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32-587: Minor league baseball began in Ada, Oklahoma with the 1947 Ada Herefords. The Ada Herefords were charter members of the six–team Sooner State League in 1947, joining the Ardmore Indians , Duncan Cementers , Lawton Giants , McAlester Rockets and Seminole Oilers in league play. In their first season of play, the 1947 Ada Herefords placed 2nd in the Sooner State League with an 86–51 record in

64-456: A 54–86 record in the regular season, playing under manager Stan Galle and finishing 45.5 games behind the 1st place Ardmore Indians. Attendance was 12,779, an average of 183 per game. Ada missed the playoffs in 1952, as the Herefords finished in 7th place with a 57–82 record. Former manager Uke Clanton became president of the Sooner State League, a position he would hold for the remainder of

96-517: A 96–41 record, ending the season 5.5 games ahead of 2nd place McAlester Rockets. In the 1950 playoffs, the Ardmore Indians defeated Ada 3 games to 2. Stephen Molinari of Ava led the Sooner State League with 39 home runs and 163 RBI, while teammate William Donaghey led the league with 23 wins. Season attendance was 31,981. The 1951 Ada Herefords did not qualify for the Sooner State League playoffs, finishing in 5th place. The Herefords ended with

128-476: A league championship, making league finals on multiple occasions. Muskogee teams played as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Browns in 1932, New York Giants in 1936, Cincinnati Reds from 1937 to 1939, Chicago Cubs in 1941, Detroit Tigers in 1946, St. Louis Browns from 1947 to 1949 and New York Giants from 1951 to 1957. Three Baseball Hall of Fame inductees played for Muskogee. Bill Dickey played for

160-522: A remote location, but also had taken the name Dean Park after the African-American neighborhood now surrounding it and was by that time used largely by "colored teams." Pioneer Park had a central location, but after the lease expired the owners sold the land and it was developed for other purposes. Beginning in 1911, therefore, Muskogee teams started playing weekday games at Owen Field, which was located near 5th Street and Boston Street. Owen Field

192-1953: A return to play in 1959. However, when only Ardmore and Paris, Texas, were able to secure working agreements, the league folded on February 12, 1959. It was the last Class D league west of the Mississippi River . The league franchises were based in Oklahoma and Texas . Playoffs: Ardmore 3 games, Lawton 2; McAlester 3 games, Ada 2; Finals: McAlester 4 games, Ardmore 1. 1948 schedule Playoffs: McAlester 3 games, Chickasha 1; Seminole 3 games, Lawton 2; Finals: Seminole 4 games, McAlester 2. 1949 schedule Playoffs: Pauls Valley 3 games, Ada 2; Lawton 3 games, Chickasha 0; Finals: Lawton 4 games, Pauls Valley 1. Duncan moved to Shawnee August 18. Playoffs: Ardmore 3 games, Ada 2; McAlester 3 games, Chickasha 0; Finals: McAlester 4 games, Ardmore 2. Playoffs: Ardmore 3 games, Pauls Valley 0; McAlester 3 games, Shawnee 0; Finals: McAlester 4 games, Ardmore 2. Playoffs: McAlester 3 games, Shawnee 1; Pauls Valley 3 games, Chickasha 1; Finals: McAlester 4 games, Pauls Valley 3. Playoffs: McAlester 3 games, Ardmore 1; Ada 3 games, Shawnee 1; Finals: McAlester 4 games, Ada 1. Playoffs: Ardmore 3 games, Shawnee 2; Lawton 3 games, McAlester 2; Finals: Lawton 4 games, Ardmore 0. Gainesville moved to Ponca City May 19. Playoffs: Lawton 3 games, Paris 1; Muskogee 3 games, Shawnee 2; Finals: Lawton 4 games, Muskogee 2. 1956 schedule Playoffs: Ardmore 3 games, Paris 2; Seminole 3 games, Lawton 1; Finals: Seminole 4 games, Ardmore 3. 1957 schedule Playoffs: Paris 3 games, Shawnee 1; Ardmore 3 games, Muskogee 0; Finals: Ardmore 4 games, Paris 0. Muskogee Giants Minor league baseball teams were based in Muskogee, Oklahoma in various seasons between 1905 and 1957. The final team,

224-721: The Ardmore Cardinals . In the 1953 playoffs, Ada had their first and only playoff series victory, as the Ada Herefords defeated the Shawnee Hawks 3 games to 1 in the semi-finals. In the Finals, the McAlester Rockets defeated Ada 4 games to 1 and captured the championship. Ava players Ron Slawski and Bob Norden tied for the Sooner State League lead in home runs with 31 each and teammate J.L. Rhodes led

256-713: The Cincinnati Reds (1937–1939), Chicago Cubs (1941), Detroit Tigers (1946) and St. Louis Browns (1947–1949). The Muskogee Giants were members of the Western Association from 1951 to 1954 and the Sooner State League from 1955 to 1957. The Giants were a minor league affiliate of the New York Giants (1951–1957) and lost in the league finals in 1952 and 1955. Muskogee folded when the Sooner State League permanently folded after

