On February 11, 1885 in Baseball history, the Southern League was founded. The league awarded six cities franchises. Those cities were: Atlanta, Georgia; Augusta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Columbus, Georgia and Macon, Georgia. The league was a direct outgrowth of the Georgia State League from the season before. The league had a spotty history in the 19th century, however when the calendar hit 1901, the league now known as the Southern Association hit its stride. The league would made relatively few changes until it folded in January of 1962. The South Atlantic League quickly moved in to fill the vacancy. Today, the Southern League is one the strongest in the game.
The City of Atlanta enjoyed a very long stretch with the Crackers. The also enjoyed watching the Black Crackers as well. After the Southern Association folded the city managed to move up a notch into AAA baseball. That proved to be a brief stop on their way to the National League. Birmingham is today a long time member of the Southern League. The cities fans enjoyed many years at Rickwood Field. Today the team plays a game annually at the old park, a historical jewel. Chattanooga has also served as a long time rival to the Barons. The league has seen several other long time members move up to AAA ball. Memphis and Nashville served as long time members before moving up to the Pacific Coast League.
One of the more interesting things about the founding of the Southern League is that the very next day another long time league found the light of day. Thus came forth the Western League. Like its Southern cousin, the league issued six franchises, the went to Cleveland, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Kansas City, Missouri; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Omaha, Nebraska and Toledo, Ohio. By 1890, five of the cities had a Major League club. The strange thing was the leagues first season was a complete disaster. They tried again several times in the next few years with some success. The 1893 season was yet another disaster.
In 1894 a new group took the league name and ran with it. The next 7 seasons were the first golden age of the league. Among the league members were Detroit, Michigan, Indianapolis, Indiana; Kansas City, Missouri; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota and Saint Paul, Minnesota. After the 1899 season the league into Chicago and Cleveland, then changed its name to the American League. Another year later the league moved four of its eight clubs and declared itself a Major League.
A new version of the Western League was immediately formed. The league prospered for many years, it did experience a shutdown from 1939 until 1946. It came back stron gfor several wonderful years before a quick slide into the history books. the league failed for good after the 1958 season. The leagues legacy lives on as one of its long time members is now a member of the National league, like its Southern brethen several of its long time league mmebers are now in the Pacific Coast League, those cities being Albuquerque, New Mexico; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Des Moines, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska.
Many other league have similar histories, we will get to them all in due time as I hoping to keep writing in this spot for many years to come, so comeback tomorrow when as promised I write about an Olympic size blowout in hockey.
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