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We are the Marathon Seekers Group, eleven SABR members who are constantly looking to discover Baseball Marathons lasting 20 or more innings. So far, we have 648. But we know that we are touching only the tip of the iceberg.
These games are very difficult to discover. Through much experience, we have learned that the three best places to find such games are (1) during the 1900 through 1929 era, at the height of Town Ball games; (2) Latino Baseball in the Caribbean and in Latin America; and (3) current games as they occur.
We hope that Astros fans will review this list, and contact me, Phil Lowry, via e-mail at [email protected], if you know of a game not on the list, or if you can provide missing details for a game already on the List.
We offer an Official Certificate to all who find a new game not yet on the List. Thank you very much for your help.
Philip J. Lowry
Author, Baseball's Longest Games
LOUISIANA (3)
20 – New Orleans – 6/28/1931 – Amateur – French Market 3 Orchid Stars 2 – 500 fans.
23 – Clark Field, Lafayette - 3/27/1971 – National Collegiate Athletic Association – University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana-Lafayette) Ragin’ Cajuns 6 McNeese State University Cowboys 5 in 5:03, then McNeese State 13 Southwestern Louisiana 10 in 2:30 and 7 innings – 1st game finished at 6:33 PM, 2nd game finished at 10:03 PM.
21 – J.C. Love Field, Ruston – 2/16/1985 – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics at National Collegiate Athletic Association – Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs 2 Southern Arkansas University Muleriders 1 in 4:54 – 150 fans; 75 fans at end – finished at 6:24 PM.
TEXAS (38)
21 – Denton - 6/30/1907 – Amateur – Root Beers 1 Dinkelspeil Sluggers 1.
20 – Graham Diamond, Graham – 7/10/1907 – Amateur – Gainesville 2 Graham 1.
21 – Castroville - 8/11/1907 – Amateur – Medina Stars 3 Lone Stars 2.
21 – Midlothian - 8/15/1908 – Amateur – Arkansaw 4 West End 4.
20 – Ballinger – 6/26/1909 - Amateur – Granbury 3 Ballinger 2 in 2:20, 2nd game postponed.
21 – Yoakum – 7/4/1909 – Amateur – Pete Daileys of Houston 3 Yoakum 2.
23 – League Park, San Antonio – 7/5/1910 – Texas League – Waco Navigators 1 San Antonio Bronchos 1 in 4:14; 2nd game postponed – finished at 6:44 PM.
23 – Bangs – 5/23/1913 – Amateur – Antioch 1 Live Oak 1.
21 – High School Grounds, Dallas - 5/1/1915 – Amateur – Revico 11 Rounders 10.
20 – Gulfview Park, Galveston – 8/13/1916 – Texas League – Waco Navigators 4 Galveston Pirates 1.
20 – Panther Park, Fort Worth – 5/8/1918 – Texas League – Shreveport Gassers 1 Fort Worth Panthers 1.
20 – Hamlin – 4/28/1924 – Texas High School League – Anson High School Tigers 2 Hamlin High School Pied Pipers 1.
20 – San Antonio – 5/18/1924 – Amateur – Laredo 2 El Fenix 2 in 3:20 in afternoon game, called on account of darkness; El Fenix 2 Laredo 1 in morning game.
20 – Edinburg - 4/24/1927 – Texas Valley League (AKA Lone Star League) – Laredo Oilers 3 Edinburg Bobcats 3 - called on account of darkness; second game postponed.
20 – Menard – 6/6/1929 – Amateur – Menard 3 Brady 2.
25 – Dallas or Wichita Falls – 8/10/1931 – City League – Sullivan Grocery 3 unknown opponent 3.
22 – Ozona – 7/11/1933 – West Texas Independent League – Abilene 3 Ozona 3.
27 – Monarch Field, Houston – 8/??/1934 – Negro Texas-Oklahoma League – Austin Black Senators 3 Newgulf Black Buffs 2.
21 – Tech Field, San Antonio – 6/2/1935 - Texas League – San Antonio Missions 4 Dallas Steers 3 in 3:50, then 2nd game called after 2 innings – 5000 fans.
20 – La Grave Field (I), Fort Worth – 5/31/1939 – Texas League – Fort Worth Cats 4 Oklahoma City Indians 3 in 4:26 – finished at 12:41 AM in the early morning of 6/1.
