Florida State League

Florida State League
Florida State League logo
Sport Baseball
Founded 1919
President Ken Carson[1]
No. of teams 12
Country United States
Most recent
champion(s)		 Fort Myers Miracle (2018)
Most titles Orlando Twins (7)
Classification Class A-Advanced
Official website Official Website

The Florida State League is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. It is one of three leagues currently classified as Class A-Advanced, the third highest classification of minor leagues.[2] Each team in the league is affiliated with a Major League Baseball team, and most play in their affiliate's spring training facility.

The league was founded in 1919, and has continued almost entirely uninterrupted to the present day. Most players in the Florida State League do not reach this level until their third or fourth year of professional play.

History

The league originated in 1919 with teams in Bartow, Bradenton, Lakeland, Orlando, Sanford, and Tampa, Florida. The league closed down in 1928 and resumed play in 1936. It has continued uninterrupted, except for a four-year (1942–1945) suspension during World War II.

In 2009, the Florida State League established a Hall of Fame commemorating the league's great players, managers, owners, and umpires. The awards and ceremonies for the inaugural class will take place at the FSL's winter meetings in Daytona Beach in November.

The championship series' first cancellation was in 2001, when playoffs were canceled after the September 11 attacks. Afterwards, the 2004 playoffs were canceled due to the threat of Hurricane Ivan. Years later, the 2017 FSL Championship finals were canceled on September 5, due to the threat of Hurricane Irma. The winners of the division series playoff games were named co-champions.[3] This marked the third time since 2000 that the championship series game was canceled.[4][5]

Current teams

Current Florida State League team locations:
  North Division
  South Division
Division Team MLB Affiliation City Stadium Capacity
North Clearwater Threshers Philadelphia Phillies Clearwater Spectrum Field 8,500
Daytona Tortugas Cincinnati Reds Daytona Beach Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark 4,200
Dunedin Blue Jays Toronto Blue Jays Dunedin Dunedin Stadium 5,509
Florida Fire Frogs Atlanta Braves Kissimmee Osceola County Stadium 5,300
Lakeland Flying Tigers Detroit Tigers Lakeland Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium 8,500
Tampa Tarpons New York Yankees Tampa George M. Steinbrenner Field 11,026
South Bradenton Marauders Pittsburgh Pirates Bradenton LECOM Park 8,500
Charlotte Stone Crabs Tampa Bay Rays Port Charlotte Charlotte Sports Park 7,000
Fort Myers Miracle Minnesota Twins Fort Myers Hammond Stadium 9,300
Jupiter Hammerheads Miami Marlins Jupiter Roger Dean Stadium 6,871
Palm Beach Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals Jupiter Roger Dean Stadium 6,871
St. Lucie Mets New York Mets Port St. Lucie First Data Field 7,347

All-time teams

Teams of the early FSL (1919–28)

Teams of the modern FSL (1936–present)

Past champions

Awards

Florida State League Hall of Fame

The Florida State League Hall of Fame began in 2009.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Personnel and Staff". Florida State League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Standings | MiLB.com Standings | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Web.minorleaguebaseball.com. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
  3. ↑ "Championship Series Cancelled". MiLB.com. September 5, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  4. ↑ Norris, Josh (September 5, 2017). "Florida State League cancels its Championship Series". Baseball America. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  5. ↑ Kirkland, Gary (March 19, 2005). "Are the minor leagues returning to Gainesville?". gainesville.com. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  6. ↑ "FSL Hall of Fame - Florida State League About". Florida State League.
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