Roswell, New Mexico, minor league baseball history

Minor league baseball teams were based in Roswell, New Mexico, in various seasons between 1923 and 1959, before resuming play in 2011.

Joe Bauman hit a minor league record 72 home runs playing for the 1954 Roswell Rockets.

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Willie Stargell played for the 1959 Roswell Pirates.

The Roswell Giants joined the Amarillo Gassers, Clovis Cubs and Lubbock Hubbers as franchises in the new league.

On August 15, 1923, Roswell had a record of 41–63 and were in fourth place when the Panhandle-Pecos Valley League permanently folded.

[1][2] In 1937, the Roswell Sunshiners were charter members of the six–team Class D West Texas-New Mexico League.

Roswell joined the Hobbs Drillers, Midland Cardinals, Monahans Trojans, Odessa Oilers and Wink Spudders in the West Texas-New Mexico League.

[1] [3] The Roswell Sunshiners finished with a record of 55–62, placing second in the 1937 West Texas-New Mexico League, as the Odessa and Midland franchises withdrew during the season.

[1] The 1949 Roswell Rockets joined the eight–team Longhorn League, playing with fellow members Ballinger Cats, Big Spring Broncs, Midland Indians, Odessa Oilers, San Angelo Colts, Sweetwater Swatters, and Vernon Dusters.

Bauman owned and operated a filling station in Roswell in 1954 and resided there the rest of his life.

As was common in the Longhorn League, fans would push money through the backstop fence to players after home runs.

Baseball Hall of Fame member Willie Stargell played for the Roswell Pirates in 1959 and hit .274 with 7 home runs and 87 RBI.

[24] Beginning in 1949, the Roswell minor league teams were reported to have played home games at Fair Park Stadium.