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91-653: The team has its roots going back to 1892, when the team was originally called the El Paso Browns. The name eventually changed to the Mavericks. In 1913, the El Paso Mavericks played in the Copper League, which consisted of teams from Silver City , Hurley , and Santa Rita, New Mexico . Despite coming in third place that season, the Mavericks went on to win the post season tournament, becoming

182-478: A Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the state of Texas ; the five North Division teams are located in Arkansas , Kansas , Missouri , and Oklahoma . The league temporarily operated for the 2021 season as Double-A Central before reassuming its original moniker in 2022. The Texas League was founded in 1902, although it traces its lineage back to

273-711: A Native American tribe in June 2011. The Diablos were replaced by the El Paso Chihuahuas of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League for the 2014 baseball season . This coincided with the opening of a new baseball stadium in downtown El Paso, which replaced Cohen Stadium as the home of professional baseball in El Paso. The Diablos relocated to Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Missouri , as

364-463: A Dome in any sense of the word, the stadium had a supernatural ability to avoid rain showers and the unique ability to keep the temperature inside the stadium the same as that outside of the stadium. Another unique feature of the park was that the structure under the main grandstand was constructed out of adobe. A final feature, one that would be used by the Brewers to test their pitchers in the future

455-757: A Phelps-Dodge spokesman remarked in 2007 that "based on current economic projections, our properties in New Mexico will not be operating in 25 years". Phelps Dodge was acquired by international mining firm Freeport-McMoRan in March 2007, and operations at the Chino and Tyrone operations are continuing under the Freeport name. Tourism, retirement and trade are the other major components of Silver City's economy. In 2006, an average three-bedroom, 1,500-square-foot (140 m ) house sold for about $ 160,000. Silver City

546-483: A bloop hit, a soft fly ball that falls for a hit beyond the infielders' reach but too short for the outfielders to catch, has been extant since at least 1903 and was common throughout American baseball in the 20th century and to some degree into the 21st. The source of the idiom is not known but among other theories has been attributed to Ollie Pickering 's feat in a Texas League game of April 4, 1901, in which he made seven such hits in succession. Talk of this singular feat

637-596: A cliff can be found. They were built sometime between 1275 and 1300 AD by the Mogollon culture . In addition to ancient ruins, there are plenty of places to camp, hike and fish within the Gila Wilderness . The Catwalk is a trail enclosed by a metal walkway that suspends 25 feet (7.6 m) above the Whitewater Canyon hugging the canyon walls. It follows water-pipe routes built by miners in 1893. When

728-524: A predecessor founded in 1888. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892. It was refounded in 1895 and ran through 1899 (under the name Texas Association in 1895 and Texas-Southern League in 1896). The Texas League was revived as a Class D league in 1902, moved to Class C in 1904 where it played through 1910 (except for 1906 as Class D again), played at Class B until 1920, and finally moved up to Class A in 1921. The Texas League, like many others, shut down during World War II. From 1959 to 1961,

819-775: A season. From 1961 to 1964, the El Paso Ball club had been affiliated with the San Francisco Giants , their most notable player coming through the system at the time being Jesús Alou of the famous baseball family. In 1965, the Sun Kings became a farm team for the California Angels . The Sports Development Committee sold the team to Angels owner Gene Autry for $ 1, fulfilling their mission of bringing professional baseball back to El Paso. John Stanfill replaced John Phelan as general manager in 1967, and

910-585: A spot for the league play-offs – their first play-off appearance since the 2000 season when they were in the AA Texas League. Another exciting thing happened in the first half of the season on the 4th of July, the Diablos set the league attendance single-game record with more than 11,000 fans attending a game. After a disappointing 2011 baseball season, Schuster sold the Diablos to the Tigua Tribe ,

1001-437: A young second base prospect by the name of Kurt Russell . Russell led the league in hitting with a .563 batting average. However, during a play, he was hit in the shoulder by another player running to second base, the collision resulting in a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder. The injury forced his retirement from baseball in 1973, and he returned to acting. Russell recently told Sports Illustrated that before his injury, he