20 – Spudder Park, Wichita Falls – 7/13/1950 – Big State League – Wichita Falls Spudders 2 Sherman-Denison Twins 1.
20 – East Texan Park, Tyler – 7/15/1952 – Big State League – Texarkana Bears 3 Tyler East Texans 2 in 4:21 – 1163 fans, 500 fans at end – finished at 12:26 AM in the early morning of 7/16.
20 – Disch Field, Austin - 9/7/1956 – Texas League – Austin Senators 4 Dallas Eagles 3 in 5:01 – 2157 fans - finished at 1:05 AM in the early morning of 9/8.
20 – Higgins Field, Dallas - 4/17/1957 – Texas High School League – Adamson High School Leopards 3 Sunset High School Bison 2 in 4:21 – finished at 11:51 PM.
24 – Mission Stadium, San Antonio – 4/29/1960 – Texas League – Rio Grande Valley Giants 4 San Antonio Missions 2 in 5:42, dog-on-the-field delay 15th, scoreboard fire delay 20th, light failure delay 22nd – 820 fans; 700 fans at end - finished at 1:27 AM in the early morning of 4/30.
20 – Pony-Colt Stadium, Galveston - 7/27/1963 – Colt League – Galena Park 6 Beaumont 5 in 5:00.
25 – Turnpike (later Arlington) Stadium, Arlington – 6/17/1965 – Texas League – Austin Braves 2 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs 1 in 5:10 – 2546 fans - finished at 12:40 AM in the early morning of 6/18.
24 – Astrodome, Houston – 4/15/1968 – National League – Astros 1 Mets 0 in 6:06 – 14,219 fans, 3000 fans at end – finished at 1:37 AM in the early morning of 4/16.
20 – V.J. Keefe Stadium, San Antonio – 6/28/1977 – Texas League - San Antonio Dodgers 4 El Paso Diablos 3 in 4:37; 2nd game postponed – 762 fans; 200 fans at end - finished at 11:10 PM.
20 – Disch-Falk Field, Austin – 5/15/1981 and 5/16/1981 - National Collegiate Athletic Association – University of Texas Longhorns 7 Rice University Owls 6 in 6:07, rain delay 2:00 top 13th, suspended after 3:10 and 12 innings – 4700 fans on 5/15, 300 fans at suspension, 3000 fans on 5/16 – suspended at 1:15 AM in the early morning of 5/16, finished at 3:02 PM on 5/16.
21 – V.J. Keefe Stadium, San Antonio – 5/21/1987 – Texas League – Shreveport Captains 4 San Antonio Dodgers 3 in 6:04 – 1144 fans – finished at 1:04 AM in the early morning of 5/22.
26 – V.J. Keefe Stadium, San Antonio – 7/14/1988 and 7/16/1988 – Texas League – San Antonio Missions 1 Jackson Mets 0 in 7:23, suspended after 7:10 and 25 innings – 3792 fans on 7/14, 3260 fans on 7/16 – suspended at 2:15 AM in the early morning of 7/15.
22 – Astrodome, Houston – 6/3/1989 – National League – Astros 5 Dodgers 4 in 7:14 – 34,425 fans – finished at 2:50 AM in the early morning of 6/4.
22 – Cougar Field, Houston – 2/21/1999 – National Collegiate Athletic Association – Baylor University Bears 8 University of Houston Cougars 2 in 6:43 – 1225 fans – finished at 10:48 PM.
21 – Wolff Stadium, San Antonio – 8/14/2004 – Texas League – Midland RockHounds 7 San Antonio Missions 5 in 6:40 – 4286 fans, 90 fans at end – finished at 1:46 AM in the early morning of 8/15.
20 – Whataburger Field, Corpus Christi – 6/1/2005 – Texas League – Wichita Wranglers 7 Corpus Christi Hooks 2 in 6:09 – 6609 fans, 325 fans at end – finished at 1:19 AM in the early morning of 6/2.
25 – University Federal Credit Union (UFCU) Disch-Falk Field, Austin – 5/30/2009 – National Collegiate Athletic Association playoffs – University of Texas Longhorns 3 Boston College Eagles 2 in 7:03 – 7104 fans; 6000 fans at end – finished at 1:05 AM in the early morning of 5/31.
20 – Wolff Stadium, San Antonio – 9/14/2011 – Texas League playoffs – San Antonio Missions 5 Arkansas Travelers 4 in 6:03 – 3887 fans – finished at 1:13 AM in the early morning of 9/15.
