The Tar Heel League was a mid-20th century Class D level professional minor baseball league, based in

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. It operated during the full seasons of , and , and from the opening of the season through June 21, . The first incarnation of the league began and ended the 1939 season with six clubs, but the following year saw the Shelby Nationals and 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 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 opposing ...

. During the postwar boom in minor league baseball, the Tar Heel circuit remained dormant, while the Class D level

North Carolina State League The North Carolina State League was a "Class D" league in Minor League Baseball. The original version of the league existed from 1913–1917 as the successor to the Carolina Association. The second version of the league was established in 1937 ...

resumed play in and a new Class D circuit, the

Western Carolina League The original Western Carolina League was a Class-D circuit in Minor League Baseball which was ideated and created by John Henry Moss. The league ran from 1948 to 1952, then combined with the North Carolina State League to form the Tar Heel Leag ...

, entered

organized baseball The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive officer of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the associated Minor League Baseball (MiLB) – a constellation of leagues and clubs known as "organized baseball". Under the direction of the Commiss ...

in . When the 1950s brought dwindling attendance to minor league baseball and clubs and leagues began to contract, the North Carolina State and Western Carolina leagues merged into a revived Tar Heel League for 1953. An unwieldy, ten–club circuit, the 1953 THL shed two teams on June 11 and relocated a third. The 1954 Tar Heel League could field only four teams, and it gave up the ghost 50 games into the season. The Western Carolina League returned to baseball in 1960, and still plays as the Class A level

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 ...

Cities Represented

Forest City, NC Forest City, formerly known as "Burnt Chimney," is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,377 as of the 2020 census, making it the largest municipality in Rutherford County. History The Alexander Manufa ...

: Forest City Owls 1953–1954 *

Gastonia, NC Gastonia is the largest city in and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest satellite city of the Charlotte area, behind Concord. The population was 80,411 at the 2020 census, up from 71,741 in 201 ...

Gastonia Cardinals The Gastonia Cardinals were a minor league baseball team based in Gastonia, North Carolina on two separate occasions, playing as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals in both instances. The first Gastonia Cardinals team played as mem ...

1939–1940 *

Hickory, NC Hickory is a city located primarily in Catawba County, with formal boundaries extending into Burke and Caldwell counties. The city lies in the U.S. state of North Carolina. At the time of the 2020 census, Hickory's population was 43,490. Hickor ...

Hickory Rebels The Hickory Rebels were a Class D minor league baseball team based in Hickory, North Carolina, that played from 1939–1940, 1940, 1945–1954, 1960. The Rebels were the predecessor of the current Hickory Crawdads in the South Atlantic League. His ...

1939–1940, 1953–1954 *

High Point, NC High Point is a city in the Piedmont Triad region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Most of the city is in Guilford County, with parts extending into Randolph, Davidson, and Forsyth counties. High Point is North Carolina's only city that ...

& Thomasville, NC:

High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms Thomasville, North Carolina was home to several minor league baseball teams from 1937–1969. The Thomasville Chair Makers joined the North Carolina State League in 1937 and became the Thomasville Tommies in 1939. They were an affiliate of the C ...

1953 * Lenoir, NC: Lenoir Indians 1939; Lenoir Reds 1940 *

Lexington, NC Lexington is the county seat of Davidson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 18,931. It is located in central North Carolina, south of Winston-Salem. Major highways include I-85, I-85B, U. ...

Lexington Indians Lexington may refer to: Places England * Laxton, Nottinghamshire, formerly Lexington Canada * Lexington, a district in Waterloo, Ontario United States * Lexington, Kentucky, the largest city with this name * Lexington, Massachusetts, the old ...

1953 * Lincolnton, NC: Lincolnton Cardinals 1953 * Marion, NC: Marion Marauders 1953–1954 *

Mooresville, NC Mooresville is a large town located in the southwestern section of Iredell County, North Carolina, United States, and is a part of the fast-growing Charlotte metropolitan area. The population was 50,193 at the 2020 United States Census making it ...

Mooresville Moors The Mooresville Moors were a minor league baseball team based in Mooresville, North Carolina. Between 1936 and 1953, the Mooresville Moors teams played as members of the 1936 Carolina League, the North Carolina State League from 1937 to 1942 and ...

1953 * Newton, NC & Conover, NC: Newton-Conover Twins 1939–1940 * Salisbury, NC: Salisbury Rocots 1953 *

Shelby, NC Shelby is a city in and the county seat of Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. It lies near the western edge of the Charlotte combined statistical area. The population was 20,323 at the 2010 census. History The area was originally ...

: Shelby Nationals 1939; Shelby Colonels 1940; Shelby Clippers 1953–1954 * Statesville, NC: Statesville Owls 1939–1940; Statesville Blues 1953; Statesville Sports 1953

Yearly standings & statistics

1939 Tar Heel League

Playoffs: Gastonia 3 games, Shelby 1.
Statesville 3 games, Lenoir 0. (1 tie.) Finals: Gastonia 4 games, Statesville 3. Player statistics

1940 Tar Heel League

schedule
Newton-Conover and Shelby disbanded July 19.
Playoffs: Hickory 3 games, Gastonia 0. Statesville 3 games, Lenoir 2.
Finals: Statesville 4 games, Hickory 1.
Player statistics

1953 Tar Heel League

schedule
High-Point-Thomasville & Statesville disbanded June 11.
Lincolnton moved to Statesville July 12.
Playoffs: Marion 4 games, Shelby 2. Lexington 4 games, Forest City 2.
Finals: Lexington 4 games, Marion 2. Player statistics

1954 Tar Heel League

schedule
The League disbanded June 21. Player statistics

References

{{reflist 1939 establishments in North Carolina 1954 disestablishments in North Carolina Baseball leagues in North Carolina Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Sports leagues established in 1939 Sports leagues disestablished in 1954