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1092-471: Is Fort Bayard Historic District , about eight miles east of Silver City, off of US Highway 180. The District was the location of Fort Bayard, which was established in 1866 to station soldiers of the US Army in proximity to mining camps in the region. In later years the fort was converted to an Army hospital, specializing in the treatment of tuberculosis. In the early 1920s it became a US Veterans Hospital under

1183-493: Is also mentioned in several episodes in the highly rated ABC series The Rifleman (1958–1963) starring Chuck Connors in the title role. Silver City is located some distance from the fictional North Fork town where the program is situated. Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as

1274-457: Is classified as Csa (Mediterranean with hot summers and cool winters) in the Köppen system. A Mediterranean climate is unusual in New Mexico, occurring only in a small upland area in the southwestern part of the state. Silver City's climate is characterized by moderate rainfall in fall and winter (October to February, a dry spring (March to June), and rains from (July to September) in what is called

1365-453: Is home to many musicians and artists and has a thriving downtown arts district. The Silco Theater, built in 1923, was renovated and re-opened on February 26, 2016, as a 156-seat community movie house. Mimbres Region Arts Council (MRAC) has been named #1 arts council in New Mexico for a decade and is the recipient of the 2013 New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. MRAC presents

1456-683: Is supposed to have spread widely, bringing the term with it. Around the advent of the 21st century, the Texas League witnessed a great deal of change. Teams once known as the Jackson Mets , El Paso Diablos , Shreveport Captains , and Wichita Wranglers all relocated to new cities and bigger stadiums. In 2019, the San Antonio Missions relocated to Amarillo, Texas , becoming the Amarillo Sod Poodles . At

1547-555: The Joplin Blasters beginning with the 2015 season. Silver City, New Mexico Silver City is a town in Grant County, New Mexico , United States. It is the county seat and the home of Western New Mexico University . As of the 2010 census the population was 10,315. As of the 2020 census , the population was 9,704. The valley that is now the site of Silver City once served as an Apache campsite. With

1638-679: The Juarez Indios , at the end of the season. In 1951, the New York Yankees (featuring a young rookie named Mickey Mantle ) came to El Paso to play an exhibition game against the Texans, winning 16–10. In 1954, the team was sold to Dick Azar, the El Paso Coors distributor who brought beer to the ballpark for the first time. Beer was sold during the game and was given to the players in their dressing room free of charge after

1729-567: The Lost Adams Diggings . The communities of Silver City and Pinos Altos developed as 19th century miners recovered easily extracted copper, gold and silver from ore deposits of the area. Standard-gauge Santa Fe Railroad reached Silver City in 1886, and Silver City, Pinos Altos and Mogollon Railroad was incorporated in 1889 to build a railway north to Mogollon . Construction was limited to 5 miles (8.0 km) of grading until Wisconsin-based Comanche Mining and Smelting purchased

1820-554: The North American Monsoon . The monsoon, which is irregular from year to year, impacts mostly southern New Mexico and south-eastern Arizona in the United States. During the period from 1901 to 1964, when readings were taken at the city center (which is cooler and wetter than outlying and lower-elevation districts nearby), the coldest temperature recorded was −13 °F (−25 °C) on January 11, 1962, and

1911-528: The Oakland A's Vince Cotroneo (1985–1987), and Matt Vasgersian (1993–1995) who currently provides play-by-play for Fox Sports ' Major League Baseball coverage and is a studio host for MLB Network . In 1981, the Diablos became an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers , a relationship which lasted until 1999. Tony Muser was the manager for the first two seasons. Also in 1981, Texaco sponsored

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2002-824: The San Diego Chicken made his debut outside the San Diego area and his minor league debut by performing in the final regular game of the season before a more than sold out stadium. It was the catalyst to launch his career during his hiatus from San Diego due to court injunctions that prevented him from performing for the Padres. In 1980, the Diablos began airing all of their baseball games on radio station KHEY (AM) AM-690 and simulcast select homegames on Paragon Cable, with current UTEP football announcer Jon Teicher as its first play-by-play announcer. Other notable Diablos announcers include current play-by-play announcer for

2093-896: The Shreveport Sports and join with former Northern League teams the Saint Paul Saints , Sioux City Explorers , the Sioux Falls Pheasants , and the Lincoln Saltdogs to form the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball as an independent minor league. The league began play in 2006 with a 96-game schedule along with an expansion team in St. Joseph, Missouri known as the Blacksnakes . The league's first All-Star game

