Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs
| Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs | |
|---|---|
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Previous classes | AA |
| League | Texas League |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Previous teams |
|
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles | None |
| Team data | |
Previous names | Spurs |
Previous parks | Turnpike Stadium |
The Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs were an American minor league baseball team in the Texas League from 1965–1971.[1] The team played in Turnpike Stadium in Arlington, Texas.[2]
The Spurs were created when the Triple-A Dallas Rangers moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1965.[3] With the opening of Turnpike Stadium, the Double-A Texas League's Fort Worth Cats, an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, moved into the new venue and adopted the regional Dallas-Fort Worth designation and the Spurs nickname.[2]
The Spurs were affiliated with the Cubs (1965–1967),[4] Houston Astros (1968)[5] and Baltimore Orioles (1969–1971).[6][7]
As a Cubs' affiliate, the Spurs groomed future Major League players Don Kessinger,[4] Chuck Hartenstein,[4] Joe Niekro,[8] Fred Norman[8] and Bill Stoneman.[9] The club's one season in the Houston organization was lean in terms of prospects, with Fred Stanley and Danny Walton enjoying the longest big-league careers.[5] During their affiliation with Baltimore, the Spurs featured Don Baylor,[6] Bobby Grich,[6] Enos Cabell[7] and Wayne Garland,[7] along with managers Cal Ripken Sr.[7] and Joe Altobelli[6] and batboy Cal Ripken Jr.
The Spurs set many Texas League attendance records, especially after Turnpike Stadium expanded to a capacity of 20,500 in 1970.[10] The Dallas-Fort Worth area was considered a prime location for an expansion team or a re-located franchise. Indeed, Turnpike Stadium had been built specifically to attract a major-league team to the Metroplex. That dream nearly came to fruition when the National League expanded in 1969. But the league instead expanded to Montreal, with the Expos.[11]
Two years later, the struggling Washington Senators received American League permission to transfer to the area in 1972 as the Texas Rangers,[12] who moved into Turnpike Stadium (expanded and renamed Arlington Stadium).[13]
Yearly record
[edit]| Year | Record | Finish Full Season |
Attendance | Manager | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 80–61 | Second (East Division) |
329,294 | Whitey Lockman | DNQ |
| 1966 | 59–81 | Sixth | 271,367 | Stan Hack Pete Reiser Lou Klein |
DNQ |
| 1967 | 62–78 | Sixth | 246,315 | Jo-Jo White | DNQ |
| 1968 | 60–79 | Fourth (East Division) |
215,756 | Hub Kittle | DNQ |
| 1969 | 75–58 | Second (West Division) |
235,827 | Joe Altobelli | DNQ |
| 1970 | 63–73 | Third (West Division) |
182,743 | Joe Altobelli | DNQ |
| 1971 | 82–59 | Second (West Division) |
213,249 | Cal Ripken Sr. | DNQ |
References
[edit]- ^ Franchise History since 1902 Archived 2008-10-06 at the Wayback Machine at texas-league.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. 12/30/09
- ^ a b The History of Baseball in Fort Worth at fwcats.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived August 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine 12/30/09
- ^ Pacific Coast League (AAA) Encyclopedia and History at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 12/30/09
- ^ a b c "1965 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ a b "1968 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ a b c d 1969 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs Archived 2012-04-16 at the Wayback Machine at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. 12/30/09
- ^ a b c d 1971 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs Archived 2013-09-18 at the Wayback Machine at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. 12/30/09
- ^ a b "1966 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ "1967 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ A look at historic stadiums in Dallas-Fort Worth area at pe.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived December 31, 2009, at archive.today 12/30/09
- ^ The Team That Nearly Wasn’t: The Montreal Expos Archived 2009-01-16 at the Wayback Machine by Maury Brown at hardballtimes.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. 12/30/09
- ^ Historical Moments Archived 2010-01-06 at the Wayback Machine at sportsencyclopedia.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. 12/30/09
- ^ Arlington Stadium at ballparks.com, URL accessed December 30, 2009. Archived 2010-01-02 at the Wayback Machine 12/30/09
- Baltimore Orioles minor league affiliates
- Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates
- Defunct baseball teams in Texas
- Defunct Texas League teams
- Houston Astros minor league affiliates
- Sports in Arlington, Texas
- 20th century in Arlington, Texas
- Baseball teams in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
- Baseball teams disestablished in 1971
- Baseball teams established in 1965