor league home games at Borden Park.
| Chickasha Chiefs | |
|---|---|
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class D (1948–1952) |
| League | Sooner State League (1948–1952) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | None |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (0) | None |
| Wild card berths (4) |
|
| Team data | |
| Name | Chickasha Chiefs (1948–1952) |
| Ballpark | Borden Park (1948–1952) |
History
editThe Chiefs were immediately preceded in minor league baseball play by the 1922, the Chickasha Chicks, who won a championship in their final season of pay in the Oklahoma State League. The franchise folded following the season.[1]
In 1948, the Chickasha Chiefs began play in the Class D level Sooner State League. The Chiefs and Pauls Valley Raiders were expansion teams in the league as it expanded from six–teams to eight–teams after forming in 1947. The other 1948 Sooner State League members were the Ada Herefords, Ardmore Indians, Duncan Cementers, Lawton Giants, McAlester Rockets and Seminole Oilers.[2][3]
Chickasha qualified for the Sooner State League playoffs in 1948. The Chicks finished 73–63, placing fourth in the regular season standings. In the playoffs, the McAlester Rockets defeated the Chickasha Chiefs three games to one. The Chiefs 1948 attendance was 35,640, an average of 524 per game.[2][4]
Returning to the playoffs in 1949, the Chickasha Chicks finished the regular season with a 78–61 record, placing third in the regular season. In the 1949 playoffs, the Lawton Giants defeated Chickasha three games to none. The Chicks 1949 attendance was 59,306, an average of 853.[5][3][6]
The 1950 Chickasha Chiefs finished 80–59, to again place third in the Sooner State League regular season. Qualifying for the playoffs, the McAlester Rockets defeated the Chiefs three games to none. The 1950 season attendance was 43,759 (3rd in the league).[7][3][8]
In 1951, the Chickasha Chiefs used five managers in placing seventh and finishing with a 46–94 record in the Sooner State League. The 1951 season attendance was 21,107.[9][3][10]
The Chickasha Chiefs returned to the Sooner State League playoffs in 1952. The Chiefs finished 78–62, placing third in the 1952 regular season standings. In the playoffs, the Pauls Valley Raiders defeated the Chickasha Chiefs three games to one. Season attendance was 27,494, an average of 393 per game.[11][3][12]
the Chickasha Chiefs folded after the 1952 season and were replaced by the Gainesville Owls in the 1953 Sooner State League.[3] Chickasha has not hosted another minor league team.[13]
The ballpark
editThe Chickasha Chiefs played minor league home games at Memorial Park, also referred to as Borden Park. Borden Park burned in August 1950 and was rebuilt for the following season.[14][15] The ballpark had a capacity of 1,700 (1950) and 2,500 (1952). Borden Park, which is now called Elliott Field and is used for high school baseball, is located at 200 North 19th Street.[16]
Timeline
edit| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League | Ballpark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948–1952 | 5 | Chickasha Chiefs | Class D | Sooner State League | Memorial Park |
Year–by–year records
edit| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 73–63 | 4th | Ray Honeycutt | Lost in 1st round |
| 1949 | 78–61 | 3rd | Ray Honeycutt | Lost in 1st round |
| 1950 | 80–59 | 3rd | Ray Honeycutt | Lost in 1st round |
| 1951 | 46–94 | 6th | Kelly Wingo / Ivan Wilkenson Jerry Jackson / Chet Bryan William Reye |
Did not qualify |
| 1952 | 78–62 | 3rd | Ray Taylor | Lost in 1st round |
Notable alumni
edit- Ed Cole (1950)
- Camilo Pascual (1951) Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame
- Pete Runnels (1949) 5× MLB All-Star, 2× AL batting champion (1960, 1962), Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
References
edit- ^ "1922 Chickasha Chicks Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ a b "1948 Sooner State League (SSL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
- ^ "1948 Chickasha Chiefs Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1949 Chickasha Chiefs Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1949 Sooner State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1950 Chickasha Chiefs Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1950 Sooner State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1951 Chickasha Chiefs Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1951 Sooner State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1952 Chickasha Chiefs Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1952 Sooner State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Chickasha, Oklahoma Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Photograph Taken at Night of Crowd Standing Near Charred Ruins". gateway.okhistory.org.
- ^ "Sports Briefs, Sapulpa Daily Herald, Nov. 13, 1950, p.3". gateway.okhistory.org.
- ^ "Borden Park". encyclopedia.sabr.org.