2184-484: The Smithsonian , and other museums, who sent individuals out to acquire collections in the nearby Mimbres Valley during the early 1900s. Others dug into the ancient sites and used the pottery they found for target practice —something that occurred into the 1930s according to oral histories. Collecting, and the looting, of Mimbres Mogollon sites did not stop with archaeological research conducted on private lands during

2275-484: The U.S. Census Bureau , Silver City has a total area of 10.2 square miles (26.3 km ), of which 0.02 square miles (0.04 km ), or 0.17%, is water. The local geology of the Silver City area is complex. Sedimentary gravels are found in the form of the alluvial Mangas Valley gravels. Metamorphic schist and gneiss are also found. The downtown area is mostly made of granite outcrops. The climate of Silver City

2366-403: The 1920s, 1930s, and 1970s, nor with the passage of the New Mexico "Burial Law" in 1989. Sadly, unlawful looting continues to this day, and many prehistoric sites have been badly damaged or obliterated. The Apaches occupied areas in the vicinity of Silver City beginning in the late 1500s to early 1600s, based on archaeological evidence. Silver City is located near the center of Grant County, at

2457-434: The 1927 novel Oil! by Upton Sinclair . Upton Sinclair based his novel on the experiences of Edward L. Doheny , a prospector and oil tycoon living in the Silver City area (near Kingston ). In the movie, Henry, the man claiming to be Daniel's half-brother, says that he had been in Silver City for two years drilling on his own. In the 1956 film Backlash , Jim Slater, played by Richard Widmark , goes to Silver City with

2548-469: The 2-foot narrow gauge Silver City, Pinos Altos and Mogollon Railroad to Pinos Altos in 1906 (none of which are still in existence). The nearby mining operations, formerly Phelps Dodge , are still the basis for the local economy. In 2006, the Chino and Tyrone mines produced 125,400 long tons (127,400 t) of copper. Mine employment was 1,250, with wages and salaries totaling $ 73 million. However,

2639-425: The 2008 Compañero Award. The town had originally been designed with the streets running north to south. It was also built without adequate planning for storm water runoff. Businesses sprang up, and people learned to deal with the inconveniences of the summer rain. Silver City was built with high sidewalks in the downtown area to accommodate high flood waters. However, uncontrolled grazing and deforestation over time in

2730-578: The Angels resumed and the name reverted to Sun Kings in 1973. In 1974, Jim Paul bought the team for $ 1000 and assumed the team's $ 52,000 in outstanding debt, and proceeded to revolutionize baseball, not only in El Paso but throughout the Minor Leagues and even influence the Majors. Paul's purchase of the team ushered in the golden age of El Paso baseball. The name of the team was changed to the Diablos,

2821-674: The Class D Sophomore League and renamed the team the El Paso Sun Kings . The Sun Kings had a terrific season, finishing in third, and, for the first time, turned a profit. In 1962, the Sun Kings joined the Class AA Texas League . The organization's rookie season was a huge success, as they won the Texas League championship. In 1963, the team hit 207 home runs, setting a new league record for most home runs in

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2912-679: The Cohen brothers Syd Cohen and Andy Cohen , who had returned to El Paso to work for the club. The Dudley Dome continued to have tenants however, hosting the El Paso Patriots Soccer Club, and the final tenant the El Paso Scorpions Rugby Club. Dudley Field was finally demolished on November 5, 2005 to make room for the new African wing of the El Paso Zoo . In 1990, Cohen Stadium opened to

3003-547: The Diablos drew 162,395 fans, more than every other Class AA team and 16 of the 24 Triple-A teams. Paul was named Sporting News ' Class Double A Executive of the Year in 1974 and 1975. in 1976 the Diablos came in third and attendance increased to 181,747, outdrawing all but 6 teams in the minor leagues, and were awarded the MacPhail Trophy, which is given to the outstanding organization in all minor league baseball. In 1977

