"El Paso Diablos" refers to two different professional baseball teams based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The most recent Diablos were a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From 1990 to 2013, the Diablos, in both incarnations, played their home games at Cohen Stadium. The team's name means "devils" in the Spanish language.

Team history

A Maverick Beginning

The team has its roots going back to 1892, when the team was originally called the El Paso Browns. The name eventually changed to the Mavericks. In 1913, the El Paso Mavericks played in the Copper League, which consisted of teams from Silver City, Hurley, and Santa Rita, New Mexico. Despite coming in third place that season, the Mavericks went on to win the post season tournament, becoming the Southwestern Champions of 1913. In 1915, the Mavericks joined the Rio Grande Association, a Class D minor league. Though the league folded after a year, the Mavericks continued to play in some form or another.

In 1924, the longtime home for the team, Dudley Field (known, locally as the "Dudley Dome") named for El Paso Mayor R.M. "Dick" Dudley, was constructed in South El Paso. While technically not a Dome in any sense of the word, the stadium had a supernatural ability to avoid rain showers and the unique ability to keep the temperature inside the stadium the same as that outside of the stadium. Another unique feature of the park was that the structure under the main grandstand was constructed out of adobe. A final feature, one that would be used by the Brewers to test their pitchers in the future was that it was notoriously hitter friendly. Due to its cozy dimensions (340-395-340), pitchers had to work hard to make sure their ERAs would at least be below five.

In 1922, Syd and Andy Cohen played for the Mavericks and later played in the Major Leagues. Andy Cohen was a second baseman for the New York Giants, and Syd was a pitcher for several different teams in the American League, though he would be the last pitcher to strike out Babe Ruth. Syd also pitched in the Mexican leagues and later managed the Juarez team.

From Mavericks to Texans

In 1930, the team, now known as the El Paso Texans, was admitted to the Arizona State League in 1930 to replace the defunct Mesa Jewels. The Arizona State League included teams from Phoenix, Tucson, and Douglas. El Paso was the only Texas team in the league and missed winning the pennant by only half a game, losing to the Bisbee Bees.

The Texans remained in this league for decades. In 1931, the Arizona State League became the Arizona–Texas League, which ran from 1931–32 and revived in 1937–1941. In 1940, the League was made into a Class C league. The league halted play from 1942 to 1946 because of World War II, though the Texans did play in the Mexican National League for one year, in 1946. The Arizona–Texas League play resumed in 1947, until 1950, when the league merged with the Sunset League to form the Southwest International League. This league only lasted for a year before reverting into the Arizona–Texas League.

In 1950, owner Jack Corbett sold the team in August to Dick Saunders and Tom Love, two young El Paso building contractors. Saunders and Love hired John Phelan to be the general manager. The Texans finished in second only to their rivals, the Juarez Indios, at the end of the season.

In 1951, the New York Yankees (featuring a young rookie named Mickey Mantle) came to El Paso to play an exhibition game against the Texans, winning 16–10. In 1954, the team was sold to Dick Azar, the El Paso Coors distributor who brought beer to the ballpark for the first time. Beer was sold during the game and was given to the players in their dressing room free of charge after the games.

After losing money for two seasons, Azar sold the team to Pat McLaughlin in 1956. The team won the Southwestern League pennant that season, but only 51,386 fans came to see the Texans play all season. Due to money problems, McLaughlin handed the team in 1957 to Tom McHugh, S.E. Adams and Jimmy Hamilton. At the end of the season, the Southwestern League dropped the El Paso Texans.

The dawn of the Sun Kings

Professional baseball was not played in El Paso again until 1961 when a group of 40 people, known as the Sports Development Committee of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, took it upon themselves to revive it. John Phelan, the Texans former manager, was named vice president and general manager. Each of the 40 people put up to $500 to help finance the team. Phelan and the committee managed to get the organization into the Class D Sophomore League and renamed the team the El Paso Sun Kings. The Sun Kings had a terrific season, finishing in third, and, for the first time, turned a profit.

In 1962, the Sun Kings joined the Class AA Texas League. The organization's rookie season was a huge success, as they won the Texas League championship. In 1963, the team hit 207 home runs, setting a new league record for most home runs in a season.

From 1961 to 1964, the El Paso Ball club had been affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, their most notable player coming through the system at the time being Jesús Alou of the famous baseball family. In 1965, the Sun Kings became a farm team for the California Angels.

