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Will the TL's Shreveport Captains move to Birmingham?

January 14, 1976
Ray Johnston, the owner of the Texas League's Shreveport Captains baseball team, says he will move the team to Birmingham if an agreement can be reached with multiple parties. Johnston has to gain approval from the Texas League and Major League Baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom the Captains are affiliated.

Johnston is also working with the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board to determine a rental fee for Rickwood Field.

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"I don't anticipate any trouble getting the Pirates' approval. We have to get the approval of five more Texas League owners to make the move and I'm going back  to my hotel right now to start on that," Johnston said.

Johnston wants to move from Shreveport because of where the stadium is located and a steering committee for the club dictates that a profit can not be made.

A motion made today by the Park Board's chairman is awaiting approval by the Board. The motion is for Johnston to lease Rickwood Field for one year at a cost of $12,500 or 10% of the gross gate receipts, whichever is higher, plus 15% of the net profits.

Rickwood Field is available for rent because the former tenant, the Birmingham Athletics, moved to Chattanooga in November of 1975.

The Texas League is currently a Class AA league and began in 1888. Cities in the league that are based in Texas are El Paso, Midland, San Antonio, and Amarillo. There are also teams in Little Rock, Jackson, and Lafayette. The Captains have been in Shreveport since moving from El Paso in 1971.

"Bobby Bragan and Carl Sawatski recommended Birmingham highly," Johnston said. Bragan, a Birmingham native, is a former Texas League president and is the new president of Minor League Baseball. Sawatski is vice president of the Texas League, and most believe he will replace Bragan as president very shortly.

Johnston also owns the American Association's Class AAA Des Moines, Iowa franchise.

According to Johnston, he is leaning toward naming the team the Birmingham Barons.

January 15, 1976
Billy Hitchcock, president of the Southern League, is disappointed to hear that Rickwood Field would not be vacant. Hitchcock said he was working to bring Southern League baseball back to Birmingham in 1977. "For the Birmingham fans, I'm glad to see baseball back at Rickwood. I'm sorry we didn't have the opportunity to get a Southern League team back in Birmingham, but we would hope for an opportunity in the future to get Birmingham back in the Southern League where it belongs."

Glenn West, former general manager for the Birmingham Athletics, helped Johnston and Texas League vice-president Carl Sawatski with the Rickwood rental. "Birmingham now has a team in a class league that has good cities and great attendance. I wanted to see Birmingham back in baseball, and I think Pittsburgh provides the ideal parent club. I'd say they're one of the top five in the major leagues in providing talent for their minor league teams."

January 17, 1976
Johnston rebuffs comments that adding Birmingham would spread the league too far out, thereby increasing travel costs, especially for Birmingham. "The Texas League is divided into the East and West Divisions, so it's not as bad as it looks at first. Birmingham will be going West only twice all year, and Western teams will be coming to Birmingham only twice. The remainder of the schedule will be against Eastern teams," Johnson said. Those teams include Little Rock, Jackson, and Lafayette.

"I think Birmingham is a sleeping giant, baseball wise. Any city that ever drew 500,000 in one year can return. I'm not naive enough to think we can draw 500,000 again, but we can rekindle some of that interest," Johnston said.

The staff here will be headed up by Mike Holbrooks, the Captains' business manager. However, Holbrooks knew knew nothing of the move to Birmingham until Johnston called him a few days ago. "We had been looking, but I never envisioned going to Birmingham. I was thinking in terms of Longview, Kilgore, Tyler, Texas area or possibly Odessa, Texas."

January 23, 1976
Ray Johnston has abruptly cancelled Rickwood Field negotiations with the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board.

"I hope there'll be no ill feelings. I was serious about moving there this year, though I have a gut feeling Birmingham is better than a AA city. It's a sleeping giant, and the sky is the limit for anyone who goes in, gives that town solid management and a respectable club. But I must keep my franchise in Shreveport this season. The reason I thought about leaving was because the city had promised me new facilities and until two weeks ago the city officials hadn't done anything concrete about them. This week Shreveport said it would get us that facility. Since I had promised to keep a team there if this happened, I'm withdrawing from Birmingham. I think it's the fairest way. I can't say enough about the reception I received in Birmingham. It's a great city. And I hope no one believes I used that town as a lever on Shreveport. That wasn't the case at all," Johnston said.