288-656: The Muskogee Oilers rejoined the Western League when the Wichita Oilers moved to Muskogee on June 6, 1933. Baseball Hall of Fame member Rube Marquard managed and pitched for the 1933 Oilers at age 46. The Muskogee Tigers were minor league affiliates of the New York Giants in 1936. The Muskogee Reds lost in the 1947 Western Association League finals. The Reds were affiliates of

320-587: The Shawnee Hawks . Ada drew 28,482 fans for home games, an average 407 per game in their final minor league season. The Ada minor league franchise permanently folded after the 1954. Fellow league member Pauls Valley Raiders folded also. Ada and Pauls Valley were replaced in the 1955 Sooner State League by the Muskogee Giants and Paris Orioles . Ada, Oklahoma has not hosted another minor league team. The Ada minor league teams were noted to have played minor league home games at Hereford Park . The ballpark

352-614: The Western Association (1911). In 1910, the Muskogee Navigators , playing in the Western Association, disbanded on July 22, 1910. The Muskogee Indians folded, along with the entire league, when the Oklahoma State League disbanded on June 29, 1912. The Muskogee Mets lost in the league finals in 1914, 1915 and 1922. Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Wallace was a player/manager for

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384-700: The 1926 Muskogee Athletics. Bobby Wallace played for the 1921 Muskogee Mets, as a player/manager. Rube Marquard managed and pitched for the 1933 Muskogee Oilers. Professional baseball began in Muskogee in 1905, with the Muskogee Reds playing as a member of the Missouri Valley League . The Muskogee Redskins played as members of the Oklahoma-Arkansas-Kansas League (1907), Oklahoma-Kansas League (1908) and

416-420: The 1957 season. The earliest Muskogee teams played at Benson Park. Named after two of the three principal investors in Muskogee's streetcar system, Benson Park was located near the end of streetcar line that ran down South 21st Street. Early maps show the exact location as a block bounded by Garrett Street (now 22nd Street) on the east, Virginia Avenue (now Maryland Avenue) on the north, and Border Avenue on

448-506: The 1st place Pauls Valley Raiders , playing under manager Bill Krueger. In the playoffs, the Pauls Valley Raiders defeated Ada 3 games to 2. Ada player Bill Milligan led the Sooner State League with 23 home runs. Season attendance at Hereford Park was 33,525. In 1950, Ada captured the Sooner State League pennant, playing under returning manager Bill Krueger. The Ada Herefords finished the regular season in first place 1st with

480-724: The Athletics disbanded on July 18, 1926. Magoto later owned the Muskogee Reds. The Muskogee Chiefs moved to Maud, Oklahoma on August 29, 1929, to complete their season as the Maud Chiefs . They returned to Muskogee in 1930. On June 8, 1932, Muskogee moved to Hutchinson, Kansas to become the Hutchinson Wheat Shockers , playing in the Western League . However, the Fort Smith Twins of

512-651: The Muskogee Giants, played as members of the Western Association (1951–1954) and the Sooner State League (1955–1957). Earlier Muskogee teams played as members of the Missouri Valley League (1905), South Central League (1906), Oklahoma-Arkansas-Kansas League (1907–1908), Western Association (1909–1911), Oklahoma State League (1912), Western Association (1914, 1916–1917), Southwestern League (1921–1923), Western Association (1924–1932), Western League (1933), Western Association (1934–1942, 1946–1954) and Sooner State League (1955–1957). Muskogee never captured

544-586: The Muskogee Mets in 1921, hitting .368 in 13 games at age 47. The Muskogee Athletics lost in the 1925 Western Association league finals. Baseball Hall of Fame member Bill Dickey played for the Muskogee Athletics in 1926, hitting .283 with 7 home runs in 61 games at age 19. 1931 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals Manager Gabby Street managed the Athletics for the 1924 and 1925 seasons. Owned by local drugstore operator Joe Magoto,

576-570: The Western Association moved to Muskogee on July 1, 1932, to complete their season as the Muskogee Chiefs. The second 1932 Muskogee Chiefs were an affiliate of the St. Louis Browns . Notably, The second 1932 Muskogee Chiefs traded George Hubbell to their old team, the Hutchinson Wheat Shockers, in exchange for four new baseballs. The Davenport Blue Sox replaced Muskogee in the Western Association in 1933. However,

608-520: The alley was closed and telephone poles and other structures that interfered with play were removed. By the 1926 season, the last remaining structure on the block, a house at 4th and Boston, had been removed. The grandstand and bleachers were moved northward to the corner of 5th and Boston to take advantage of this additional space. Later, the Owen Field property became known as League Park and Athletic Park. From 1921 to 1926 Muskogee teams played at