These games are very difficult to discover. Through much experience, we have learned that the three best places to find such games are (1) during the 1900 through 1929 era, at the height of Town Ball games; (2) Latino Baseball in the Caribbean and in Latin America; and (3) current games as they occur.
We hope that Astros fans will review this list, and contact me, Phil Lowry, via e-mail at [email protected], if you know of a game not on the list, or if you can provide missing details for a game already on the List.
We offer an Official Certificate to all who find a new game not yet on the List. Thank you very much for your help.
Philip J. Lowry
Author, Baseball's Longest Games
LOUISIANA (3)
20 – New Orleans – 6/28/1931 – Amateur – French Market 3 Orchid Stars 2 – 500 fans.
23 – Clark Field, Lafayette - 3/27/1971 – National Collegiate Athletic Association – University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana-Lafayette) Ragin’ Cajuns 6 McNeese State University Cowboys 5 in 5:03, then McNeese State 13 Southwestern Louisiana 10 in 2:30 and 7 innings – 1st game finished at 6:33 PM, 2nd game finished at 10:03 PM.
21 – J.C. Love Field, Ruston – 2/16/1985 – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics at National Collegiate Athletic Association – Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs 2 Southern Arkansas University Muleriders 1 in 4:54 – 150 fans; 75 fans at end – finished at 6:24 PM.
TEXAS (38)
21 – Denton - 6/30/1907 – Amateur – Root Beers 1 Dinkelspeil Sluggers 1.
20 – Graham Diamond, Graham – 7/10/1907 – Amateur – Gainesville 2 Graham 1.
21 – Castroville - 8/11/1907 – Amateur – Medina Stars 3 Lone Stars 2.
21 – Midlothian - 8/15/1908 – Amateur – Arkansaw 4 West End 4.
20 – Ballinger – 6/26/1909 - Amateur – Granbury 3 Ballinger 2 in 2:20, 2nd game postponed.
21 – Yoakum – 7/4/1909 – Amateur – Pete Daileys of Houston 3 Yoakum 2.
23 – League Park, San Antonio – 7/5/1910 – Texas League – Waco Navigators 1 San Antonio Bronchos 1 in 4:14; 2nd game postponed – finished at 6:44 PM.
23 – Bangs – 5/23/1913 – Amateur – Antioch 1 Live Oak 1.
21 – High School Grounds, Dallas - 5/1/1915 – Amateur – Revico 11 Rounders 10.
20 – Gulfview Park, Galveston – 8/13/1916 – Texas League – Waco Navigators 4 Galveston Pirates 1.
20 – Panther Park, Fort Worth – 5/8/1918 – Texas League – Shreveport Gassers 1 Fort Worth Panthers 1.
20 – Hamlin – 4/28/1924 – Texas High School League – Anson High School Tigers 2 Hamlin High School Pied Pipers 1.
20 – San Antonio – 5/18/1924 – Amateur – Laredo 2 El Fenix 2 in 3:20 in afternoon game, called on account of darkness; El Fenix 2 Laredo 1 in morning game.
20 – Edinburg - 4/24/1927 – Texas Valley League (AKA Lone Star League) – Laredo Oilers 3 Edinburg Bobcats 3 - called on account of darkness; second game postponed.
20 – Menard – 6/6/1929 – Amateur – Menard 3 Brady 2.
25 – Dallas or Wichita Falls – 8/10/1931 – City League – Sullivan Grocery 3 unknown opponent 3.
22 – Ozona – 7/11/1933 – West Texas Independent League – Abilene 3 Ozona 3.
27 – Monarch Field, Houston – 8/??/1934 – Negro Texas-Oklahoma League – Austin Black Senators 3 Newgulf Black Buffs 2.
21 – Tech Field, San Antonio – 6/2/1935 - Texas League – San Antonio Missions 4 Dallas Steers 3 in 3:50, then 2nd game called after 2 innings – 5000 fans.
20 – La Grave Field (I), Fort Worth – 5/31/1939 – Texas League – Fort Worth Cats 4 Oklahoma City Indians 3 in 4:26 – finished at 12:41 AM in the early morning of 6/1.
20 – Spudder Park, Wichita Falls – 7/13/1950 – Big State League – Wichita Falls Spudders 2 Sherman-Denison Twins 1.