Not everyone was sad to hear the news, however. Hitchcock expressed his pleasure that the door is again open for the Southern League to move back into Birmingham. "We're sorry for the fans who were expecting baseball this summer. But Birmingham is too good a baseball town, and has too fine a facility, to be without baseball long. We feel that Birmingham should be in the Southern League, and we will continue to work along those lines, although our eight franchises are all set for the coming year. We hope that in the not too distant future something can be done to bring Southern League baseball back to Rickwood Field."

April 1976

1976                            
Texas League                           
xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx
  Amarillo Gold Sox logo   Arkansas Travelers logo   El Paso Diablos logo   Jackson Mets logo   Lafayette Drillers logo  
  Amarillo Gold Sox
Champion
  Arkansas Travelers   El Paso Diablos   Jackson Mets   Lafayette Drillers  
                     
  Midland Cubs logo   San Antonio Brewers logo   Shreveport Captains logo          
  Midland Cubs   San Antonio Brewers   Shreveport Captains          
                     

Epilogue
The Captains remained in Shreveport and playing in the Texas League until the team was renamed the Shreveport Swamp Dragons in 2001.

The Swamp Dragons lasted for two years and then moved to become the Frisco Rough Riders.

Teams of the                            
Texas League                            
xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx
  Albuquerque Dodgers logo   Albuquerque Dukes logo   Alexandria Aces logo   Amarillo Giants logo   Amarillo Gold Sox logo  
  Albuquerque Dodgers
1965 to 1971
  Albuquerque Dukes
1962 to 1964
  Alexandria Aces
1972 to 1975
  Amarillo Giants
1968 to 1974
  Amarillo Gold Sox
1959 to 1963;
1976 to 1982
 
                     
  Amarillo Sod Poodles logo   Amarillo Sonics logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Arkansas Travelers logo  
  Amarillo Sod Poodles
2019 to 2023
  Amarillo Sonics
1965 to 1967
  Ardmore Territorians
1904
  Ardmore Rosebuds
1961
  Arkansas Travelers
1966 to 2023
 
                     
  Austin Braves logo   Austin Senators logo   Beaumont Exporters logo   Beaumont Golden Gators logo   NEED
LOGO
 
  Austin Braves
1965 to 1967
  Austin Senators
1888 to 1890;
1897 to 1898;
1905;
1907 to 1908;
1911 to 1914;
1956 to 1964
  Beaumont Exporters
1920 to 1942;
1946 to 1949;
1953 to 1955
  Beaumont Golden Gators
1983 to 1986
  Beaumont Millionaires
1904
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
 
  Beaumont Oil Gushers
1903
  Beaumont Oilers
1905;
1912 to 1917;
1919
  Beaumont Roughnecks
1950 to 1952
  Brenham Orphans
1905
  Cleburne Railroaders
1906
 
                     
  Corpus Christi Giants logo   Corpus Christi Hooks logo   NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Corpus Christi Giants
1958 to 1959
  Corpus Christi Hooks
2005 to 2023
  Corsicana Oil City Indians
1902
  Corsicana Oil City Oilers
1904
  Corsicana Oil Citys
1903
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
 
  Corsicana Oilers
1905
  Dallas Colts
1898
  Dallas Browns
1897
  Dallas Defenders
1897
  Dallas Eagles
1949 to 1957
 
                     
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Dallas Rangers logo  
  Dallas Giants
1903 to 1916
  Dallas Hams
1888;
1890;
1892
  Dallas Marines
1919 to 1922
  Dallas Navigators
1896
  Dallas Rangers
1958
 
                     
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
  Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs logo  
  Dallas Rebels
1939 to 1942;
1946 to 1948
  Dallas Steers
1902;
1923 to 1938
  Dallas Submarines
1917 to 1918
  Dallas Tigers
1889
  Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs
1965 to 1971
 
                     
  NEED
LOGO
  El Paso Diablos logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
  El Paso Sun Kings logo   Fort Worth Cats logo  
  Denison Indians
1896
  El Paso Diablos
1974 to 2004
  El Paso Sun Dodgers
1972
  El Paso Sun Kings
1962 to 1970;
1973
  Fort Worth Cats
1932 to 1942;
1946 to 1958;
1964
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Frisco Roughriders logo   NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
 
  Fort Worth Colts
1897
  Fort Worth Panthers
1888 to 1890;
1892;
1897 to 1898;
1902 to 1931
  Frisco RoughRiders
2003 to 2023
  Galveston Buccaneers
1931 to 1937
  Galveston Pirates
1912 to 1917;
1919 to 1920
 
