With roots stretching back to the Civil War, the Southern and Western pride emboldened the players to set unbelievable sports records when they played against their rival northeastern baseball clubs. He survived a single winter in Pennsylvania as a breaking news reporter. The Cats featured Sparky Anderson and Danny Ozark who would go into the Hall of Fame as managers. He came to Texas from the plains of Kansas, where he covered basically everything, including government, business, crime and courts in Topeka. Identifier: 20033783 Title: Fort Worth Cats Description: Eddie "Duke" Snider, Lou Ruchser, and Charles Samaklis grin happily at Union Station as the Fort Worth Cats returned home from four-straight wins over the Tulsa Oilers. The '39 team had an almost entirely new core, with Clyde McDowell and Lee Stebbins the only players logging 100 games for Fort Worth both seasons. It was the last of their nine lives. margin: 1rem 0 0 0; As the story goes, a 19th century Dallasite made the joke that Fort Worth was such a sleepy town that he had seen a panther snoozing in front of the courthouse. Yet neither time nor success has changed what he learned with the Cats: If he dominates, he will get the deal he wants. Instead of a summer in the minors, he faced hitters in Missouri to stay sharp. Fort Worth, TX 76119 Telephone: 817-392-1234. In May 2019, an agreement was reached between the Save LaGrave Foundation and the Tarrant Regional Water District to revive LaGrave Field. Former Cats' owner Carl Bell commissioned a new Lagrave Field to be built directly on top of the original stadium's location. Still, much fanfare surrounded LaGrave Field as wide-eyed locals watched major league legends such as Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, and Lou Gehrig play against the Panthers when their teams would travel through on their way to their home fields from spring training. Enjoy the best prices, exclusive event invitations and much more! The Fort Worth Cats are ready for their season opener on the road against the Shreveport Sports. He struck out 25 batters and walked four in 16 innings, allowing only one earned run. [5], The 2009 regular season record was 53-43 with a 0.552 winning percentage. The club won league championships in 1895 and 1905. Gulledge was hitting .341 with 14 HR, 71 RBI, 125 hits, and 73 runs. He also managed the Texas Rangers in 1977-78. The first African American player to play for the team was Maury Wills in 1955. Spay/neuter for qualified low-income and senior-citizen pet owners. North Animal Campus. Gulledge, the Cats catcher that season, can still see the fastball coming at his mitt, literally humming, before it caught him in the wrong spot. He pumped his legs. Team owner John Bryant had stated the Cats intended to play the 2015 season, but acknowledged they might have to relocate to a different city in North Texas. the latest effort to breathe new life into LaGrave Field, What will it take to make the Fort Worth Cats a home run? When peace and the Texas League returned in 1946, the Cats made a return, too -- to the Championship Series. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Two former Cats Drafted in 2019 MLB Draft. Your team store allows you to customize clothing for every type of Fort Worth Cats Baseball fan. The new Cats played at Fort Worths Lon Goldstein Field while they awaited the construction of the current LaGrave Field. Scherzer never blinked. In 1955, Maury Wills was the first African-American player to play for the team. At the time, players had until the following May 31 to sign their first contract, re-enroll in school or reenter the draft. Felines have been vaccinated for Panleukopenia, Calicivirus and Rhinotracheitis. background-color: rgb(255 255 255 / 15%); What else has lasted from Scherzers month with the Fort Worth Cats in 2007? Greatness was still to come out of the Fort Worth team. Telephone: 817-392-1234. A spokesperson for the district said it would not comment beyond a statement released last month. In January 2015, the Cats' league, United League Baseball (ULB) announced it had ceased operations after seven seasons. Though the latest plan to save the field north of downtown has ended, Jim Lane, a water district board member and former Fort Worth councilman who has championed LaGrave, remains adamant baseball will return to the North Side. Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery/img/20043059. Under the management of Wayne Terwilliger (2005) and Stan Hough (2006-2007 . Thats when it agreed to swap 15.3 acres appraised at $8.39 million along the West Fork of the Trinity River for 8.1 acres that includes LaGrave Field and a small adjacent tract that is appraised at $7 million. LaGrave, a former Texas Leaguer, worked his way up in the Panthers front office to become business manager during the teams heyday. Total season attendance was 185,380 for 47 games, which was an average of 3,944 per game. At first, the new lair did not bring the Panthers much success; the team could not bring back a championship for nearly five seasons. Bobby Bragan (catching) was an instrumental part of the Cats for five seasons. Hours of Operation: Monday-Saturday: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. LaGrave Field was torn down in 1967. The battery is left to right, Ed Greer and Player Manager Bob Linton. height: 2.5em; Much to Fort Worths relief, the losing-spell was broken, and the club won both the Texas League and the Dixie Series as soon as they entered the next decade. Water district staff should be assessing whether or not any preservation work is needed, he said. I feel so bad, Moss remembered Scherzer starting, only stoking his fears. (Bob Haynes) The problem was that Kelley Gulledge hadn't ridden his BMX . He arrived toward the end of a year-long staring contest with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who had drafted him out of Missouri the previous spring 11th overall and offered about half the money he sought. Brownsville and Rio Grande teams shared Harlingen Field, the Fort Worth Cats played out of LaGrave Field, and the San Angelo Colts played at Foster Field. The Cats won another title in 1937 and captured a second Texas League crown in 1939, but these wins did not restart their golden days of the 1920s. Looking for a quality coaching experience and opportunity to advance good ballplayers to the next level? Former Ft. Worth Cat Max Muncy Makes MLB Home Run Derby!. