Lawton Braves

The Lawton Braves was the final and primary name of the  minor league baseball teams based in Lawton, Oklahoma from 1947 to 1957. Lawton won Class D Sooner State League championships in 1949, 1954 and 1955. Lawton was an affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves (1954-1957), Cincinnati Reds (1952-1953) and New York Giants (1947-1951).

History
Lawton played in the Class D Sooner State League from 1947-1957. They were affiliates of the Milwaukee Braves (1954-1957), Cincinnati Reds (1952-1953) and New York Giants (1947-1951). Lawton took the moniker of their affiliates as their name. Lawton won Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League championships in 1949, 1954 and 1955. The 1954 and 1955 Lawton Braves championship teams were managed by Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Travis Jackson.The Sooner State League folded after the 1957 season.

Previously, Lawton briefly had a team play in the Texas-Oklahoma League in 1911. The Lawton Medicine Men, who were 17-31 when the team disbanded on June 14, 1911.

The ballpark
Lawton played at Memorial Park. Memorial Park was located at 415 SW C Avenue, between SW 4th & SW 5th Streets in Lawton, Oklahoma. Today, the site is home to the Central Mall. The ballpark had a capacity of 3,600 (1947) and 2,000 (1953). Over their final four seasons, the Braves' season attendance had dropped from 47,000 in 1954 to 15,000 by 1957.

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni
 Travis Jackson (1954-1957, MGR) Inducted, 1982

Notable alumni
 Ed Albrecht (1947)
 Marv Blaylock (1948)
 Louis Brower (1947-1950, Player/MGR)
 Bob Harrison (1948-1949)
 Bobby Knoop (1957) MLB All-Star; Angels Hall of Fame
 Ron Piche (1955)
 Charlie Rabe (1952)

Season-by-season
(from Lawton Braves - BR BullpenLawton Reds - BR BullpenLawton Giants - BR Bullpen)

References

Category:Minor league baseball teams
Category:Baseball teams established in 1947
Category:Sports clubs disestablished in 1957
Category:Defunct baseball teams in the United States
Category:San Francisco Giants minor league affiliates
Category:Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates
Category:Atlanta Braves minor league affiliates
Category:Southern United States baseball team stubs
Category:1947 establishments in Oklahoma
Category:1957 disestablishments in Oklahoma
Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams
Category:Professional baseball teams in Oklahoma
Category:Lawton, Oklahoma