                     
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Galveston Sand Crabs
1888 to 1890;
1892;
1907 to 1912;
1921 to 1924
  Greenville Hunters
1906
  Houston Angels
1904
  Houston Babies
1889
  Houston Buffaloes
1908 to 1942;
1946 to 1947
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Jackson Generals logo  
  Houston Buffalos
1948 to 1958
  Houston Mud Cats
1890;
1892;
1895;
1907
  Houston Red Stockings
1888
  Houston Wanderers
1904
  Jackson Generals
1991 to 1999
 
                     
  Jackson Mets logo   Lafayette Drillers logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Memphis Blues logo  
  Jackson Mets
1975 to 1990
  Lafayette Drillers
1975 to 1976
  Lake Charles Creoles
1906
  Longview Cannibals
1932
  Memphis Blues
1968 to 1970;
1972 to 1973
 
                     
  Midland Angels logo   Midland Cubs logo   Midland RockHounds logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
  Northwest Arkansas Naturals logo  
  Midland Angels
1985 to 1998
  Midland Cubs
1972 to 1984
  Midland RockHounds
1999 to 2023
  New Orleans Pelicans
1888
  Northwest Arkansas Naturals
2008 to 2023
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Oklahoma City Indians
1909 to 1911;
1933 to 1942;
1946 to 1957
  Oklahoma City Mets
1910 to 1911
  Paris Eisenfelder's Homeseekers
1902
  Paris Midlands
1897
  Paris Red Ravens
1904
 
                     
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
  Round Rock Express logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
 
  Paris Steers
1903
  Rio Grande Valley Giants
1960 to 1961
  Round Rock Express
2000 to 2004
  San Antonio Aces
1919
  San Antonio Bears
1920 to 1928
 
                     
  San Antonio Brewers logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  San Antonio Brewers
1972 to 1976
  San Antonio Bronchos
1896 to 1918
  San Antonio Bullets
1963 to 1964
  San Antonio Cowboys
1888
  San Antonio Dodgers
1977 to 1987
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  San Antonio Missions logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  San Antonio Gentlemen
1898
  San Antonio Indians
1929 to 1932
  San Antonio Missionaries
1892
  San Antonio Missions
1933 to 1942;
1946 to 1962;
1968 to 1971;
1988 to 2018;
2022 to 2023
  San Antonio Mustangs
1903 to 1904
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
  Shreveport Captains logo  
  San Antonio Senators
1888
  San Antonio Warriors
1905
  Sherman-Denison Students
1902
  Shreveport Braves
1968 to 1970
  Shreveport Captains
1972 to 2000
 
                     
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
  Shreveport Sports logo   Shreveport Swamp Dragons logo   Springfield Cardinals logo  
  Shreveport Gassers
1915 to 1924
  Shreveport Pirates
1908 to 1910
  Shreveport Sports
1925 to 1932;
1938 to 1942;
1946 to 1957
  Shreveport Swamp Dragons
2001 to 2002
  Springfield Cardinals
2005 to 2023
 
                     
  NEED
LOGO
  NEED
LOGO
  Tulsa Drillers logo   Tulsa Oilers logo   NEED
LOGO
 
  Temple Boll Weevils
1905 to 1907
  Texarkana Casket Makers
1902
  Tulsa Drillers
1977 to 2023
  Tulsa Oilers
1933 to 1942;
1946 to 1965
  Tyler Sports
1932
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Victoria Rosebuds logo   Victoria Toros logo    
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
 
  Victoria Giants
1961
  Victoria Rosebuds
1958 to 1961
  Victoria Toros
1974
  Waco Central City
1892
  Waco Centrals
1890
 
                     
  NEED
LOGO
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  NEED
LOGO
 
  Waco Cubs
1925 to 1930
  Waco Indians
1889
  Waco Navigators
1906 to 1919
  Waco Steers
1903
  Waco Tigers
1892;
1897;
1902;
1905
 
                     
   
NEED
LOGO
 
  Wichita Pilots logo   Wichita Wind Surge logo   Wichita Wranglers logo      
  Wichita Falls Spudders
1920 to 1932
  Wichita Pilots
1987 to 1988
  Wichita Wind Surge
2022 to 2023
  Wichita Wranglers
1989 to 2007
     
                     
 
 
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1976
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Shreveport Captains logo 1980 to 2000   Shreveport Swamp Dragons logo 2001 to 2002
     
Frisco Rough Riders logo   Frisco Rough Riders logo
Frisco Rough Riders logo 2003 to 2014   Frisco Rough Riders logo 2015 to present
     
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Last update: April 08, 2023