| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1936 |
| Ceased | 1938 |
| No. of teams | 6–8 |
| Country | USA |
| Last champions | Valdese Textiles,Kannapolis Towelers,Concord Weavers |
TheCarolina League was an "outlaw" professional baseball league in thePiedmont region ofNorth Carolina.[1] Drawing from thetextile mills and milling towns in that region, the league was independent, meaning that it was not a part of theNational Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, the body that governed minor-league baseball during the league's lifetime. The Carolina League was the successor to the short-lived 1935Carolina Textile League.
The league's independent status led to the league being branded as an "outlaw" league by supporters of the NAPBL, and the league's practice of allowing players to freely leave their contracts to play for teams in other leagues, was unorthodox at the time. Additionally, players on various teams were often given year-roundno-show jobs in the team owners' various mills with salaries that supplemented their earnings from baseball. There was no cap to salaries for Carolina League players, and there were no limits to how many players with professional experience could play on any given team, a sharp difference from previous "mill leagues".[2]
This added incentive caused several players in NABPL leagues tomoonlight as Carolina League players, often under assumed names. When caught by NABPL officials, moonlighting players were often banned from play in NAPBL leagues, effectively putting on hold or ending their professional careers. Professional players such asFred Archer andVince Barton did stints with the Carolina League while on hiatus fromMajor League Baseball.[2]
In addition, the NAPBL combatted the insurgent influence of the Carolina League by installing an eight-team class-D league, theNorth Carolina State League in towns near Carolina League teams. The league folded in 1938 due to pressure from "organized" baseball, and many of the league's players went on to play in NABPL leagues, with some, such asDick Culler andGrey Clarke going on to achieve prominence in the major leagues.[2]
The following teams were champions of the Carolina League:
| Year | Team |
|---|---|
| 1936 | Valdese Textiles |
| 1937 | Concord Weavers |
| 1938 | Lenoir Finishers |
