Ada Herefords

Minor league baseball began in Ada, Oklahoma with the 1947 Ada Herefords. The Ada Herefords were charter members of the six–team Sooner State League in 1947, along with the Ardmore Indians, Duncan Cementers, Lawton Giants, McAlester Rockets and Seminole Oilers.[1][2]

In their first season of play, the 1947 Ada Herefords finished 2nd in the Sooner State League with a 86–51 record in the regular season, playing as an affiliate of the St. Louis Browns. They would remain an affiliate of the Browns franchise throughout their existence. In the 1947 playoffs, the McAlester Rockets defeated the Ada Herefords 3 games to 2. The Ada home season attendance was 41,872, an average of 611 per game.[3][1][4]

Ada finished with a 63–76 record, placing 5th in the 1948 Sooner State League. The Herefords did not qualify for the playoffs. The Sooner State League expanded from six–teams to eight–teams, adding the Chickasha Chiefs and Pauls Valley Raiders as expansion teams. The Ada season attendance in 1948 was 27,050.[5][1][2][6]

The Ada Herefords made the Sooner State League playoffs in 1949. Ada finished with a 69–70 record and in 4th place in the regular season standings. In the playoffs, the Pauls Valley Raiders defeated Ada 3 games to 2. Season attendance was at Hereford Park was 33,525.[7][1][8]

In 1950, Ada captured the Longhorn State League pennant. The Ada Herefords finished the regular season in first place 1st with a 96–41 record, 5.5 games ahead of 2nd place McAlester Rockets. In the 1950 playoffs, the Ardmore Indians defeated Ada 3 games to 2. Season attendance was 31,981. [9][1][10]

The 1951 Ada Herefords did not qualify for the playoffs, finishing in 5th place. The Herefords finished with a 54–86 record in the regular season. Attendance was 12,779, an average of 183 per game.[11][1][12]

Ada again missed the playoffs in 1952, as the Herefords finished in 7th place with a 57–82 record. The Herefords drew 38,387 to Hereford Park for the season.[13][14][1]

The 1953 Ada Herefords advanced to the Sooner State League Finals. Ada finished with a 84–54 record, placing 3rd in the regular season standings. In the 1953 playoffs, Ada had their first and only playoff series victory, as the Ada Herefords defeated the Shawnee Hawks 3 games to 1 in the semi-finals. In the Finals, the McAlester Rockets defeated Ada 4 games to 1 and captured the championship. Ada's season attendance was 36,128.[15][1][16]

Ada played their final minor league season in 1954, changing their moniker to the Ada Cementers in mid-season. The franchise became an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, as the St. Louis Browns had relocated to Baltimore in 1954. The 1954 Ada Herefords/Cementers finished in 6th place with a 64–76 record, drawing 28,482, an average 407.[17][18][1][19]

The Ada Cementers permanently folded after the 1954. Fellow league member Pauls Valley Raiders folded also. They were replaced in the 1955 Sooner State League by the Muskogee Giants and Paris Orioles. Ada has not hosted another minor league team.[20][1][21]

The Ada Herefords played at Hereford Park. The ballpark was located at the Pontotoc County fairgrounds on North Broadway Avenue. The field, which was also used as a rodeo arena, had an unusual asymmetrical shape featuring a short right field porch and extremely long third base foul line. The Pontotoc County Agri-Plex and Convention Center, 1710 North Broadway, now stands on the site.[22][23][24][25][26][27][28]

(from Baseball Reference)

Baseball Reference