South Atlantic League (1904–1963)

American sports league in minor league baseball

For the present league of the same name, see South Atlantic League. For the successor of this league, see Southern League (1964–present).

South Atlantic LeagueClassification|

* Class C (1904–1917, 1919–1920)
* Class B (1921–1930, 1936–1942)
* Class A (1946–1962)
* Double-A (1963)

|

Sport| Baseball
Founded| 1904
Ceased| 1963
Replaced by| Southern League
Country| United 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.

## History

[edit]

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]

## All-time teams

[edit]

* 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
* New Orleans Kings
* New Orleans Jacks
* New Orleans Generals
* Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides
* Savannah Athletics
* Savannah Indians
* Savannah Pirates
* Savannah Redlegs
* Savannah Reds
* Savannah White Sox
* South Atlantic League Orphans
* Spartanburg Pioneers
* Spartanburg Spartans

## Champions

[edit]

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]

Year  | Champion  | Score  | Runner-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
1918  | Not 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
1931  | Not in operation
1932  | Not in operation
1933  | Not in operation
1934  | Not in operation
1935  | Not 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
1943  | Not in operation
1944  | Not in operation
1945  | Not 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 | — | —

## References

[edit]

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