Volume 12 , Issue 5

History of Baseball in Oklahoma

Here is another feature that goes back to Vol. 5, Iss. 4 that mentions of baseball in Oklahoma. The person was from Tulsa, Oklahoma and mentioned, "I'm the co-author of the Oklahoma Heritage Association's 1999 book, Glory Days of Summer: The History of Baseball in Oklahoma. I wish that we would have had access to the McGill scrapbook when our book was compiled.

"Although the book did get the best design award of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries and the Smithsonian Institute for the year, we surely could have used some of the pictures and early day history. At page 386 of our book, the major league record of William John "Parson" or "Bill" McGill as a pitcher for the St. Louis Browns in 1907 is given. He is one of nearly 1,500 players with Oklahoma connections who played in the major leagues. If he would have had the good fortune of being born in what is now Oklahoma, he would have been the first player born from Oklahoma who played in the major leagues. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball by Miles Wolff and Lloyd Johnson (published by Baseball America, P. O. Box 2089, Durham, N.C. 27702,. $9.95 plus $7 shipping and handling) will have league records for all of the minor league teams he played in.

"If he led the league in any category, that also will be included. In 1907, the Austin Senators won the Texas League with a record of 88-52 .629. The leading percentage pitcher for the year was Parson McGill, Austin, .789, 15-4. at page 154. In 1909, the Guthrie Senators finished third in the 8-team Western Association behind the Enid Railroaders and the Muskogee Navigators.

"The league's leading pitcher was Floyd Willis of Guthrie, 22 wins, 5 losses, .815. (page 164). You may request a copy of his contract card (no charge) from the National Baseball Hall of Fame ( www.baseballhalloffame.org). It will show all of the teams he played for and dates." -- Royse "Crash" Parr, Tulsa, Oklahoma"
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