The Sports Development Committee sold the team to Angels owner Gene Autry for $1, fulfilling their mission of bringing professional baseball back to El Paso. John Stanfill replaced John Phelan as general manager in 1967, and the team came in second to Albuquerque, which won the Texas League pennant that season. In the sixties several future major leaguers got their start in El Paso including José Cardenal and Randy Hundley. The most publicized of the young players was Dick Dietz who it was told got a $500,000 signing bonus. During the Sun Kings' tenure as an Angel Affiliate, one of their most famous prospects passed through their system: a young second base prospect by the name of Kurt Russell. Russell led the league in hitting with a .563 batting average. However, during a play, he was hit in the shoulder by another player running to second base, the collision resulting in a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder. The injury forced his retirement from baseball in 1973, and he returned to acting. Russell recently told Sports Illustrated that before his injury, he was going to be called up. During this era players collected dollar bills from the chicken wire fence between the stands and the field for outstanding play.

The partnership with the Angels lasted until 1970. The city was without a team for one year until 1972 when the Los Angeles Dodgers brought in their AA affiliate and the team's name was changed to Sun Dodgers for the season. The partnership with the Angels resumed and the name reverted to Sun Kings in 1973.

Diablos and other Minor League revolutionaries

In 1974, Jim Paul bought the team for $1000 and assumed the team's $52,000 in outstanding debt, and proceeded to revolutionize baseball, not only in El Paso but throughout the Minor Leagues and even influence the Majors. Paul's purchase of the team ushered in the golden age of El Paso baseball. The name of the team was changed to the Diablos, the Spanish word for "devils". Paul held numerous innovative promotions and promoted a lively, fan-friendly atmosphere at the ballpark. Sparing any expense, save a coat of bright yellow paint with the word "BASEBALL" written in twelve foot tall red letters, Dudley Field was converted to "The Dudley Dome." While technically not a dome in any sense of the word, the field had a supernatural ability to avoid rain-outs and the unique ability to keep the temperature inside the stadium the same as that outside of the stadium. The home team dugout had the word "Diablos" painted on top while the visitors dugout received a coat of paint that said "Enemy." Upon entering the turnstiles fans were given a facial tissue to use for "Bye, Bye, Baby" when the visiting team changed pitchers the outgoing pitcher was serenaded by the Janis Joplin tune over the PA system while the fans in the grandstand waved their tissues. One notable victim was Dennis Eckersley who acknowledged the crowd by tipping his hat, though others were not so considerate and the Texas League created a standard fine for those obscene gestures. Other promotions included 10¢ hotdog night, nickel beer night, and Martinez Appreciation Night where anyone with the last name Martinez received free admission.

Paul's innovative marketing techniques showed outstanding results. In 1975 despite finishing 18 ½ games out of first place the Diablos drew 162,395 fans, more than every other Class AA team and 16 of the 24 Triple-A teams. Paul was named Sporting News' Class Double A Executive of the Year in 1974 and 1975. in 1976 the Diablos came in third and attendance increased to 181,747, outdrawing all but 6 teams in the minor leagues, and were awarded the MacPhail Trophy, which is given to the outstanding organization in all minor league baseball. In 1977 the Diablos finished in first place and drew 217,345 fans which outpaced all but 4 Triple-A teams and Paul was once again recognized as Sporting News' Class Double A Executive of the Year for a third time.

The Diablos were replaced by the El Paso Chihuahuas of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League for the 2014 baseball season. This coincided with the opening of a new baseball stadium in downtown El Paso, which replaced Cohen Stadium as the home of professional baseball in El Paso.

The Diablos relocated to Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Missouri, as the Joplin Blasters beginning with the 2015 season.

Notable Diablo alumni

  • Willie Aikens
  • Jesús Alou
  • Jim Anderson
  • John Balaz
  • Ralph Botting
  • Tom Brunansky
  • Tom Candiotti
  • Mark Clear
  • Andy Cohen
  • Syd Cohen
  • Tim Crews
  • Paul Dade
  • Narciso Elvira
  • Bob Ferris
  • Danny Goodwin
  • Brian Harper
  • Teddy Higuera
  • Conor Jackson
  • John Jaha
  • Randy Johnson
  • Byung-hyun Kim
  • Fred Kuhaulua
  • Ken Landreaux
  • Carney Lansford
  • Cory Lidle
  • Lyle Overbay
  • Brad Penny
  • Carlos Quentin
  • Floyd Rayford
  • Kurt Russell
  • Ken Schrom
  • Daryl Sconiers
  • Gary Sheffield
  • Chris Snyder
  • Chad Tracy
  • Dan Uggla
  • Brandon Webb
  • Mike Witt

References

  • El Paso Diablos official website
  • Baseball Reference
  • "A Baseball Team by Any Other Name". Borderlands article
  • Ball Park Reviews Page on Dudley Field
  • aabfan.com El Paso Diablos Guide