The Greenville Spinners was a primary name of the minor league baseball teams located in

Greenville, South Carolina Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...

between 1907 and 1962. Greenville teams played as members of the

South Carolina League The South Carolina League was a minor league baseball league that played from 1906 to 1908. The Class D (baseball), Class D level South Carolina League consisted entirely of franchises based in South Carolina for its three seasons of play. The Sum ...

in 1907,

Carolina Association The Carolina Association was a minor league baseball league that played from 1908 to 1912. The Carolina Association played as a six–team Class D level league. The league consisted of teams based in North Carolina and South Carolina, with the s ...

(1908–1912), the

South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...

(1919–1930, 1946–1950 and 1961–1962), the

Palmetto League The Palmetto League was a Class D level baseball minor league that played in 1931. The four–team Palmetto league had teams based in South Carolina and Georgia. The Palmetto League permanently folded midway through the 1931 season with the Aug ...

in 1931, and the

Tri-State League The Tri-State League was the name of six different circuits in American minor league baseball. History The first league of that name played for four years (1887–1890) and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. The second leagu ...

(1954–1955). Greenville was an affiliate of the Washington Senators (1939–1941),

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...

(1946),

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...

(1947–1950) and

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

(1961–1962).

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

member

Tommy Lasorda Thomas Charles Lasorda (September 22, 1927 – January 7, 2021) was an American professional baseball pitcher and manager. He managed the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1976 through 1996. He was inducted into the Nati ...

(1949) and Greenville native

Shoeless Joe Jackson Joseph Jefferson Jackson (July 16, 1887 – December 5, 1951), nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American outfielder who played Major League Baseball (MLB) in the early 1900s. Although his .356 career batting average is the fourth highest ...

(1908).

Greenville Spinners

A native of the Greenville, South Carolina area,

played for the 1908 Greenville Spinners. Jackson hit .346 to lead the

, while earning a salary of $75.00 a month. In August, 1908, Jackson's contract was purchased by the

Connie Mack Cornelius McGillicuddy (December 22, 1862 – February 8, 1956), better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball catcher, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds untoucha ...

of the

Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oaklan ...

for $900.00. Jackson immediately reported to the Athletics and made his major league debut. Today, there is a museum and numerous locales honoring Jackson in Greenville.

pitched for the Greenville Spinners in 1949 at age 21. Lasorda compiled a 7-7 record and a 2.93 ERA with 138 walks and 158 strikeouts in 178 innings for the Brooklyn Dodgers affiliate.

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
alumni

(1949) Inducted, 1997

Notable alumni

Rocky Bridges Everett Lamar "Rocky" Bridges (August 7, 1927 – January 27, 2015) was a middle infielder and third baseman with an 11-year career in Major League Baseball from 1951 to 1961. Bridges played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Cincinnati Redlegs and St. L ...

(1948) MLB All-Star * Como Cotelle (1940) *

Oscar Grimes Oscar Ray Grimes Jr. (April 13, 1915 – May 19, 1993) was a utility infielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians (1938–1942), New York Yankees (1943–1946) and Philadelphia Athletics (1946). Grimes batted and thr ...

(1950) MLB All-Star *

Clem Labine Clement Walter Labine (August 6, 1926 – March 2, 2007) was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) best known for his years with the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers from 1950 to 1960. As a key member of the Dodger ...

(1947) 2 x MLB All-Star *

Pepper Martin Johnny Leonard Roosevelt "Pepper" Martin (February 29, 1904 – March 5, 1965) was an American professional baseball player and minor league manager. He was known as the "Wild Horse of the Osage" because of his daring, aggressive baserunning ab ...

(1947) 4 x MLB All-Star * Ray Moore (1948) * Sherry Robertson (1941) *

Mickey Vernon James Barton "Mickey" Vernon (April 22, 1918 – September 24, 2008) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman who played for the Washington Senators (1939–1948, 1950–1955), Cleveland Indians (1949–1950, 1958), Boston Red ...

(1938) 7 x MLB All Star; 2 x NL Batting Title (1946, 1953) *

Dixie Walker Fred E. "Dixie" Walker (September 24, 1910 – May 17, 1982) was an American professional baseball player, coach, scout and minor league manager. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball from 1931 to 1949. Although Walker was a fi ...

(1930) 5 x MLB All-Star; 1944 NL Batting Title *

Harry Walker Harry William Walker (October 22, 1918 – August 8, 1999) was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. Known by the nickname "Harry the Hat", he played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball between 1940 and 1955, ...

(1938) 2 x MLB All-Star; 1947 NL Batting Title * Tillie Walker (1928–1929) 1918 Al Home Run Leader

References

{{reflist

External links

Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Brooklyn Dodgers minor league affiliates Washington Senators minor league affiliates Chicago White Sox minor league affiliates Defunct Western Carolinas League teams Sports in Greenville, South Carolina Professional baseball teams in South Carolina 1907 establishments in South Carolina 1962 disestablishments in South Carolina Baseball teams established in 1907 Baseball teams disestablished in 1962 South Atlantic League (1904–1963) teams Defunct baseball teams in South Carolina Defunct Tri-State League teams Palmetto League teams Carolina Association teams

Greenville Spinners

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ... alumni

Notable alumni

See also

References

External links

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
alumni