# Texas Association

The Texas Association was a sports league of minor league baseball teams in Texas that operated from 1923 through 1926.$^{:113}$ An earlier league, initially known as the Texas-Southern League, used the same name from mid-1896 through 1899.$^{:108–109,171}$ History of the Texas Association during the 1920s follows.

## History

The league operated in 1923 with a six-team format. The Austin Rangers, Corsicana Oilers, Marlin Bathers, Mexia Gushers, Sherman Twins, and Waco Indians made up the league that year.$^{:291}$ While Mexia had the best win–loss record for the entire season, the league played a split season, with Sherman winning the first half, and Austin winning the second half.$^{:291}$ Sherman and Austin played a six-game playoff series, which ended in a tie at three games each.$^{:291}$
The Sherman squad did not return for 1924 and was replaced by the Temple Surgeons; all other teams returned.$^{:295}$ Corsicana finished in first place during both halves of the split season, thus no playoffs were held.$^{:295}$
For 1925, the Austin Rangers became the Austin Senators, while the Waco club did not return and was replaced by the Terrell Terrors; all other teams returned.$^{:298}$ On May 13, Marlin moved to Palestine to become the Palestine Pals. Corsicana again won both halves of a split season.$^{:298}$ Minor league legend Smead Jolley played for Corsicana that year, while 12-year major league veteran Boom-Boom Beck suited up for the Marlin/Palestine club.
1926 was the final year of the Texas Association, with all six teams returning from the previous year.$^{:303}$ Austin won the first half of the split season and Palestine won the second half.$^{:303}$ These two teams played a postseason series, won by Palestine, three games to none.$^{:303}$
No effort was made to bring the league back for 1927. Teams of three cities moved to the newly formed Lone Star League (Palestine, Mexia and Corsicana) while three others ceased operations (Austin, Terrell, and Temple).$^{:99–100}$ Teams based in Austin and Temple later played in the Big State League of the late 1940s and early 1950s, while Terrell has yet to field another team.$^{:99–100}$

## Cities represented 1923-1926

* Austin, TX: Austin Rangers 1923–1924; Austin Senators 1925–1926
* Corsicana, TX: Corsicana Oilers 1923–1926
* Marlin, TX: Marlin Bathers 1923–1925
* Mexia, TX: Mexia Gushers 1923–1926
* Palestine, TX: Palestine Pals 1925–1926
* Sherman, TX & Denison, TX: Sherman-Denison Twins 1923
* Temple, TX: Temple Surgeons 1924–1926
* Terrell, TX: Terrell Terrors 1925–1926
* Waco, TX: Waco Indians 1923–1924

## Standings & statistics
### 1923 Texas Association

schedule
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Mexia Gushers | 80 | 60 | .571 | -- | Hub Northen |
| Austin Rangers | 72 | 66 | .522 | 7.0 | Rankin Johnson |
| Sherman-Denison Twins | 72 | 67 | .518 | 7.5 | A. B. Sands / Otto McIvor |
| Corsicana Oilers | 68 | 70 | .493 | 11.0 | Harvey Grubb |
| Marlin Bathers | 65 | 73 | .471 | 14.0 | Walt Alexander |
| Waco Indians | 59 | 80 | .424 | 20.5 | Ray Falk / H. House / Bill Reynolds / Warwick Comstock |
Playoff: Austin 3 games, Sherman 3. The series was declared a tie when the two clubs could not agree upon a site for the deciding game.
Player statistics :
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Tom Pyle | Sherman | BA | .359 | Clarence Tiner | Mexia | W | 23 |
| Tom Pyle | Sherman | Runs | 94 | Murray Richburg | Sherman | SO | 197 |
| Tom Pyle | Sherman | Hits | 199 | Harvey Muns | Sherman | PCT | .690; 20–9 |
| Don Flynn | Waco/Austin | HR | 22 |

### 1924 Texas Association

schedule
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Corsicana Oilers | 83 | 42 | .664 | -- | John Vann |
| Marlin Bathers | 73 | 55 | .570 | 11.5 | Walt Alexander |
| Waco Indians | 65 | 64 | .504 | 20.0 | Otto McIvor / Tom Carson |
| Mexia Gushers | 60 | 68 | .469 | 24.5 | Tuffy Fowlkes |
| Austin Rangers | 54 | 72 | .429 | 29.5 | Cecil Griggs / Fats Fleharty / Otto McIvor |
| Temple Surgeons | 48 | 82 | .369 | 37.5 | Rankin Johnson |
Playoff: None
Player statistics :
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Joe Munson | Carlson | BA | .346 | Charles Gressett | Marlin | W | 22 |
| Bill Etheredge | Corsicana | Runs | 106 | Tex Nugent | Temple | SO | 176 |
| Bill Etheredge | Corsicana | Hits | 159 | William Hollis | Corsicana | PCT | .789; 15–4 |
| Stephen Barrett | Corsicana | HR | 27 |

### 1925 Texas Association

schedule 1st half schedule 2nd half
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Corsicana Oilers | 85 | 48 | .639 | -- | John Vann |
| Mexia Gushers | 76 | 57 | .571 | 9.0 | Frank Matthews |
| Temple Surgeons | 74 | 59 | .556 | 11.0 | Roy Mitchell |
| Austin Senators | 63 | 70 | .474 | 22.0 | Bennie Brownlow |
| Marlin Bathers / Palestine Pals | 58 | 75 | .436 | 27.0 | Fred Pipkin / Tommy McMillan |
| Terrell Terrors | 43 | 90 | .323 | 42.0 | Otto McIvor / Ed Fulton / Pete Adams |
Marlin moved to Palestine May 13.
Player statistics :
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Clyde Glass | Mexia | BA | .367 | Joe Cantrell | Corsicana | W | 22 |
| Cotton Tucker | Temple | Runs | 129 | Dick Whitworth | Austin | SO | 152 |
| Smead Jolley | Corsicana | Hits | 180 | Bob Arnold | Mexia | PCT | .706; 12–5 |
| Clyde Glass | Mexia | Hits | 180 |
| Stan Keyes | Terrell | HR | 28 |

### 1926 Texas Association

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Austin Senators | 73 | 49 | .598 | -- | Charles Miller |
| Palestine Pals | 72 | 53 | .576 | 2.5 | Jack Stansbury / Bob Countryman |
| Mexia Gushers | 63 | 62 | .504 | 11.5 | Frank Matthews |
| Terrell Terrors | 56 | 68 | .452 | 18.0 | Jimmy Maloney |
| Temple Surgeons | 56 | 69 | .448 | 18.5 | Roy Mitchell |
| Corsicana Oilers | 53 | 72 | .424 | 21.5 | John Vann |
Playoff: Palestine 3 games, Austin 0.
Player statistics :
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| Clyde Glass | Mexia | BA | .361 | Dick Whitworth | Austin | W | 24 |
| Jimmie Long | Mexia | Runs | 99 | Dick Whitworth | Austin | SO | 176 |
| Jimmie Long | Mexia | Hits | 164 | Les Cox | Palestine | SO | 176 |
| Norman Peterson | Austin | HR | 29 | Carl Littlejohn | Austin | PCT | .824; 14–3 |