3094-612: The Diablos finished in first place and drew 217,345 fans which outpaced all but 4 Triple-A teams and Paul was once again recognized as Sporting News ' Class Double A Executive of the Year for a third time. In 1978 the Diablos completed a 9-game winning streak to back-door the Texas League Western Division Championship and then swept the Jackson Mets in a best of 5 series to claim the Texas League banner. During that 12-game winning streak,

3185-546: The Double A affiliate for the Arizona Diamondbacks . Paul had sold the team to Diamond Sports in 1996, who in turn sold the team in 2004 to Brett Sports and Entertainment, a sports conglomerate headed by former major leaguer George Brett . This change instead signalled the beginning of the end of Minor League baseball in El Paso. The Diablos ceased many of the promotions that made the team successful earlier, and

3276-533: The Dudley Dome was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. Construction began in the growing Northeast area of El Paso on a new facility. With the stadium not completed in time for the start of the 1990 season the Diablos continued to play at Dudley Dome . On June 13, 1990 the Diablos said farewell to the Dudley Dome , their home of 65 years, and greeted their new ballpark, Cohen Stadium , named after

3367-548: The Jim Paul era, bringing back many fans that had become disenchanted with the team in recent years. The team's debut on May 6, 2005, set a league attendance record of 10,116. Though the team finished in last during the first half of the season, the Diablos came alive in the second half, finishing in third and just missing the playoffs. The team set an attendance record for the league, finishing with an attendance of 190,429. The team also had several other special moments throughout

3458-603: The PA system while the fans in the grandstand waved their tissues. One notable victim was Dennis Eckersley who acknowledged the crowd by tipping his hat, though others were not so considerate and the Texas League created a standard fine for those obscene gestures. Other promotions included 10¢ hotdog night, nickel beer night, and Martinez Appreciation Night where anyone with the last name Martinez received free admission. Paul's innovative marketing techniques showed outstanding results. In 1975 despite finishing 18 ½ games out of first place

3549-477: The Salado. Mimbres archaeological sites are located throughout Silver City and surrounding communities on federal, state, municipal, and private property. Collecting of Mimbres pottery by landowners and others is documented as far back as the late 1870s. Collecting was something that occurred during a Sunday picnic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some individuals maintained collections that can now be seen in

3640-539: The San Angelo Colts were signed, giving the Diablos possibly the most powerful offensive unit in the league, but the pitching staff that had been so mediocre the year before was unchanged. The team stumbled badly at the start of the season. The offense was dormant through much of the time, a factor that was worsened when offensive star Juan Camacho was bought by the Chicago White Sox on May 29. With

3731-568: The Silver City Blues Festival each May and Pickamania—a Bluegrass, Americana, Folk and acoustic festival—each September, in addition to a number of other arts events throughout the year. MRAC's Youth Mural Program has brought school children together with artists and community members to create over 40 public murals throughout the region. Grant County Community Concert Association presents numerous performance events each fall, winter, and spring. The first Southwest Festival of

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3822-609: The Silver City Fiber Arts Festival are also held in Silver City. Whiskey Creek Zócalo opened in 2023 featuring a live-music venue, artist workshops, and plant nursery. Run by two generations of native New Mexico residents with a strong appreciation for community and New Mexico culture. Public schools are in the Silver Consolidated School District, as well as one state-authorized charter high school. The District covers

3913-554: The Silver City area include Bill Evans Lake, Snow Lake, Wall Lake, Bear Canyon Dam. Anglers have a choice of brown and rainbow trout, catfish, and bass. In addition, several mountainous rivers can be found nearby. Some of note are the Gila River , Negrito Creek, San Francisco River , and Willow Creek. The Kneeling Nun is a natural rock formation located about 20 miles (32 km) to the east of Silver City along NM 152 . Several legends have developed explaining its origin. Nearby

4004-624: The Southwestern Champions of 1913. In 1915, the Mavericks joined the Rio Grande Association , a Class D minor league. Though the league folded after a year, the Mavericks continued to play in some form or another. In 1924, the longtime home for the team, Dudley Field (known, locally as the "Dudley Dome") named for El Paso Mayor R.M. "Dick" Dudley, was constructed in South El Paso. While technically not

