Who are the Alpine Cowboys?

The Alpine Cowboys are a professional baseball team based in Alpine, Texas, in the Big Bend region of West Texas. The Cowboys are a franchise of the Pecos League, which is not affiliated with Major or Minor League Baseball. They play their home games at historic Kokernot Field, a 1,200 seat stone and wrought-iron replica of Chicago's Wrigley Field that dates from 1948. In 1946, Herbert L. Kokernot, Jr., son of Texas cattle rancher and entrepreneur Herbert L. Kokernot, retooled the semi- professional baseball team the Alpine Cats into the Alpine Cowboys. While semi-professional teams were not uncommon in Texas at the time, the Alpine Cowboys had the unusual benefit of a brand new stadium, Kokernot Field, opened for them in 1947. Constructed at a cost of $1,500,000.00, the elaborately decorated stadium included imported infield dirt shipped by train from Georgia. The Alpine Cowboys used the stadium as home base from 1947 through 1958, during which time they took a dozen titles in the regional and were runners up for a national championship. In addition to supporting the team and the region with a state of the art stadium, Kokernot also actively supported athletes in Alpine and elsewhere, bringing promising high school graduates onto the roster of the team and offering college scholarships to players throughout the southwest.

In a 2007 article, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram described the team as "one of the state's finest semiprofessional teams". The team launched a number of baseball professional, including two Hall of Fame inductees. Among them was coach Tom Chandler. Team members included Gaylord Perry and Norm Cash.

Alpine Cowboys History:

2009:
The first season back into professional baseball after a long hiatus was a successful one. The Cowboys were lead by All-Stars Mike Castrignano, Beau Manning, Eric Williams, Andrew Riddick, Nick "Nacho" Ochoa, Curt Dixon and Chris Dabbs. The Cowboys lost in the 2009 Continental Championship to the Alexandria Aces 2 games to 0, and the final season record was 37-28.

2010:
The Big Bend Cowboys of the Continental League won the Ferguson Jenkins league Championship trophy in its final season defeating the Las Cruces Vaqueros 2 games to 1. The Big Bend Cowboys finished with a 35-17 record and had 1st Baseman Corey O'Neil win the 2010 CBL League MVP, along with 1B/DH Nick "Nacho" Ochoa taking the 2010 CBL Offensive Player of the Year and Championship Series MVP Award.

2011:
The Alpine Cowboys lost in the Pecos League Semi- Finals to eventual champion Roswell Invaders 2 to 1 in the best of 3 series. The Cowboys finished with a 38-31 regular season record(25-15 Home Record) and defeated the Houston Apollos in the 7-3 Del Rio,TX exhibition game on July 11th as well. The 06 Cowboys boasted 8 Pecos League All-Stars including Javier Arrieta(Utility), James Kono(SS), Kyle Wells(Catcher), David Valesente(3rd), Nick "Nacho" Ochoa(1B), Alfredo Caballero(P), Scott Shimek(P), Tyler Hicks(CF) and Reed Alfieri(P). Alfredo Caballero was named 2011 Pecos League Pitcher of the Year, and Catcher Kyle Wells finished Top 3 in the Pecos League MVP Voting.

2012:
The Alpine Cowboys had a standout season winning the Pecos League Title as the #1 seed, thus finishing the year with a 49-25 record and an astounding 30-6 home record. Led by 2012 Manager of the Year Ryan Stevens, 2012 Pitcher of the year Brett Kennedy and 2011 Pitcher of the Year Alfredo Caballero the Cowboys boasted the best ERA in the league for 2012. The Cowboys were paced offensively by SS Ben Ives who led the league in stolen bases with 38 and finished year with over 100 hits in a year becoming the first Cowboy to ever do that. Other offensives standouts were All Stars Derrick Fox,Bo Bell, Justin McDavid, Tyler Hocks and Eric Garcia. 2012 goes down in the books as one of the best seasons in Cowboys history.

2013:
Boasting a 43-26 league record, finishing 2nd in the overall league standings and a 22-8 home record, the Cowboys had another strong season that came up short. The Cowboys hit a hot Roswell Invaders in the Pecos League Semi-Finals and came up short to the eventual champions. Offensively paced by 2nd Baseman Derrick Fox who also became the 2nd Cowboy in its history to break the 100 hit mark in a season, as well as standout 1st Basemen, 2013 All Star and 2013 Home Run Derby Champion Joel Carranza who blasted 18 home runs on the year, drove in over 80 RBI's and held a strong .350 average. Other offensive threats included Right fielder Logan Lotti, Shortstop Eric Herman, Outfielder Matt Scruggs and Catcher Mike Dobre. On the mound the Cowboys were led by Ace Brian Smith who turned in a strong 8-3 record on the year, and Closer Scott Hartling, who led the league in appearances, saves, ERA and held an astounding 0.97 WHIP for the season.

Alpine Cowboys Signed to Affiliated Baseball:

David Valesente(Pirates)2011
Jon Edwards(Rangers)2011
Andrew Wall(Nationals)2012

Alpine Cowboys Signed to Higher Independent Leagues:

Stephen Szkotak-2009
Eric Williams-2009
Mike Castrignano-2009
Beau Manning-2009
Andrew Riddick-2009
Corey O'Neill-2010
Rene Ruiz Jr.-2010
Cody Ross-2010
Brett Urie-2010
Curt Dixon-2010
Kevin Cooper-2010
Nick "Nacho" Ochoa-2010
Alfredo Caballero-2011
Brian Hobbs-2011
Doug McIntyre-2011
Greg Denton-2011
Zach Welch-2011
Mike Castrignano-2012
Steve Merslich-2012
Brett Kennedy-2012
Ben Ives-2012
Derrick Fox-2012
Justin McDavid-2012
Alfredo Caballero-2012
Eric Garcia-2012
Joel Carranza-2012
Bryant Asnicar-2012
Brian Smith-2013
Logan Lotti-2013
Brad Orsey-2013
Brycen Bell-2013
Scott Hartling-2013
Eric Herman-2013

Alpine Cowboy Championships:

1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1957
1960
2010
2012

Alpine Cowboy Playoff Appearances:

2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

Year By Year Cowboy Records:

2009: 37-28(Lost in Finals)
2010: 35-17(Won CBL Championship)
2011: 39-33(Lost in Semi-Finals)
2012: 49-25(Won Pecos League Championship)
2013: 43-26(Lost in Semi-Finals)