Magic Valley Cowboys

{{Infobox Minor League Baseball

| name = Magic Valley Cowboys

| allyears = 1952–1958, 1961–1966, 1968–1971

| city = Twin Falls, Idaho

| misc =

| logo =

| uniformlogo =

| colors =

| class level = {{ubl

|Class C (1952–1958, 1961–1962)

|Class A (1963)

|Rookie (1964–1966, 1968–1971)

}}

| league = Pioneer League

| majorleague = {{plainlist|

Chicago Cubs (1954–1958)
Philadelphia Phillies (1961–1963)
San Francisco Giants (1964–1966)
Atlanta Braves (1968–1970)

}}

| ballpark = Jaycee Field

| leaguenum = 1

| leaguechamps = 1955

| divnum =

| divisionchamps =

}}

The Magic Valley Cowboys were a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League for a total of 17 seasons between 1952 and 1971. The team was based in Twin Falls, Idaho — the largest city within the Magic Valley region — and succeeded the Twin Falls Cowboys. The team played at Jaycee Field, located in the northeast corner of the city's Harmon Park.{{cite news |url=http://magicvalley.com/news/local/hidden-history-twin-falls-st-baseball-team-the-irrigatiors/article_8be32c8e-b8c2-5f41-b42c-42fc66d5a8ff.html |title=Hidden History: Twin Falls' 1st Baseball Team, the Irrigatiors |first=Mychel |last=Matthews |website=magicvalley.com |date=January 28, 2016 |accessdate=August 6, 2017}}{{cite news |url=http://magicvalley.com/news/local/hidden-history-the-cowboys-baseball-team/article_135e5072-0c6a-5022-b18e-e4b15ff36f9f.html |title=Hidden History: The Cowboys baseball team |first=Mychel |last=Matthews |website=magicvalley.com |date=March 23, 2017 |accessdate=August 9, 2017}}

History

The Magic Valley Cowboys competed at the Class C level (1952–58, 1961–62), the Class A level (1963), and the Rookie level (1964–66, 1968–71).{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Magic%20Valley&state=ID&country=US |title=Magic Valley, Idaho |website=Baseball-Reference.com |accessdate=August 9, 2017}} At different times, they were affiliated with four National League teams; the Chicago Cubs (1954–58), the Philadelphia Phillies (1961–63), the San Francisco Giants (1964–66), and the Atlanta Braves (1968–70).{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

Magic Valley's one league championship came in 1955,{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-66354202 |title=Pioneer League Champions |website=Minor League Baseball |access-date=August 11, 2017}} when the Cowboys finished the regular season in fourth place, then defeated the Boise Braves and the Pocatello Bannocks in the playoffs.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13035095/magic_valley_wins_pioneer_loop_playoff/ |title=Magic Valley Wins Pioneer Loop Playoff Series |newspaper=Independent Record |location=Helena, Montana |agency=AP |date=September 14, 1955 |accessdate=August 11, 2017 |via=newspapers.com}}

Season records

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;" !Season !! Class !! Affiliation	Record	Win %	Finish	Playoffs	Ref
1952	rowspan=7 \| C	rowspan=2 \| none	55–77	.417	7th (tie)		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=5891fab0 \|title=1952 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1953	48–83	.366	7th		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=7b8a3665 \|title=1953 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1954	rowspan=5 \| Chicago Cubs	67–65	.508	5th		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=a3cc20c8 \|title=1954 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1955	64–67	.489	4th	champions	{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=f94410a8 \|title=1955 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1956	69–63	.523	4th (tie)		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=58f5083b \|title=1956 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1957	60–66	.476	6th		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=86a35106 \|title=1957 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1958	58–74	.439	6th		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=8b16db4b \|title=1958 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1959	rowspan=2 colspan=7 \| no team
1960
1961	rowspan=2 \| C	rowspan=3 \| Philadelphia Phillies	64–66	.492	4th		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=9b5c1357 \|title=1961 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1962	64–65	.496	3rd		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=ec0a9e80 \|title=1962 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1963	A	84–44	.656	1st	lost in first round	{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=ad3a7b7b \|title=1963 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}{{cite news \|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13035332/yanks_ponies_gain_finals_in_pl_playoffs/ \|title=Yanks, Ponies Gain Finals In PL Playoffs \|newspaper=Idaho State Journal \|location=Pocatello, Idaho \|agency=AP \|date=September 5, 1963 \|accessdate=August 11, 2017 \|via=newspapers.com}}
1964	rowspan=3 \| Rookie	rowspan=3 \| San Francisco Giants	33–32	.508	2nd		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=c75c5f40 \|title=1964 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1965	33–33	.500	2nd (tie)		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=09c80c4f \|title=1965 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1966	28–38	.424	4th		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=b8ddea5f \|title=1966 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1967	colspan=7 \| no team
1968	rowspan=4 \| Rookie	rowspan=3 \| Atlanta Braves	30–31	.492	4th		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=8c4dd3fd \|title=1968 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1969	39–33	.542	3rd		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=45f04c36 \|title=1969 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1970	41–29	.586	3rd		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=1f3926d0 \|title=1970 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}
1971	none	36–34	.514	3rd (tie)		{{cite web \|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=b5f41974 \|title=1971 Magic Valley Cowboys \|website=Baseball-Reference.com \|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}

All-stars

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;" !Season{{cite web \|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-45669520 \|title=All-Star Teams 1939-1963 \|website=Minor League Baseball \|access-date=August 13, 2017}}{{cite web \|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-234523 \|title=All-Star Teams 1966-1979 \|website=Minor League Baseball \|access-date=August 13, 2017}} !! Name & Position
1954	Charles Jorgenson, P
1955	Daniel Lobitz, 1B Bob Shaffer, P
1956	Robert Pascal, 1B Duane Hermon, OF Samual Mauney, C John Buzhardt, P
1961	Costen Shockley, 1B Bobby Sanders, OF Victor Baron, C Joel Gibson, P
1962	Harold "Hank" Allen, 1B Adolfo Phillips, OF Ferdinand Walters, C Jack Phillips, Mgr.
1963	Alex Johnson, OF Gene Kerns, OF Nolen Campbell, IF George Bechtold, P
1966	Jay Reed, OF John Harrell, C Don DeSousa, Util. Robert "Bob" Reynolds, P
1968	Larry LeGarde, OF Curtis Moore, Util.
1969	Mickey Rivers, OF
1970	Marc Meno, 3B
1971	Dominic Gaudioso, C

==Notable alumni==

Magic Valley Cowboys

History

Season records

All-stars

See also

References

Further reading