Temple Eagles

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

In 1949, minor league baseball returned, as Temple "Eagles" franchise was formed and joined the Class B level Big State League. The Eagled joined 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]

In their first season of play in the eight–team Big State League, the 1949 Temple Eagles finished the season in last place. Temple ended the regular season with a 58–89 record, placing eighth.[8][13][14] Amputee and former All–Star major league pitcher Monty Stratton pitched briefly for Temple in 1949.[15] 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.[16] 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][17]

Continuing play in the 1950 Big State League, the Temple Eagles finished the season with a 74–70 record to place fourth, drawing 105,081 fans in attendance.[8][18] In 1951, the Eagles had a record of 88–60 to place second, finishing 1.0 games behind the 1st place Gainesville Owls. Temple had home season attendance of 112,022 in 1951.[8][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][8] Temple followed with a 72–73 record in 1953 to place 5th in 1953.[22][23][8] Temple's 1954 season resulted in a last place finish, as the Eagles ended the season in eighth place with a record of 44–102 and finished 60.5 games behind the 1st place Waco Pirates, playing the season under managers Fred Campbell, Bob Moyer and Fred Martin.[8][24][25][26]

The Temple Eagles franchise folded after the 1954 season in which they had season attendance of 31,673.[8][27] The Big State League continued play in 1955 with the Port Arthur Seahawks franchise replacing Temple in league play.[25] Temple has not hosted another minor league team.[28]

Early Temple teams played home games at Woodson Field.[29] 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.[30]

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

[8]

The following Temple alumni advanced to the major leagues in their careers:

• Baseball Reference