Appalachian League
Appalachian League logo | |
Sport | Baseball |
---|---|
Founded | 1911 |
No. of teams | 10 |
Country | USA |
Most recent champion(s) | Johnson City Cardinals |
Classification | Rookie Advanced |
Official website | Official Website |
The Appalachian League of Professional Baseball is a Rookie-class minor league baseball league that began play in 1911. It operated as a Class D league (1911-1914), (1921-1925), (1937-1955) and (1957-1962) before becoming a Rookie league in 1963. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee. The league's season starts in June, after major league teams have signed players that they selected in the annual amateur draft, and ends in September.
Along with the Pioneer League, it forms the second-lowest rung on the minor league ladder. Although classified as a Rookie league, the level of play is slightly higher than that of the two "complex" Rookie leagues, the Gulf Coast League and Arizona League. Unlike these two leagues, Appalachian League games charge admission and sell concessions.
History
The original Appalachian League only existed for four seasons from 1911-1914 and all teams were independent with no MLB affiliation. The teams that were a part of this were: Asheville Moonshiners, Bristol Boosters, Cleveland Counts, Johnson City Soldiers, Knoxville Appalachians, and Morristown Jobbers.[1]
The second Appalachian League existed for five seasons from 1921-1925, and again only had independent teams. These teams were the Bristol State-Liners, the Cleveland Manufacturers, the Greeneville Burley Cats, the second iteration of the Johnson City Soldiers, the Kingsport Indians, and the Knoxville Pioneers. 1921 was the first appearance of 2 locations which have present-day teams in the Appalachian League – Kingsport, Tennessee, with the present-day Kingsport Mets; and Greeneville, Tennessee, with the present-day Greeneville Astros.[2]
The third Appalachian league was shifted to D-level minor league, the lowest level in the pre - 1963 MLB. It started in 1937 and had four teams - the Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox, the third iteration of the Johnson City Soldiers, the Newport Canners, and the Pennington Gap Lee Bears.[3]
Current teams
Current team rosters
Complete team list
1911–14
- Harriman Boosters (1911–14, as Bristol Boosters in 1911-13)
- Johnson City Soldiers (1911–13)
- Knoxville Reds (1911–14, as Knoxville Appalachians in 1911)
- Middlesboro Colonels (1911–14, as Asheville Moonshiners in 1911-12)
- Morristown Jobbers (1913–14, as Cleveland Counts in 1911-13; moved to Morristown during 1913 season)
- Rome Romans (1911–13, as Morristown Jobbers in 1911-12)
1921–25
- Bristol State Liners (1921–25)
- Greeneville Burley Cubs (1921–25)
- Johnson City Soldiers (1921–24)
- Kingsport Indians (1921–25)
- Knoxville Pioneers (1921–24)
- Morristown Roosters (1923–25, as Cleveland Manufacturers in 1921-22)
1937–55, 1956–present
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See also
References
- ↑ "Minor League Baseball: the Appalachian League (Advanced-Rookie Classification)". Billssportsmaps.com. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
- ↑ "Minor League Baseball: the Appalachian League (Advanced-Rookie Classification)". Billssportsmaps.com. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
- ↑ "Minor League Baseball: the Appalachian League (Advanced-Rookie Classification)". Billssportsmaps.com. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
- ↑ http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140909&content_id=93875220&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_l120&sid=l120