Men of the Houston Buffaloes; 1888-1958

In the first of a series of posts on ye old minor league teams, I’d like to examine some of the players associated with The Houston Buffaloes of the Texas League. The Buffaloes were originally founded in 1888 — although they were called the the Babies, the Mud Cats, Red Stockings, and Magnolias, and the Wanderers before settling on the Buffaloes around 1903.

From 1921-1958, the Buffaloes were a farm team for the St. Lous Cardinals, and the very first officially affiliated minor league team at that. [Insert Astros joke here]. The team had quite a few notable players in their ranks at one time or another, having played a part in the development of much of the Gashouse Gang. But those guys we’re all familiar with by now, so I’m more interested in the lesser known names on the Buff’s roster:

Fletcher Manson “Sled” Allen
Player (catcher) / Manager in 1911. Continued to play for, but not manage, the Buffaloes from 1912-1916.

Allen only played in 14 major league games in his career, and in those games his average was .130. His minor league statistics weren’t much better. But after his major league career, he became a sports and music promoter who held interracial dancing events, and held shows for Little Richard, and Hank Williams. At age 60 (!) he became the father of Terry Allen. Terry became a “renegade” country music singer who collaborated with David Byrne and who is viewed as a forefather to “alt-country”, and is also a conceptual artist whose work is featured in many internationally renowned museums. There’s gotta be something to be said for a dad who produces such a talented renaissance man, so congratulations to Sled. Sled.

Prentice Almont “Pidge” Browne
Buffaloes First Baseman, 1956–1957.

Pidge (a term of endearment I have always longed to be called) represented H-town in three different levels: he played for the Buffaloes of the Texas League, the Buffs of the American Association, and for the 1962 Colt .45s. I say we revive him for the 2012 Houston Astros season, which is sure to be a level of baseball heretofore unknown to man.

Jay Justin “Nig” Clarke
Catcher with the Buffaloes in 1915.

There is a story that says that on June 15, 1902, Nig was playing for the Corsicana Oilers in the Texas League (against the Texarkana Casketmakers!) and that he went 8/8, with each hit being a home run. Enhancing the story’s validity somewhat is Nig’s apparent admittance that the field was actually the size of a girl’s softball field (he estimated that it was 210 feet to right). Un-hancing (!) the story is that the box score claimed that Corsicana won the game 51–3. But Clarke says it happened and I’m inclined to believe him, since it wasn’t a major league contest and I have no idea what kind of team the Casketmakers were in 1902. Also, because it’s the better story. Clarke said he made $185 in hat tips that game, which is pretty good money today and almost unimaginably awesome in 1902. In less happy news, the nickname was indeed derived from Jay’s complexion — it was a common nickname for darker-skinned players before integration. Boo-urns.

Henry Harold “Cotton” Pippen
Buffaloes Pitcher, 1936-1938

Born in Cisco, TX and nicknamed Cotton because of his aryanness, Henry had a career major league FIP of 5.16. But he struck out Ted Williams in the PCL, and after he retired he became an Oakland area bartender at a “number of establishments.” Sounds like an okay life to me.

Cecil Lysander Coombs
1919, Outfielder

Dude played for the following teams: Pekin Celestials, Decatur Commodores, Bloomingtom Bloomers, Danville Speakers, Peoria Distillers, Adrian Champs, Bay City Beavers, Chicago White Sox, Birmingham Barons, Mobile Bears, Little Rock Travelers, Toldeo Iron Men, Houston Buffaloes, Galveston Pirates, Dallas Submarines, Fort Worth Panthers, Wichita Falls Spudders. He managed the: Marshall Indians, Alexandria Aces, Fort Worth Cats, and Hot Springs Panthers. !!!!!!!!!!!!

Ulysses Simpson Grant “Lil” Stoner
Pitched for Houston, 1932

An accredited judge of the American Iris Society and a fan of the opera. <- True.