# Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings

The Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings was a professional baseball team based in Harlingen, Texas, in the United States. The WhiteWings was a member of United League Baseball, an independent professional league which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball. From the 1994 season to 2014, the WhiteWings played its home games at Harlingen Field.

## History

Baseball in the region of the Rio Grande Valley had been played before in the Gulf States League (Class A ball), which lasted one season (1976) with six teams, one of which played in Harlingen, Texas by the name of the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings. Eighteen years later, the Texas–Louisiana League was formed, done on the frustrations of Dallas businessman Byron Pierce and U.S. Congressman John Bryant of the Texas League not having plans for expansion. The Rio Grande Valley would receive a team as a charter member, which was called the WhiteWings and play at Harlingen Field, which had dimensions of 310' for the corners and 380' in center field for a crowd of 4,000. The WhiteWings won the Texas–Louisiana League Championship in 2000, upsetting the San Angelo Colts and Amarillo Dillas to win the pennant under manager Eddie Dennis (two years later, the league rebranded as the Central Baseball League). After falling on hard times, the WhiteWings suspended operations in 2003. In late 2005, United League Baseball announced that the WhiteWings would resume play as the first charter member of the new league in 2006. They played the 2006 and 2007 seasons before deciding to rebrand in 2008. That year, they rebranded as the Harlingen WhiteWings. After three seasons, they changed the name back to the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings, announcing it as such in May 2009.
In 2011 and 2012, the WhiteWings played in the North American League, where they made the playoffs twice. They returned to the ULB in 2013 and played two season, winning the championship in 2014, their final season. The team announced in 2015 that it was shutting down and would not a field a team for the upcoming season.

## Season-by-season record

| Season |
| Season | League | Manager | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Result |
| Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings |
| 1976 | Gulf States League | Ted Uhlaender | 32 | 40 | .444 | |
| 1994 | Texas-Louisiana League | Alan Ashby | 40 | 48 | .455 | |
| 1995 | Texas-Louisiana League | Alan Ashby | 53 | 46 | .535 | |
| 1996 | Texas-Louisiana League | John Pacella | 50 | 48 | .510 | Lost in 1st Round |
| 1997 | Texas-Louisiana League | Mike Brumley | 39 | 53 | .424 | |
| 1998 | Texas-Louisiana League | Eddie Dennis | 36 | 48 | .429 | |
| 1999 | Texas-Louisiana League | Eddie Dennis | 45 | 38 | .542 | |
| 2000 | Texas-Louisiana League | Eddie Dennis | 63 | 49 | .563 | Won Championship (Amarillo) 3–1 |
| 2001 | Texas-Louisiana League | George Scott | 40 | 56 | .417 | |
| 2002 | Central Baseball League | John Harris | 37 | 59 | .385 | |
| 2003 | Central Baseball League | John Harris | 44 | 52 | .458 | |
| 2006 | United League Baseball | Eddie Dennis | 38 | 52 | .422 | |
| 2007 | United League Baseball | Eddie Dennis | 50 | 45 | .526 | Lost Finals (Alexandria) 4–0 |
| Harlingen WhiteWings |
| 2008 | United League Baseball | Al Gallagher | 20 | 62 | .244 | |
| 2009 | United League Baseball | Eddie Dennis | 39 | 41 | .488 | |
| 2010 | United League Baseball | Eddie Dennis | 47 | 45 | .511 | Lost Semifinals (Amarillo) 2–0 |
| Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings |
| 2011 | North American League | Eddie Dennis | 51 | 37 | .580 | Won Semifinals (San Angelo) 4–0 Lost Finals (Edmonton) 4–1 |
| 2012 | North American League | Eddie Dennis | 51 | 44 | .537 | Lost Semifinals (Edinburg) 2–0 |
| 2013 | United League Baseball | Chris Paterson | 32 | 43 | .427 | |
| 2014 | United League Baseball | Chris Paterson | 50 | 27 | .649 | Won Finals (Fort Worth) 3–0 |

## All-Stars
### Players

| 1994 John O'Brien, 1B 1995 Tim Garland, LF John O'Brien, 1b Clint Davis, RP Kyle Duke, SP Jamie Cooley, C 1996 Lipso Nava, SS John O'Brien, 1B 1997 Pat Koerner (Rookie of the Year) Bryan Warner, OF (Most Valuable Player) Ryan Whitaker, RHP 1998 Scott Emerson, Major League Baseball pitching coach Oakland Athletics Jay Davis, OF Jason Fawcett, RHP Omar Ramirez, LF Joe Stutz, RHP Mark Swindell, 2b 1999 Sergio Cairo, OF Eddie Fitzpatrick, C Mario Rodriguez, RHP Michael Decelle, OF | 2000 Yfrain Linares, RHP (Pitcher of the Year) Manny Lopez, OF Hector Roa, 2B 2001 Carlos Duncan, OF Tyrone Pendergrass, OF Ty Ryburn, P 2002 John Ballon, 3B 2003 N/A 2006 Adam Clay, RHP 2007 Jermy Acey, 2B Derek Bennett, RHP Omar Bramasco, Utah David Cardona, OF Ryan Fox, DH Kevin Griffin, C Joe Rogers, LHP 2008 Kevin Griffin, C Jorge Lugo, LHP |

## Past managers

* Alan Ashby (1994–1995)
* John Pacella (1996)
* Mike Brumley (1997)
* George Scott (2001)
* "Dirty" Al Gallagher (2008)
* Eduardo "Eddie" Dennis (1998–2000, 2006–07, 2009 – 2010)