Temple Eagles

Minor league baseball began when in Temple, Texas with the 1905 Temple Boll Weevils, who joined as members of the Class C level Texas League.[1][2] Several other minor league teams later played in Temple including the Temple Tigers and Temple Governors, who were members of the Class D level Middle Texas League in 1914 and 1915, the Temple Governors who played in the Central Texas League in 1916 and 1917 and the Temple Surgeons who played in the Texas Association between 1924 and 1926.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

The 1949 Temple Eagles joined the Class B level Big State League, playing with the Austin Pioneers, Gainesville Owls, Greenville Majors, Sherman–Denison Twins, Texarkana Bears, Waco Pirates and Wichita Falls Spudders as fellow league members.[11][12]

Playing in the eight–team Big State League, the 1949 Temple Eagles finished with a 58–89 record, placing 8th.[13] Amputee and former All–Star major league pitcher Monty Stratton pitched briefly for Temple in 1949.[14] Stratton pitched for Temple in the same year that the motion picture The Stratton Story was released nationwide in theaters, starring Jimmy Stewart as Stratton.[15] With a prosthetic leg, Stratton pitched 4 innings in one game for Temple in 1949, taking the loss in the game after giving up 4 unearned runs.[13][16][17][18]

Continuing play in the 1950 Big State League, the Temple Eagles finished the season with a 74–70 record to place 4th, drawing 105,081 home season attendance. In 1951, the Eagles had a record of 88–60 to place 2nd, finishing 1.0 games behind the 1st place Gainesville Owls. Temple had home season attendance of 112,022 in 1951.[13][17][19][20]

The 1952 Temple Eagles finished with a 85–62 record and won the Big State League pennant, finishing 1.0 game ahead of the Tyler East Texans and drawing 101,906 fans for the season. In the playoffs, Temple was defeated 4 games to 1 by the Austin Pioneers.[21] Temple followed with a 72–73 record in 1953 to place 5th in 1953.[22][23] Temple's 1954 season resulted in a last place finish, as the Eagles finished 44–102 and finished 60.5 games behind the 1st place Waco Pirates, playing under three managers.[24][25][26] The Temple Eagles franchise folded after the 1954 season in which they had season attendance of 31,673.[27][28]

Early Temple teams reportedly played home games at Woodson Field. The site is still in use as a football and soccer facility for Temple High School. Woodson Field is located at 670 West Elm, Temple, Texas 76501.[29][30]

The Temple Eagles played their minor league home games at American Legion Park in Temple, Texas.[31]

Temple Eagles players

Temple, TX - BR Bullpen Baseball Reference