We Are Back in a League
In 1930, the team, El Paso Texans now, was admitted to the Arizona State League in 1930 to replace the out of sync 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 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 the league merged with the Sunset League to form the Southwestern International League. This league only lasted for a year before reverting back 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, the Juarez Indios, at the end of the season.
In 1951, the New York Yankees(who had a young rookie named Mickey Mantle) came to El Paso to play an exhibition game against the Texans, winning 16 to 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 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.......
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 the league merged with the Sunset League to form the Southwestern International League. This league only lasted for a year before reverting back 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, the Juarez Indios, at the end of the season.
In 1951, the New York Yankees(who had a young rookie named Mickey Mantle) came to El Paso to play an exhibition game against the Texans, winning 16 to 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 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.......