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.
| Classification | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Baseball |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Ceased | 1963 |
| Replaced by | Southern League |
| Country | United States |
History
editThe 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
edit- Albany, Georgia: Albany Babies (1911–1916)
- Asheville, North Carolina: Asheville Tourists (1924–1930, 1959–1963)
- Augusta, Georgia: Augusta Tourists (1904-1910, 1914–1917); Augusta Dollies (1919); Augusta Georgians (1920–1921); Augusta Tygers (1922–1929); Augusta Wolves (1930); Augusta Tigers (1936–1942, 1946–1952); Augusta Rams (1953–1954); Augusta Tigers (1955–1958); Augusta Yankees (1962–1963)
- Charleston, South Carolina: Charleston Sea Gulls (1904–1909, 1911, 1913–1917); Charleston Gulls (1919); Charleston Palmettos (1920); Charleston Pals (1921–1923); Charleston Rebels (1940–1942, 1946–1953); Charleston ChaSox (1959);Charleston White Sox (1960–1961)
- Charlotte, North Carolina: Charlotte Hornets (1919–1930, 1954–1963)
- Chattanooga, Tennessee: *Chattanooga Lookouts (1963)
- Columbia, South Carolina: Columbia Skyscrapers (1904); Columbia Gamecocks (1905-1910); Columbia Commies (1911); Columbia Comers (1912, 1914–1917, 1919–1923, 1925–1930); Columbia Senators (1936–1937); Columbia Reds (1938–1942, 1946–1955, 1960–1961); Columbia Gems (1956–1957)
- Columbus, Georgia: Columbus Foxes (1909–1917); Columbus Red (1936–1942); Cardinals (1946–1955); Columbus Foxes (1956–1957); Columbus Pirates (1959)
- Gastonia, North Carolina: Gastonia Comers (1923); Gastonia Pirates (1959)
- Greenville, South Carolina: Greenville Spinners (1919–1930, 1938-1942, 1946–1950, 1961–1962)
- Jacksonville, Florida: Jacksonville Jays (1904–1910); Jacksonville Tarpons (1911–1916); Jacksonville Roses (1917); Jacksonville Tars (1936–1942, 1946–1952); Jacksonville Braves (1953–1960); Jacksonville Jets (1961)
- Knoxville, Tennessee: Knoxville Appalachians (1909); Knoxville Smokies (1925–1929, 1956–1963)
- Lynchburg, Virginia: Lynchburg White Sox (1962–1963)
- Macon, Georgia: Macon Highlanders (1904); Macon Brigands (1905–1907); Macon Peaches (1908–1915); Macon Tigers (1916–1917); Macon Peaches (1923–1930, 1936–1942, 1946–1955); Macon Dodgers (1956–1960); Macon Peaches (1962–1963)
- Montgomery, Alabama: Montgomery Rebels (1916, 1951, 1954–1956); Montgomery Grays (1952–1953)
- Nashville, Tennessee: Nashville Vols (1963)
- Portsmouth, Virginia & Norfolk, Virginia: Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides (1961–1962)
- Savannah, Georgia: Savannah Pathfinders (1904–1905); Savannah Indians (1906–1912); Savannah Colts (1913–1915) Savannah Indians (1936–1942, 1946–1953); Savannah Athletics (1954–1955); Savannah Redlegs (1956–1958); Savannah Reds (1959); Savannah Pirates (1960); Savannah White Sox (1962)
- South Atlantic League Orphans
- Spartanburg, South Carolina: Spartanburg Pioneers (1919–1921); Spartanburg Spartans (1922–1929, 1938–1940)
Champions
editLeague 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]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Southern League History". Southern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "South Atlantic League (A) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
- ^ a b O'Neal, Bill (1994), The Southern League: Baseball in Dixie, 1885–1994, Eakin Press, pp. 320–321, ISBN 0890159521