Owensboro Oilers
The Owensboro Oilers were a minor league baseball club, based in Owensboro, Kentucky from 1936 until 1955. The team was a member of the class-D Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League. The team was originally formed in 1935 as the Portageville Pirates and represented Portageville, Missouri in the league. On July 17, 1936 the Portageville Pirates moved to Owensboro after posting a 26-35 record. The team was listed in the record books for 1936 as Portageville-Owensboro Pirates, or as the Owensboro Pirates after the move. The following year, the team was renamed the Owensboro Oilers.
Notable alumni
[Baseball Hall of Fame] alumni
- Tony Kubek Inducted, 2008 Ford C. Frick award
- Travis Jackson Inducted, 1982
Notable alumni
- Sam Dente
- Don McMahon MLB All-Star
- Ollie Pickering
- Chuck Tanner Manager: 1979 World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates
- Lee Thomas 2 x MLB All-Star
Year-by-year record
Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs |
1935 | 44-46 | 4th | Pat Patterson / Herb Welch / L.A. Harris | no champion declared |
1936 | 52-67 | 6th | Hughie Wise | |
1937 | 56-65 | 7th | Hughie Wise | |
1938 | 66-64 | 6th | Hughie Wise | |
1939 | 75-51 | 3rd | Hughie Wise | Lost Semi-Finals vs. Bowling Green Barons |
1940 | 69-57 | 3rd | Hughie Wise / Harold Sueme | |
1941 | 58-68 | 6th | Hughie Wise | |
1942 | 16-32 | 5th | Wally Schang | League disbanded June 19 |
- | - | - | - | |
1946 | 83-39 | 1st | Earl Browne | League Champs Won semi-finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers Won League Championship vs. Fulton Chicks |
1947 | 77-48 | 1st | Earl Browne | Lost Semi-Finals vs. Hopkinsville Hoppers |
1948 | 74-50 | 3rd | Rex Carr | Lost Semi-Finals vs. Union City Greyhounds |
1949 | 82-40 | 1st | Bill Adair | Lost Semi-Finals vs. Madisonville Miners |
1950 | 64-51 | 4th | Travis Jackson | Lost Semi-Finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers |
1951 | 71-48 | 2nd | Wayne Blackburn | Won Semi-Finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers Lost League Championship vs. Fulton Railroaders |
1952 | 55-65 | 5th | Pud Miller/ Moose Shetler | |
1953 | 49-71 | 8th | Marvin Crater | |
1954 | 65-49 | 3rd | Marvin Crater | |
1955 | 53-56 | 3rd | Walter Lance / Ken Silvestri |