Orange Hoo–Hoos

Minor League baseball began in Orange in 1907, when the "Hoo–Hoos" became charter members of the six–team, Class D level Gulf Coast League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=cba429d7|title=1907 Gulf Coast League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mascotdb.com/teams/orange-hoo-hoos|title=Orange Hoo-Hoos - Orange, Texas | MascotDB.com|website=www.mascotdb.com}} The Alexandria White Sox, Lafayette Browns, Lake Charles Creoles, Monroe Municipals and Opelousas Indians, joined Orange in beginning play on April 24, 1907.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-GULF1/y-1907|title=1907 Gulf Coast League (GCL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}

The "Hoo–Hoos" nickname corresponds to the local lumber industry, as Orange was home to seventeen saw mills at its height of lumber production.{{cite web | url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/orange-tx#:~:text=The%20lumber%20industry%20was%20responsible,town%27s%20opera%20house%20and%20hotel | title=TSHA | Orange, TX }} The Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo is a fraternal organization, established in 1892. The organization is the oldest industrial fraternal organization in the United States and consists of lumbermen and those in trades that are related to the lumber industry.{{Cite web|url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/concatenated-order-of-hoo-hoo-1199/|title=Encyclopedia of Arkansas|website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hoohoo.org/our-history|title=Hoo-Hoo International|website=www.hoohoo.org}}

In their first season of play, the Orange Hoo–Hoos placed fourth in the Gulf Coast League standings. With a record of 50–65, playing under manager Roland Vitter, the Hoo–Hoos finished 14.5 games behind the first place Lake Charles Creoles in the final Gulf Coast League standings, as no playoffs were held.{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball |editor1-first=Lloyd |editor1-last=Johnson |editor2-first=Miles |editor2-last=Wolff |edition=Third |publisher=Baseball America |date=2007 |isbn=978-1932391176}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=a2eeb11a|title=1907 Opelousas Indians Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-oi13520/y-1907|title=1907 Opelousas Indians minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-GULF1/y-1907|title=1907 Gulf Coast League (GCL) minor league baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Orange Hoo–Hoos pitcher Dick Richardson led the league with a 9–1 record.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1907 Orange Hoo-Hoos Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

In 1908, Orange played their final season, as the six–team Gulf Coast League folded during the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1908 Orange Hoo-Hoos Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The Hoo–Hoos joined the returning Alexandria White Sox and Lake Charles Creoles, along with the new Beaumont Cubs, Crowley Rice Birds and Morgan City Oyster Shuckers teams in beginning league play on April 30, 1908.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-GULF1/y-1908|title=1908 Gulf Coast League (GCL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}

On June 3, 1908, the Gulf Coast League folded, as both the Beaumont and Crowley franchises disbanded. At the time the league folded, Orange was in second place with a record of 15–16. Managed by W.C. Rucker, the Hoo–Hoos finished 5.0 games behind the first place Lake Charles Creoles in the final standings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=ae1c6fae|title=1908 Gulf Coast League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

The Gulf Coast League did not return to play in 1909. Orange, Texas has not hosted another minor league team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=Orange, Texas Encyclopedia|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

The Orange Hoo–Hoos teams played home minor league games at City Park.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-1987|title=City Park in Orange, TX minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Today, the ballpark site is still in use as a public park, known as Orange Lions City Park.{{Cite web|url=https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/new-playground-at-lions-city-park-in-orange/502-d6944d2b-7d1c-44fa-8437-7f761f09da7b|title=New playground unveiled at Lions City Park in Orange a year after shutdown|date=January 20, 2021|website=12newsnow.com}}

In 1920 and 1921, the St. Louis Cardinals held their spring training in Orange, Texas at the newly constructed West End Park, next to Orange High School. Local lumber baron William Henry Stark aided in the construction of the ballpark and forming an organization to attract a team to Orange. Baseball Hall of Fame member Branch Rickey was the Cardinals' General Manager and chose Orange, Texas to host the Cardinals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.therecordlive.com/story/2022/03/02/news/orange-had-major-league-baseball-100-years-ago/31370.html|title=Orange had major league baseball 100 years ago|first=The Record|last=Newspapers|website=The Record Newspapers}}

No players on the Orange Hoo–Hoos rosters advanced to the major leagues.

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Orange&state=TX&country=US Orange - Baseball Reference]

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Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams

Category:Defunct Florida Complex League teams

Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1908

Category:Baseball teams established in 1907

Category:Defunct baseball teams in Texas