Texas League Elects Seven to Their Hall of Fame

At the meeting of Texas League held at Midland on June 30, the Texas League Hall of Fame gained seven new members by unanimous vote of the league's Board of Directors. The group spans nearly the entire history of the league, from Alex McFarland, who won 35 games for Fort Worth in 1895, to the 1991 Texas League player of the Year, John Jaha. One on the more remarkable of new members is Dick Dunavan, the first groundskeeper elected to the TL Hall of Fame. Dunavan, who was a legend in construction and care of baseball fields in South Texas, spent nearly 36 years tending San Antonio's Texas League playing surfaces. The class of 2010 brings the total membership in the TL shrine to 92. A list of the new members and their information follows below.

James "Snipe" Conley, Pitcher
Snipe Conley was one of the most accomplished, all-around players in Texas League history. A great fielding, right-handed spitball pitcher, Conley would regularly start games for Dallas in both the infield and outfield when he was not on the mound. During a stretch from 1920 through 1925, Conley hit .299 in nearly 900 official at-bats. On the hill, Conley led Dallas to pennants in 1917 and 1918. His season in 1917 was one of the greatest of any league hurler, leading the loop with 27 wins, as well as winning percentage and strikeouts. During that season, Conley won 19 consecutive games, a Texas League record that still stands. A terrific control pitcher, Conley led starting pitchers in fewest walks five consecutive seasons, 1920-25. In 1925, Conley was named manager of the Steers near the end of the first half, leading the club to a 52-38 mark and a second half tie with Fort Worth, losing a post-season playoff to the Panthers. The following season, Conley led the Steers to a first place finish, claiming another league championship for Dallas. Conley ranks seventh all-time among league pitchers in games (368), innings pitched (2,333) and wins (148), while he is ninth all-time in career strikeouts (952).

		W-L	G	CG	SHO	IP	H	BB	K	ERA
1916	Dallas	15-20	41			332	319	70	140	2.36
1917	Dallas	27-10	50	27		323	265	87	171	1.92
1918	Dallas	8-3	18	9		100	97	22	37	3.51
1919	Dallas	17-21				308	288	58	156	2.51
1920	Dallas	18-16	46	29	6	333	301	49	136	2.35
1921	Dallas	16-15	44	22	2	247	252	47	85	3.64
1922	Dallas	13-14	42	12	3	226	239	51	73	3.58
1923	Dallas	19-9	33	17	3	220	227	53	78	3.35
1924	Dallas	7-6	18	7		116	136	29	38	3.57
1925	Dallas	6-4	13	5		82	105	17	25	5.49
1926	Dallas	1-0	7			24	32	8	8	6.38
1927	Dallas	1-0	2			13	19
Total		148-118

		G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	BA
1916	Dallas	53	145	16	28	5	1	2				1	.193
1917	Dallas	54	126	21	39	9	3	4		2	35	0	.309
1918	Dallas	18	48	5	9	2	0	0		1	12	0	.188
1919	Dallas	49	124	10	22	1	0	2		1	23	0	.177
1920	Dallas	78	209	21	59	15	3	2	28	5	29	1	.282
1921	Dallas	85	237	27	68	20	2	6	35	10	34	2	.287
1922	Dallas	56	110	13	32	9	3	1	10	3	10	0	.291
1923	Dallas	49	118	13	39	13	1	2	20	5	9	1	.331
1924	Dallas	32	146	17	43	7	1	2	25	5	16	1	.295
1925	Dallas	54	112	17	38	5	0	9	37	4	15	0	.339
1926	Dallas	40	76	8	16	4	0	2	9	2	12	0	.211

Manager's Record	W-L	PCT
1925	52-38	.571
1926	89-66	.574 1st
1927	41-42	.494

Dick Dunavan, Groundskeeper, San Antonio 1919-1954
For nearly 36 seasons, Dunavan toiled as the groundskeeper for San Antonio, building, rebuilding and looking after the playing surfaces at four different ballparks the franchise called home during his epic tenure. During his long career in South Texas, Dunavan built over 30 fields while consulting on another 40. His glowing reputation as a premier caretaker of baseball surfaces helped attract several Major League teams to San Antonio and the local environs for spring training, including the New York Giants and Boston Bees.

