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 baseball. The WCL changed its name prior to the 1980 season and has been known since as 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 ...
, a highly successful Class A circuit with teams up the Eastern Seaboard from
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
to
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
.
Originally called the "Western ''Carolina'' League", the 1948–52 WCL was composed exclusively of teams located in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge sections of western
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 So ...
. It merged with the
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 i ...
to form the short-lived Class D
Tar Heel League
The Tar Heel League was a mid-20th century Class D level professional minor baseball league, based in North Carolina in the United States. It operated during the full seasons of , and , and from the opening of the season through June 21, .
The ...
, which lasted only 1½ seasons (1953–54) before folding.
In 1960, the WCL was revived as a Class D circuit intended to house
farm teams of the member clubs of a planned third major league, the
Continental League
The Continental League of Professional Baseball Clubs (known as the Continental League or CL) was a proposed third major league for baseball in the United States and Canada. The league was announced in 1959 and scheduled to begin play in the 19 ...
. It featured teams in eight North Carolina locales:
Gastonia,
Hickory
Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mexi ...
,
Lexington,
Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
–
Conover Conover may refer to:
People
* Conover (surname)
Places in the United States
* Conover, Iowa, a ghost town
* Conover, North Carolina, a city
* Conover, Ohio, an unincorporated community
* Conover, Wisconsin, a town
* Conover (community), Wisconsi ...
,
Rutherford County,
Salisbury
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
,
Shelby and
Statesville, but soon expanded to sites in
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
.
When the Continental League was torpedoed by the
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
expansion in and , the member teams of the Western Carolinas League became affiliates of
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
and
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
clubs. It was upgraded to Class A in the 1963 reorganization of the minor leagues. The first professional baseball team based in
Monroe, North Carolina
Monroe is a city in and the county seat of Union County, North Carolina, United States. The population increased from 32,797 in 2010 to 34,551 in 2020. It is within the rapidly growing Charlotte metropolitan area. Monroe has a council-manager f ...
came into being when the
Statesville Indians moved into town on June 20, 1969 and finished the year as the Monroe Indians. The team lasted just one season before being
replaced by the Sumter Indians.
For nearly 60 years, 1948 through 2007, the WCL/SAL's dominant figure was league founder and president
John Henry Moss
John Henry Moss (November 10, 1918 – July 1, 2009) was a baseball executive and politician. Well known for his strong leadership and organizational skills, Moss was a key contributor to the development of Minor League Baseball during more than ...
, who started the WCL as a young man in 1948, refounded it in 1960 and then led it into the new century. Moss, also the longtime mayor of
Kings Mountain, North Carolina
Kings Mountain is a small suburban city within the Charlotte metropolitan area in Cleveland and Gaston counties, North Carolina, United States. Most of the city is in Cleveland County, with a small eastern portion in Gaston County. The popul ...
, retired at the close of the 2007 Sally League season and died, at age 90, on July 1, 2009.
Member teams
Western Carolina League (1948–52)
*
Forest City Owls
*
Gastonia Browns
*
Granite Falls Graniteers
*
Hendersonville Skylarks
*
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 ...
*
Lenoir Red Sox
*
Lincolnton Cardinals
*
Marion Marauders
*
Morganton Aggies
The Morganton Aggies were a minor league baseball team based in Morganton, North Carolina from 1948 to 1952. Morganton teams played exclusively as members of the Western Carolina League, winning the 1951 league pennant. The Aggies played home mi ...
*
Newton-Conover Twins
*
Rutherford County Owls
*
Shelby Farmers
Western Carolinas League (1960–79)
*
Anderson Giants
*
Anderson Mets
*
Anderson Senators
*
Anderson Tigers
*
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 differen ...
*
Belmont Chiefs
*
Charleston Patriots
*
Charleston Pirates
*
Charlotte Twins
The Charlotte Twins were a minor league baseball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1972, the Charlotte Twins were a Minnesota Twins affiliate and played as members of the Class A level Western Carolinas League, placing 5th in the league ...
*
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 ...
*
Gastonia Pirates
*
Gastonia Rangers The Gastonia Rangers were a class A minor league baseball team located in Gastonia, North Carolina. The team played first as the Rangers in the Western Carolinas League (1973–1974). In 1983 and 1984, they played as the Gastonia Expos, as an affil ...
*
Gastonia Rippers
*
Greensboro Hornets
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...
*
Greenville Braves
The Greenville Braves were an American minor league baseball franchise, based in Greenville, South Carolina, that served as the Class AA farm team of the Atlanta Braves between 1984 and 2004. The Braves played in Greenville Municipal Stadium for ...
*
Greenville Mets
*
Greenville Rangers
*
Greenville Red Sox
*
Greenwood Braves
The Greenwood Braves were a single-A minor league baseball team located in Greenwood, South Carolina that existed from 1968 to 1979.
History
Affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, the Braves were members of the Western Carolinas League. The Braves ...
*
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 ...
*
Lexington Braves
*
Lexington Giants
*
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 ...
*
Monroe Pirates
The Monroe Pirates were a minor league baseball team, based in Monroe, North Carolina, in 1971. The team was the city's second team in the Western Carolinas League, after the Monroe Indians left for Sumter, South Carolina in 1970. The club was ...
