Gainesville Owls 

The ladies wore dresses, hats, gloves, and high heels. The men wore suits and hats.

The occasion? A movie premier? Graduation ceremony? Special church service?

Actually, it was the standard dress at the Gainesville Owls baseball games! 

In 1947, Gainesville acquired a franchise in the Class B Big State 
professional baseball league which included teams in Texarkana, 
Sherman-Denison, Wichita Falls, Austin, Waco, Paris, Temple, and 
Greenville. The Gainesville franchise became known as the Gainesville 
Owls. 
During that first season, according to old newspaper clippings, the 
Owls were owned by three men: George Frizzell, Cecil Farr, and Harvey 
Shanks. Their budget was tight. Team members received uniforms, 
but the players furnished certain extras such as gloves and shoes. Fans 
paid $1.00 admission to help with the costs. But, the fans did not seem to 
mind, as attending an Owls game appeared to be a favorite pastime for 
many local citizens. People dressed up to go to the games—no jeans and 
tennis shoes! 
In any case, by the end of the first season, the team was far from being 
in first place and the financial state of the organization was precarious. At 
that point, the citizens of Gainesville voted to purchase the team and provide 
financial support. Dr. W. Herbert Locke, for whom Locke Field was named, 
became president of the Gainesville Owls after the city bought the franchise. 
The Owls survived for a few more years but poor finances finally took 
their toil and the team folded. Though they disbanded years ago, many 
people still remember the thrill of watching the Gainesville Owls—“the 
boys of summer”—play ball! 

Morton Museum of Cooke County 

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