The Sunset League was a minor league baseball circuit that operated from 1947 through 1950.
The Sunset League was a Class C level league, with franchises based in the United States and Mexico. The league expanded from six to eight teams from 1949 to 1950. There was a previous league called the "Sunset League" that briefly played in Texas in the 1902 season.
For the 1951 season, the circuit merged with the Arizona–Texas League to form the Southwest International League.
History In 1902, a "Sunset League" included Beaumont (8–4), Lake Charles (7–6), Crowley (6–6) and Houston (3–8). Records are from the May 27, 1902, Houston Daily Post and are not official.
The Sunset League was one of many short–lived minor leagues of the late 1940s and early 1950s. The Class C level circuit ran from 1947 through 1950. Las Vegas, El Centro and Riverside were members every year. It was an extremely high offensive league; in 1947, Las Vegas averaged 9 runs a game and finished 73–67. The league merged with the Arizona-Texas League in 1951 to form the Southwest International League.
Cities represented Anaheim, CA: Anaheim Valencias (1947); Anaheim/San Bernardino Valencias (1948) El Centro, CA: El Centro Imperials (1947–1950) Las Vegas, NV: Las Vegas Wranglers (1947–1950) Mexicali, Baja California: Mexicali Eagles (1948–1949) Ontario, CA: Ontario Orioles (1947) Porterville, CA: Porterville Packers (1949–1950) Reno, NV: Reno Silver Sox (1947–1949) Riverside, CA: Riverside Dons (1947; 1949); Riverside Rubes (1948; 1950) Salinas, CA: Salinas Colts (1949) San Bernardino, CA: San Bernardino Pioneers (1949–1950) Tijuana, Baja CA: Tijuana Potros (1949–1950) Yuma, AZ: Yuma Panthers (1950)
Standings and statistics 1947 to 1948 1947 Sunset League Team standingsWLPCTGBAttend Managers Riverside Dons8060.571–45,477 Norman DeWeese / Jack Rothrock Anaheim Valencias7961.5641 16,452Jack Rothrock / Jerry Gardner Las Vegas Wranglers7367.5217 44,574Newt Kimball Reno Silver Sox6969.50010 22,866 Thomas Lloyd Ontario Orioles6475.46015½23,932Hal Spindel El Centro Imperials5386.38126½45,429Bob Boken / Ray Viers Playoffs: Riverside 3 games, Las Vegas 0; Anaheim 3 games, Ontario 0. Finals: Anaheim 4 games, Riverside 1.
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Paul Zaby Las VegasBA.401 Clarence Jaime OntarioW22 Calvin Felix Las VegasRuns173Don RobertsonRenoSO242 Calvin Felix Las VegasHits236 Robert Masters RiversideERA3.55 Calvin Felix Las VegasRBI182 Don Tisnerat AnaheimPCT.765 13–4 Calvin Felix Las VegasHR52 Calvin Felix Las VegasTB443
1948 Sunset League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGBAttend Managers Mexicali Aguilas8159.579–68,567 Dominic Castro / Dick Wilson Las Vegas Wranglers7862.5573 41,748 Ken Meyers Reno Silver Sox7763.5504 34,325Thomas LloydRiverside Rubes7466.5297 52,199 George Caster / Henry Bartolomei El Centro Imperials6773.47914 42,221 Ray Viers Anaheim Valencias /San Bernardino Valencias4397.30738 21,760 Jerry Gardner / Claude "Bob" Williams Anaheim (13–42) moved to San Bernardino June 25. Playoffs: Reno 3 games, Mexicali 0; Las Vegas 3 games, Riverside 1. Finals: Reno 3 games, Las Vegas 2.
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTotBobby BalcenaMexicaliBA.369Al CorwinRenoW26 Don Barclay RenoRuns171 Robert Schulte RiversideSO276 Don Jameson RiversideHits202Manuel EcheverriaMexicaliERA2.83 Dick Wilson MexicaliRBI188Manuel EcheverriaMexicaliPCT.875 14–2 Dick Wilson MexicaliHR42
1949 to 1950 1949 Sunset Leagueschedule Team standingsWLPCTGBAttend Managers Las Vegas Wranglers8838.698–61,050 Ken Meyers Mexicali Aguilas7947.6279 59,810Ed Wheeler San Bernardino Pioneers6264.49226 35,871Jack Rothrock Porterville Packers6165.48427 66,280Thomas LloydEl Centro Imperials5966.47228½34,957 Ray Viers / Frank Stinson Salinas Colts/ Tijuana Potros5868.46030 39,701Bruce Ogrodowski Reno Silver Sox4975.39538 37,780 Lilio Marcucci Riverside Dons4679.36841½32,450 Don Jameson Salinas moved to Tijuana August 5. No playoffs held
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Frosty Kennedy RiversideBA.411 Eugene Roenspie San BernardinoW20 Pete HughesLas VegasRuns156 Warren Kanagy Riverside/San BernSO210 Frosty Kennedy RiversideHits194 Erwin Coutts MexicaliERA2.69 Bobby BalcenaMexicaliRBI132 Bob Shore Las VegasPCT.850 17–3 Pete HughesLas VegasHR24 Pete HughesLas VegasBB210
1950 Sunset Leagueschedule Team standingsWLPCTGBAttend Managers Mexicali Eagles9847.676–80,871Dolf Luque El Centro Imperials8558.59512 46,380 Ken Meyers Las Vegas Wranglers7669.52422 39,415Ed Wheeler Riverside Rubes7372.50323 49,270 Ray Viers Tijuana Potros7077.47629 39,250Zenon Ochoa /Eugene Fernandez / Butch Moran San Bernardino Pioneers6580.44833 28,250Frank Demaree / Gerald Waitman Yuma Panthers6283.42836 50,101 Butch Moran / Frank Gabler Porterville Packers5295.35447 50,213 Thomas Lloyd / Bill Harris / Joe Gonzales Playoffs: Mexicali 2 games, Las Vegas 1; El Centro 2 games, Riverside 1. Finals: El Centro 2 games, Mexicali 1.
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Pete Hughes El CentroBA.393Manuel EcheverriaMexicaliW28 Manuel Serrano MexicaliRuns153Manuel EcheverriaMexicaliSO333 Blas Guzman MexicaliHits216Manuel EcheverriaMexicaliERA2.74 Blas Guzman MexicaliRBI138Manuel EcheverriaMexicaliIP328 Ron D. Johnson Las VegasHR26Nate MorelandEl Centro/MexicaliPCT.813 13–3
Championship teams 1947 – Anaheim Valencias 1948 – Reno Silver Sox 1949 – Las Vegas Wranglers * 1950 – El Centro Imperials * Playoffs were not played
References Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles (1993). Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Baseball America.
External links Baseball Reference – 1947 Sunset League Baseball Reference – 1948 Sunset League Baseball Reference – 1949 Sunset League Baseball Reference – 1950 Sunset League Mike McCann's Minor League Baseball Page