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 history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues. The league temporarily operated for the 2021 season as the High-A East before reassuming its original moniker in 2022.
A number of different leagues known as the South Atlantic League (SAL) have existed since 1904. The most recent SAL adopted the moniker in 1980, having previously been the Western Carolinas League, founded in 1963. All of these have been nicknamed "Sally League".
Portion of plaque displaying likeness of John Henry Moss at Municipal Stadium, Hagerstown, Maryland
There have been several South Atlantic Leagues in the history of minor league baseball, spanning from 1904 to the present with a few breaks. The league ran from 1904 to 1917 as a class C league, then started up again in 1919, also class C. This time it ran from 1919 to 1930, moving up to class B beginning in 1921. William G. Bramham became league president in mid-1924 and served until 1930. The league was restarted again as a class B from 1936 to 1942, shut down as a result of World War II, and returned in 1946 as a class A league. The AA Southern Association (which never integrated) died after the 1961 season and so the SAL was promoted to AA in 1963 to take its place; a year later the name was changed to the Southern League. Out of the 51 seasons of operation, Augusta, Georgia competed in 46, Macon, Georgia was around for 46, and Columbia, South Carolina was in 45. Charleston, South Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah, Georgia; and Columbus, Georgia; each competed for at least 29 years also, making for a relatively stable lineup.
The South Atlantic League name went unused for 16 years, but in 1980 the Western Carolinas League brought back the name when it sought to change its identity. For nearly 60 years, 1948 through 2007, the dominant figure in the WCL/SAL was league founder and president John Henry Moss, who started the WCL as a young man in 1948, refounded it in 1960 and then led it into the new century. Moss retired at the close of the 2007[1] South Atlantic League season. He died at age 90 on July 1, 2009, at Kings Mountain, North Carolina—a town where he had also been mayor for 23 years.[2]
In 2005, the SAL had the highest attendance in 101 years with over 3,541,992 fans (while minor league baseball set a second straight record with 41,333,279 attendees). When the league last played a season, in 2019, it had 14 teams, divided into two divisions of seven clubs.
The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30.[3][4]
As part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues, the South Atlantic League was promoted to High-A and temporarily renamed the "High-A East" for the 2021 season.[5] Following MLB's acquisition of the rights to the names of the historical minor leagues, the High-A East was renamed the South Atlantic League effective with the 2022 season.[6]
^Weber, Bruce (13 July 2009). "John Henry Moss, 90, Head of South Atlantic League for 50 Years, , Dies". Retrieved 20 March 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
^"A Message From Pat O'Conner". Minor League Baseball. March 13, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
^"2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
^Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
^"Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to South Atlantic League.
Official website
Obituary of John Henry Moss
January 03, 2023
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For the league of the same name that operated from 1904 to 1963 see South Atlantic League 1904 1963 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 history the league was promoted to High A as part of Major League Baseball s 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues The league temporarily operated for the 2021 season as the High A East before reassuming its original moniker in 2022 South Atlantic LeagueClassificationHigh A 2021 present Class A 1946 2020 SportBaseballFounded1963 60 years ago 1963 No of teams12CountryUnited StatesMost recentchampion s Bowling Green Hot Rods 2022 Most titlesAsheville Tourists 4 Augusta GreenJackets 4 Greensboro Grasshoppers 4 Greenville Drive 4 Savannah Sand Gnats 4 Official websitewww southatlanticleague comA number of different leagues known as the South Atlantic League SAL have existed since 1904 The most recent SAL adopted the moniker in 1980 having previously been the Western Carolinas League founded in 1963 All of these have been nicknamed Sally League Contents 1 History 2 Current teams 3 South Atlantic League teams 1980 present 3 1 League timeline 4 League champions 5 South Atlantic League Hall of Fame 6 References 7 External linksHistory Edit Portion of plaque displaying likeness of John Henry Moss at Municipal Stadium Hagerstown Maryland There have been several South Atlantic Leagues in the history of minor league baseball spanning from 1904 to the present with a few breaks The league ran from 1904 to 1917 as a class C league then started up again in 1919 also class C This time it ran from 1919 to 1930 moving up to class B beginning in 1921 William G Bramham became league president in mid 1924 and served until 1930 The league was restarted again as a class B from 1936 to 1942 shut down as a result of World War II and returned in 1946 as a class A league The AA Southern Association which never integrated died after the 1961 season and so the SAL was promoted to AA in 1963 