*
Newton-Conover Twins
*
Orangeburg Cards
*
Orangeburg Dodgers
The Orangeburg Dodgers were a minor league baseball team based in Orangeburg, South Carolina that played in the Western Carolinas League in 1974. They were an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers and were managed by Bart Shirley. They finished in ...
*
Rock Hill Cardinals
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
*
Rock Hill Indians
*
Rock Hill Wrens
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a List of United Ki ...
*
Rutherford County Owls
*
Salisbury Astros
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wi ...
*
Salisbury Braves
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wilt ...
*
Salisbury Dodgers
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
*
Salisbury Senators
*
Shelby Colonels
*
Shelby Pirates
*
Shelby Rebels
*
Shelby Reds
The Shelby Reds, was the primary name of a minor league baseball team that played in Shelby, North Carolina, between 1937 and 1982.
The Reds were a member of the Western Carolinas League, before transferring with the league to the South Atlantic L ...
*
Shelby Senators
Shelby may refer to:
Places United States
* Shelby, Alabama, a census-designated place and unincorporated community
* Shelby, Idaho
* Shelby, Indiana, an unincorporated town
* Shelby, Iowa, a city
* Shelby, Oceana County, Michigan, a village
* ...
*
Shelby Yankees
*
Spartanburg Phillies
Spartanburg is a city in and the county seat, seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest c ...
*
Statesville Colts
*
Statesville/Monroe Indians
*
Statesville Owls
*
Statesville Tigers
*
Sumter Astros
*
Sumter Indians
The Sumter Indians was a minor league baseball team, based in Sumter, South Carolina, as a member of the Western Carolinas League.
History
The team was formed when the Cleveland Indians relocated their Class-A affiliate, the Monroe Indians, to ...
*
Thomasville Hi-Toms Thomasville may refer to:
*Thomasville, Alabama
*Thomasville, Georgia
*Thomasville, Iowa
*Thomasville, Missouri
*Thomasville, North Carolina
*Thomasville, Pennsylvania
Other uses
*Thomasville Furniture Industries Thomasville Furniture Industries w ...
League Champions
*1963
Greenville Braves
The Greenville Braves were an American minor league baseball franchise, based in Greenville, South Carolina, that served as the Class AA farm team of the Atlanta Braves between 1984 and 2004. The Braves played in Greenville Municipal Stadium for ...
*1964
Salisbury Dodgers
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
*1965
Rock Hill Cardinals
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
*1966
Spartanburg Phillies
Spartanburg is a city in and the county seat, seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest c ...
*1967
Spartanburg Phillies
Spartanburg is a city in and the county seat, seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest c ...
*1968
Greenwood Braves
The Greenwood Braves were a single-A minor league baseball team located in Greenwood, South Carolina that existed from 1968 to 1979.
History
Affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, the Braves were members of the Western Carolinas League. The Braves ...
*1969
Greenwood Braves
The Greenwood Braves were a single-A minor league baseball team located in Greenwood, South Carolina that existed from 1968 to 1979.
History
Affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, the Braves were members of the Western Carolinas League. The Braves ...
*1970
Greenville Red Sox
*1971
Greenwood Braves
The Greenwood Braves were a single-A minor league baseball team located in Greenwood, South Carolina that existed from 1968 to 1979.
History
Affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, the Braves were members of the Western Carolinas League. The Braves ...
*1972
Spartanburg Phillies
Spartanburg is a city in and the county seat, seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest c ...
*1973
Spartanburg Phillies
Spartanburg is a city in and the county seat, seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest c ...
*1974
Gastonia Rangers The Gastonia Rangers were a class A minor league baseball team located in Gastonia, North Carolina. The team played first as the Rangers in the Western Carolinas League (1973–1974). In 1983 and 1984, they played as the Gastonia Expos, as an affil ...
*1975
Spartanburg Phillies
Spartanburg is a city in and the county seat, seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest c ...
*1976
Greenwood Braves
The Greenwood Braves were a single-A minor league baseball team located in Greenwood, South Carolina that existed from 1968 to 1979.
History
Affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, the Braves were members of the Western Carolinas League. The Braves ...
*1977
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 ...
*1978
Greenwood Braves
The Greenwood Braves were a single-A minor league baseball team located in Greenwood, South Carolina that existed from 1968 to 1979.
History
Affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, the Braves were members of the Western Carolinas League. The Braves ...
*1979
Greenwood Braves
The Greenwood Braves were a single-A minor league baseball team located in Greenwood, South Carolina that existed from 1968 to 1979.
History
Affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, the Braves were members of the Western Carolinas League. The Braves ...
South Atlantic Hall of Fame
* The
South Atlantic League Hall of Fame
The South Atlantic League Hall of Fame is an American baseball hall of fame which honors players, managers, executives, and other associates of the Class A South Atlantic League of Minor League Baseball and its predecessor, the Western Carolinas ...
was founded in 1994 and includes Western Carolinas League alumni.
References
{{Professional Baseball
Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States
Baseball leagues in North Carolina
Baseball leagues in South Carolina
Sports leagues established in 1963
Sports leagues disestablished in 1979