The team originally played in the
South Atlantic League from 1909 to 1917, then reformed in the
Southeastern League from 1926 to 1932. It resurfaced as a
St. Louis Cardinals' affiliate known first as the
Columbus Red Birds and then the
Columbus Cardinals from 1936 to 1955 in the South Atlantic League. As the Red Birds, it won two league championships, first in 1936 under manager
Eddie Dyer, and second in 1940 under manager
Clay Hopper. The team name returned to the Foxes after the Cardinals left in 1956 and became affiliated with the
Baltimore Orioles in 1956, the Cardinals again in 1957, and the
Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958. The team played in the
Alabama–Florida League in 1958. As a
Pittsburgh Pirates' affiliate in 1959, they were known as the
Columbus Pirates. It moved to
Gastonia, North Carolina, on July 6, 1959, and became the
Gastonia Pirates. ==The ballpark==