Sunset League

For the athletic conference in California, see Sunset League (California).

Sunset League
ClassificationClass C (1947–1950)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1947
Ceased1950
Replaced bySouthwest International League
PresidentW.R. Bill Schroeder (1947)
Les Powers (1948–1950)
No. of teams13
CountryMexico
United States of America
Most titles1
Anaheim Valencias (1947)
Reno Silver Sox (1948)
Las Vegas Wranglers (1949)
El Centro Imperials (1950)
Related
competitions		Arizona–Texas League

The Sunset League was a minor league baseball circuit that operated from 1947 through 1950.

The Sunset League was a Class C level league, with franchises based in the United States and Mexico. The league expanded from six to eight teams from 1949 to 1950. There was a previous league called the "Sunset League" that briefly played in Texas in the 1902 season.

For the 1951 season, the circuit merged with the Arizona–Texas League to form the Southwest International League.

History

In 1902, a "Sunset League" included Beaumont (8–4), Lake Charles (7–6), Crowley (6–6) and Houston (3–8). Records are from the May 27, 1902, Houston Daily Post and are not official.[citation needed][1]

The Sunset League was one of many short–lived minor leagues of the late 1940s and early 1950s. The Class C level circuit ran from 1947 through 1950. Las Vegas, El Centro and Riverside were members every year. It was an extremely high offensive league; in 1947, Las Vegas averaged 9 runs a game and finished 73–67.[2] The league merged with the Arizona-Texas League in 1951 to form the Southwest International League.[3]

Cities represented

Standings and statistics

1947 to 1948

1947 Sunset League

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Riverside Dons 80 60 .571 – 45,477 Norman DeWeese / Jack Rothrock
Anaheim Valencias 79 61 .564 1.0 16,452 Jack Rothrock / Jerry Gardner
Las Vegas Wranglers 73 67 .521 7.0 44,574 Newt Kimball
Reno Silver Sox 69 69 .500 10.0 22,866 Thomas Lloyd
Ontario Orioles 64 75 .460 15.5 23,932 Hal Spindel
El Centro Imperials 53 86 .381 26.5 45,429 Bob Boken / Ray Viers

Playoffs: Riverside 3 games, Las Vegas 0; Anaheim 3 games, Ontario 0.
Finals: Anaheim 4 games, Riverside 1.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Paul Zaby Las Vegas BA .401 Clarence Jaime Ontario W 22
Calvin Felix Las Vegas Runs 173 Don Robertson Reno SO 242
Calvin Felix Las Vegas Hits 236 Robert Masters Riverside ERA 3.55
Calvin Felix Las Vegas RBI 182 Don Tisnerat Anaheim PCT .765 13–4
Calvin Felix Las Vegas HR 52
Calvin Felix Las Vegas TB 443

1948 Sunset League
schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Mexicali Aguilas 81 59 .579 – 68,567 Dominic Castro / Dick Wilson
Las Vegas Wranglers 78 62 .557 3.0 41,748 Ken Meyers
Reno Silver Sox 77 63 .550 4.0 34,325 Thomas Lloyd
Riverside Rubes 74 66 .529 7.0 52,199 George Caster / Henry Bartolomei
El Centro Imperials 67 73 .479 14.0 42,221 Ray Viers
Anaheim Valencias /
San Bernardino Valencias		 43 97 .307 38.0 21,760 Jerry Gardner / Claude "Bob" Williams

Anaheim (13–42) moved to San Bernardino June 25.
Playoffs: Reno 3 games, Mexicali 0; Las Vegas 3 games, Riverside 1.
Finals: Reno 3 games, Las Vegas 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bobby Balcena Mexicali BA .369 Al Corwin Reno W 26
Don Barclay Reno Runs 171 Robert Schulte Riverside SO 276
Don Jameson Riverside Hits 202 Manuel Echeverria Mexicali ERA 2.83
Dick Wilson Mexicali RBI 188 Manuel Echeverria Mexicali PCT .875 14–2
Dick Wilson Mexicali HR 42

1949 to 1950

1949 Sunset League
schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Las Vegas Wranglers 88 38 .698 – 61,050 Ken Meyers
Mexicali Aguilas 79 47 .627 9.0 59,810 Ed Wheeler
San Bernardino Pioneers 62 64 .492 26.0 35,871 Jack Rothrock
Porterville Packers 61 65 .484 27.0 66,280 Thomas Lloyd
El Centro Imperials 59 66 .472 28.5 34,957 Ray Viers / Frank Stinson
Salinas Colts/
Tijuana Potros		 58 68 .460 30.0 39,701 Bruce Ogrodowski
Reno Silver Sox 49 75 .395 38.0 37,780 Lilio Marcucci
Riverside Dons 46 79 .368 41.5 32,450 Don Jameson

Salinas moved to Tijuana August 5.
Playoffs: None Scheduled.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Frosty Kennedy Riverside BA .411 Eugene Roenspie San Bernardino W 20
Pete Hughes Las Vegas Runs 156 Warren Kanagy Riverside/San Bern SO 210
Frosty Kennedy Riverside Hits 194 Erwin Coutts Mexicali ERA 2.69
Bobby Balcena Mexicali RBI 132 Bob Shore Las Vegas PCT .850 17–3
Pete Hughes Las Vegas HR 24
Pete Hughes Las Vegas BB 210

1950 Sunset League
schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Mexicali Eagles 98 47 .676 – 80,871 Dolf Luque
El Centro Imperials 85 58 .595 12.0 46,380 Ken Meyers
Las Vegas Wranglers 76 69 .524 22.0 39,415 Ed Wheeler
Riverside Rubes 73 72 .503 23.0 49,270 Ray Viers
Tijuana Potros 70 77 .476 29.0 39,250 Zenon Ochoa /
Eugene Fernandez / Butch Moran
San Bernardino Pioneers 65 80 .448 33.0 28,250 Frank Demaree / Gerald Waitman
Yuma Panthers 62 83 .428 36.0 50,101 Butch Moran / Frank Gabler
Porterville Packers 52 95 .354 47.0 50,213 Thomas Lloyd /
Bill Harris / Joe Gonzales

Playoffs: Mexicali 2 games, Las Vegas 1; El Centro 2 games, Riverside 1.
Finals: El Centro 2 games, Mexicali 1.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Pete Hughes El Centro BA .393 Manuel Echeverria Mexicali W 28
Manuel Serrano Mexicali Runs 153 Manuel Echeverria Mexicali SO 333
Blas Guzman Mexicali Hits 216 Manuel Echeverria Mexicali ERA 2.74
Blas Guzman Mexicali RBI 138 Manuel Echeverria Mexicali IP 328
Ron D. Johnson Las Vegas HR 26 Nate Moreland El Centro/Mexicali PCT .813 13–3

[4]

Championship teams

 * Playoffs were not played

References

  • Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles (1993). Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-96-371898-3
  1. ^ "The Houston Daily Post (Houston, Tex.), Vol. XVIIITH YEAR, No. 53, Ed. 1, Tuesday, May 27, 1902". The Portal to Texas History. May 27, 1902.
  2. ^ "1947 Sunset League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ^ "1951 Southwest International League (SIL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. ^ Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.