4095-478: The Spanish word for " devils ". Paul held numerous innovative promotions and promoted a lively, fan-friendly atmosphere at the ballpark. Sparing any expense, save a coat of bright yellow paint with the word "BASEBALL" written in twelve foot tall red letters, Dudley Field was converted to "The Dudley Dome." While technically not a dome in any sense of the word, the field had a supernatural ability to avoid rain-outs and

4186-823: The Texas League and the Mexican League formed the Pan American Association . The two leagues played a limited interlocking schedule and post-season championship. By 1971, the Texas League and the Southern League had both decreased to seven teams. They played an interlocking schedule with the Southern League known as the Dixie Association . The two leagues played separate playoffs. The Texas League has operated its own schedule since 1972. The term "Texas Leaguer" to describe

4277-476: The Town of Silver City as well as Cliff , Pinos Altos, Tyrone, and White Signal. The system has five elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools. Private schools include: Airports Major highways The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is about 44 miles (71 km) north of Silver City, via the winding NM 15 . At the monument, the remains of Indigenous inhabitants within five caves in

4368-646: The Veterans Administration. The property was sold to the State of New Mexico in 1965, which used the facility as a State Hospital. With the construction of a newer hospital in 2010, the property was vacated. Fort Bayard then became home to a museum, maintained by the Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society. The museum personnel offer tours of both the building and the grounds on a regular schedule. Silver City

4459-585: The Written Word was held in 2013, at multiple venues in historic downtown Silver City. Over 50 presenters—fiction and nonfiction writers, poets, bloggers, journalists, lyricists, editors, dramatists, and publishers from throughout the Southwest—were represented. The Red Paint Pow Wow, Chicano Music Festival, Silver City Clay Festival, Red Dot Studio & Gallery Tours, Chocolate Fantasia, Gila River Festival, Red Hot Children's Fiesta, Tamal Fiesta y Mas and

4550-410: The age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.00. In the town, the population by age was: 25.0% under

4641-461: The age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 25,881, and the median income for a family was $ 31,374. Males had a median income of $ 28,476 versus $ 18,434 for females. The per capita income for

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4732-437: The arrival of the Spaniards , the area became known for its copper mining. After the American Civil War , a settlement developed and became known as "La Ciénega de San Vicente" (the Oasis of St. Vincent). With a wave of American prospectors , the pace of change increased, and Silver City was founded in the summer of 1870. The founding of the town occurred shortly after the discovery of silver ore deposits at Chloride Flat, on

4823-412: The beginnings of permanence, as he was killed in a confrontation with Apache less than a year later, on February 23, 1871. The town's violent crime rate was substantial during the 1870s. However, Grant County Sheriff Harvey Whitehill was elected in 1874, and gained a sizable reputation for his abilities at controlling trouble. In 1875, Whitehill became the first lawman to arrest Billy the Kid , known at

4914-509: The body of the deputy sheriff he killed. Slater is advised to leave quickly for Tucson by the sheriff, who advises him, "We don't like gunfights here in Silver City." In the 2010 road trip movie Friendship! , the two friends Veit and Tom are stopped and arrested by Silver City police because of driving naked. Since their car was damaged, they need to rest and raise some money in Silver City for getting their car repaired before being able to continue their trip. The film A Boy Called Sailboat

5005-422: The games. After losing money for two seasons, Azar sold the team to Pat McLaughlin in 1956. The team won the Southwestern League pennant that season, but only 51,386 fans came to see the Texans play all season. Due to money problems, McLaughlin handed the team in 1957 to Tom McHugh, S.E. Adams and Jimmy Hamilton. At the end of the season, the Southwestern League dropped the El Paso Texans. Professional baseball

5096-415: The hill just west of the farm of Captain John M. Bullard and his brother James. Following the silver strike, Captain Bullard laid out the streets of Silver City, and a bustling tent city quickly sprang to life. Although the trajectory of Silver City's development was to be different from the hundreds of other mining boom towns established during the same period, Captain Bullard himself never lived to see even

5187-410: The hottest 105 °F (40.6 °C) on July 5, 1901. The coldest month was January 1949, with a monthly mean temperature of 28.7 °F or −1.8 °C, and the hottest, July 1951, which averaged 77.4 °F or 25.2 °C. The wettest calendar year in this time span was 1914, with 24.97 inches or 634.2 millimetres and the driest, 1947 with 6.77 inches or 172.0 millimetres. The most snow in one season

