Mission Grapefruiters

The Mission Grapefruiters were a minor league baseball team based in Mission, Texas. The Grapefruiters played as members of the Class D level Gulf Coast League in 1926 and Texas Valley League from 1927 to 1928, winning the 1927 league pennant.

Mission Grapefruiters
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1926–1928)
LeagueGulf Coast League (1926)
Texas Valley League (1927–1928)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Conference titles (1)1927
Team data
NameMission Grapefruiters (1926–1928)
BallparkUnknown (1926–1928)

History

The "Mission Grapefruiters" were formed in 1926, during the season. On July 16, 1926, the Kingsville Jerseys of the Class D level Gulf Coast League, relocated to Mission, Texas. Kingsville had a 14–26 record at the time of the move. The Kingsville/Mission team ended the season with an overall record of 46–52, after compiling a record of 32–26 while based in Mission. The team placed third in the four–team league under managers Tom Deering, Fred Paschal and Ed Marburger, finishing 12.0 games behind the first place Laredo Oilers in the final standings.[1][2][3]

The "Grapefruiters" moniker corresponded to local industry, as Mission, Texas has long been home to agriculture and citrus juice production.[4][5][6][7]

The Mission Grapefruiters continued play in a newly named league in 1927. The Texas Valley League formed as a four–team Class D level league, evolving from the 1926 Gulf Coast League, with the Corpus Christi Seahawks, Edinburg Bobcats, Laredo Oilers and Mission Grapefruits continuing play, as all four teams had finished the previous season as the only members of the 1926 Gulf Coast League.[1] The Texas Valley League began play on April 5, 1927, with Mission playing at Laredo. The Mission Grapefruiters had the best overall regular season record, but the team missed the playoffs due to a split–season schedule in the league. With a record of 62–55, Mission placed first in the overall standings, playing the season under manager Ed Marburger. However, Mission missed the playoffs as the Corpus Christi Seahawks won the first–half standings and Laredo won the second–half standings. In the Final, Corpus Christi Swept Laredo in three games.[1][8][9][10][11][12][13]

The Mission Grapefruiters played their final season in 1928. The Texas Valley League continued play as a four–team league as Mission and the Corpus Christi Seahawks were joined by teams from Brownsville, Texas and McAllen, Texas in the Class D level league. The 1928 season standings are unknown. The Texas Valley League permanently folded after the 1928 season.[14][15][16]

The Texas Valley League never returned to minor league play. Mission, Texas has not hosted another minor league team.[17]

The ballpark

The name of the Mission Grapefruiters' minor league home ballpark is not known.[18]

(1920's) Main Street. Mission, Texas

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
19261Mission GrapefruitersClass DGulf Coast League
1927–19282Texas Valley League

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
192646–523rdTom Deering /
Fred Paschal / Ed Marburger		Kingsville (14–26) moved to Mission July 16
192762–551stEd MarburgerDid not qualify for playoff
192800–00NANALeague records unknown

Notable alumni

See also

Mission Grapefruiters players

References
  1. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  2. "1926 Kingsville Jerseys/McAllen Palms/Mission Grapefruiters minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  3. "1926 Kingsville Jerseys/Mission Grapefruiters Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. "About Us | Rio Grande". www.riograndejuice.com.
  5. "THE TEXAS CITRUS INDUSTRY". THE TEXAS CITRUS INDUSTRY.
  6. "Market profile". June 9, 2016.
  7. "History of Mission | City of Mission".
  8. "1927 Texas Valley League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. "1927 Texas Valley League (TVL) minor league baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. "1926 Gulf Coast League (GCL) minor league baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "1927 Mission Grapefruiters minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. "1927 Mission Grapefruits Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. "Brownsville Herald Newspaper Archives, Apr 4, 1927, p. 3". NewspaperArchive.com. April 4, 1927.
  14. "1928 Texas Valley League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. "Register Team Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  16. "1928 Mission Grapefruits Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  17. "Mission, Texas Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. "Unknown in Mission, TX minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
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