The South Atlantic League, nicknamed the SALLY League, was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the

Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...

intermittently from 1904 to 1963. Initially Class C league, it was elevated to Class B in 1921, Class A in 1946, and Double-A in 1963. The circuit was renamed the Southern League in 1964, and the league elected to maintain a new set of records from that season onward.

History

The original South Atlantic League was founded in 1904 by Charles W. Boyer and J.B. Lucy as a Class C league. After a year of dormancy in 1918, it continued at that classification from 1919 to 1920 before being elevated to Class B in 1921. The

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

caused the league to shut down from 1931 to 1935, but it returned at Class B from 1936 to 1942. Three more years of dormancy occurred during

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 ...

, but the SALLY League was revived as a Class A circuit from 1946 to 1962. In 1963, it was reclassified as a Double-A league. The circuit reorganized as the Southern League in 1964. To distance itself from its history at lower classifications, the newly-named league elected to start with a clean slate and not maintain records prior to the 1964 season. Thusly, the 51-year history of the league was retired with the South Atlantic League name. In 1980, the

Western Carolinas League Portion of plaque displaying likeness of John Henry Moss at Municipal Stadium, Hagerstown, Maryland The Western Carolinas League was a Class D (1948–52; 1960–62) and a low Class A (1963–79) full-season league in American minor league base ...

resurrected the name as it became the current

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 ...

All-time teams

Albany Babies The Albany Babies were a Class C league minor league baseball team located in Albany, Georgia. The team played in the South Atlantic League from to . Notable players *Erskine Mayer, pitcher Year-by-year record External linksAlbany, Georgia at ...

Asheville Tourists The Asheville Tourists are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville teams have played under the Tourists moniker in differe ...

* Augusta Dollies *

Augusta Georgians Augusta may refer to: Places Australia * Augusta, Western Australia Brasil * Rua Augusta (São Paulo) Canada * Augusta, Ontario * North Augusta, Ontario * Augusta Street (Hamilton, Ontario) France * Augusta Suessionum ("Augusta of the Sue ...

* Augusta Rams *

Augusta Tigers The Augusta Tigers was the primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams in Augusta, Georgia. Beginning in 1884, Augusta has hosted numerous teams in various leagues. History The Augusta Yankees were a South Atlantic League minor league ba ...

* Augusta Tygers *

Augusta Tourists Augusta may refer to: Places Australia * Augusta, Western Australia Brasil * Rua Augusta (São Paulo) Canada * Augusta, Ontario * North Augusta, Ontario * Augusta Street (Hamilton, Ontario) France * Augusta Suessionum ("Augusta of the Sue ...

* Augusta Wolves *

Augusta Yankees Augusta may refer to: Places Australia * Augusta, Western Australia Brasil * Rua Augusta (São Paulo) Canada * Augusta, Ontario * North Augusta, Ontario * Augusta Street (Hamilton, Ontario) France * Augusta Suessionum ("Augusta of the Su ...

* Charleston ChaSox/White Sox * Charleston Palmettos/Pals *

Charleston Rebels The Charleston Rebels were a minor league baseball club that existed between 1940 and 1952 in Charleston, South Carolina. The club was a member of the South Atlantic League and played its home games at College Park. The club was affiliated with ...

* Charleston Sea Gulls/Gulls * Charlotte Hornets *

Chattanooga Lookouts The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home g ...

* Columbia Comers/Commies/Combers *

Columbia Gamecocks Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region i ...

Columbia Gems The Columbia Senators was the first name of an American minor league baseball franchise representing Columbia, South Carolina, in the original South Atlantic League. Currently, Columbia is home of the Columbia Fireflies in the South Atlantic Leag ...

Columbia Reds Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

Columbia Senators The Columbia Senators was the first name of an American minor league baseball franchise representing Columbia, South Carolina, in the original South Atlantic League. Currently, Columbia is home of the Columbia Fireflies in the South Atlantic Leag ...

* Columbia Skyscrapers *

Columbus Foxes The Columbus Foxes were a minor league baseball team that played in Columbus, Georgia. USA. History The team originally played in the South Atlantic League from 1909 to 1917, then reformed in the Southeastern League from 1926 to 1932. It resur ...

* Columbus Pirates * Columbus Red Birds/Cardinals * Gastonia Combers * Gastonia Pirates *

Greenville Spinners The Greenville Spinners was a primary name of the minor league baseball teams located in Greenville, South Carolina between 1907 and 1962. Greenville teams played as members of the South Carolina League in 1907, Carolina Association (1908–191 ...

Jacksonville Braves The Jacksonville Braves were a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. The Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves Major League Baseball team, they played in the South Atlantic League (the "Sally League") from 1953 to ...

Jacksonville Jays Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

Jacksonville Jets Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...

Jacksonville Tarpons The Jacksonville Tarpons were a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. They played in the Class-C South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league ...

Jacksonville Tars Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

* Knoxville Appalachians *

Knoxville Smokies Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state's ...

Lynchburg White Sox Lynchburg is a toponym that may refer to: *Lynchburg, California *Lynchburg, Mississippi *Lynchburg, Missouri *Lynchburg, North Dakota *Lynchburg, Ohio (in Clinton and Highland counties) *Lynchburg, Columbiana County, Ohio *Lynchburg, South Carolina ...

Macon Brigands Macon may refer to: Places Belgium * Macon, Belgium France *Mâcon **Ancient Diocese of Mâcon **Mâcon, another name for the Mâconnais wine from that region United States of America * Macon, Alabama *Macon, Georgia *Macon, Illinois *Macon, M ...

Macon Dodgers Macon may refer to: Places Belgium *Macon, Belgium France *Mâcon ** Ancient Diocese of Mâcon **Mâcon, another name for the Mâconnais wine from that region United States of America * Macon, Alabama * Macon, Georgia * Macon, Illinois *Macon ...

* Macon Highlanders *

Macon Peaches The Macon Peaches was the predominant name of the American minor league baseball franchise representing Macon, Georgia, during the 20th century. Although Macon did not field teams during and immediately after World War I, the height of the Great ...

* Montgomery Grays *

Montgomery Rebels The Montgomery Rebels was the name of several American minor league baseball franchises representing Montgomery, Alabama, playing in various leagues between and . ''Rebels'' was the predominant nickname of the Montgomery teams, but it was not the ...

Nashville Vols The Nashville Vols were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1901 to 1963. Known only as the Nashville Baseball Club during their first seven seasons, they were officially named the Nashville Volunteers (often sh ...

* New Orleans Bucks * New Orleans Kings * New Orleans Jacks * New Orleans Generals * Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides * Savannah Athletics * Savannah Indians * Savannah Pirates *

Savannah Redlegs A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...

* Savannah Reds * Savannah White Sox * South Atlantic League Orphans * Spartanburg Pioneers *

Spartanburg Spartans Spartanburg is a city in and the seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest city in the state. For a time, the Offi ...

Champions

League champions were determined by different means throughout the league's history. Playoffs were held in most seasons, while in others the champions were simply the regular season pennant winners.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:South Atlantic League (1904-1963) 1904 establishments in the United States 1963 disestablishments in the United States Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Sports leagues established in 1904 Sports leagues disestablished in 1963 Baseball leagues in Tennessee Baseball leagues in Georgia (U.S. state) Baseball leagues in South Carolina Baseball leagues in North Carolina Baseball leagues in Florida Baseball leagues in Virginia Baseball leagues in Alabama