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. By April, when the major league season began, Scherzer had less than two months to sign or go back in the draft. The only exception was when they were down 2-0 to the El Paso Diablos in the 2007 Division Series before winning 3 straight at LaGrave Field. Ft. Worth Cats (White) 17U. Continue with Recommended Cookies. (1945). The Fort Worth Black Panthers of the 1920s, Negro Texas League, Fort Worth Historical proudly cites photo credentials of all photos that are not owned and their image source when possible.To learn more, we welcome you to reach out to us at info@fwhistorical.com. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. In November 2010, the Cats again hired Stan Hough as their new team manager. First baseman Trent Lockwood, and catcher Kelley Gulledge were named to the American Association Postseason All-Star Team. From 1919 to 1925, the Panthers won the regular season title for seven straight years a record that has yet to be equaled to this day. In 1942, Hornsby returned to Fort Worth to officially take the reins of the Cats. Despite always being against the odds the Cats will always be legends of minor league baseball and now more than ever, a beacon of hope to the many in Fort Worth who deeply anticipate their return. This led the team to officially take to the field as the Fort Worth Cats in a triumphant return to the top of minor league baseball in 1932. They are located in the 76110 zip code and historically they participate in travel tournaments that are mostly local with some limited travel. LaGrave Field was torn down in 1967. The Cats were unremarkable during 1950s as the Dallas Eagles, Shreveport Sports and Houston Buffaloes battled for Texas League dominance. We provide a quick and easy way to purchase Fort Worth Cats tickets. In 2008, he was called up to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The stadium site they selected would be a few blocks east of the original field with a calming view of the Trinity River. After helping the club to a title in his first year in the Texas League, Bragan and the Cats reached the Finals again the following season, and he amassed 404 hits for them from 1948-52.Bragan's final year with the club was the second for Hunter, and the 24-year-old shortstop made it count. In 1919 they failed to win the playoff for the season, but won the pennant and represented the Texas League in the Dixie Series for the next six years. } The total season attendance was 177,894 for 46 games, which was an average of 3,867 per game. 351 Hillshire Dr. Fort Worth, TX 76052. Since the 2014 season, the once lively stadium has been abandoned. April 15, 2023 - 178 Games Today. The entire Fort Worth Cats event schedule is available at the TicketSupply website. In true Fort Worthian fashion, the city embraced the nickname Panther City hence The Panthers team moniker. Effective November 1, 2021,all patrons ages 12 and older will be required to show either proof of a negative COVID-19 test result or voluntarily provide proof of vaccination, and photo identification. Felines have been vaccinated for Panleukopenia . This Fort Worth team featured a 19-year-old outfielder named Duke Snider, who managed 19 extra-base knocks in 68 games in his first stint on the diamond after serving on a submarine in the U.S. Navy.They won another title in '48, getting 15 wins and a 2.59 ERA out of future Boys of Summer legend Carl Erskine. We knew he could pitch and had some bite on the mound, said Moss, the Cats player personnel director. In 2006, Moss was with the Cats, serving as their player personnel director, when Luke Hochevar, another Boras client, joined during his post-draft negotiations with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Some of the names you know. Get email updates from the City of Fort Worth on the topics you want. They didnt care about me.. You can help us make an even greater impact by donating items to your local shelter or rescue through their Wish List or opening up your heart and home by adopting. As voting laws change, its time to take something away. color: #fff; 4800 . Request Accommodations (English) / Solicitud de Acomodacin (Spanish)due to disability. Texas League franchise thrived throughout first half of 20th century, Rogers Hornsby managed Fort Worth the same year he was inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a player. Access the digital playbill now! Part of the Broadway at the Bass Series presented by PNC Bank, Accessibility: Wheelchair Accessible, Sign Interpretation. Scherzer and Boras wanted a four-year deal worth over $4 million before incentives. The Panther's success brought baseball legends including Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Jackie Robinson to the stadium. A new