Grayle Howlett, Executive, Tulsa Oilers 1946-1961
Grayle Howlett was one of the most innovative and successful of the young executives that arrived in the Texas League following World War II. Sent to Tulsa in 1946 by the Chicago Cubs, Howlett was one of the first club executives in the league to promote the game year 'round. One of his first steps was to begin publishing a monthly newsletter for fans and media to keep up with the Oilers all year long. To help attract more fans to Oilers' games, Howlett oversaw a painting and improvement regime that helped brighten Tulsa's Texas Park. Howlett's many efforts were a success as the Oilers drew over 200,000 fans for the first time in their history in 1948 and averaged over 200,000 fans from 1947 through 1950. In 1953, he arranged for the first televised minor league game. That followed his having arranged for the first coast-to-coast broadcast of a minor league game on the Mutual Radio Network of a contest between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Looking after the Tulsa players, Howlett was one of the first operators to arrange for team travel by sleeper bus. His decision to attract the locally popular St. Louis Cardinals affiliation when it became available after the 1958 helped Tulsa lead the league in attendance for the next seven seasons.

John Jaha, First Base
Easily the leading slugger in the Texas League in 1991, leading league hitters in home runs, RBI, runs scored, hits, extra-base hits, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging. His total of 134 RBI was the highest by any Texas League player since Ken Guettler drove in 143 in 1956. Making Jaha's totals even more impressive is that he drove in his total of 134 in just 130 games. A fine fielding first baseman, Jaha led his position in assists and was second in total chances. One of just six batters in the 1990's to have as many as 30 home runs in a season, Jaha was the 1991 Texas League Player of the Year, helping lead El Paso to a record of 81-55 and a place in the league championship series.

		G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	BA	TB	SLG	OB%	XBH
1991	El Paso	130	486	121	167	38	3	30	134	78	101	12	.334	301	.619	.428	71

Alex McFarland, Pitcher, Outfielder
A great hitting pitcher, McFarland's 34 wins in 1895 are topped in league history only by Lucky Wright, who won 35 in 1902. In addition to appearing in 46 games as a pitcher in 1895, McFarland played another 47 in the outfield, hitting .332 for the season. His 29 extra-base hits that year were the second highest on a very good hitting Fort Worth club. At bat and on the mound, McFarland helped Fort Worth to a 77-39 record, a first place finish in the second half and participated in Fort Worth's championship series win over Dallas.

		W-L	G	CG	SHO	IP	H	BB	K	ERA
1892	Galveston	0-1
1895	Fort Worth	34-12

		G	AB	R	H	2B	TB	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	BA
1892	Galveston	24	112	31	38	51	10	0	1				25	.339
1895	Fort Worth	93	367	78	124	165	20	6	3				34	.337

Eddie Palmer, Infielder and Umpire
Palmer is one of the longest serving men in Texas League history, totaling 16 years, eight as a player and another eight as an umpire. A good hitting, steady second baseman, Palmer was on four pennant-winning clubs, Dallas in 1917 and the 1918 season that was shortened by World War I, then with the powerhouse Fort Worth Panthers in 1924 and 1925. Palmer led all second basemen in games played in 1917, 1924 and 1925, fielding in 1918 and 1924 and total chances in 1924 and 1925. After his playing career ended, Palmer returned to the league as a member of the umpiring staff, working eight seasons, 1932-34, 1936-37 and 1939-41. Palmer was widely respected by players and fans alike for his fairness, professionalism and genial disposition.

		G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	BA
1917	Dallas	163	546	92	156	41	8	10		72	56	24	.286
1918	Dallas	32	108	19	27	7	1	0		15	8	13	.250
1919	Dallas	93	351	40	88	17	6	1		19	26	9	.251
1920	Dallas	135	488	50	118	19	6	1	50	28	39	19	.242
1921	Dallas	113	407	60	121	32	4	3	58	37	23	8	.297
1924	Fort Worth	154	565	97	157	37	4	5	101	79	34	16	.278
1925	Fort Worth	154	596	110	176	29	3	13	103	77	35	10	.295
1926	Fort Worth	32	107	15	26	6	1	0	14	16	8	0	.243

Homer Summa, Outfielder
Summa was the offensive engine that drove a very good Wichita Falls club to a 94-61, second place finish in 1922. His one season in the Texas League ranks with the very best of the single season performances in Texas League history. Summa's 225 hits broke the existing league record, while his 131 runs scored was just one behind the existing league mark of 132, set the previous season. His .362 batting average was the third highest up to that time in the league's modern era. A fair, but slow outfielder, Summa finished the 1922 season playing 12 games for Cleveland, hitting .348.

		G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	BA
1922	Wichita Falls	156	621	131	225	45	11	8	110	53	24	30	.362