What is a Red Snapper Doing in San Angelo?

One of my wife's colleagues asked me to see if I could find out anything about the San Angelo Red Snappers. He is from San Angelo. (which is in west Texas) I felt a bit like Wes Cowan from PBS's HISTORY DETECTIVES while researching this story.

What is a Red Snapper doing in San Angelo?

San Angelo Red Snappers you just won the 1928 West Texas Baseball League Championship, what are you going to do now? Obviously, going to Disney Land wasn’t’ an option for 20-game winner Jubilo Clements and his Red Snapper teammate as the team’s response to the question was change our nickname to the Sheepherders next season.

Why would a championship team change its nickname? The answer to this question is most likely found by looking at Earl “Red” Snapp. More speificially, looking at his departure after the season. Snapp, 39 during the 1928 season, was the manager of the San Angelo nine. According to internet databases, it was Snapp’s ninth season as a manager. After 1928, Snapp spent the next year, his final one as a manager with the Sherman… you guessed it… SNAPPERS

Interestingly, eight of the teams Snapp managed were apparently named after him.

His managerial record
1915… Paris RED SNAPPERS
1916…Oklahoma City Senators
1921…Paris SNAPPERS
1922…Paris SNAPPERS
1923…Ardmore SNAPPERS
1925…Okmulgee Drillers
1926…Marshall SNAPPERS
1927…Paris SNAPPERS
1928…San Angelo RED SNAPPERS
1929…Sherman SNAPPERS


Looking through nicknames and managers of teams in minor leagues in Texas that were contemporary to Snapp indicates that having a team named after a manager was NOT a common thing. Snapp played professional ball in Texas from 1910-16. Also, he was a successful manager. Along with 1922 in Paris and 1923 in Armore(OK), the San Angelo was his third as a manager. His name (and perhaps his personality?) almost begged to be made into a team nickname. I don’t think it is a stretch to imagine that Snapp’s name along with his success as a player and manager and his likely resulting notoriety made naming a team after Red Snapp a logical, marketing-savvy decision.

EARL “Red” SNAPP
Born: December 8, 1888 (Stephenville, Texas)
Died: January 3, 1974