Western Carolinas League
Encyclopedia
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
, a highly successful low Class A circuit with teams up the Eastern Seaboard from Georgia
to New Jersey
.
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
. It merged with the North Carolina State League
to form the short-lived Class D Tar Heel League
, which lasted only 1½ seasons (1953-54) before folding.
In 1960, the WCL was revived as a Class D circuit intended for farm teams of member clubs of a planned third major league, the Continental League
. It featured teams in eight North Carolina locales: Gastonia
, Hickory
, Lexington
, Newton
-Conover
, Rutherford County
, Salisbury
, Shelby
and Statesville
, but soon expanded to sites in South Carolina
.
When the CL was torpedoed by the Major League Baseball
expansion in 1961-62, the members of the Western Carolinas League became affiliates of American
and National League
clubs. It was upgraded to Class A in the 1963 reorganization of the minor leagues.
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 Sally League season and died, at age 90, on July 1, 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. The WCL changed its name prior to the 1980 season and has been known since as the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
, a highly successful low Class A circuit with teams up the Eastern Seaboard from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by 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
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It merged with the North Carolina State League
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...
to form the short-lived Class D Tar Heel League
Tar Heel League
The Tar Heel League was the name of a mid-20th century Class D 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, ....
, which lasted only 1½ seasons (1953-54) before folding.
In 1960, the WCL was revived as a Class D circuit intended for farm teams of member clubs of a planned third major league, the Continental League
Continental League
The Continental League was a proposed third major league for baseball, announced in 1959 and scheduled to begin play in the 1961 season...
. It featured teams in eight North Carolina locales: Gastonia
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
, Hickory
Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was 37,222...
, Lexington
Lexington, North Carolina
Lexington is the county seat of Davidson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 19,953. It is located in central North Carolina, twenty miles south of Winston-Salem. Major highways include I-85, U.S. Route 29, U.S. Route 70, U.S. Route 52 ...
, Newton
Newton, North Carolina
Newton is a city located in Catawba County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 12,560. It is the county seat of Catawba County.Newton is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
-Conover
Conover, North Carolina
Conover is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,180 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Rutherford County
Rutherford County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,899 people, 25,191 households, and 17,935 families residing in the county. The population density was 112 people per square mile . There were 29,535 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...
, Salisbury
Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. The population was 33,663 in the 2010 Census . It is the county seat of Rowan County...
, Shelby
Shelby, North Carolina
Shelby is a city in Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 19,477 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cleveland County.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
and Statesville
Statesville, North Carolina
Statesville is a city located in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States and was named an All-America City in 1997 and 2009. The population was 24,633 at the 2010 census...
, but soon expanded to sites in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
When the CL was torpedoed by the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
expansion in 1961-62, the members of the Western Carolinas League became affiliates of American
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
and National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
clubs. It was upgraded to Class A in the 1963 reorganization of the minor leagues.
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 Sally League season and died, at age 90, on July 1, 2009.
Western Carolina League (1948-52)
- Forest City OwlsForest City OwlsThe Forest City Owls are a baseball team in the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The team played its inaugural 2008 season in Forest City, North Carolina after the same franchise , owned by Ken Silver, moved from Spartanburg, South Carolina in the offseason...
- Gastonia Browns
- Granite Falls GraniteersGranite Falls GraniteersThe Granite Falls Graniteers were a Western Carolina League baseball team based in Granite Falls, North Carolina, USA that existed for only one season, 1951. They used five different managers and won only 14 games, while losing 96....
- Hendersonville Skylarks
- Hickory RebelsHickory RebelsThe Hickory Rebels were a minor league baseball team based in Hickory, North Carolina, USA that existed on-and-off from 1939 to 1960. They played in the Tar Heel League , North Carolina State League and Western Carolinas League . They were affiliated with the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs ....
- Lenoir Red Sox
- Lincolnton CardinalsLincolnton CardinalsThe Lincolnton Cardinals of Lincolnton, North Carolina, United States were a minor league baseball team. They began play when the Western Carolina League was formed in 1948. They won the league's first title that season...
- Marion Marauders
- Morganton Aggies
- Newton-Conover Twins
- Rutherford County Owls
- Shelby Farmers
Western Carolinas League (1960-79)
- Anderson Giants
- Anderson Mets
- Anderson Senators
- Anderson TigersAnderson TigersThe Anderson Tigers were a minor league baseball team that was operational for only one season - 1973. They played in the Western Carolinas League and were affiliated with the Detroit Tigers. They played their home games in Anderson, South Carolina at Anderson Memorial Stadium.They were managed by...
