The Gulfport Tarpons were a

minor league baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...

team based in

Gulfport, Mississippi Gulfport ( ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States, and its co-county seat. It had a population of 72,926 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Mississippi, second-most populous ...

. Gulfport teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level

Cotton States League The Cotton States League''Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: The Official Record of Minor League Baseball'' – Lloyd Johnson, Steve McDonald, Miles Wolff (editors). Publisher: Baseball America, 1997. Format: Paperback, 672pp. Language: Engli ...

. The Gulfport "Crabs" teams played in the league from 1906 to 1908, with the Tarpons playing from 1926 to 1928. The Tarpons hosted home minor league games at the Fair Grounds.

History

1906 to 1908: Cotton States League

Gulfport, Mississippi first hosted minor league baseball in 1906 when the Gulfport Crabs became members of the six–team Class D level

. The Baton Rouge Cajuns,

Jackson Senators The Jackson Senators was the name of at least two minor league baseball teams that played in Jackson, Mississippi. First team The first known Jackson Senators club competed in the Delta League in 1904. In 1951, club president Emmet Vaughey an ...

, Meridian White Ribbons,

Mobile Sea Gulls Mobile may refer to: Places * Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city * Mobile County, Alabama * Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S. * Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Mobile ...

and Vicksburg Hill Billies teams joined Gulfport in 1906 league play. On April 19, 1906, the Gulfport Crabs began league play in their first season of minor league baseball. With a record of 58–61, Gulfport placed fourth in the six–team Cotton States League final standings. Gulfport ended the season 16.5 games behind the first place Mobile Sea Gulls in the final standings. The Cotton States League did not hold post-season playoffs. The Crabs were managed during the season by Eric Miller, John Bolin and Link Stickney. The 1907 season saw The Cotton States League continue play as a six–team Class D league. The Gulfport Crabs ended the 1907 Cotton States League season schedule with a record of 68–67, placing fourth in the final standings. Managed by

Bob Gilks Robert James Gilks (July 2, 1864 in Cincinnati – August 21, 1944 in Brunswick, Georgia), was a Major League Baseball pitcher and outfielder from 1887 to 1893. He played for the Cleveland Blues, Cleveland Spiders, and Baltimore Orioles. See a ...

, the Crabs finished 14.5 games behind the first place Mobile Sea Gulls in the final standings, as the league again held no playoffs. Pitcher Jack Ryan of Gulfport led the Cotton States League with 220 strikeouts. Ryan would later manage the team. The 1908 Gulfport team was known as the Gulfport-Biloxi Sand Crabs, playing in partnership with nearby

Biloxi, Mississippi Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...

. The Gulfport-Biloxi Sand Crabs placed third in the Cotton States League final standings. Gulfport-Biloxi had a final regular season record of 63–52 and finished 7.5 games behind the first place Jackson Senators in the six–team league. Following the 1908 season, the Cotton States League did not play in 1909 and returned to play in 1910 without a Gulfport franchise.

1926 to 1928: Cotton States League

after a twenty-season hiatus, minor league baseball returned to Gulfport in 1926. The new Gulfport franchise resumed play when a group of local businessmen bought the Cotton States League's Brookhaven Truckers franchise and moved that franchise to Gulfport, Mississippi. Gulfport hosted an exhibition game against the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

in 1926 and defeated the Red Sox in the contest. On May 2, 1926, Gulfport defeated Laurel by the score of 8-5. After the game, Laurel player/manager

Sammy Vick Samuel Bruce Vick (April 12, 1895 – August 17, 1986) was an American professional right fielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the New York Yankees from 1917 to 1920, and the Boston Red Sox in 1921. He stood , and weighed 163 lb. ...

protested the result on the grounds that Gulfport had too many "class" men. The 1926 Gulfport "Tarpons" resumed play in the Cotton States League after the Brookhaven franchise was moved Gulfport. The Gulfport Tarpons became members of the eight–team Class D level league. The

Alexandria Reds The Cotton States League''Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: The Official Record of Minor League Baseball'' – Lloyd Johnson, Steve McDonald, Miles Wolff (editors). Publisher: Baseball America, 1997. Format: Paperback, 672pp. Language: Engli ...

