Southern League (1964–present)

Predecessor leagues (1885–1963) The original Southern League was formed prior to the 1885 season as an eight-team circuit playing in the Southern United States. It operated at various times as a Class B league (equivalent to short-season Class A before 2021, and Low-A since 2021). Fraught with financial problems, teams regularly dropped out before the season's end. After being nonoperational in 1891, 1892, and 1897, it disbanded permanently after halting play during the 1899 season. The Southern Association was formed in 1901 as a Class B circuit operating in nearly the same footprint as the first Southern League. It was elevated to Class A in 1902, Class A1 in 1936, and Double-A in 1946. A year after the Southern Association's disbandment, the SALLY League took its place at the Double-A level in 1963. With an odd number of teams, the Southern League joined forces with the Double-A Texas League as the Dixie Association in 1971. The two leagues played an interlocking schedule with individual league champions determined at the end of the season. Up to this point, the Southern League pennant had simply gone to the team with the best record at the end of the regular season. For the first time, the top two Southern League teams met in a best-of-three series to determine champions. The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Asheville Tourists, 2–1, and then defeated the Texas League champion Arkansas Travelers, 3–0, to win the Dixie Association championship. The partnership was dissolved after the season. In 1976, it introduced a split-season format with the schedule divided in half and first and second half champions from each division being crowned. This expanded the playoffs to two rounds with the winners of each half competing for each division's championship and those winners meeting for the league championship. With the addition of two teams in 1978, the Southern League grew to 10 teams. COVID-19 impact and takeover by Major League Baseball (2020–present) The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30. As part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues, the Southern League was reduced to eight teams and temporarily renamed the "Double-A South" for the 2021 season. Following MLB's acquisition of the rights to the historical names of the minor leagues, the Double-A South was renamed the Southern League effective with the 2022 season. ==Current teams==

The Southern League is currently divided into two divisions, North and South, of four teams each. Previously, from 1972 to 2004, the league was split into Eastern and Western divisions. There were no divisions in place from 1964 to 1970. As of 2020, each club had 140 games scheduled per season. Utilizing a split-season schedule, each half consisted of 70 games. The season typically began during the first or second week of April and concluded in the first week of September on Labor Day. Players The Southern League uses a salary cap. As of the 2024 season, clubs are required to spend a maximum of US$1,360,000 on player compensation, with a minimum salary of $30,250 per player. For players aged 23 and younger on standard contracts, only 50% of their salary counts towards the cap (up to $200,000 total). There is also a separate salary cap for coaches and technical staff. Rosters are limited to a size of 28 players on Opening Day weekend, although up to 9 players can be signed on the roster before the transactions date limit. All-Star Game The Southern League All-Star Game was an annual midsummer game between two teams of the league's players, one made up of All-Stars from North Division teams and the other from South Division teams. First held in 1964, the event predominantly consisted of a single team of the league's All-Stars versus a Major League Baseball team through 1998. The division versus division format was used continuously from 1999 to 2019. No game was held from 1991 to 1995 as the Southern League and the other two Double-A leagues, the Eastern League and Texas League, participated in the Double-A All-Star Game instead. ==Teams timeline==

DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:1964 till:2025 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 #> to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20" If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space. ==All-time teams==

A "^" indicates that team's article redirects to an article of an active team formerly of the Southern League • Asheville Orioles • Asheville Tourists^ • Biloxi Shuckers • Birmingham A's • Birmingham Barons • Carolina Mudcats^ • Charlotte Hornets • Charlotte Knights^ • Charlotte O's • Chattanooga Lookouts • Columbus Astros • Columbus Clingstones • Columbus Confederate Yankees • Columbus Mudcats • Columbus White Sox • Evansville White Sox • Greenville Braves • Huntsville Stars • Jackson Generals • Jacksonville Expos • Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp^ • Jacksonville Suns • Knoxville Blue Jays • Knoxville Smokies • Knoxville Sox • Lynchburg White Sox • Macon Peaches • Memphis Chicks • Mississippi Braves • Mobile A's • Mobile BayBears • Mobile White Sox • Montgomery Biscuits • Montgomery Rebels • Nashville Sounds^ • Nashville Xpress • Orlando Cubs • Orlando Rays • Orlando Sun Rays • Orlando Twins • Pensacola Blue Wahoos • Port City Roosters • Rocket City Trash Pandas • Savannah Braves • Savannah Indians • Savannah Senators • Tennessee Smokies • West Tenn Diamond Jaxx ==Champions==

League champions have been determined by different means since the Southern League's formation in 1964. Through 1970, champions were the regular-season pennant winners—the team with the best win–loss record at the conclusion of the regular season. The 1971 title was decided in a postseason series between the two teams with the best records. From 1972 to 1975, the winners of each of two divisions competed in a series to determine champions. The league operated using a split season format from 1976 to 2020. Under this format, the winners of each half within each division played for the division championship, and the division winners met to play for the SL title. The 2021 winner was crowned via a series between the two teams with the best full-season records. The 2022 championship will be decided through the same split-season divisional format used for most of the league's existence. The Birmingham Barons have won 9 Southern League championships, the most among all teams in the league, followed by the Jacksonville Suns (6) and the Montgomery Rebels (5). ==Awards==

The SL recognizes outstanding players and team personnel annually near the end of each season. MVP Award The Most Valuable Player Award is given to honor the best player in the league. Pitcher of the Year Award The Pitcher of the Year Award, originally known as the Most Outstanding Pitcher Award, serves to recognize the league's best pitcher. Manager of the Year Award The Manager of the Year Award is given to the league's top manager. Top MLB Prospect Award The Top MLB Prospect Award, created in 2021, is given to the league's top rookie prospect. ==Presidents==

Six presidents led the Southern League since its formation: • 1964–1971: Sam C. Smith • 1971–1980: Billy Hitchcock • 1981–1994: Jim Bragan • 1994–2000: Arnie Fielkow • 2000–2011: Don Mincher • 2012–2020: Lori Webb ==See also==