Bartlett Bearcats

The Bartlett Bearcats were a minor league baseball team based in Bartlett, Texas. In 1914 and 1915., the Bearcats played exclusively as members of the Class D level Middle Texas League. The Bartlett Bearcats hosted home minor league games at the Bartlett Baseball Park.

Bartlett Bearcats
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1914–1915)
LeagueMiddle Texas League (1914–1915)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Team data
NameBartlett Bearcats (1914–1915)
BallparkBartlett Baseball Park (1914–1915)

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ross Youngs played for the 1915 Bartlett Bearcats at age 18.

History

The Bartlett Bearcats became charter members of the Class D level Middle Texas League in 1914. The Middle Texas League began play as a six–team league 1914 season. The franchises from Belton, Texas (Belton Braves), Brenham, Texas (Brenham Brewers), Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown Collegians), Lampasas, Texas (Lampasas Resorters) and Temple, Texas (Temple Tigers) joined Bartlett in league play.[1][2][3][4]

The Bartlett Bearcats began play in the Middle Texas League on May 8, 1914, and finished last in the league standings. The Middle Texas League played a spit–season schedule with champions during each half. The Bartlett Bearcats did not win either half–season and placed sixth in the overall standings. Bartlett finished 32.0 games behind first place Temple, with an overall record of 22–59, playing under manager Robert Roundtree. The final overall standings featured the first place Temple Tigers (54–27), followed by the Georgetown Collegians (50–30), Brenham Brewers (50–34), Belton Braves (37–47), Lampasas Resorters (35–51) and Bartlett Bearcats (22–59).[5][6][7][8][9][10]

The 1915 Middle Texas League folded in the middle of the 1915 season after having reduced to a four–team league after the season began. The Middle Texas League permanently folded on June 19, 1915, with the Bartlett Bearcats in 3rd place under manager Ike Pendleton with a 29–26 overall record. The final league standings were led by the first place the Belton Braves (40–19) finishing 8.0 games ahead of the second place Temple Governors (32–27), followed by Bartlett (29–26) and the Austin Representatives/Taylor Producers/Brenham Kaisers (21–36). The Schulenburg Giants and Brenham Brewers franchised had both folded on June 7, 1915.[11][12][13][14][10][15]

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ross Youngs played for the 1915 Bartlett Bearcats. At age 18, Youngs hit .264 in 239 at bats for the Bearcats.[16]

The Middle Texas League never returned to minor league play. Bartlett, Texas has not hosted another minor league team after the folding of the Middle Texas League.[17]

The ballpark

The Bartlett Bearcats were noted to have played their home games at the Bartlett Base Ball Park. The site was cited to have possibly been located on Powell Boulevard between Lilian Street and Robinson Street, Bartlett, Texas.[18]

(2013) Bartlett Commercial Historic District. Bartlett, Texas

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeagueBallpark
1914–19152Bartlett BearcatsClass DMiddle Texas LeagueBartlett Baseball Park

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
191422–596thRobert RoundtreeNone held
191529–263rdIke PendletonLeague folded June 19

Notable alumni

See also

Bartlett (minor league baseball) players

References
  1. "Middle Texas League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "1914 Temple Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. "TSHA | Texas League". www.tshaonline.org.
  4. Reichard, Kevin (November 5, 2008). "Middle Texas League".
  5. "1914 Middle Texas League (MTL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. "1914 Middle Texas League (MTL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. "1914 Middle Texas League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. "1914 Bartlett Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. "1914 Bartlett Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  11. "From Unknowns to Senators: A Central-Texas baseball timeline". MiLB.com.
  12. "1915 Middle Texas League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. "1915 Bartlett Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  14. "1915 Bartlett Bearcats Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  15. Presswood, Mark (November 21, 2012). "Professional Baseball Had an Early Start in Small Towns".
  16. "Ross Youngs Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  17. "Bartlett, Texas Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. "Bartlett Base Ball Park in Bartlett, TX history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
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