, Hattiesburg Pinetoppers, Jackson Red Sox, Laurel Lumberjacks, Meridian Mets, Monroe Drillers and Vicksburg Hill Billies teams joined with Gulfport in Cotton States League play. Gulfport ended the 1926 season with a record of 57–66 to place sixth in the league standings, playing under managers Cotton Knaupp and Jack Ryan, a former player for the franchise. The Tarpons finished 16.5 games behind the first place Hattiesburg Pinetoppers in the final Cotton States League final standings. Pitcher Lester Rouprich, who played for both Gulfport and Jackson during the season, led the Cotton States League with 146 strikeouts. With a record of 57–64, the 1927 Gulfport Tarpons placed fifth in the Cotton States League standings. Playing the season under manager Joe Evans, the Tarpons finished 29.0 games behind the first place Jackson Red Sox in the final standings and did not qualify for the playoffs. In their final season of play, The Gulfport Tarpons continued play in the 1928 Cotton States League and ended the season in last place in the final standings of the six-team league. Gulfport finished their final regular season with a 50–65 overall record to place sixth in the league, which had two halves. Managed by the returning Cotton Knaupp, Gulfport finished 33.0 games behind the first place Jackson Red Sox in the final overall standings. Mike Powers, who played for both Gulfport and Jackson during the season, won the Cotton States League batting title, hitting .383. Powers also led the league with 174 total hits. The Gulfport Tarpons did not return to play in the 2929 Cotton States League, replaced in the eight-team by the

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franchise. Gulfport, Mississippi has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballparks

The Gulfport Tarpons hosted minor league home games at the Gulfport Fair Grounds from 1926 to 1928. The ballpark location was referenced to have been within the Gulfport Fairgrounds. Today, the Harrison County Fairgrounds are still in use, located at 15321 County Farm Road, Gulfport, Mississippi. The 1908 Gulfport-Biloxi Sand Crabs played some home games in Biloxi, Mississippi. From 1913 to 1915, the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

hosted their

spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...

at a location in Gulfport, Mississippi. Street in Downtown Gulfport MS

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

* Joe Berry (1927–1928) * Jumbo Brown (1927) *

Orth Collins Orth Stein "Buck" Collins (April 27, 1880 – December 13, 1949) was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and pitcher. Collins played for the New York Highlanders in and the Washington Senators in . In 13 career games, he had six hits, ...

(1906) *

Spud Davis Virgil Lawrence "Spud" Davis (December 20, 1904 – August 14, 1984) was an American professional baseball player, coach, scout and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Ci ...

(1926) * Joe Evans (1927, MGR) * Don Flinn (1926) * Tom Gettinger (1908) *

(1907–1908, MGR) *

Art Goodwin Arthur Ingram Goodwin (February 27, 1876 – June 19, 1943) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Goodwin played for the New York Yankees, New York Highlanders in . In one career game, he had a 0–0 record with an 81.00 ERA. He threw right-handed ...

(1907) * Cotton Knaupp (1926, 1928, MGR) * Jack Lively (1906–1908) * Joe Price (1926–1927) * Tom Reilly (1907–1908) * Jack Ryan (1906–1907), (1926, MGR) * Pete Susko (1926) *

Dixie Walker Fred E. "Dixie" Walker (September 24, 1910 – May 17, 1982) was an American professional baseball player, coach, scout and minor league manager. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball from 1931 to 1949. Although Walker was a five ...

(1928) 5x MLB All–Star *

Gulfport Crabs players Gulfport may refer to: Places in USA *Gulfport, Florida *Gulfport, Illinois *Gulfport, Mississippi Ships * , two ships of this name * , a Hansa A Type cargo ship in service 1947-64 * ''Gulfport'' was a prospective name for Other uses

* Gu ...

* Gulfport Tarpons players * Gulfport-Biloxi Sand Crabs players

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Gulfport - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Defunct baseball teams in Mississippi Cotton States league Baseball teams established in 1926 Baseball teams disestablished in 1928 Cotton States League teams Gulfport, Mississippi 1926 establishments in Mississippi 1928 disestablishments in Mississippi