The Hot Springs Bathers were a

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 ...

baseball team based in

Hot Springs, Arkansas Hot Springs is a resort city in the state of Arkansas and the county seat of Garland County, Arkansas, Garland County. The city is located in the Ouachita Mountains among the U.S. Interior Highlands, and is set among several natural hot springs ...

, United States, that played from 1938 to 1941 and from 1947 to 1955. In 1938, they were affiliated with the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...

. In 1939 and 1940, they were affiliated with 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 ...

. From 1948 to 1951, they were affiliated with the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

. They were affiliated with the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

in 1954 and the

Kansas City Athletics The Kansas City Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1955 to 1967, having previously played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Philadelphia Athletics. After moving in 1967, the team became the ...

in 1955. From 1938 to 1941, they played at Whittington Park / Ban Johnson Park, and from 1947 to 1955 they played at Bathers Field / Jaycee Park / Majestic Park. In 1953, the Cotton States League attempted to evict the Bathers from the league because they signed and planned to play two African-American baseball players, brothers Jim and Leander Tugerson. The eviction was not permanent, however the brothers were never able to play in any regular season games for the team.

League championships

They won their first championship in 1941 under manager Mike Powers. Under Joe Holden and George Sobek, they won again in 1948. In 1950, they won their final championship under John Antonelli.

Notable alumni

* Paul Dean (1954, manager) * Bill Fischer (1949) *

Pete Fox Ervin "Pete" Fox (March 8, 1909 – July 5, 1966) was an American professional baseball player from 1930 to 1946. He played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball, principally as a right fielder, for the Detroit Tigers from 1933 to 1940 and th ...

(1949) MLB All-Star *

Shanty Hogan James Francis "Shanty" Hogan (March 21, 1906 – April 7, 1967) was an American professional baseball player.Joe Kuhel Joseph Anthony Kuhel (June 25, 1906 – February 26, 1984) was an American professional baseball player and manager. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he was a first baseman who played in the Major Leagues from 1930 to 1947, primarily for the Washington ...

(1947) * Mickey O'Neil (1955, manager) *

Hippo Vaughn James Leslie "Hippo" Vaughn (April 9, 1888 – May 29, 1966) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. In a career that spanned thirteen seasons, he played for the New York Highlanders (1908, 1910–1912), the Washington Sena ...

(1908)

References

External links

Baseball Reference
{{Hot Springs, Arkansas Baseball teams established in 1887 Baseball teams disestablished in 1955 Defunct Cotton States League teams Defunct Arkansas State League teams Defunct Southwestern League teams Kansas City Athletics minor league affiliates St. Louis Cardinals minor league affiliates Chicago White Sox minor league affiliates Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates Detroit Tigers minor league affiliates Culture of Hot Springs, Arkansas Professional baseball teams in Arkansas Defunct baseball teams in Arkansas History of African-American civil rights