5278-411: The installation of a $ 70,000 electronic scoreboard at Dudley Field, previously the scoreboard had been hand operated. The Diablos won the Texas League Pennant in 1986. In 1988, the Diablos also had a young prospect named Gary Sheffield . However, as the decade continued, the old Dudley Dome was showing its age. It became apparent that the team would need a new facility, as the city was expanding and

5369-413: The lack of strong players (save for the brief time that Brad Penny spent in the organization) in the Arizona system rendered the team weak and unsuccessful. With the exception of making the playoffs in 2000, the team was largely dismal and the atmosphere around the park had largely changed from the lighthearted atmosphere that had existed during the Jim Paul era. One other factor that affected attendance

5460-399: The last pitcher to strike out Babe Ruth . Syd also pitched in the Mexican leagues and later managed the Juarez team. In 1930, the team, now known as the El Paso Texans, was admitted to the Arizona State League in 1930 to replace the defunct Mesa Jewels. The Arizona State League included teams from Phoenix, Tucson, and Douglas. El Paso was the only Texas team in the league and missed winning

5551-414: The league merged with the Sunset League to form the Southwest International League . This league only lasted for a year before reverting into the Arizona–Texas League. In 1950, owner Jack Corbett sold the team in August to Dick Saunders and Tom Love, two young El Paso building contractors. Saunders and Love hired John Phelan to be the general manager. The Texans finished in second only to their rivals,

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5642-422: The move of the team signalled a new beginning of the Diablos. In 2005, it was announced that the independent Central Baseball League had granted a franchise to Mark Schuster, who brought back the Diablos to begin play that same year. Former Los Angeles Dodgers first-baseman/right fielder Mike Marshall was selected to manage the team. The front office returned to the management style that had been in use during

5733-445: The new front entrances. To this day, the incorrect odd/even addressing conventions on the east side of Bullard Street are a reminder that the buildings were addressed on Main Street originally, not Bullard Street. Main Street now ends near the back of the Silver City Police Station, where the Big Ditch Park begins. The Mimbres Mogollon Indians (A.D. 200–A.D. 1140/50) once lived in the area, along with other prehistoric groups, including

5824-496: The pennant by only half a game, losing to the Bisbee Bees. The Texans remained in this league for decades. In 1931, the Arizona State League became the Arizona–Texas League , which ran from 1931–32 and revived in 1937–1941. In 1940, the League was made into a Class C league. The league halted play from 1942 to 1946 because of World War II, though the Texans did play in the Mexican National League for one year, in 1946. The Arizona–Texas League play resumed in 1947, until 1950, when

5915-406: The pipes needed repair, the miners walked on them. Visitors can explore the walkway and trail, picnic, and enjoy the river. It is located 70 miles (110 km) north of Silver City on U.S. Route 180 near Glenwood . There are several lakes in the area. Lake Roberts covers 72-acre (290,000 m ) about 27 miles (43 km) north of Silver City on NM 15 near the NM 35 junction. Other lakes in

6006-437: The public, becoming an immediate success for the team. That same year, it became the only minor league ballpark to grace the cover of National Geographic . In 1993 The Diablos became the first Double A team to ever draw 300,000 fans. The Diablos won the Texas League pennant again in 1994 and remained competitive for several years after. In 1999, the Diablos ended their relationship with Brewers , and soon agreed to become

6097-439: The railroad in 1903 after horse-drawn ore transport became uneconomical. The Silver City smelter burned shortly after purchase, but was rebuilt with three blast furnaces and a reverberatory furnace to handle 225 tons of ore per day. Regular SC, PA&M steam service was briefly running from 1907 to 1913. In 1893, New Mexico Normal School was established. It was later known as New Mexico Western State Teachers College. In 1963, it

6188-441: The receiving end of a no-hitter by Fort Worth Cats pitcher Joel Kirsten. The Diablos would ultimately finish last in the Southern Division. With new manager Butch Henry on board the Diablos were expected to be a much better team for the 2007 season, and they did finish the first half of the season in first place in the Southern Division with 28 wins and 23 losses and 4 games ahead of second place Shreveport and automatically getting

