Southeastern League
Classification | United States of America |
---|---|
Most titles | 4 Pensacola Mobile |
The Southeastern League was the name of four separate
History
Class D league (1910–12)
After playing a season in 1897, the Southeastern League reformed and lasted for three years, from 1910 through 1912. At Class D, it was considered on the lowest rung of the minor league ladder, and had six clubs located in the American states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Stung by the midseason collapse of two of its six franchises, this league disbanded on August 2, 1912.
Class B league (1926–50)
In 1926 a new, Class B Southeastern League took the field, with six teams — representing Montgomery, Alabama; Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Florida; and Albany, Columbus and Savannah, Georgia. Although this league would be periodically shut down by the Great Depression and World War II, it continued as a Class B circuit, four levels below Major League Baseball, through 1950.
Its lineup of teams in its final season included the champion
. Both Gadsden and Anniston withdrew from the league before the end of the season.Independent league (2002–03)
The most recent version of the Southeastern League was an independent circuit, with member teams were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team.
The league began play in 2002 after the demise of the
After completing the season, the league added two franchises for 2003. The league had high hopes for its new team in Macon, Georgia, and Houma, Louisiana, along with the already successful clubs in Montgomery and Pensacola. However, after just two games the Selma Cloverleafs folded, forcing the league to operate the club as a road team for the duration of the season under the name "Southeastern Cloverleafs." The Macon Peaches also fared a lot worse than expected. Still, the league completed the year, with Pensacola compiling the league's best mark at 42-23 and Baton Rouge defeating Pensacola, 3 games to 1, in the league championship series.
Ultimately, the league could not survive the arrival of affiliated baseball to Montgomery. The
Cities represented
Member teams (2003)
- Baton Rouge, LA: Baton Rouge Riverbats
- Houma, LA: Houma Hawks
- Macon, GA: Macon Peaches
- Montgomery, AL: Montgomery Wings
- Pensacola, FL:Pensacola Pelicans
- Selma, AL: Selma/Southeastern Cloverleafs
1910-1912 (class D)
- Anniston Models1911-1912
- Asheville Moonshiners 1910, moved to Appalachian League1911-1912
- Bessemer, AL: Bessemer Pipemakers1912
- Decatur Twins1911
- Georgia-Alabama League1913-1914
- Huntsville Mountaineers1912
- Johnson City Soldiers 1910, moved to Appalachian League1911-1913
- Knoxville Appalachians 1910, moved to Appalachian League1911-1914
- Morristown Jobbers 1910, moved to Appalachian League1911-1912
- Rome Hillies1911; Rome Romans 1912
- Selma Centralites 1911-1912, moved to Cotton States League1913
- Talladega Highlanders1912
1926-1930, 1932 (class B)
- Albany Nuts1926-1928
- Columbus, GA: Columbus Foxes1926-1930, 1932
- Jackson, MS: Jackson Senators 1932, moved to Dixie League1933
- Jacksonville Tars1926-1930
- Macon, GA: Macon Peaches1932
- Mobile Red Warriors1932
- Montgomery Capitals1932
- Pensacola Pilots 1927; Pensacola Fliers1928-1930
- St. Augustine, FL: St. Augustine Saints1926-1927
- Savannah, GA: Savannah Indians1926-1928
- Selma Selmians 1927; Selma Cloverleafs1928-1930, 1932
- Tampa Krewes 1928; Tampa Smokers1929-1930
- Waycross Saints1927
1937-1942, 1946-1950 (class B)
- Anniston, AL: Anniston Rams1938-1942, 1946-1950
- Gadsden Chiefs 1949; Gadsden Pilots1950
- Jackson, MS: Jackson Senators 1937-1942, 1946-1950, moved from Cotton States League1936
- Meridian Peps 1946-1948; Meridian Millers1949-1950
- Mobile Shippers1937-1942
- Montgomery Bombers 1937-1938; Montgomery Rebels 1939-1942, 1946-1950, moved to South Atlantic League1951
- Pensacola Pilots 1937-1942; Pensacola Fliers1946-1950
- Selma, AL: Selma Cloverleafs1937-1941, 1946-1950
- Vicksburg Billies 1946-1949; Vicksburg Hill Billies1950
References
- Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, eds., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3d edition. Durham, N.C: Baseball America, 2007.