The Georgia State League was an American Class D

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

in professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

that existed in 1906, 1914, 1920–1921 and 1948–1956. During its last incarnation, it existed alongside two nearby Class D circuits, the

Georgia–Florida League The Georgia–Florida League was a minor baseball league that existed from 1935 through 1958 (suspending operations during World War II) and in 1962–1963. It was one of many Class D circuits that played in the Southeastern United States during t ...

and the

Georgia–Alabama League The Georgia–Alabama League was a minor league baseball league that operated in its two namesake states. The circuit first operated from 1913 to 1917, was revived from 1928 to 1930, then returned to operation for a final time from 1946 through 19 ...

. The version of the league began with six teams, but two clubs were forced to disband and a third to relocate before the league folded on July 9. Then, in the

Empire State League The Empire State League was a Minor league baseball circuit which operated in the 1913 in baseball, 1913 season. It was a Class-D, six-team league, with teams based exclusively in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, U.S. In 1914, the league evolved ...

based in Georgia renamed itself Georgia State League. The six-team 1914 league played a full schedule and crowned a champion, the

Americus Muckalees There have been eight Minor leagues teams that have represented the city of Americus, Georgia. Since classification of the minors began, seven of them have been labeled as class D loops and one played in an independent league. History Americus Pa ...

. But the resurgence of the league did not even last two years. The circuit started 1915 as the Georgia State League and was renamed the Florida–Alabama–Georgia League (the "FLAG League"), which operated in the state of

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, on June 15. After World War I, the league—again featuring half a dozen member clubs—was revived for two full campaigns. In 1920, it was dominated by legendary minor league slugger Ike Boone, who batted .403 and led the GSL in

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014, a British compilation album s ...

, runs and

home runs In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run ...

. The Georgia State League revived in during the post-World War II boom in minor league baseball. It expanded from six to eight teams in , and by had begun to attract working agreements with

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

farm system In sports, a farm team (also referred to as farm system, developmental system, feeder team, or nursery club) is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful pl ...

s. But as the low minors began to experience falling attendance during the 1950s, the GSL began to suffer. Its

Statesboro Pilots The Statesboro Pilots were a minor league baseball team based in Statesboro, Georgia. From 1952 to 1955, the Pilots played exclusively as members of the Class D level Georgia State League. The Pilots hosted minor league home games at Pilots Field. ...

club disbanded on July 1, , leaving the league with only five teams. The Georgia State League began and finished the season with a full complement of six teams. The Georgi State League did not return to play in 1957 and never reformed.

Cities represented

Albany, GA Albany ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Located on the Flint River, it is the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, Dougherty County, and is the sole incorporated city in that county. Located in Southwest Geo ...

: Albany 1906 *

Americus, GA Americus is the county seat of Sumter County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 16,230. It is the principal city of the Americus Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Schley ...

Americus Pallbearers There have been eight Minor leagues teams that have represented the city of Americus, Georgia. Since classification of the minors began, seven of them have been labeled as class D loops and one played in an independent league. History Americus Pa ...

1906;

1914 *

Baxley, GA Baxley is a city in Appling County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 4,942. The city is the county seat of Appling County. History Baxley was first settled as a result of the Macon and Brunswick Rai ...

Baxley Red Sox Baxley is a city in Appling County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 4,942. The city is the county seat of Appling County. History Baxley was first settled as a result of the Macon and Brunswick Rai ...

1948 *

Hazlehurst, GA Hazlehurst is a city in and the county seat of Jeff Davis County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,088 in 2020. History Initially called "Handtown" due to the Hand Family living in the area, it wasn't until the establishment of th ...

: Baxley-Hazlehurst Red Socks 1949; Baxley-Hazlehurst Red Sox 1950; Hazlehurst-Baxley Red Sox 1951; Hazlehurst-Baxley Cardinals 1952-1955; Hazlehurst-Baxley Tigers 1956 *

Brunswick, GA Brunswick ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Glynn County, Georgia, Glynn County in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As the primary urban and economic center of the lower southeast portion of Georgia, it is the second-larges ...

: Brunswick 1906; Brunswick Pilots 1914 * Carrollton, GA: Carrollton 1920–1921 * Cedartown, GA:

Cedartown Cedars The Cedartown Cedars were a minor league baseball team based in Cedartown, Georgia. The Cedars played the 1921 and 1922 seasons as members of the Class D (baseball), Class D level Georgia State League, before the league folded. Ollie Tucker won the ...

