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Lawton Braves

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Lawton Braves
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass D (1947–1957)
Previous leagues
Sooner State League (1947–1957)
Texas-Oklahoma League (1911)
Major league affiliations
Previous teamsMilwaukee Braves (1954–1957)
Cincinnati Reds (1952–1953)
New York Giants (1947–1951)
Minor league titles
League titles 3 (1949, 1954, 1955)
Team data
Previous names
Lawton Braves (1954–1957)
Lawton Reds (1952–1953)
Lawton Giants (1947–1951)
Lawton Medicine Men (1911)
Previous parks
Memorial Park (1947–1957)
Koehler Park (1911)

The Lawton Braves was the final and primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Lawton, Oklahoma from 1947 to 1957. Lawton was a member of the Sooner State League and won league championships in 1949, 1954 and 1955.

Lawton was an affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves (1954–1957), Cincinnati Reds (1952–1953) and New York Giants (1947–1951).

Baseball Hall of Fame member Travis Jackson was Manager of the of the Lawton Braves from 1954–1957.

History

Lawton first had minor league baseball in 1911, when the city briefly had a team in the Texas-Oklahoma League. The Lawton Medicine Men were 17–31 when the franchise disbanded on June 14, 1911.[1]

Lawton next played in the Class D Sooner State League from 1947–1957. Lawton played as affiliates of the Milwaukee Braves (1954–1957), Cincinnati Reds (1952–1953) and New York Giants (1947–1951). Lawton took the moniker of their affiliates in each case. Lawton won Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League championships in 1949, 1954 and 1955. The 1954 and 1955 Lawton Braves championship teams were managed by Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Travis Jackson.The Sooner State League folded after the 1957 season.[2][3][4][5]

The ballparks

The 1947–1957 Lawton teams played at Memorial Park. The ballpark was located at 17th and G Streets, S.W., in the area that is now called Ahlschlager Park. The ballpark had a capacity of 3,600 (1947) and 2,000 (1953). Over their final four seasons, Lawton's season attendance had dropped from 47,000 in 1954 to 15,000 by 1957.[6] [7][8][9][10]

In 1911, Lawton played at Koehler Park. Koehler Park was located between S.W. A and C Avenues on the north and south and S.W. 14th and 15th Streets on the east and west in Lawton, Oklahoma.[11][12]

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

Season-by-season

(from Lawton Braves - BR BullpenLawton Reds - BR BullpenLawton Giants - BR Bullpen)

Year Record Win-Loss % Manager Finish Playoffs/Notes
1947 98–42 .700 Louis Brower 1st Lost 1st round
1948 77–59 .566 Louis Brower 2nd Lost 1st round
1949 87–52 .625 Louis Brower 2nd League Champions
1950 37–101 .268 Louis Brower 8th None
1951 46–94 .328 Ray Baker 7th None
1952 63–77 .450 Tuck McWilliams 6th None
1953 47–59 .443 Tuck McWilliams 7th None
1954 81–58 .582 Travis Jackson 2nd League Champions
1955 95–44 .683 Travis Jackson 1st League Champions
1956 80–60 .571 Travis Jackson 2nd Lost 1st round
1957 59–66 .472 Travis Jackson 6th None

References

  1. ^ "Lawton Medicine Men - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  2. ^ "Sooner State League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  3. ^ "Lawton Giants - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  4. ^ "Lawton Braves - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  5. ^ "Lawton Reds - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  6. ^ ""Braves Battle Shawnee Here Again Tonight," Lawton Constitution, May 17, 1956, p. 12". www.newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Memorial Park in Lawton, OK history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. ^ "Parks and Recreation Map". Google My Maps.
  9. ^ "Home | Central Mall Lawton | Lawton, OK". www.centralmalllawton.com.
  10. ^ "Lawton Braves Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. ^ ""Texas-Oklahoma Ball Season Opens Tuesday," Lawton Constitution, Apr. 27, 1911, p. 3". gateway.okhistory.org.
  12. ^ ""Turf Wasn't Artificial, or Dry, For Early Day Cameron Students," Lawton Constitution, Sep. 14, 1975, p. 12". www.newspapers.com.
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