Southern League (baseball)
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Southern League logo | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1964 |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Country | USA |
| Most recent champion(s) | Jacksonville Suns |
| Official website | www.southernleague.com |
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. It acquired its name in 1964, after the South Atlantic League, which had started in 1936, renamed itself to Southern League.
History
The original Southern League was formed in 1885 and shut down in 1899. A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in 1901, consisting of twelve teams. The Association shut down after the 1961 campaign.
In 1964, the original South Atlantic League (nicknamed the "Sally League" and not related to the current league of the same name, formerly the Western Carolinas League) changed its name to the Southern League. The original South Atlantic League was a mid- to higher-classification circuit that played from 1904 to 1917, 1919 to 1930 (when it was known as the South Atlantic Association), 1936 to 1942, and 1946 to 1963. The old South Atlantic League grew from Class C status to Class B (through 1942) and then Class A (until 1962). In its final season, it was elevated to Double-A.
Makeup
The Southern League is divided into two divisions, North and South. Before 2005, the divisions were East and West, but the move of the Greenville Braves to Mississippi after the 2004 season led to a realignment. The current league president is Lori Webb; the position was held by Steve DeSalvo as interim President for a few months due to the March 2012 death of former major league first baseman Don Mincher, who had held the position from 2000 to 2011 (the first year as an interim President).[1][2]
The Southern League maintains its headquarters in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta, Georgia. Starting in the 2012 season, the Carolina Mudcats relocated to Pensacola, Florida to become the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.[3] They retain their Cincinnati Reds affiliation.
In 2015, Biloxi, Mississippi will join the league, replacing Huntsville. Biloxi may not be ready for the move, however, because MGM Park is not expected to be ready for opening day 2015. The team may play its games in another city, perhaps a final year in Huntsville.[4]
Current teams
| Division | Team | MLB Affiliation | City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | Birmingham Barons | Chicago White Sox | Birmingham, Alabama | Regions Field | 8,500 |
| Chattanooga Lookouts | Minnesota Twins | Chattanooga, Tennessee | AT&T Field | 6,362 | |
| Jackson Generals | Seattle Mariners | Jackson, Tennessee | The Ballpark at Jackson | 6,000 | |
| Montgomery Biscuits | Tampa Bay Rays | Montgomery, Alabama | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium | 7,000 | |
| Tennessee Smokies | Chicago Cubs | Kodak, Tennessee | Smokies Park | 6,412 | |
| South | Biloxi Shuckers | Milwaukee Brewers | Biloxi, Mississippi | MGM Park | 6,076 |
| Jacksonville Suns | Miami Marlins | Jacksonville, Florida | Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville | 11,000 | |
| Mississippi Braves | Atlanta Braves | Pearl, Mississippi | Trustmark Park | 8,480 | |
| Mobile BayBears | Arizona Diamondbacks | Mobile, Alabama | Hank Aaron Stadium | 6,000 | |
| Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Cincinnati Reds | Pensacola, Florida | Pensacola Bayfront Stadium | 5,038 |
Current team rosters
- Main article: Southern League rosters
League Timeline
League members Other Current League Other Defunct League
- In 1971, the Southern League and Texas League were both down to 7 teams so they formed the Dixie Association for one season. They played interlocking schedules but held their own separate playoffs.
Complete list of teams (1964–present)
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South Atlantic League teams (prior to 1964)
- Albany Babies
- Asheville Tourists
- Augusta Dollies
- Augusta Georgians
- Augusta Rams
- Augusta Tigers
- Augusta Tygers
- Augusta Tourists
- Augusta Wolves
- Augusta Yankees
- Charleston ChaSox/White Sox
- Charleston Palmettos/Pals
- Charleston Rebels
- Charleston Sea Gulls/Gulls
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chattanooga Lookouts
- Columbia Comers/Commies/Combers
- Columbia Gamecocks
- Columbia Gems
- Columbia Reds
- Columbia Senators
- Columbia Skyscrapers
- Columbus Foxes
- Columbus Pirates
- Columbus Red Birds/Cardinals
- Gastonia Combers
- Gastonia Pirates
- Greenville Spinners
- Jacksonville Braves
- Jacksonville Jays
- Jacksonville Jets
- Jacksonville Tarpons
- Jacksonville Tars
- Knoxville Appalachians
- Knoxville Smokies
- Lynchburg White Sox
- Macon Brigands
- Macon Dodgers
- Macon Highlanders
- Macon Peaches
- Montgomery Grays
- Montgomery Rebels
- Nashville Vols
- New Orleans Bucks/Kings (also in SL)
- New Orleans Jacks/Generals (also in SL)
- Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides
- Savannah Athletics
- Savannah Indians
- Savannah Pirates
- Savannah Redlegs/Reds
- Savannah White Sox
- South Atlantic League Orphans
- Spartanburg Pioneers
- Spartanburg Spartans
See also
- List of Southern League champions
- Southern League Hall of Fame
- Southern League Manager of the Year Award
- Southern League Most Outstanding Pitcher Award
- Southern League Most Valuable Player Award
- Sports league attendances
References
- ↑ http://www.chattanoogan.com/2012/7/20/230749/Southern-League-Names-First-Woman-President.aspx
- ↑ http://southern.league.milb.com/about/page.jsp?ymd=20070221&content_id=180465&vkey=about_l111&fext=.jsp&sid=l111
- ↑ http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111120&content_id=26014148&vkey=news_t4124&fext=.jsp&sid=t4124
- ↑ http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-sports/2014/10/biloxi_stadium_may_need_costly.html
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Southern League. |
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