20 – East Texan Park, Tyler – 7/15/1952 – Big State League – Texarkana Bears 3 Tyler East Texans 2 in 4:21 – 1163 fans, 500 fans at end – finished at 12:26 AM in the early morning of 7/16.
20 – Disch Field, Austin - 9/7/1956 – Texas League – Austin Senators 4 Dallas Eagles 3 in 5:01 – 2157 fans - finished at 1:05 AM in the early morning of 9/8.
20 – Higgins Field, Dallas - 4/17/1957 – Texas High School League – Adamson High School Leopards 3 Sunset High School Bison 2 in 4:21 – finished at 11:51 PM.
24 – Mission Stadium, San Antonio – 4/29/1960 – Texas League – Rio Grande Valley Giants 4 San Antonio Missions 2 in 5:42, dog-on-the-field delay 15th, scoreboard fire delay 20th, light failure delay 22nd – 820 fans; 700 fans at end - finished at 1:27 AM in the early morning of 4/30.
20 – Pony-Colt Stadium, Galveston - 7/27/1963 – Colt League – Galena Park 6 Beaumont 5 in 5:00.
25 – Turnpike (later Arlington) Stadium, Arlington – 6/17/1965 – Texas League – Austin Braves 2 Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs 1 in 5:10 – 2546 fans - finished at 12:40 AM in the early morning of 6/18.
24 – Astrodome, Houston – 4/15/1968 – National League – Astros 1 Mets 0 in 6:06 – 14,219 fans, 3000 fans at end – finished at 1:37 AM in the early morning of 4/16.
20 – V.J. Keefe Stadium, San Antonio – 6/28/1977 – Texas League - San Antonio Dodgers 4 El Paso Diablos 3 in 4:37; 2nd game postponed – 762 fans; 200 fans at end - finished at 11:10 PM.
20 – Disch-Falk Field, Austin – 5/15/1981 and 5/16/1981 - National Collegiate Athletic Association – University of Texas Longhorns 7 Rice University Owls 6 in 6:07, rain delay 2:00 top 13th, suspended after 3:10 and 12 innings – 4700 fans on 5/15, 300 fans at suspension, 3000 fans on 5/16 – suspended at 1:15 AM in the early morning of 5/16, finished at 3:02 PM on 5/16.
21 – V.J. Keefe Stadium, San Antonio – 5/21/1987 – Texas League – Shreveport Captains 4 San Antonio Dodgers 3 in 6:04 – 1144 fans – finished at 1:04 AM in the early morning of 5/22.
26 – V.J. Keefe Stadium, San Antonio – 7/14/1988 and 7/16/1988 – Texas League – San Antonio Missions 1 Jackson Mets 0 in 7:23, suspended after 7:10 and 25 innings – 3792 fans on 7/14, 3260 fans on 7/16 – suspended at 2:15 AM in the early morning of 7/15.
22 – Astrodome, Houston – 6/3/1989 – National League – Astros 5 Dodgers 4 in 7:14 – 34,425 fans – finished at 2:50 AM in the early morning of 6/4.
22 – Cougar Field, Houston – 2/21/1999 – National Collegiate Athletic Association – Baylor University Bears 8 University of Houston Cougars 2 in 6:43 – 1225 fans – finished at 10:48 PM.
21 – Wolff Stadium, San Antonio – 8/14/2004 – Texas League – Midland RockHounds 7 San Antonio Missions 5 in 6:40 – 4286 fans, 90 fans at end – finished at 1:46 AM in the early morning of 8/15.
20 – Whataburger Field, Corpus Christi – 6/1/2005 – Texas League – Wichita Wranglers 7 Corpus Christi Hooks 2 in 6:09 – 6609 fans, 325 fans at end – finished at 1:19 AM in the early morning of 6/2.
25 – University Federal Credit Union (UFCU) Disch-Falk Field, Austin – 5/30/2009 – National Collegiate Athletic Association playoffs – University of Texas Longhorns 3 Boston College Eagles 2 in 7:03 – 7104 fans; 6000 fans at end – finished at 1:05 AM in the early morning of 5/31.
20 – Wolff Stadium, San Antonio – 9/14/2011 – Texas League playoffs – San Antonio Missions 5 Arkansas Travelers 4 in 6:03 – 3887 fans – finished at 1:13 AM in the early morning of 9/15.