Southeastern League

Southeastern League
Classification	Independent (1897); Class D (1910–1912); Class B (1926–1930, 1932, 1937–1942, 1946–1950); Independent (2002–2003)
Sport	Minor League Baseball
First season	1897
Ceased	2003
President	Judge J. G. Bloodworth (1897); J. H. O'Neill (1910–1911); H. W. Roberts (1912); Cliff Green (1926-1930); Roy Williams (1932); Maurice I. Bloch (1936); Stuart X. Stephenson (1937–1941); Pat Moulton (1942); Stuart X. Stephenson (1946–1950); James Gamble (2002–2003)
No. of teams	28
Country	United States of America
Most titles	4 ; Pensacola ; Mobile

The Southeastern League was the name of four separate baseball leagues in minor league baseball which operated in the Southeastern and South Central United States in numerous seasons between 1897 and 2003. Two of these leagues were associated with organized baseball; the third and most recent incarnation was an independent league that operated for two seasons in 2002–03.

History

Class D league (1910–12)

After playing a season in 1897, the Southeastern League reformed and lasted for three years, from 1910 through 1912. At Class D, it was considered on the lowest rung of the minor league ladder, and had six clubs located in the American states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Stung by the midseason collapse of two of its six franchises, this league disbanded on August 2, 1912.

Class B league (1926–50)

In 1926 a new, Class B Southeastern League took the field, with six teams — representing Montgomery, Alabama; Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Florida; and Albany, Columbus and Savannah, Georgia. Although this league would be periodically shut down by the Great Depression and World War II, it continued as a Class B circuit, four levels below Major League Baseball, through 1950.

Its lineup of teams in its final season included the champion Pensacola Fliers, Meridian Millers, Montgomery Rebels, Jackson Senators, Vicksburg Billies, Selma Cloverleafs, Gadsden Pilots and Anniston Rams. Both Gadsden and Anniston withdrew from the league before the end of the season.

Independent league (2002–03)

The most recent version of the Southeastern League was an independent circuit, with member teams were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team.

The league began play in 2002 after the demise of the All-American Association. For its inaugural season, it placed teams in Montgomery, Ozark, and Selma, Alabama, along with Pensacola, Florida, Americus, Georgia, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Ozark Patriots and Americus Arrows franchises folded at mid-season. The Pensacola Pelicans won the inaugural league championship.

After completing the season, the league added two franchises for 2003. The league had high hopes for its new team in Macon, Georgia, and Houma, Louisiana, along with the already successful clubs in Montgomery and Pensacola. However, after just two games the Selma Cloverleafs folded, forcing the league to operate the club as a road team for the duration of the season under the name "Southeastern Cloverleafs." The Macon Peaches also fared a lot worse than expected. Still, the league completed the year, with Pensacola compiling the league's best mark at 42-23 and Baton Rouge defeating Pensacola, 3 games to 1, in the league championship series.

Ultimately, the league could not survive the arrival of affiliated baseball to Montgomery. The Orlando Rays of the Southern League, who had played at Walt Disney World for four years, became the Montgomery Biscuits and effectively drove the Wings out of town. In addition, the Springfield/Ozark Mountain Ducks of the Central Baseball League moved to Pensacola and assumed the Pelicans name. As a result, the league folded prior to the 2004 season.

Cities represented

Member teams (2003)

Standings & statistics

Year 1897

1897 Southeastern League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Knoxville Indians	22	10	.688	-	Frank Moffett
Atlanta Crackers	19	10	.655	1½	Jack Sheridan
Chattanooga Blues	7	26	.212	15½	A.M. Gifford
Columbus Babies	3	6	.333	NA	James Smith Jr.
Asheville Moonshiners	11	10	.524	NA	John Jobe

Columbus disbanded April 29; Asheville entered the league May 6

Years 1910-1912

1910 Southeastern League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Knoxville Appalachians	50	30	.625	-	Frank Moffett
Morristown Jobbers	46	37	.554	5½	E. Fisher / E. Sherrill
Johnson City Soldiers	45	39	.536	7	Nat Taylor / Ed Garner
Asheville Moonshiners	44	41	.518	8½	David Gaston
Rome Romans	43	41	.512	9	Joe Patton / C.G. Milford
Gadsden Steel Makers	21	61	.256	30	Paul Stevenson / J. Foreman Baldorf

**Player statistics**
Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Roy Thrasher	Asheville/Rome	BA	.324
E.H. Graham	Morristown	Runs	55
Roy Thrasher	Asheville/Rome	Hits	96
Sephia Silvers	Knoxville	HR	3
Roy Thrasher	Asheville/Rome	SB

1911 Southeastern League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Anniston Models	68	39	.636	-	Walter Ford / Thomas Fisher
Gadsden Steel Makers	62	42	.596	4½	King Bailey
Selma Centralites	53	51	.510	13½	Bill May / C.L. Howell Frank Anderson / Ralph Savidge
Rome Hillies	47	57	.452	19½	Carlton Beusse / Don Burt
Huntsville Westerns	46	56	.451	19½	V. Campbell / Bill Watkins Newt Horn / Wild Bill Evans / Arthur Riggs
Decatur Twins	37	68	.352	30	Don Burt / Gordon Hickman Con Harlow

**Player statistics**
Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Tommy Long	Gadsden	BA	.364	Clarence Smith	Anniston	W	24
Tommy Long	Gadsden	Runs	97	Clarence Smith	Anniston	SO	248
Tommy Long	Gadsden	Hits	149	Sam Nelson	Anniston	PCT	.750 12-4
Tommy Long	Gadsden	HR	18

1912 Southeastern League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Gadsden Steel Makers	43	33	.566	-	Johnny Siegle
Selma Centralites	42	35	.545	1½	Lindsay Stickney
Anniston Models	41	35	.539	2	Thomas Fisher
Rome Romans	37	36	.507	4½	Harry Matthews
Huntsville Mountaineers / Talladega Highlanders	33	44	.429	10.5	Arthur Riggs
Bessemer Pipemakers	29	42	.408	11½	Gordon Hickman

Huntsville (24-29) moved to Talladega July 9; Bessemer disbanded July 14; Anniston disbanded July 19
Second half started July 22. The league disbanded August 2 with the following official second half standings: Gadsden (7-4), Talladega (5-5), Selma (5-6), and Rome (5-7).

**Player statistics**
Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Earl Hanna	Selma	BA	.345
Earl Hanna	Selma	Runs	62
Earl Hanna	Selma	Hits	115
John Cochran	Bessemer / Anniston	HR	12

References

Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, eds., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3d edition. Durham, N.C: Baseball America, 2007.