The Kilgore Drillers were a minor league baseball team that was member in the Lone Star League from 1947 to 1948 and the East Texas League from 1949 to 1950. Based in Kilgore, Texas playing their home games at Driller Park giving the Ballpark its name, it was the city's last professional baseball team.[1] Joe Kracher managed and played for the team in 1947, 1948 and 1949, leading the club to consecutive league championships in '47 and '48 (the team lost the league finals in '49). Fred Baczewski also played for the team in 1948 and the 1949 club featured Merv Connors and Jerry Fahr. The 1950 club, managed by Al Kubski, lost in the first round of the league playoffs. Connors played for the team that year, as well.[2]
The Kilgore Drillers folded after the 1950 season. They had played consistently winning baseball claiming two consecutive championships in the Lone Star League, were the runners-up in 1949, and had a respectable finish in 1950 before being disbanded.[citation needed] It was 58 years before Driller Park saw another team take residence.[citation needed]