Tar Heel League
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2022) |
| Formerly | Lexington Indians (1953) Hickory Rebels (1954) |
|---|---|
| Related competitions | Western Carolina League |
The Tar Heel League was a mid-20th century
professional minor baseball league, based in North Carolina in the United States. It operated during the full seasons of 1939, 1940 and 1953, and from the opening of the season through June 21, 1954.[1]
The first incarnation of the league began and ended the 1939 season with six clubs, but the following year saw the
Newton-Conover Twins — one third of the Tar Heel League — drop out on July 19, 1940. The entire league then shut down for 1941 and through World War II.[1]
During the postwar boom in minor league baseball, the Tar Heel circuit remained dormant, while the Class D level
Class A level South Atlantic League.[1]
Cities represented
- Forest City Owls1953–1954
- Gastonia, NC: Gastonia Cardinals1939–1940
- Hickory, NC: Hickory Rebels1939–1940, 1953–1954
- Thomasville, NC: High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms1953
- Lenoir Reds1940
- Lexington Indians1953
- Lincolnton, NC: Lincolnton Cardinals1953
- Marion, NC: Marion Marauders1953–1954
- Mooresville, NC: Mooresville Moors1953
- Newton-Conover Twins1939–1940
- Salisbury Rocots1953
- Shelby Clippers1953–1954
- Statesville Sports 1953 [1]
Yearly standings & statistics
1939 Tar Heel League
| Team name | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gastonia Cardinals | 72 | 36 | .667 | -- | Al Unser |
Lenoir Indians |
61 | 46 | .570 | 10.5 | Clarence Roper |
| Statesville Owls | 56 | 51 | .523 | 15.5 | Stuffy McCrone |
Shelby Nationals |
50 | 59 | .459 | 22.5 | Edward Montague |
| Hickory Rebels | 48 | 62 | .436 | 25.0 | Louis Viau |
Newton-Conover Twins |
36 | 69 | .343 | 34.5 | Mack Arnette |
Playoffs: Gastonia 3 games, Shelby 1.
Statesville 3 games, Lenoir 0. (1 tie.) Finals: Gastonia 4 games, Statesville 3.
Player statistics
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hooper Triplett | Gastonia | BA | .391 | Ralph Fox | Newton/Conover | W | 17 | |
| James Guinn | Shelby | Hits | 161 | Miles Gardner | Gastonia | W | 17 | |
| Birch Douglas | Lenoir | Runs | 127 | Lefty Guise | Lenoir | ERA | 2.82 | |
| Hooper Triplett | Gastonia | RBI | 115 | William Skinner | Hickory | SO | 212 | |
| Hooper Triplett | Gastonia | HR | 27 | Miles Gardner | Gastonia | PCT | .773 17–5 [1] |