6279-434: The same time, the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) moved to San Antonio to continue on as the Missions at the Triple-A level. The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30. As part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues, the Texas League was temporarily renamed to "Double-A Central" for

6370-615: The southern foot of the Pinos Altos Range of the Mogollon Mountains . The town is 3 miles (5 km) east of the Continental Divide , in the valley of San Vicente Arroyo, a south-flowing tributary of the Mimbres River . U.S. Route 180 passes through the northern part of the town, leading east 10 miles (16 km) to Bayard and northwest 29 miles (47 km) to Cliff . New Mexico State Road 90 (Hudson Street) leads southwest 45 miles (72 km) to Lordsburg and Interstate 10 , and State Road 15 leads north 44 miles (71 km) to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument . According to

6461-445: The surrounding area contributed to higher levels of runoff. During the night of July 21, 1895, a heavy wall of water rushed through the downtown business district, leaving a trail of destruction. A ditch 55 feet (17 m) lower than the original street level was created in what was once known as Main Street. Businesses on Main Street began using their back doors on Bullard Street as main entrances and eventually, were permanently used as

6552-426: The team came in second to Albuquerque, which won the Texas League pennant that season. In the sixties several future major leaguers got their start in El Paso including José Cardenal and Randy Hundley . The most publicized of the young players was Dick Dietz who it was told got a $ 500,000 signing bonus. During the Sun Kings' tenure as an Angel Affiliate, one of their most famous prospects passed through their system:

6643-475: The team floundering, on June 16, 2006, Marshall was released and replaced in the coming days by former major league pitcher Butch Henry , a graduate of El Paso's Eastwood High School . Though Henry provided some improvement, the team was still terrible and continued to struggle. The Diablos would lose shortstop Albenis Machado on August 13 when he was sold to the Chicago Cubs and eight days later would be on

6734-508: The time under the alias of Henry Antrim. Whitehill arrested him twice, both times for theft in Silver City (Sheriff Whitehill testified to the Justice of the Peace that he believed Henry Antrim did not do the actual stealing the second time arrested, but assisted in the hiding of the property stolen by Sombrero Jack. Whitehill would later claim that the young man was a likeable kid, whose stealing

6825-464: The town was $ 13,813. About 17.7% of families and 21.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 29.2% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over. Silver City was founded as a mining town. George Hearst built a smelter after the Silver City, Deming and Pacific narrow gauge railway reached Silver City in 1883. The Santa Fe Railroad provided standard gauge rail service in 1886, and Commanche Mining and Smelting extended

6916-487: The unique ability to keep the temperature inside the stadium the same as that outside of the stadium. The home team dugout had the word "diablos" painted on top while the visitors dugout received a coat of paint that said "enemy." Upon entering the turnstiles fans were given a facial tissue to use for "Bye, Bye, Baby" when the visiting team changed pitchers the outgoing pitcher was serenaded by the Janis Joplin tune over

7007-695: The year. On Friday, July 8, 2005, former major leaguer and El Paso native Rocky Coppinger took the mound for a start. On July 27, the Florida Marlins purchased the contract of RHP Andy Torres from the Diablos. Following the end of the season, the Diablos announced that they would join with several fellow Central League members including the Coastal Bend Aviators , the Fort Worth Cats , the Pensacola Pelicans , and

7098-473: Was 1,040.1 inhabitants per square mile (401.6/km ). There were 4,757 housing units at an average density of 469.2 per square mile (181.2/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 71.7% White , 0.9% African American , 1.1% Native American , 0.5% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 22.4% from other races , and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.8% of the population. There were 4,227 households, out of which 30.0% had children under

7189-430: Was 48.0 inches or 1.22 metres between July 1912 and June 1913, which featured the coldest winter on record with 33.1 °F or 0.6 °C as the mean from December to February. Note: Climatic data will vary slightly depending upon the period of time chosen to calculate average figures. As of the census of 2000, there were 10,545 people, 4,227 households, and 2,730 families residing in the town. The population density

