South Atlantic League (1904–1963)

Last updated
South Atlantic League
Classification
Sport Baseball
Founded1904
Ceased1963
Replaced by Southern League
CountryUnited States

The South Atlantic League, nicknamed the SALLY League, was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the Southern United States intermittently from 1904 to 1963. Initially Class C league, it was elevated to Class B in 1921, Class A in 1946, and Double-A in 1963. The circuit dissolved after the 1963 season and was refounded as the Southern League.

Contents

History

The original South Atlantic League was founded in 1904 by Charles W. Boyer and J.B. Lucy as a Class C league, equivalent to an Advanced Rookie league in the pre-2021 minor league scheme. [1] After a year of dormancy in 1918, it continued at that classification from 1919 to 1920 before being elevated to Class B (equivalent to short-season Class A before 2021 and a Class A league today)in 1921. [2] The Great Depression caused the league to shut down from 1931 to 1935, [1] but it returned at Class B from 1936 to 1942. [2] Three more years of dormancy occurred during World War II, but the SALLY League was revived as a Class A circuit from 1946 to 1962. [2]

In 1963, it was reclassified as a Double-A league along with the other Class A leagues. [2] The circuit reorganized as the Southern League in 1964. To distance itself from its history at lower classifications, the newly-named league elected to start with a clean slate and not maintain records prior to the 1964 season. Thusly, the 51-year history of the league was retired with the South Atlantic League name. [1]

In 1980, the Western Carolinas League resurrected the name as it became the current South Atlantic League. [1] [2]

Cities represented 1904–1963

Champions

League champions were determined by different means throughout the league's history. [3] Playoffs were held in most seasons, while in others the champions were simply the regular season pennant winners. [3]

YearChampionScoreRunner-up
1904 Macon Peaches
1905 Macon Peaches
1906 Savannah Indians
1907 Charleston Sea Gulls
1908 Jacksonville Jays
1909 Chattanooga Lookouts 4–3 Augusta Tourists
1910 Columbus Foxes
1911 Columbus Foxes 4–2 Columbia Commies
1912 Jacksonville Tarpons 4–1 Columbus Foxes
1913 Savannah Colts
1914 Savannah Colts 4–2 Albany Babies
1915 Columbia Comers 4–1–2 Macon Peaches
1916 Augusta Tourists 4–0 Columbia Comers
1917 Columbia Comers 4–2 Charleston Sea Gulls
1918Not in operation
1919 Columbia Comers
1920 Columbia Comers
1921 Columbia Comers
1922 Charleston Pals
1923 Charlotte Hornets 4–1 Macon Peaches
1924 Augusta Tygers
1925 Spartanburg Spartans
1926 Greenville Spinners
1927 Greenville Spinners
1928 Asheville Tourists
1929 Knoxville Smokies Asheville Tourists
1930 Greenville Spinners 4–2 Macon Peaches
1931Not in operation
1932Not in operation
1933Not in operation
1934Not in operation
1935Not in operation
1936 Columbus Red Birds 4–2 Jacksonville Tars
1937 Savannah Indians 3–1 Macon Peaches
1938 Macon Peaches 4–3 Savannah Indians
1939 Augusta Tigers 4–0 Savannah Indians
1940 Columbus Red Birds 4–2 Macon Peaches
1941 Columbia Reds 4–2 Macon Peaches
1942 Augusta Tigers 4–0 Columbia Reds
1943Not in operation
1944Not in operation
1945Not in operation
1946 Augusta Tigers
1947 Savannah Indians 4–1 Augusta Tigers
1948 Greenville Spinners 4–1 Columbia Reds
1949 Macon Peaches 4–1 Greenville Spinners
1950 Macon Peaches 4–0 Columbia Reds
1951 Montgomery Rebels 4–0 Jacksonville Tars
1952 Montgomery Grays 4–2 Macon Peaches
1953 Columbia Reds 4–3 Jacksonville Braves
1954 Savannah Athletics 4–3 Jacksonville Braves
1955 Augusta Tigers 2–1 Montgomery Rebels
1956 Jacksonville Braves 2–0 Columbus Foxes
1957 Charlotte Hornets 2–1 Augusta Tigers
1958 Macon Dodgers 2–0 Jacksonville Braves
1959 Gastonia Pirates 3–0 Charleston ChaSox
1960 Savannah Pirates 3–0 Knoxville Smokies
1961 Asheville Tourists
1962 Macon Peaches 3–1 Knoxville Smokies
1963 Augusta Yankees

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Southern League History". Southern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "South Atlantic League (A) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  3. 1 2 O'Neal, Bill (1994), The Southern League: Baseball in Dixie, 1885–1994, Eakin Press, pp. 320–321, ISBN   0890159521