American baseball league(s)
The Cotton States League[1] name was used five times in baseball history. The first Cotton States League ran from 1902 through 1908 as a class D league. After the league shut down, another Cotton States League was reformulated in 1910, with three of the six 1908 members returning for the new campaign and three new teams joining them. This league ran for four seasons, through 1913.
In 1922, the Cotton States League regrouped after nine years out of existence. This time, despite disbanding July 24, 1923, and resuming the next year, the league held itself together for 11 seasons before folding for good on July 13, 1932. The next revival of the CSL took place in 1936 and lasted six seasons before collapsing, before many other minor leagues did when World War II began. This time, it operated as a class C circuit. The league was reestablished in 1947. Again placed as a class C league, the Cotton States League survived through 1955 before folding for the fifth time in less than half a century. In 1953 the Cotton States League tried to evict the Hot Springs Bathers for attempting to include a black player, Jim Tugerson.
Cotton States League timeline
1902–1913
Cities represented/Teams/Seasons
[2]
1922–1932
Cities represented/Teams/Seasons
[2]
1936–1955
[2]
Championship teams
First stage (1902–1908)
- 1902 – Natchez Indians
- 1903 – Baton Rouge Cajuns
- 1904 – Pine Bluff Lumbermen
- 1905 – Greenville Cotton Pickers
- 1906 – Mobile Sea Gulls
- 1907 – Mobile Sea Gulls
- 1908 – Jackson Senators
- 1909 – The league did not play
Second stage (1909–1913)
- 1910 – Greenwood Scouts
- 1911 – Vicksburg Hill Billies
- 1912 – Vicksburg Hill Billies *
- 1913 – Jackson Lawmakers
- * Greenwood Scouts was declared champion as first half champion Vicksburg had disbanded.
- From 1914 through 1921 the league did not play
Third stage (1922–1932)
- 1922 – Greenwood Indians
Playoff: Greenwood beat Meridian, four to zero games - 1923 – Greenville Swamp Angels
No playoff after the league disbanded - 1924 – Hattiesburg Hubmen
- 1925 – Meridian Mets
- 1926 – Hattiesburg Pinetoppers
- 1927 – Jackson Red Sox
Playoff: Jackson beat Monroe, four to one games - 1928 – Jackson Red Sox
Playoffs:
Hattiesburg Pinetoppers beat Meridian, four to one games
Vicksburg Hill Billies beat Jackson, four to two games
Final series: Vicksburg beat Hattiesburg, four to three games - 1929 – Alexandria Reds
Playoffs:
El Dorado Lions beat Laurel, four to one games
Jackson Red Sox beat Alexandria, four to two games
Final series: El Dorado beat Jackson, four to one games - 1930 – El Dorado Lions
Playoff: Pine Bluff Judges beat El Dorado, four to three games - 1931 – Jackson Red Sox
Playoff: Jackson beat Vicksburg, four to zero games - 1932 – Baton Rouge Senators
No playoff after the disbanding of the league - From 1933 through 1935 the league did not play
Fourth stage (1936–1941)
- 1936 – Greenwood Giants
Playoffs:
El Dorado Lions beat Greenwood, three to one games
Greenville Bucks beat Pine Bluff, three to one games
Final series: El Dorado beat Greenville, four to one games - 1937 – Pine Bluff Judges
Playoffs:
Pine Bluff beat Greenville, four to one games
El Dorado beat Greenwood, four to one games
Final series: El Dorado beat Pine Bluff, four to one games - 1938 – Greenville Bucks
Playoffs:
Monroe White Sox beat Helena, three to one games
Greenville beat El Dorado, three to one games
Final series: Monroe beat Greenville, four to two games - 1939 – Monroe White Sox
Playoffs:
Hot Springs Bathers beat Monroe, three to two games
Greenville Buckshots beat Clarksdale, three to one games
Final series: Greenville beat Hot Springs, four to one games - 1940 – Monroe White Sox
Playoffs:
Monroe beat Greenville, three to one games
El Dorado Oilers beat Helena, three to one games
Final series: Monroe beat El Dorado, four to one games - 1941 – Monroe White Sox
Playoffs:
Vicksburg Hill Billies beat Monroe, three to two games
Hot Springs Bathers beat Greenville, three to zero games
Final series: Hot Springs beat Vicksburg, four to zero games - From 1942 through 1946 the league did not play
Fifth stage (1947–1955)
- 1947 – Greenwood Dodgers
Playoffs:
Greenwood beat Clarksdale, three to one games
Greenville Bucks beat El Dorado, three to two games
Final series: Greenwood beat Greenville, four to three games - 1948 – Greenwood Dodgers
Playoffs:
Greenwood beat Natchez, three to zero games
Hot Springs Bathers beat Clarksdale, three to zero games
Final series: Hot Springs beat Greenwood, four to three games - 1949 – Greenwood Dodgers
Playoffs:
Natchez Indians beat El Dorado, four to three games
Pine Bluff Cardinals beat Greenwood, four to two games
Final series: Natchez beat Pine Bluff, four to one games - 1950 – Pine Bluff Judges
Playoffs:
Hot Springs Bathers beat Monroe, four to two games
Natchez Indians beat Pine Bluff, four to one games
Final series: Hot Springs beat Natchez, four to three games - 1951 – Monroe Sports
Playoffs:
Natchez Indians beat Monroe, four to three games
Pine Bluff Judges beat Greenwood, four to three games
Final series: Natchez beat Pine Bluff, four to one games - 1952 – Meridian Millers
Playoffs:
Meridian beat Monroe, four to two games
Natchez Indians beat Greenwood, four to two games
Final series: Meridian beat Natchez, four to three games - 1953 – Meridian Millers
Playoffs: Meridian beat Jackson, four to two games
El Dorado Oilers beat Pine Bluff, four to zero games
Final series: Meridian beat El Dorado, four to zero games - 1954 – Greenville Tigers
Playoffs:
Greenville beat Monroe, four to one games
El Dorado Oilers beat Meridian, four to three games
Final series: El Dorado beat Greenville, four to two games
[2]
Sources
- ^ Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: The Official Record of Minor League Baseball – Lloyd Johnson, Steve McDonald, Miles Wolff (editors). Publisher: Baseball America, 1997. Format: Paperback, 672pp. Language: English. ISBN 0-9637189-7-5
- ^ a b c d The Official Record of Minor League Baseball
External links
- Cotton States League memorabilia
- Mike McCann website – Minor League Baseball History
