Houston Buffaloes

• Location: Houston, TX
• League: Texas Association 1896; Texas League 1897-1898; South Texas League 1903, 1905-1906; Texas League 1907-1942, 1946-1958
• Affiliation: St. Louis Cardinals 1920-1958
• Ballpark: West End Park 1905-27; Buff Stadium 1928-42, 1946-58

The Houston Buffaloes were the first affiliated minor league team, when in 1919 Branch Rickey bought into the Houston Buffaloes as a way to secure talent for his underfinanced St. Louis Cardinals. This began his farm system and was the beginning of the end for independent minor leagues.

In 1959 Houston moved up to the American Association as the Houston Buffs.

Year-by-Year Record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1896	81-49	1st	W.G. Garson / Charlie Shaffer	League Champs
1897	60-54	NA	George Reed / Charlie Shaffer		Team disbanded August 13
1898	16-17	2nd	George Reed
1903	57-64	3rd	Gerald Hayes
1905	83-42	1st	Claude Reilly	none League Champs
1906	78-43	1st	Con Harlow	Lost League Finals
1907	79-60	4th	Wade Moore	none
1908	77-67	3rd	Doak Roberts / Blake / Al McFarland / Ben Shelton	none
1909	86-57	1st	Charles Barrett / Hunter Hill	none League Champs
1910	82-58	1st (t)	Hunter Hill	none Co-Champs
1911	71-75	6th	Hunter Hill / Sled Allen	none
1912	87-52	1st	John Fillman	none League Champs
1913	93-57	1st	Johnny Fillman	none League Champs
1914	102-50	1st (t)	Pat Newnam	none Co-Champs
1915	68-74	5th	Pat Newnam	none
1916	73-72	4th	Pat Newnam	none
1917	77-87	4th	Pat Newnam	none
1918	38-46	5th	Pat Newnam	League suspended operations July 7
1919	89-71	2nd	Al Bridwell
1920	50-101	7th	Jewel Ens	none
1921	92-67	2nd	George Whiteman	none
1922	57-95	7th	George Whiteman (49-75) / Roy Thomas (8-20)	none
1923	74-75	5th	Hunter Hill	none
1924	80-73	2nd	Hunter Hill (14-18) / Marv Goodwin (66-55)	none
1925	87-66	2nd	Marv Goodwin (82-64) / Pete Compton (5-2)
1926	75-80	6th	Joe Mathes	none
1927	85-70	3rd	Joe Mathes	none
1928	104-54	1st	Frank Snyder	League Champs
1929	73-86	6th	Frank Snyder (31-41) / Eugene Bailey (42-45)
1930	89-65	2nd	Joe Schultz
1931	108-51	1st	Joe Schultz	League Champs
1932	88-66	3rd	Joe Schultz
1933	94-57	1st	Carey Selph	Lost in 1st round
1934	76-78	6th	Carey Selph
1935	77-84	5th	Ira Smith
1936	83-69	2nd	Ira Smith	Lost in 1st round
1937	67-91	7th	Ira Smith
1938	74-84	5th	Cliff Watwood
1939	97-63	1st	Eddie Dyer	Lost in 1st round
1940	105-56	1st	Eddie Dyer	League Champs
1941	103-50	1st	Eddie Dyer	Lost in 1st round
1942	81-70	5th	Clay Hopper
1946	64-89	6th	Johnny Keane
1947	96-58	1st	Johnny Keane	League Champs
1948	82-71	3rd	Johnny Keane	Lost in 1st round
1949	60-91	7th	Del Wilber
1950	61-93	8th	Kemp Wicker (11-22) / Benny Borgmann (50-71)
1951	99-61	1st	Al Hollingsworth	League Champs
1952	66-95	8th	Al Hollingsworth
1953	72-82	6th	Al Hollingsworth (54-60) / Dixie Walker (18-22)
1954	89-72	2nd	Dixie Walker	League Champs
1955	86-75	4th	Mike Ryba	Lost League Finals
1956	96-58	1st	Harry Walker	League Champs
1957	97-57	2nd	Harry Walker	League Champs
1958	79-74	2nd	Harry Walker	Lost in 1st round

External Links

• 1931 Houston Buffaloes
• 1941 Houston Buffaloes

Further Reading

• Kenneth R. Fenster: "The 1954 Dixie Series", in Baseball in the Peach State, The National Pastime, SABR, Volume 40 (2010), pp. 72-82.