Ardmore, Oklahoma minor league baseball history

Minor league baseball teams were based in Ardmore, Oklahoma, playing in various seasons between 1904 and 1961.

Ardmore teams played as a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians from 1947 to 1948, St. Louis Cardinals from 1953 to 1957 and Baltimore Orioles in 1961.

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Carl Hubbell played for the 1924 Ardmore Bearcats at age 21.

[9][10] The Producers were 49–60, setting in fourth place, when the Texas-Oklahoma League season ended on August 6, 1922, due to a railroad strike.

[13] The team finished 82–60 and defeating the Okmulgee Drillers 4–0 in the league finals to capture the 1923 Western Association Championship.

The 1925 Ardmore Boomers finished 86–64 and defeated the Muskogee Athletics 4–1 in the league finals to capture the 1925 Western Association Championship.

The Ardmore Indians (1947–1952) began play in the newly formed Sooner State League in 1947, with fellow founding members Ada Herefords, Duncan Cementers, Lawton Giants, McAlester Rockets and Seminole Oilers.

In their first season, the Indians made the 1947 league finals, but were defeated by the McAlester rockets 4 games to 1.

The Victoria Rosebuds moved to Ardmore on May 27, 1961, and finished the remainder of 1961 Class AA level Texas League season.

[39] From 1911 to 1914, Ardmore teams played minor league home games primarily at Washington Street Park.

[41][42] Sunday games during 1911 and 1912 were played at Lorena Park, which was not subject to Ardmore blue laws because it was outside the city limits.

[43] Lorena Park was located along what is now Mount Washington Road, southeast of the present-day Dornick Hills Golf Club.

Putnam, the Oklahoma City-based real estate developer who served as general manager of the Street Railway Company that donated the land and other materials for the park.

This ballpark was located at 1441 North Washington Street, where Will Rogers Elementary School was subsequently built.

[55][56][57][58] Ardmore minor league baseball is the subject of two books by author Peter G. Pierce: [59]