Lubbock Crickets
Encyclopedia
The Lubbock Crickets were a minor league baseball
team that played in Lubbock, Texas
from 1995 to 1998. The team was named after Buddy Holly
's band, The Crickets. The Crickets played their home games at Dan Law Field
on the campus of Texas Tech University
. The Crickets were a member of the Texas-Louisiana League, formed in 1994, which was later called the Central Baseball League, followed by the United League. The Crickets fielded a very strong team for the 1995 season, behind (16-year MLB veteran pitcher) Manager Greg Minton. The team won the league championship in 1995.
Officially, the Crickets suspended operations for the 1999 season because of uncertain stadium availability. The Crickets had leased Dan Law Field from Texas Tech since their inception in 1995, but the expansion of the NCAA baseball playoffs to 64 teams in 1999 created an issue about stadium availability. This was not a new scheduling issue, as a clause in the lease agreement restricted the Crickets' access to Dan Law Field until after Tech finished its season. In 1996, the Crickets' first 10 games were on the road followed by a May 30 home opener. In 1997, the Crickets played its first home game on May 29, seven days after the season started. In 1998, the season started on May 21 and the Crickets did not play at home until June 1. Team officials and TX-LA league officers informally discussed the idea of a new stadium in Lubbock, a 4,000-seat facility with lights, dressing rooms and adequate concessions estimated to cost $2 million. However, with attendance numbers declining, financial woes, and uncertainty over a home field, the team franchise dissolved following the 1998 season.
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team that played in Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
from 1995 to 1998. The team was named after Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
's band, The Crickets. The Crickets played their home games at Dan Law Field
Dan Law Field
Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park, nicknamed "The Law", is the home stadium of the Texas Tech Red Raiders baseball team in Lubbock, Texas. It is located on the Texas Tech University campus, adjacent to Jones AT&T Stadium and Fuller Track...
on the campus of Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
. The Crickets were a member of the Texas-Louisiana League, formed in 1994, which was later called the Central Baseball League, followed by the United League. The Crickets fielded a very strong team for the 1995 season, behind (16-year MLB veteran pitcher) Manager Greg Minton. The team won the league championship in 1995.
Officially, the Crickets suspended operations for the 1999 season because of uncertain stadium availability. The Crickets had leased Dan Law Field from Texas Tech since their inception in 1995, but the expansion of the NCAA baseball playoffs to 64 teams in 1999 created an issue about stadium availability. This was not a new scheduling issue, as a clause in the lease agreement restricted the Crickets' access to Dan Law Field until after Tech finished its season. In 1996, the Crickets' first 10 games were on the road followed by a May 30 home opener. In 1997, the Crickets played its first home game on May 29, seven days after the season started. In 1998, the season started on May 21 and the Crickets did not play at home until June 1. Team officials and TX-LA league officers informally discussed the idea of a new stadium in Lubbock, a 4,000-seat facility with lights, dressing rooms and adequate concessions estimated to cost $2 million. However, with attendance numbers declining, financial woes, and uncertainty over a home field, the team franchise dissolved following the 1998 season.