La Junta Railroaders

The La Junta Railroaders were a minor league baseball team based in La Junta, Colorado. The Railroaders played in the 1912 season as members of the Class D level Rocky Mountain League. La Junta hosted home games at City Park.

La Junta Railroaders
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass D (1912)
LeagueRocky Mountain League (1912)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Team data
NameLa Junta Railroaders (1912)
BallparkCity Park (1912)

History

In 1912, minor league baseball began in La Junta, Colorado. The La Junta Railroaders became charter members of the four–team Class D level Rocky Mountain League. The league started the season with the Cañon City Swastikas, Colorado Springs Millionaires and Pueblo Indians teams joining the La Junta Railroaders in Rocky Mountain League play.[1][2][3][4]

The "Railroaders" moniker corresponds to local industry, with the city of La Junta located along the railroad line and the founding of the city being tied to the railroad access. Both freight and passenger trains accessed La Junta, which had a large rail yard, as well as a passenger depot built in 1895 called the El Otero. Today, the rail yard is still utilized by BNSF and the La Junta station serves Amtrak passengers.[5][6]

Before the 1912 season was scheduled to conclude, the Rocky Mountain League permanently folded on July 5, 1912. The La Junta Railroaders were in fourth place with a 11–22 record when the league disbanded. The Railroaders finished 13.0 games behind the first place Pueblo/Cheyenne Indians team in the final standings. The La Junta Railroaders were managed by J.F. Waller, Bill Annis and Tubby Graves. At the time he managed La Junta, Tubby Graves was serving as the head football, basketball and baseball coach at Alabama. La Junta was the only Rocky Mountain League franchise that did not relocate during the season.[1][7]

After 1912, La Junta has not hosted another minor league team.[8]

The ballpark

The 1912 La Junta Railroaders played minor league home games at City Park. City Park was established in 1905 and is still in use today. The park is located at 10th Street and Colorado Avenue, La Junta, Colorado.[9][10]

(2012) Lake in La Junta City Park. Located between Park and Colorado Avenues and between 10th and 14th Streets. La Junta, Colorado

Timeline
Year(s)# Yrs.TeamLevelLeague
19121La Junta RailroadersClass DRocky Mountain League

Year–by–year records
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs/Notes
191211–224thJ.F. Waller /
Bill Annis /Tubby Graves		League folded July 5

Notable alumni

References
  1. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  2. "1912 Rocky Mountain League (RML) minor league baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  3. "Rocky Mountain League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. "1912 La Junta Railroaders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. Ryder, Demian. "'Celebrating Our Heritage' series begins with railroads". LA Junta Tribune - La Junta, CO.
  6. "ATSF La Junta, CO Depot". atsf.railfan.net.
  7. "Buck Bailey returns favor". Spokesman-Review. April 29, 1964. p. 14.
  8. "La Junta, Colorado Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. "City Park in La Junta, CO minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. "La Junta City Park". Visit La Junta.
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