to take its place a year later the name was changed to the Southern League Out of the 51 seasons of operation Augusta Georgia competed in 46 Macon Georgia was around for 46 and Columbia South Carolina was in 45 Charleston South Carolina Jacksonville Florida Savannah Georgia and Columbus Georgia each competed for at least 29 years also making for a relatively stable lineup The South Atlantic League name went unused for 16 years but in 1980 the Western Carolinas League brought back the name when it sought to change its identity For nearly 60 years 1948 through 2007 the dominant figure in the WCL SAL was league founder and president John Henry Moss who started the WCL as a young man in 1948 refounded it in 1960 and then led it into the new century Moss retired at the close of the 2007 1 South Atlantic League season He died at age 90 on July 1 2009 at Kings Mountain North Carolina a town where he had also been mayor for 23 years 2 In 2005 the SAL had the highest attendance in 101 years with over 3 541 992 fans while minor league baseball set a second straight record with 41 333 279 attendees When the league last played a season in 2019 it had 14 teams divided into two divisions of seven clubs The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID 19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30 3 4 As part of Major League Baseball s 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues the South Atlantic League was promoted to High A and temporarily renamed the High A East for the 2021 season 5 Following MLB s acquisition of the rights to the names of the historical minor leagues the High A East was renamed the South Atlantic League effective with the 2022 season 6 Current teams EditDivision Team MLB Affiliation City Stadium CapacityNorth Aberdeen IronBirds Baltimore Orioles Aberdeen Maryland Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium 6 300Brooklyn Cyclones New York Mets Brooklyn New York Maimonides Park 7 000Greensboro Grasshoppers Pittsburgh Pirates Greensboro North Carolina First National Bank Field 7 499Hudson Valley Renegades New York Yankees Wappingers Falls New York Dutchess Stadium 4 500Jersey Shore BlueClaws Philadelphia Phillies Lakewood New Jersey ShoreTown Ballpark 8 000Wilmington Blue Rocks Washington Nationals Wilmington Delaware Daniel S Frawley Stadium 6 404South Asheville Tourists Houston Astros Asheville North Carolina McCormick Field 4 000Bowling Green Hot Rods Tampa Bay Rays Bowling Green Kentucky Bowling Green Ballpark 4 559Greenville Drive Boston Red Sox Greenville South Carolina Fluor Field at the West End 6 700Hickory Crawdads Texas Rangers Hickory North Carolina L P Frans Stadium 5 062Rome Braves Atlanta Braves Rome Georgia AdventHealth Stadium 5 105Winston Salem Dash Chicago White Sox Winston Salem North Carolina Truist Stadium 5 500 Interactive fullscreen map South Division North DivisionSouth Atlantic League teams 1980 present EditNotes An indicates that team s article redirects to an article of an active team in a different league Aberdeen IronBirds Albany Polecats Anderson Braves Asheville Tourists Augusta GreenJackets Augusta Reds Bowling Green Hot Rods Brooklyn Cyclones Cape Fear Crocs Capital City Bombers Charleston Alley Cats Charleston Bombers Charleston Pirates Charleston Rainbows Charleston RiverDogs Charleston Royals Charleston Wheelers Charleston Yankees Columbia Fireflies Columbia Mets Columbus Catfish Columbus Indians Columbus RedStixx Delmarva Shorebirds Fayetteville Generals Florence Blue Jays Gastonia Cardinals Gastonia Expos Gastonia Jets Gastonia Rangers Gastonia Tigers Greensboro Bats Greensboro Grasshoppers Greensboro Hornets Greenwood Pirates Greenville Drive Hagerstown Suns Hickory Crawdads Hudson Valley Renegades Jersey Shore BlueClaws Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Kannapolis Intimidators Lake County Captains Lakewood BlueClaws Lexington Legends Macon Braves Macon Peaches Macon Pirates Macon Redbirds Myrtle Beach Blue Jays Myrtle Beach Hurricanes Piedmont Boll Weevils Piedmont Phillies Rome Braves Santee Indians Santee Pirates Savannah Cardinals Savannah Sand Gnats Shelby Mets Shelby Pirates South Georgia Waves Spartanburg Traders Spartanburg Phillies Spartanburg Spinners Spartanburg Suns Sumter Braves Sumter Flyers West Virginia Power Wilmington Blue Rocks Wilmington Waves Winston Salem Dash League timeline Edit 2021 2022 team Earlier teamLeague champions EditMain article List of South Atlantic League championsSouth Atlantic League Hall of Fame EditMain article South Atlantic League Hall of Fame The South Atlantic League Hall of Fame was started in 1994 References Edit Baseball America December 15 2007 Weber Bruce 13 July 2009 John Henry Moss 90 Head of South Atlantic League for 50 Years Dies Retrieved 20 March 2018 via NYTimes com A Message From Pat O Conner Minor League Baseball March 13 2020 Retrieved May 5 2020 2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved Minor League Baseball June 30 2020 Retrieved July 1 2020 Mayo Jonathan February 12 2021 MLB Announces New Minors Teams Leagues Major League Baseball Retrieved February 12 2021 Historical League Names to Return in 2022 Minor League Baseball March 16 2022 Retrieved March 16 2022 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to South Atlantic League Official website Obituary of John Henry Moss Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title South Atlantic League amp oldid 1111648995, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
