Sophomore League

The Sophomore League was a class D league that ran from 1958-61. It had previously been known as the Southwestern League. The name change was part of a systemic change. The circuit went from being one with almost no ties to major league baseball and composed of minor league veterans to a league where every team was the farm club of a major league team and prospects of varying quality appeared.

Cities Represented

• Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque Dukes 1960-1961, moved to Texas League 1962-1964
• Alpine, TX Alpine Cowboys 1959-1961
• Artesia, NM Artesia Giants 1958-1960; Artesia Dodgers 1961
• Carlsbad, NM Carlsbad Potashers 1958-1961, moved from Southwestern League 1956-1957 and Longhorn League 1953-1955
• El Paso, TX El Paso Sun Kings 1961, moved to Texas League 1962-1970
• Hobbs, NM Hobbs Cardinals 1958-1959; Hobbs Pirates 1960-1961
• Midland, TX Midland Braves 1958-1959
• Odessa, TX Odessa Dodgers 1959-1960
• Plainview, TX Plainview Athletics 1958-1959
• Roswell, NM Roswell Pirates 1959
• San Angelo, TX San Angelo Pirates 1958-1959

Hall of Fame Alumni

• Willie Stargell, 1959 San Angelo Pirates/Roswell Pirates

Yearly Standings

1958 Standings

1958 Sophomore League - schedule

Team	Record	GB	Manager
East Standings
Midland Braves	72-48	-	Travis Jackson / Earl Halstead / Ernie White
San Angelo Pirates	61-59	11	Al Kubski
Plainview Athletics	50-70	22	Vincent Plumbo
West Standings
Artesia Giants	63-57	-	Jodie Phipps
Hobbs Cardinals	59-61	4	Wayne Wallace
Carlsbad Potashers	55-65	8	Tony York

Playoff: Midland 3 games, Artesia 1

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Jim Smith	Hobbs	BA	.372		John Ahrens	Hobbs	W	18
Duncan Campbell Gary Krupsky	San Angelo Artesia	Runs	116		Ervin Moore	Plainview	SO	175
James McClain	Artesia	Hits	161		Les Bass	Midland	ERA	3.47
Craig Sorenson	Carlsbad	RBI	114		Les Bass	Midland	Pct	.889; 16-2
Kenneth Clark	Hobbs	HR	27

1959 Standings

1959 Sophomore League - schedule

Team	Record	GB	Manager
North Standings
Carlsbad Potashers	72-54	-	Walt Dixon
Hobbs Cardinals	70-54	1	Thurman Tucker
Plainview Athletics	60-65	11 1/2	Bobby Hofman
Artesia Giants	50-75	21 1/2	Jodie Phipps
South Standings
Alpine Cowboys	88-34	-	Eddie Popowski
Midland Braves	56-70	34	Jimmy Brown
Odessa Dodgers	54-69	34 1/2	Roy Hartsfield
San Angelo Pirates/Roswell Pirates	48-77	41 1/2	Al Kubski / Joe Bauman / Walter Millies

Playoffs: Alpine 2games, Hobbs 0; Carlsbad 2 games, Midland 0.

Finals: Alpine 2 games, Carlsbad 0.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Emiliano Telleria	San Angelo/Roswell	BA	.358		Don Schwall	Alpine	W	23
Bob Stotsky	Alpine	Runs	132		Terry Barber	Odessa	SO	214
Bob Stotsky	Alpine	Hits	156		Jack Warner	Carlsbad	ERA	2.41
Bob Carruthers	Plainview	RBI	119		Jack Warner	Carlsbad	Pct	.812; 13-3
Gil Carter	Carlsbad	HR	34

1960 Standings

1960 Sophomore League - schedule

Team	Record	GB	Manager
Alpine Cowboys*	76-52	-	Dick Kinaman
Hobbs Pirates**	70-58	6	Al Kubski
Carlsbad Potashers	66-64	11	Verlon Walker
Artesia Giants	62-68	15	George Genovese
Albuquerque Dukes	57-72	19 1/2	Bert Thiel
Odessa Dodgers	57-74	20 1/2	Edward Serrano

Playoff: Hobbs 2 games, Alpine 1.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Gil Garrido	Artesia	BA	.362		Ken Whitmore	Hobbs	W	16
Roberto Pena	Hobbs	Runs	121		Jose Santiago	Albuquerque	SO	217
Jesus Alou	Artesia	Hits	188		Jose Santiago	Albuquerque	ERA	3.30
Dick McLaughlin	Odessa	RBI	109		Frank Bork	Hobbs	Pct	.789; 15-4
Lewis Bishop	Carlsbad	HR	23

1961 Standings

1961 Sophomore League - schedule

Team	Record	GB	Manager
Hobbs Pirates*	77-48	-	Al Kubski
El Paso Sun Kings	73-57	6 1/2	George Genovese
Albuquerque Dukes**	64-63	14	Grady Wilson
Alpine Cowboys	62-63	15	Mel Parnell
Carlsbad Potashers	56-71	22	Lou Klein / Walt Dixon
Artesia Dodgers	48-78	29 1/2	Spider Jorgensen

Playoff: Hobbs 3 games, Albuquerque 0.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Tommie Martz	Hobbs	BA	.387		Jim Little	Hobbs	W	17
Jose Cardenal	El Paso	Runs	159		Fred Hatter	Alpine	SO	201
Jose Calero	El Paso	Hits	180		John Drysdale	Artesia	ERA	3.32
Mike Maloney	Albuquerque	RBI	109		Jim Little	Hobbs	Pct	.850; 17-3
Jose Cardenal	El Paso	HR	35

League Records

Batting
Stat	Player	Team	Tot	Yr
GA	Damaso Blanco Jose Calero	El Paso Sun Kings El Paso Sun Kings	130 130	1961 1961
BA	Tommie Martz	Hobbs Pirates	.387	1961
AB	Jesus Alou	Artesia Giants	534	1960
Runs	Jose Cardenal	El Paso Sun Kings	159	1961
Hits	Jesus Alou	Artesia Giants	188	1960
RBI	Bob Carruthers	Plainview Athletics	119	1959
2B	Jose Cardenal	El Paso Sun Kings	39	1961
3B	Dick McLaughlin	Odessa Dodgers	19	1960
HR	Jose Cardenal	El Paso Sun Kings	35	1961
TB	Jose Cardenal	El Paso Sun Kings	336	1961
SB	Jose Cardenal	El Paso Sun Kings	64	1961
BB	Dick Dietz	El Paso Sun Kings	159	1961
SO	Gil Carter	Carlsbad Potashers	147	1959

Pitching
Stat	Player	Team	Tot	Yr
GA	Jack Warner	Carlsbad Potashers	54	1959
CG	Don Schwall Lynn Rube	Alpine Cowboys Hobbs Cardinals	29 29	1959 1959
W	Don Schwall	Alpine Cowboys	23	1959
L	James Doyle	Plainview Athletics	16	1959
PCT	Les Bass	Midland Braves	.889 16-2	1958
ERA	Jack Warner	Carlsbad Potashers	2.41	1959
IP	Gary Modrell	Alpine Cowboys	241	1959
SHO	Dennis O'Melia John Hanes	Plainview Athletics Albuquerque Dukes	4 4	1959 1960
SO	Jose Santiago	Albuquerque Dukes	217	1960
BB	James Acton	Artesia Dodgers	156	1961