Clovis Pioneers

The Clovis Pioneers was the primary name of the minor league baseball team that played in Clovis, New Mexico in various seasons from 1922-1957. The team was an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians (1946), Chicago Cubs (1950-1951) and Cincinnati Reds (1956-1957).

Clovis Pioneers
(1922-1923, 1938-1942, 1946-1957)
Clovis, New Mexico
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
  • Class-D (1922-1923, 1938-1942)
  • Class-B (1955–1957)
  • Class-C (1946-1954)
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 0
Team data
NamePioneers (1938-1942, 1946-1956)
Previous names
Previous parks
League Park, Calvary Park/Bell Park

History

Minor league baseball in Clovis began in 1922 and 1923 as the Clovis Buzzers and Cubs played in the Panhandle-Pecos Valley League and the West Texas League. Clovis was the first non-Texas team to play in the West Texas League. [1][2]

After a 15 year hiatus, the Clovis Pioneers played in the West Texas–New Mexico League (1938-1942, 1946-1955) and in the Southwestern League (1956). They were affiliated with the Cleveland Indians in 1946, the Chicago Cubs in 1950 and 1951 and the Cincinnati Reds in 1956.[3]

The final season was 1957 as the Clovis Redlegs disbanded on June 16 with a record of 36-12.[4]

In 2011, a new Clovis Pioneers team was proposed as member of the Pecos League, an independent baseball league. [5]

Dean Brothers

Infamous baseball brothers Paul "Daffy" Dean and Baseball Hall of Fame member Dizzy Dean co-owned the team in 1949-1950, with Paul serving as manager. Dizzy had a pinch-hitting appearance in a game on July 8, 1949.[6]

The ballparks

The 1922-23 teams played at League Park. Later Clovis teams played at Bell Park, first called Calvary Park, with the name changed in 1938 to honor a local baseball supporter who had died. Bell Park is still in use today by Clovis High School and is located at 610 Ash Street Clovis, New Mexico 88101.[7][6]

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable Alumni

References
  1. "Clovis, New Mexico Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "Clovis, NM - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  3. "Clovis Pioneers - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  4. "Clovis Redlegs - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  5. /www.clovispioneers.com/ Clovis Pioneers Homepage
  6. "Stevens: Baseball ghosts fill Bell Park". Clovis News Journal. 15 July 2015.
  7. "Clovis Pioneers - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
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