1920–1921 *

Columbus, GA Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee ...

: Columbus River Snipes 1906 *

Cordele, GA Cordele is a city in and the county seat of Crisp County, Georgia. The population was 11,165 at the 2010 census, and 10,220 in 2020. Cordele calls itself the watermelon capital of the world. History 19th century Cordele was incorporated on ...

: Cordele 1906; Cordele Ramblers 1914 * Douglas, GA: Douglas Rebels 1948; Douglas Trojans 1949–1955; Douglas Reds 1956 * Dublin, GA:

Dublin Green Sox Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, part of the Wicklow Mountains range. Dublin i ...

1949–1952;

Dublin Irish The Dublin Irish were a minor league baseball team based in Dublin, Georgia. The team played in the Georgia State League from 1949 until 1956, however the team was first named the Dublin Green Sox. In 1952 they were first an affiliate of the Cinci ...

1953–1956 *

Griffin, GA Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 23,478. Griffin was founded in 1840 and named for landowner ...

Griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk ...

1920–1921 * Eastman, GA:

Eastman Dodgers The Eastman Dodgers were a minor league baseball team based in Eastman, Georgia. The Eastman Dodgers were members of the Class D Georgia State League from 1948 to 1953 winning the 1950 league pennant and 1949 and 1952 league pennants. The Dodgers h ...

1948–1953 * Fitzgerald, GA:

Fitzgerald Pioneers The Fitzgerald Pioneers were a minor league baseball team, based in Fitzgerald, Georgia, that played from 1948 until 1957. The team played in the Class D level Georgia State League and won the league's title in 1948. Baseball Hall of Fame member ...

1948–1952 * Jesup, GA: Jesup Bees 1950–1953 *

LaGrange, GA LaGrange is a city in and the county seat of Troup County, Georgia, United States. The population of the city was estimated to be 30,858 in 2020 by the U.S. Census Bureau. It is the principal city of the LaGrange, Georgia Micropolitan Statisti ...

LaGrange Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaLindale, GA: Lindale Pepperells 1920–1921 * Rome, GA:

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

1920–1921 * Sandersville, GA: Sandersville Wacos 1953–1954; Sandersville Giants 1955–1956 * Sparta, GA: Sparta Saints 1948–1949 *

Statesboro, GA Statesboro is the most populous city in and the county seat of Bulloch County, Georgia, United States. Located in the southeastern part of the state, its population was 33,438 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Statesboro microp ...

1952–1955 *

Thomasville, GA Thomasville is the county seat of Thomas County, Georgia, United States. The population was 18,881 in 2020. The city deems itself the "City of Roses" and holds an annual Rose Festival. The city features plantations open to the public, a histor ...

: Thomasville Hornets 1914 * Thomson, GA: Thomson Orioles 1956 * Tifton, GA: Tifton Blue Sox 1949–1950 * Valdosta, GA: Valdosta Stars 1906; Valdosta Millionaires 1914 * Vidalia, GA:

Vidalia Indians The Vidalia Indians were a minor league baseball team based in Vidalia, Georgia. With the exception of 1951, Vidalia teams between 1948 and 1956 played exclusively as members of the Class D (baseball), Class D level Georgia State League, winning G ...

1952–1956 * Vidalia, GA & Lyons, GA: Vidalia-Lyons Twins 1948–1950 * Waycross, GA: Waycross Machinists 1906; Waycross Grasshoppers 1914

League champions

* 1906 Waycross Machinists * 1914

* 1920 Carrollton * 1921

LaGrange Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaFitzgerald Pioneers The Fitzgerald Pioneers were a minor league baseball team, based in Fitzgerald, Georgia, that played from 1948 until 1957. The team played in the Class D level Georgia State League and won the league's title in 1948. Baseball Hall of Fame member ...

* 1949 Tifton Blue Sox * 1950

* 1951

* 1952

* 1953 Hazlehurst-Baxley Cardinals * 1954

* 1955 Douglas Trojans and Sandersville Giants * 1956 Douglas Reds

References

*Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, editors: ''The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball.'' Durham, North Carolina:

Baseball America ''Baseball America'' (BA) is a sports publication company that covers baseball at every level, including Major League Baseball (MLB), with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) college, high school, and inte ...

, 1997. {{Authority control Baseball leagues in Georgia (U.S. state) Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Sports leagues established in 1906 Sports leagues disestablished in 1956