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 level Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (or Kitty 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.
The Oilers and Pirates were preceded in Kitty League play by the Owensboro Distillers. The Distillers played in the 1903, 1913, 1914 and 1916 seasons.
Notable alumni
Tony Kubek (1954) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 2008 Ford C. Frick award Travis Jackson (1950, MGR) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1982 Sam Dente (1941) Don McMahon (1950) MLB All-Star Ollie Pickering (1914) Chuck Tanner (1946–1947) Manager: 1979 World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates Lee Thomas (1954) 2 x MLB All-Star
Year-by-year records
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 (0–3)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 ChampsWon semi-finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers (3–1) Won League Championship vs. Fulton Chicks (4–3)1947 77–48 1st Earl Browne Lost semi-finals vs. Hopkinsville Hoppers (2–3)1948 74–50 3rd Rex Carr Lost semi-finals vs. Union City Greyhounds (2–3)1949 82–40 1st Bill Adair Lost semi-finals vs. Madisonville Miners (0–3)1950 64–51 4th Travis Jackson Lost semi-finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers (2–3) 1951 71–48 2nd Wayne Blackburn Won semi-finals vs. Mayfield Clothiers (3–1) Lost League Championship vs. Fulton Railroaders (0–4)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
References