American sports league in minor league baseball
South Atlantic League| Classification | |
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| Sport | Baseball |
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| Founded | 1904 |
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| Ceased | 1963 |
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| Replaced by | Southern League |
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| Country | United States |
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TheSouth Atlantic League, nicknamed theSALLY League, was aMinor League Baseball league that operated in theSouthern United States intermittently from 1904 to 1963. InitiallyClass C league, it was elevated toClass B in 1921,Class A in 1946, andDouble-A in 1963. The circuit dissolved after the 1963 season and was refounded as theSouthern League.
The league first played a brief season under the "South Atlantic League" name in 1892.[1][2] TheCharleston Sea Gulls,Charlotte Hornets,Columbia Senators andWinston-Salem Blue Sluggers played in the 1892independent league.[3] The first South Atlantic League regular season schedule began on April 30, 1892.[4] The league then folded on June 10, 1892. In the final standings, the Charleston Seagulls finished in first place with a 20–13 record, finishing 1.5 games ahead of second place Winston-Salem.[4]
The original South Atlantic League was founded in 1904 by Charles W. Boyer and J.B. Lucy as aClass C league, equivalent to an Advanced Rookie league in the pre-2021 minor league scheme.[5] After a year of dormancy in 1918, it continued at that classification from 1919 to 1920 before being elevated toClass B (equivalent to short-season Class A before 2021 and a Class A league today)in 1921.[6] TheGreat Depression caused the league to shut down from 1931 to 1935,[5] but it returned at Class B from 1936 to 1942.[6] Three more years of dormancy occurred duringWorld War II, but the SALLY League was revived as aClass A circuit from 1946 to 1962.[6]
In 1963, it was reclassified as aDouble-A league along with the other Class A leagues.[6] The circuit reorganized as theSouthern League in 1964. Partly to distance itself from its history in the low minors, the newly-named league opted against claiming the SALLY League's history as its own. Thusly, the 51-year history and records of the league was retired with the South Atlantic League name.[5]
In 1980, theWestern Carolinas League resurrected the name as it became the currentSouth Atlantic League.[5][6]
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)
League champions were determined by different means throughout the league's history.[7] Playoffs were held in most seasons, while in others the champions were simply the regular season pennant winners.[7]
