page_title: Houston Buffaloes
section_title: Stabilization and affiliation (1905–1928)
hierarchical_section_title: Houston Buffaloes / History / Stabilization and affiliation (1905–1928)
caption_attribution_description: English: The New York Yankees of the American League play against the Houston Buffaloes of the Texas League at West End Park in Houston during a 1914 exhibition game. The Yankees held spring training at the Houston ballpark that season. Pictured are Houston catcher Charles W. Seitz sliding and New York catcher Bill Reynolds catching.
context_page_description: The Houston Buffaloes, Houston Buffalos, or Buffs were an American minor league baseball team, and were the first minor league team to be affiliated with a Major League franchise, which was the St. Louis Cardinals. The club was founded in 1888, and played in the Texas League at various levels throughout the majority of its existence. Most recently, from 1959 through 1961, the team played in the American Association at the Triple-A level of high minor league baseball as an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. The Buffaloes derived their nickname from Buffalo Bayou, the principal waterway through Houston to the Houston Ship Channel, outlet to the Gulf of Mexico. The team's last home was Buffalo Stadium, built in 1928. Before that, they played at West End Park from 1905–1928, and at Herald Park prior to that.
  The Houston Buffaloes were purchased by the Houston Sports Association in 1961 to obtain the Houston metropolitan-area territorial rights for the new expansion team in Major League baseball and the National League, Houston Colt .45s. Several of those associated with the Buffaloes continued with the Colt .45s major league team including manager Harry Craft.
context_section_description: The 1905 season marked a point of stabilization for the franchise as reflected by the team's name, which remained as the "Houston Buffaloes" until their demise.  A stark contrast from the previous season, the Buffaloes began playing in a brand new ballpark known as "West End Park".  Under Wade Moore, the team took the 1905 South Texas League championship, which was their first since 1896.
  On October 27, 1908, Claude Rielly officially sold the Houston Buffaloes to Otto Sens and J. Doak Roberts. With new ownership, veteran big leaguer Hunter Hill, who had played with the St. Louis Browns and Washington Senators, was hired as a first-year manager.  The 1909 season started with an exhibition series between the Buffaloes and Hill's former team, the St. Louis Browns.  Hill then led the team to two consecutive Texas League pennants for the 1909 and 1910 seasons.  It was the first time that Houston claimed back-to-back championships in its history.
  In 1919, the St. Louis Cardinals purchased an eighteen percent stake in the Houston Buffaloes, and in 1921 purchased a majority stake in the club.  This made Houston the first affiliated minor league baseball club.  From 1921–58, the Buffaloes were an important farm team of the Cardinals at the Class A, A1 and AA levels. During that period, star players such as brothers Dizzy Dean and Paul Dean, Solly Hemus, Vinegar Bend Mizell, Hal Epps, Don Gutteridge, Al Papai, Joe Medwick, Frank O. Mancuso, Harry Brecheen and Howie Pollet prepped in Houston on their way to the major leagues.
  The 1928 campaign was another landmark season for the ball club.  With stars like on the roster like Red Worthington, Carey Selph, George Watkins, Ray Powell, Bubber Jonnard, Heinie Schuble, Tex Carleton, and Frank Snyder, the Houston Buffaloes took the Texas League championship that year.  Pitcher Bill Hallahan led the league in strikeouts that season with a 2.25 ERA.  They then progressed to their first ever interleague Dixie Series against the Southern Association champions, the Birmingham Barons, where they won that series as well.
caption: New York Yankees at Houston in West End Park during a spring training exhibition game in 1914
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