640-668: The league with 21 wins. Ada's season attendance was 36,128. Ada played their final minor league season in 1954, changing their moniker to the Ada Cementers in mid–season. The franchise became an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, as the St. Louis Browns had relocated to Baltimore in 1954. The 1954 Ada Herefords/Cementers ended the Sooner State League regular season in 6th place with a 64–76 record, playing under managers Louis Brower and John Densmore, finishing 28.0 games behind

672-405: The league with 23 wins and a 2.47 ERA and William Donaghey led the league with 244 strikeouts. The Ada home season attendance was 41,872, an average of 611 per game. The 1948 Sooner State League expanded to eight teams. Ada finished with a 63–76 record, placing 5th in the 1948 Sooner State League regular season standings, playing under returning manager Uke Clanton. The Herefords did not qualify for

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704-534: The league's play. Playing under managers Bill Enos, Virl Loman and Jim England, the Herefords finished 29.5 games behind the 1st place McAlester Rockets in the eight–team league. McAlester drew 38,387 to Hereford Park for the season. The 1953 Ada Herefords advanced to the Sooner State League Finals. Ada finished with an 84–54 record, placing 3rd in the regular season standings. Ada played under manager Louis Browner and finished 7.5 games behind

736-515: The playoffs, finishing the season 28.5 games behind the 1st place McAlester Rockets. The Sooner State League expanded from six–teams to eight–teams, adding the Chickasha Chiefs and Pauls Valley Raiders as expansion teams. The Ada season attendance in 1948 was 27,050. The Ada Herefords made the Sooner State League playoffs in 1949. Ada finished with a 69–70 record and in 4th place in the regular season standings, finishing 18.5 games behind

768-513: The regular season, playing as an affiliate of the St. Louis Browns . They would remain an affiliate of the Browns franchise throughout their existence. Ada finished 10.5 games behind the 1st place Lawton Giants, while playing the season under manager Uke Clanton . In the 1947 playoffs, the McAlester Rockets defeated the Ada Herefords 3 games to 2. Paul Richardville of Ada led the Sooner State League with 11 home runs and 111 RBI, while Forest Smith led

800-466: The same name in downtown Muskogee), was located immediately to the east of the car barn for the streetcar system, which maps show to be located where North Street crosses the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway line on the way east toward Green Hill Cemetery. The car barn was immediately adjacent to the Hyde Park streetcar line, providing access for fans attending games there. Athletic Park ultimately

832-470: The site, renamed League Park. Beginning in 1934, the site was renamed Athletic Park and hosted the Muskogee Tigers, Muskogee Reds and Muskogee Giants. The ballpark had a capacity of 4,500 (1939); 6,000 (1940); 2,400 (1936) and 3,500 (1950). It had dimensions (Left, Center, Right) of 298-415-334 (1939) and 300-385-334 (1940). Athletic Park was bounded by Boston Avenue to the north, Fifth Street to

864-499: The south. In 1908, the Muskogee Redskins began to play most of their schedule at Pioneer Park. Sunday games were still held at Benson Park, which was outside city limits and thus not subject to municipal restrictions on Sunday play. Pioneer Park was located at the intersection of Fourth and Court Streets in downtown Muskogee. Although Pioneer Park's central location was considered a plus, the viability of this arrangement

896-620: The west, Columbus Avenue to the south, and Fourth Street to the west. In April 1923, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees with Babe Ruth , played an exhibition game at Owen Field. Later, Mickey Mantle played for the Joplin Miners in games at Athletic Park in 1950. Because of its location near Owen Field/Athletic Park, visiting teams stayed at the Severs Hotel . Today, the site of Owen Field/Athletic Park

928-431: Was limited to hosting Sunday games after a deal was struck to hold weekday games in 1910 at Pioneer Park. Because of its location outside city limits, Sunday games continued to be held at Athletic Park through at least 1911. Each of these early Muskogee baseball venues had significant drawbacks. Athletic Park "could not be excelled" as a facility, but many felt it was too far from the city center. Benson Park not only had

960-602: Was located at the Pontotoc County fairgrounds on North Broadway Avenue. The field, which was also used as a rodeo arena, had an unusual asymmetrical shape featuring a short right field porch and extremely long third base foul line. The Pontotoc County Agri-Plex and Convention Center, 1710 North Broadway, now stands on the site. Sooner State League The Sooner State League was a Class D level minor league baseball league that operated from 1947 through 1957 . The league owners kept it alive in 1958, anticipating

992-399: Was named after landowner Robert Owen, whose home was on the property that adjoined the ball field. Although the open space at Owen Field had previously been used for other community events, it initially had significant drawbacks as a baseball field, including an alley running through the middle of the field. There was also significant opposition from neighboring residents. Gradually, however,

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1024-485: Was regularly threatened by ongoing disputes between the team and the ballpark owners. Nonetheless, the Muskogee Navigators continued to play games at Pioneer Park through 1909. In 1910, the continuing difficulties with Pioneer Park's ownership prompted the construction of a new ballpark on the east side of Muskogee. This new facility, called Athletic Park (not to be confused with the latter ballpark of

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