South Atlantic League (1904–1963)
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 was renamed the Southern League in 1964, and the league elected to maintain a new set of records from that season onward.
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1904 |
| Ceased | 1963 |
| Replaced by | Southern League |
| Country | United States |
| Classification |
|
History
The original South Atlantic League was founded in 1904 by Charles W. Boyer and J.B. Lucy as a Class C league.[1] After a year of dormancy in 1918, it continued at that classification from 1919 to 1920 before being elevated to Class B 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 Two, 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.[2] The circuit was renamed the Southern League in 1964 to separate it from its history at lower classifications. To further differentiate itself, 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
- 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/Kings
- New Orleans Jacks/Generals
- Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides
- Savannah Athletics
- Savannah Indians
- Savannah Pirates
- Savannah Redlegs/Reds
- Savannah White Sox
- South Atlantic League Orphans
- Spartanburg Pioneers
- Spartanburg Spartans
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]
| 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
- "Southern League History". Southern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
- "South Atlantic League (A) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
- O'Neal, Bill (1994), The Southern League: Baseball in Dixie, 1885–1994, Eakin Press, pp. 320–321, ISBN 0890159521