- Asheville TouristsAsheville TouristsThe Asheville Tourists are a minor league baseball team based in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. They play in the Class A South Atlantic League and have been a farm team of the Colorado Rockies since 1994....
- Belmont Chiefs
- Charleston PatriotsCharleston RiverDogsThe Charleston RiverDogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Charleston, South Carolina. They play in the class A South Atlantic League and are an affiliate of the New York Yankees. Their home stadium is at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park...
- Charleston PiratesCharleston RiverDogsThe Charleston RiverDogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Charleston, South Carolina. They play in the class A South Atlantic League and are an affiliate of the New York Yankees. Their home stadium is at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park...
- Charlotte Twins
- Gastonia Cardinals
- Gastonia Pirates
- Gastonia RangersGastonia RangersThe 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 , then later in the same league renamed as the South Atlantic League , and were affiliated with the Texas Rangers. Their home...
- Gastonia Rippers
- Greensboro Hornets
- Greenville BravesGreenville BravesThe 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...
- Greenville MetsGreenville MetsThe Greenville Mets was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise representing Greenville, South Carolina, that played for the and seasons in the Class A Western Carolinas League...
- Greenville Rangers
- Greenville Red SoxGreenville Red SoxThe Greenville Red Sox was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise representing Greenville, South Carolina, that played for five seasons, 1967–1971, in the Class A Western Carolinas League. It played its home games at Meadowbrook Park....
- Greenwood BravesGreenwood BravesThe Greenwood Braves were a minor league baseball team located in Greenwood, South Carolina that existed from 1968 to 1979. Affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, they were part of the Western Carolinas League. Notable alumni include Rafael Ramirez, Joe Cowley, Steve Bedrosian, Jose Alvarez, Gerald...
- Hickory RebelsHickory RebelsThe Hickory Rebels were a minor league baseball team based in Hickory, North Carolina, USA that existed on-and-off from 1939 to 1960. They played in the Tar Heel League , North Carolina State League and Western Carolinas League . They were affiliated with the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs ....
- Lexington Giants
- Lexington Indians
- Monroe Indians
- Monroe Pirates
- Newton-Conover Twins
- Orangeburg Cards
- Orangeburg DodgersOrangeburg DodgersThe 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 4th place with a 63-71 record in their single season...
- Rock Hill Cardinals
- Rock Hill Indians
- Rock Hill Wrens
- Rutherford County Owls
- Salisbury Astros
- Salisbury BravesSalisbury BravesThe Salisbury Braves were a minor league baseball team in Salisbury, NC during the 1960–1962 seasons. They played in the Western Carolinas League and were affiliates of the Houston Colt .45s in 1961, and the New York Mets in 1962.-Year-by-year record:...
- Salisbury DodgersSalisbury DodgersThe Salisbury Dodgers were a minor league baseball team from Salisbury, North Carolina. They played in the Western Carolinas League as an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 1963 and 1964 seasons. They were managed by George Scherger and won the league championship in 1964.-External...
- Salisbury SenatorsSalisbury SenatorsThe Salisbury Senators were a minor league baseball team located in Salisbury, North Carolina. The team played in the South Atlantic League. Their home stadium was Newman Field....
- Shelby ColonelsShelby ColonelsThe Shelby Colonels were a Tar Heel League , Western Carolina League and Western Carolinas League baseball team based in Shelby, North Carolina, USA...
- Shelby Pirates
- Shelby Rebels
- Shelby RedsShelby RedsThe Shelby Reds, based in Shelby, North Carolina, were a minor league baseball team that played from 1977 to 1978 in the Western Carolinas League. They were affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds....
- Shelby Senators
- Shelby Yankees
- Spartanburg Phillies
- Statesville Colts
- Statesville Indians
- Statesville Owls
- Statesville Tigers
- Sumter Astros
- Sumter Indians
- Thomasville Hi-TomsThomasville Hi-TomsThe Thomasville HiToms are a baseball team in the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The team plays its home games at Historic Finch Field in Thomasville, North Carolina. The HiToms were one of the earlier teams to compete in the Coastal Plain League and first started...