Tobacco State League

Last updated
Tobacco State League
Classification Class D (1946–1950)
Sport Minor League Baseball
First season1946
Ceased1950
PresidentJ.E.L. Wade (1946)
Arthur T. Moore (1947–1950)
No. of teams13
Country United States of America
Most titles2
Red Springs Red Robins
Related
competitions
Bi-State League

The Tobacco State League was a Class D level American minor baseball league that played for five seasons (1946–1950) in Organized Baseball in the state of North Carolina. The Red Springs Red Robins won two league championships.

Contents

History

The Tobacco State League was one of many low-level minor leagues that flourished immediately after World War II before disbanding in the 1950s. Founded as a six-team circuit in 1946, the league sported eight teams for the final four years of its existence, although one of its teams, the charter member Smithfield-Selma Leafs, was forced to drop out during the closing weeks of the TSL's final 1950 season. With the exceptions of Lumberton (Chicago Cubs) and Red Springs (Philadelphia Athletics), its members were unaffiliated with Major League Baseball farm systems.

Member teams

Red pog.svg Tobacco State League Teams

Standings & statistics

1946 Tobacco League Standings
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Sanford Spinners 7148.597-Gaither Riley / Zeb Harrington
Clinton Blues 7048.5930.5Willie Duke / Van Lingle Mungo
Smithfield-Selma Leafs 5862.48313.5 Mike Balas
Angier-Fuquay Springs Bulls 5762.47914.0Paul Dunlap / Gaither Riley
Wilmington Pirates 5266.44118.5Stan Katkaveck / Gus Brittain
Dunn-Erwin Twins 4870.40722.5James Guinn /
Alton Stephenson / Dwight Law

Playoffs: Angier-Fuquay 4 games, Sanford 2; Clinton 4 games, Springfield 1.
Finals: Angier-Fuquay 4 games, Clinton 3.

1946 league leaders
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Willie DukeClintonBA.393Robert KeaneClintonW23
Lonnie H. SmithClintonRuns117George BortzSanfordSO193
Leo NiezgodaSmith/SelmaHits173Robert KeaneClintonPCT.852; 23-4
Orville NesselrodeSanfordRBI150
Orville NesselrodeSanfordHR30
1947 Tobacco State League standings
Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Sanford Spinners 8639.688-37,517Zeb Harrington
Lumberton Cubs 7149.59212.550,758Red Lucas
Wilmington Pirates 6857.54418.063,219 Nate Andrews
Dunn-Erwin Twins 6262.50023.549,262Jack Bell / Bill Auerette
Warsaw Red Sox 5964.48026.036,865James Milner
Clinton Blues 5667.45529.036,778Robert Hall /
Van Lingle Mungo / Survern Wright
Red Springs Red Robins 4778.48039.021,000Red Norris
Smithfield-Selma Leafs 4679.36840.028,847 Mike Balas / Joe Eonta

Playoffs: Sanford 4 games, Wilmington 3; Lumberton 4 games, Dunn-Erwin 1.
Finals: Sanford 4 games, Lumberton 3.

1947 league leaders
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Jimmy WilsonSanfordBA.385Lewis CheshireWilmingtonW19
Jimmy WilsonSanfordRuns133Carl JohnsonWarsawSO225
Jimmy WilsonSanfordHits205John McFaddenSanfordERA2.44
Orville NesselrodeSanfordRBI166John McFaddenSanfordPCT.750 15-5
Orville NesselrodeSanfordHR32
1948 Tobacco State League standings
Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Sanford Spinners 8056.588-29,374Zeb Harrington
Wilmington Pirates 7662.5515.077,842Jim Staton
Red Springs Red Robins 7562.5475.528,410Red Norris
Smithfield-Selma Leafs 7365.5298.036,552 Sam Narron / Virgil Payne
Warsaw Red Sox 7167.51410.032,482Sam Gibson / Verne Blackwell
Clinton Blues 7067.51110.539,498Marvin Lorenz
Lumberton Cubs 5581.40425.038,772Charlie Jamin
Dunn-Erwin Twins 4989.35532.026,475Carl McQuillen /
Babe Bost / Gaither Riley

Playoffs: Sanford 4 games, Smithfield-Selma 1; Red Springs 4 games, Wilmington 3.
Finals: Red Springs 4 games, Sanford 1.

1948 league leaders
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Hargrove DavisWilmingtonBA.366Aaron OsofskySmithfield-SelmaW24
Jimmy WilsonSanfordRuns145John CheshireWilmingtonSO258
Jimmy WilsonSanfordHits212John CheshireWilmingtonERA2.35
Orville NesselrodeSanfordRBI159Aaron OsofskySmithfield-SelmaPCT.828 24-5
Orville NesselrodeSanfordHR27
1949 Tobacco State League standings
Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Dunn-Erwin Twins 8154.600-39,335Jim Staton
Red Springs Red Robins 7659.5635.033,303Red Norris
Lumberton Auctioneers 7561.5516.560,038Charles Lucas / James Guinn
Sanford Spinners 7162.5309.036,046Zeb Harrington
Smithfield-Selma Leafs 7065.51911.041,618Virgil Payne /
Claude Weaver / Paul Kluk
Fayetteville Scotties 6176.44521.056,999Zip Payne / Joe Roseberry /
Nicholas Rhabe / John Helms
Clinton Sampson Blues 6078.43522.537,496Marvin Lorenz
Wilmington Pirates 4988.35833.049,009Ab Tiedemann / John Edens /
Gus Brittain / Hargrove Davis

Playoffs: Dunn-Erwin 4 games, Lumberton 1; Red Springs 4 games, Sanford 2.
Finals: Red Springs 4 games, Dunn Erwin 1.

1949 league leaders
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Joe RoseberryFayettevilleBA.409Clarence ConditDunn-ErwinW20
Granville DenningDunn-ErwinRuns118Clarence ConditDunn-ErwinSO264
Nicholas PerchiaClintonRuns118Leslie PriceClintonERA2.19
Granville DenningDunn-ErwinHits185John BennettSmithfield-SelmaPCT.769 10-3
Granville DenningDunn-ErvinRBI119
Joseph SternClin/LumbHR15
John HelmsFayettevilleHR15
1950 Tobacco State League standings
Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Lumberton Auctioneers 9243.682-42,796John Streza
Sanford Spinners 9044.6721.519,686Zeb Harrington
Red Springs Red Robins 6861.52721.026,198 Ducky Detweiler
Rockingham Eagles 6369.47727.531,806Jack Bell / Turkey Tyson
Clinton Sampson Blues 6172.45930.029,060Alvin Kluttz /
Nicholas Rhabe / Marvin Lorenz
Wilmington Pirates 5675.42734.035,950Bill Hamons /
Red Teague / Steve Collins
Dunn-Erwin Twins /
Whiteville Tobs
3992.29851.020,839Jim Staton
Smithfield-Selma Leafs 4962.441NA19,369Marvin Lorenz

Playoffs: Rockingham 4 games, Lumberton 2; Stanford 4 games, Red Springs 0;
Finals: Rockingham 4 games, Stanford 3

1950 league leaders
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Granville DenningWhitevilleBA.374Hoyt CleggSanfordW24
Granville DenningWhitevilleHits176Richard CauseySanfordSO148
Pierre EthierLumbertonRuns146Clayton AndrewsSanfordERA2.63
Mike Milosevich LumbertonRBI121John LaganLumbertonPCT.875 21-3
Mike Milosevich LumbertonHR14

[1]

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References

  1. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.