7280-616: Was a result more of necessity than criminal. His mother is buried in the town cemetery. In 1878, the town hired its first town marshal, "Dangerous Dan" Tucker , who had been working as a deputy for Whitehill since 1875. Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch were also reported to frequent the Silver City saloons in the late 1800s. Mrs. Lettie B. Morrill, in a talk given to the Daughters of the American Revolution chapter in Silver City on September 19, 1908, stated, "John Bullard

7371-508: Was announced that the team had been sold to the St. Louis Cardinals for an estimated $ 9.8 million. Public backlash resulted; Brett Sports and Entertainment attempted to search for a team to replace the departing Diablos, but in the end, the Diablos moved to Springfield, Missouri to become the Springfield Cardinals (for more information on the original team's history at this point, see the corresponding article). However,

7462-600: Was filmed in and near Silver City in 2016. In 1954 the film Salt of the Earth , one of the first pictures to advance the feminist social and political point of view, centers on a long and difficult strike, based on the 1951 strike against the Empire Zinc Company in Grant County. The movie featured many local non-actors, the movie was not filmed in Silver City but in a small town 17 miles east. Silver City

7553-477: Was going to be called up. During this era players collected dollar bills from the chicken wire fence between the stands and the field for outstanding play. The partnership with the Angels lasted until 1970. The city was without a team for one year until 1972 when the Los Angeles Dodgers brought in their AA affiliate and the team's name was changed to Sun Dodgers for the season. The partnership with

7644-712: Was in El Paso, Texas and played against the Can-Am League in July 2006. With the second season beginning in May 2006, the Diablos had an air of hope around them and were expected to contend in their new league. However, the team had vastly changed from the year before thanks to the purchase of closer Derrick DePriest by the Kansas City Royals on February 13, 2006. Also, upon Marshalls request, several members of

7735-575: Was no indication that the team would be staying. There was a brief spike in attendance on July 11, 2003 when Randy Johnson made a rehab start, but attendance remained low and the team began to hemorrhage money. In 2004, with the Diablos’ contract with the Diamondbacks soon to expire, ownership made no move to re-sign with the Diamondbacks. While there was speculation of the team possibly changing teams, Diablo fans' worst fears were realized when it

7826-547: Was not played in El Paso again until 1961 when a group of 40 people, known as the Sports Development Committee of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, took it upon themselves to revive it. John Phelan, the Texans former manager, was named vice president and general manager. Each of the 40 people put up to $ 500 to help finance the team. Phelan and the committee managed to get the organization into

7917-463: Was placed in the first grave dug in Silver City, having been killed while punishing the Indians for an attack upon the new town; the brothers were prospectors about the country for many years. The last one left for the old home about 1885, saying, 'It is only a matter of time until the Indians get me if I stay here.'" Silver City was also the starting point for many expeditions hunting treasures, such as

8008-591: Was renamed Western New Mexico University . Today, WNMU offers eight graduate degrees, 41 baccalaureate degrees, and 18 associate degree and certificate programs. The WNMU's mascot is referred to as the Mustangs . Recognition for the university includes the 2003 Zia Award, the 2005 Best Practice Award (for the School of Education), the 2006 Chamber of Commerce Large Business of the Year Award, the 2008 Piñon Award, and

8099-607: Was that it was notoriously hitter friendly. Due to its cozy dimensions (340-395-340), pitchers had to work hard to make sure their ERAs would at least be below five. In 1922, Syd and Andy Cohen played for the Mavericks and later played in the Major Leagues. Andy Cohen was a second baseman for the New York Giants , and Syd was a pitcher for several different teams in the American League , though he would be

8190-418: Was the constant rumors that the team would be moved, rumors that Brett Sports and Entertainment would refuse to admit or deny. With every stadium construction that seemed to take place around the country, the Diablos would always be linked as a possible tenant. Furthermore, Brett Sports and Entertainment demanded the city of El Paso make millions in renovations to Cohen Stadium , which the city refused when there

8281-409: Was the finish line in the 2001 movie Rat Race , in which several people race from Las Vegas to a locker containing $ 2 million in Silver City's train station. In reality, there is no longer a train station in Silver City and the movie was not filmed in Silver City. Silver City is mentioned in the 2007 film There Will Be Blood , whose screenplay was written by Paul Thomas Anderson and was based on

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