The Lawton Braves was the final and primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Lawton, Oklahoma from 1947 to 1957. Lawton played as a member of the Texas-Oklahoma League in 1911 and the Sooner State League from 1947 to 1957, winning league championships in 1949, 1954 and 1955. Lawton hosted home games at Koehler Park in 1911 and all others at Memorial Park.
Lawton was a minor league affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves (1954–1957), Cincinnati Reds (1952–1953) and New York Giants (1947–1951).
Baseball Hall of Fame member Travis Jackson managed the Lawton Braves from 1954 to 1957.
History Lawton first had minor league baseball in 1911, when the city briefly hosted a team in the Texas-Oklahoma League. The Lawton Medicine Men had a 17–31 record when the Lawton franchise folded on June 14, 1911.
Lawton next played in the Class D level Sooner State League from 1947 to 1957. Lawton teams 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.
The ballparks The 1947 to 1957 Lawton teams played home games 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.
In 1911, Lawton played at home games 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.
Timeline Year(s) # Yrs. Team Level LeagueAffiliateBallpark 1911 1 Lawton Medicine MenClass DTexas-Oklahoma LeagueNoneKohler Park1947–19515Lawton GiantsSooner State LeagueNew York Giants Memorial Park1952–1953 2 Lawton Reds Cincinnati Reds 1954–1957 4 Lawton BravesMilwaukee Braves
Season-by-season Year Record Win–loss % Manager Finish Playoffs/notes1947 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 champions1950 37–101 .268 Louis Brower 8th Did not qualify1951 46–94 .328 Ray Baker 7th Did not qualify1952 63–77 .450 Tuck McWilliams 6th Did not qualify1953 47–59 .443 Tuck McWilliams 7th Did not qualify1954 81–58 .582 Travis Jackson 2nd League champions1955 95–44 .683 Travis Jackson 1st League champions1956 80–60 .571 Travis Jackson 2nd Lost 1st round1957 59–66 .472 Travis Jackson 6th Did not qualify
Notable alumni
Travis Jackson (1954–1957, MGR) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1982 Ed Albrecht (1947) Marv Blaylock (1948) Louis Brower (1947–1950, Player/MGR) Bob Harrison (1948-1949) Bobby Knoop (1957) MLB All-Star; Angels Hall of Fame Ron Piche (1955) Charlie Rabe (1952) Ron Samford (1948)
Lawton Giants players Lawton Reds players
References