The Cotton States League''Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: The Official Record of Minor League Baseball'' – Lloyd Johnson, Steve McDonald, Miles Wolff (editors). Publisher: Baseball America, 1997. Format: Paperback, 672pp. Language: English. name was used five times in baseball history. The first Cotton States League ran from 1902 through 1908 as a class D league. After the league shut down, another Cotton States League was reformulated in 1910, with three of the six '08 members returning for the new campaign and three new teams joining them. This league ran for four seasons, through 1913. In 1922, the Cotton States League regrouped after nine years out of existence. This time, despite disbanding July 24, 1923 and resuming the next year, the league held itself together for 11 seasons before folding for good on July 13, 1932. The next revival of the CSL took place in 1936 and lasted six seasons before collapsing, before many other minor leagues did when

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

began. This time, it operated as a class C circuit. The league was reestablished in 1947. Again placed as a class C league, the Cotton States League survived through 1955 before folding for the fifth time in less than half a century. In 1953 the Cotton States League tried to evict the

Hot Springs Bathers The Hot Springs Bathers were a Cotton States League baseball team based in Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States, that played from 1938 to 1941 and from 1947 to 1955. In 1938, they were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs. In 1939 and 1940, they were a ...

for attempting to include a black player, Jim Tugerson.

Cotton States League timeline

1902–1913

Cities represented/Teams/Seasons The Official Record of Minor League Baseball

1922–1932

Cities represented/Teams/Seasons

1936–1955

Championship teams

First stage (1902–1908)

* 1902 – Natchez Indians * 1903 – Baton Rouge Cajuns * 1904 – Pine Bluff Lumbermen * 1905 – Greenville Cotton Pickers * 1906 – Mobile Sea Gulls * 1907 – Mobile Sea Gulls * 1908 – Jackson Senators * 1909 – ''The league did not play''

Second stage (1909–1913)

* 1910 – Greenwood Scouts * 1911 – Vicksburg Hill Billies * 1912 – Vicksburg Hill Billies * * 1913 – Jackson Lawmakers : * Greenwood Scouts was declared champion as first half champion Vicksburg had disbanded. * ''From 1914 through 1921 the league did not play''

Third stage (1922–1932)

* 1922 – Greenwood Indians
Playoff: Greenwood beat Meridian, four to zero games * 1923 – Greenville Swamp Angels
No playoff after the league disbanded * 1924 – Hattiesburg Hubmen * 1925 – Meridian Mets * 1926 – Hattiesburg Pinetoppers * 1927 – Jackson Red Sox
Playoff: Jackson beat Monroe, four to one games * 1928 – Jackson Red Sox
Playoffs:
Hattiesburg Pinetoppers beat Meridian, four to one games
Vicksburg Hill Billies beat Jackson, four to two games
Final series: Vicksburg beat Hattiesburg, four to three games * 1929 – Alexandria Reds
Playoffs:
El Dorado Lions beat Laurel, four to one games
Jackson Red Sox beat Alexandria, four to two games
Final series: El Dorado beat Jackson, four to one games * 1930 – El Dorado Lions
Playoff: Pine Bluff Judges beat El Dorado, four to three games * 1931 – Jackson Red Sox
Playoff: Jackson beat Vicksburg, four to zero games * 1932 – Baton Rouge Senators
No playoff after the disbanding of the league * ''From 1933 through 1935 the league did not play''

Fourth stage (1936–1941)

* 1936 – Greenwood Giants
Playoffs:
El Dorado Lions beat Greenwood, three to one games
Greenville Bucks beat Pine Bluff, three to one games
Final series: El Dorado beat Greenville, four to one games * 1937 – Pine Bluff Judges
Playoffs:
Pine Bluff beat Greenville, four to one games
El Dorado beat Greenwood, four to one games
Final series: El Dorado beat Pine Bluff, four to one games * 1938 – Greenville Bucks
Playoffs:
Monroe White Sox beat Helena, three to one games
Greenville beat El Dorado, three to one games
Final series: Monroe beat Greenville, four to two games * 1939 – Monroe White Sox
Playoffs:
Hot Springs Bathers beat Monroe, three to two games
Greenville Buckshots beat Clarksdale, three to one games
Final series: Greenville beat Hot Springs, four to one games * 1940 – Monroe White Sox
Playoffs:
Monroe beat Greenville, three to one games
El Dorado Oilers beat Helena, three to one games
Final series: Monroe beat El Dorado, four to one games * 1941 – Monroe White Sox
Playoffs:
Vicksburg Hill Billies beat Monroe, three to two games
Hot Springs Bathers beat Greenville, three to zero games
Final series: Hot Springs beat Vicksburg, four to zero games * ''From 1942 through 1946 the league did not play''

Fifth stage (1947–1955)

* 1947 – Greenwood Dodgers
Playoffs:
Greenwood beat Clarksdale, three to one games
Greenville Bucks beat El Dorado, three to two games
Final series: Greenwood beat Greenville, four to three games * 1948 – Greenwood Dodgers
Playoffs:
Greenwood beat Natchez, three to zero games
Hot Springs Bathers beat Clarksdale, three to zero games
Final series: Hot Springs beat Greenwood, four to three games * 1949 – Greenwood Dodgers
Playoffs:
Natchez Indians beat El Dorado, four to three games
Pine Bluff Cardinals beat Greenwood, four to two games
Final series: Natchez beat Pine Bluff, four to one games * 1950 – Pine Bluff Judges
Playoffs:
Hot Springs Bathers beat Monroe, four to two games
Natchez Indians beat Pine Bluff, four to one games
Final series: Hot Springs beat Natchez, four to three games * 1951 – Monroe Sports
Playoffs:
Natchez Indians beat Monroe, four to three games
Pine Bluff Judges beat Greenwood, four to three games
Final series: Natchez beat Pine Bluff, four to one games * 1952 – Meridian Millers
Playoffs:
Meridian beat Monroe, four to two games
Natchez Indians beat Greenwood, four to two games
Final series: Meridian beat Natchez, four to three games * 1953 – Meridian Millers
Playoffs: Meridian beat Jackson, four to two games
El Dorado Oilers beat Pine Bluff, four to zero games
Final series: Meridian beat El Dorado, four to zero games * 1954 – Greenville Tigers
Playoffs:
Greenville beat Monroe, four to one games
El Dorado Oilers beat Meridian, four to three games
Final series: El Dorado beat Greenville, four to two games

Sources

External links

Cotton States League memorabilia
{{Professional Baseball Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Defunct professional sports leagues in the United States Baseball leagues in Alabama Baseball leagues in Arkansas Baseball leagues in Florida Baseball leagues in Louisiana Baseball leagues in Mississippi Baseball leagues in Texas Sports leagues established in 1902 Sports leagues established in 1922 Sports leagues established in 1936 Sports leagues established in 1947 1902 establishments in the United States 1955 disestablishments in the United States Sports leagues disestablished in 1955