LaGrave was built in 2002 around the original base paths. Under the management of Wayne Terwilliger (2005) and Stan Hough (20062007), the team won the 2005 Central Baseball League championship and the 2006 and 2007 American Association championships. Winner of 7 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL, CATS tells the story of one magical night when an extraordinary tribe of cats gathers for its annual ball to rejoice and decide which cat will be reborn. In 1955., Maury Wills was the first African American player to play for the team. The Fort Worth Cats was a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States.The Cats were a member of the South Division of the now disbanded United League Baseball, which was not affiliated with Major League Baseball.From 2002 to 2014, the Cats played their home games at LaGrave Field.. Scherzer would make the rookie minimum, just $750 per month, plus a meal allowance. Others are perhaps less familiar, but they're also a part of baseball history: Bobby Bragan. Manage Settings The Dolphus Starling, Minnie Lee Williams family: an autobiography 1990, Call number 929.2 WILLIAMS, Ft. Worth Public Library, "Official Website of the Fort Worth Cats", "John F. Kennedy Assassination Homepage:: Warren Commission:: Hearings:: Volume V:: Page 132", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fort_Worth_Cats_(Texas_League)&oldid=1106125104, Baseball teams in the DallasFort Worth metroplex, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Josh Reilly / Sport McAllister / Duke Jantzen, Fort Worth Cats (19361942, 19461959, 1964), Fort Worth Panthers (18881890, 1892, 18951896,1898, 19021935), This page was last edited on 23 August 2022, at 08:40. They were at the forefront of the sport and became one of the most famous minor league baseball teams of the 1920s. The worst possibilities shot through Mosss head: Scherzers elbow was sore. Last year Scott Berry, a Decatur lawyer and president of Save LaGrave Foundation, was optimistic about the deal. It is unclear what will happen to the deteriorating stadium and if the Fort Worth Cats will ever return. .connected { padding: 15px; In 1980, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Lane said he believed Berry and the Save LaGrave Foundation tried very hard to gather finances and repair the stadium, but the coronavirus outbreak and other circumstances got in the way. Any man lucky enough to be a Fort Worth Cat was as proud of that as he would have been to play for the New York Yankees, Bragan said. The team was managed by Chad Tredaway, who was assisted by pitching coach James Frisbie, assistant coach Steve Maddock, and first base coach Wayne Terwilliger. 17U. Their standout was Gabe Gabler, who belted 23 homers and drove in 94 runs but played only three games in the bigs.The franchise left the Texas League after that, breaking even (81-81) in the American Association with a much-improved Ellsworth (2.60 ERA in 38 starts) in 1959 before being swallowed into a new team -- the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers -- in 1960. He also set up a a quintessentially Brooklyn Dodgers "Wait 'Til Next Year" anecdote: he hit the go-ahead double in Game 6 of the 1947 World Series, widely remembered for the catch Al Gionfriddo [who'd play for the Cats in '53] made to rob Joe DiMaggio of extra bases and preserve the lead, only to have the Yankees break the hearts of Brooklyn rooters with a Game 7 win.Perhaps most of all, though, Bragan is known as a baseball man who spent more than 70 years in the game, including as president of the Southern League and the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, governing body of the Minors. From 2002 to 2014, the Cats played their home games at LaGrave Field. [3], The 2008 regular season record was 60-36 with a 0.625 winning percentage. Save LaGrave was also to provide the water district with an upfront 10-year rent payment of $1.75 million. Heading into the season's final game, Lockwood, in his first season with the team, was batting .338 with 20 HR, 90 RBI, a .621 slugging percentage, and 60 extra base hits. That season also put the spotlight on a 19-year-old U.S. Navy sailor named Duke Snider. When the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1957, it forced a shuffle in the minor league teams, and the Fort Worth franchise was traded to the Chicago Cubs, then the American Association, and lastly merged with the Dallas Rangers in 1960. Since being established in 1989, the Fort Worth Cats organization has produced more than 750 collegiate and professional baseball players, including four alumni currently playing in Major League Baseball. You know what, Gulledge recalled telling his father. Scherzer, then 22, pitched in just three games for the independent league team. We basically went into the draft telling teams, like: If you think Im an injury risk or you want to devalue, dont draft me. width: 45%; In 1948, the Dodgers sent Bobby Bragan to manage the team, which won its last Texas League, but lost the Dixie Series to Birmingham. Stan Hough, the Cats manager, can still see the blaze behind Scherzers blue and brown eyes. The Fort Worth Cats Baseball Club is a youth travel Baseball organization with select Baseball teams based out of Fort Worth, Texas. Our organization is made up of 15 teams ages 11U to 17U, and our coaching staff boasts over 30 years combined college and professional playing experience. The Cats returned to the postseason with baseball legend Rogers Hornsby at the helm. The team's mascot was Dodger, whose namesake is a . 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