Georgia–Alabama League
The Georgia–Alabama League was a minor league baseball league that operated in its two namesake states. The circuit first operated from 1913 to 1917, was revived from 1928 to 1930, then returned to operation for a final time from 1946 through 1951. The league's existence thus spanned some 39 years, but it only fielded teams in 14 seasons. All versions of the Georgia–Alabama League were Class D leagues, the lowest classification in Organized Ball during their years of operation.
Sixteen cities fielded teams in the league at one time or another—nine from Alabama and seven from Georgia. No city was represented in all three of the league's runs. Out of the 14 seasons that the league played, the Georgia teams won eleven titles while the Alabama cities captured only three. Four Georgia teams won two titles each over the league's three eras: Newnan, Georgia, won the first of their two crowns in 1915, then waited some 34 years to collect the second in 1949; Lindale, Georgia, won in 1929 and 1930; Carrollton, Georgia, picked up two back-to-back titles in 1946 and 1947; and LaGrange, Georgia, took the league's last two championships in 1950 and 1951.
Attendance figures were available for the last run of six years, during which the league drew just shy of 2,000,000 fans to the parks. The turnstile count peaked at about 480,000 in 1947 but by 1951 it had dropped to a little over 175,000, which was insufficient to keep the circuit in operation.
Cities represented, teams & stats 1913–1917[]
- Anniston, Alabama: Anniston Moulders 1913–1917
- Gadsden, Alabama: Gadsden Steel Makers 1913–1914
- Gadsden, Alabama, Alabama City, Alabama & Attalla, Alabama: Tri-Cities Triplets 1917
- Griffin, Georgia: 1915–1916; 1917
- LaGrange, Georgia: 1913–1915; 1916–1917
- Newnan, Georgia: 1913–1916
- Opelika, Alabama: Opelika Opelicans 1913; Opelika Pelicans 1914
- Rome, Georgia & Lindale, Georgia: 1914–1916; 1917
- Selma, Alabama: Selma River Rats 1914
- Talladega, Alabama: Talladega Indians 1913–1914; Talladega Tigers 1915–1917
1913 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President:
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gadsden Steel Makers | 51 | 38 | .573 | 0 | |
46 | 44 | .511 | 5.5 | / | |
Opelika Opelicans | 46 | 45 | .505 | 6 | |
Anniston Moulders | 45 | 45 | .500 | 6.5 | |
42 | 48 | .467 | 9.5 | William "Ducky" Holmes | |
Talladega Indians | 40 | 50 | .444 | 11.5 | Charles Reece |
No Playoffs Scheduled
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
George Randall | Gadsden | BA | .410 | Opelika | W | 19 | ||
Larry Pezold | Gadsden | Runs | 76 | Opelika | Pct | .792; 19-5 | ||
Newnan | Hits | 121 |
1914 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President:
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Selma River Rats | 60 | 35 | .632 | 0 | / |
56 | 37 | .602 | 3 | ||
55 | 43 | .561 | 6.5 | Ed Lafitte | |
Opelika Pelicans | 52 | 45 | .536 | 9 | Kirk Newell / Elmer Steele |
Rome Romans | 46 | 50 | .479 | 14.5 | |
Anniston Moulders | 41 | 54 | .432 | 19 | / |
Talladega Indians | 37 | 55 | .402 | 21 | / / Howard Baker / Clarence Garrett |
Gadsden Steel Makers# | 32 | 60 | .348 | 26.5 | / Lou Jorda / |
#Gadsden became a road club August 3.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Newnam | BA | .332 | Rome | Hits | 117 | |||
Rome | Runs | 76 |
1915 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President:
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
39 | 20 | .661 | 0 | Henry Mathewson | |
Talladega Tigers | 39 | 22 | .639 | 1 | Clarence Garrett |
32 | 28 | .533 | 7.5 | Doc Martin / | |
Rome Romans | 27 | 31 | .466 | 11.5 | |
Anniston Moulders | 22 | 38 | .367 | 17.5 | Elmer Steele |
18 | 38 | .327 | 19.5 | Ed Lafitte |
The league disbanded July 14.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Don Flynn | Newnan | BA | .358 | Jack Nabors | Talladega/Newnan | W | 12 | |
George Cochran | Rome | Runs | 47 | Whitey Glazner | Anniston | SO | 101 | |
Don Flynn | Newnan | Hits | 76 | Milt Watson | Griffin | Pct | 1.000; 7-0 | |
Don Flynn | Newnan | HR | 15 |
1916 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President: Dick Jemison
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rome Romans | 43 | 22 | .662 | 0 | Frank Manush |
41 | 26 | .612 | 3 | Henry Mathewson | |
39 | 29 | .574 | 5.5 | / Ed Lafitte | |
Talladega Tigers | 26 | 38 | .406 | 16.5 | Clarence Garrett |
Anniston Moulders | 23 | 39 | .371 | 18.5 | Bill Reynolds |
23 | 41 | .359 | 19.5 | / |
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Don Flynn | Newnan | BA | .365 | Joseph Wiley | Rome | W | 15 | |
Don Flynn | Newnan | Runs | 52 | Robert Watkins | Newnan | W | 15 | |
Ben Shaw | Rome | Hits | 89 | LaGrange | Pct | .857; 12-2 |
1917 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President: Dick Jemison /
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anniston Moulders | 13 | 5 | .722 | 0 | |
10 | 7 | .588 | 2.5 | Matty Matthews | |
Tri-Cities Triplets # | 10 | 8 | .556 | 3 | Martin Dudley |
9 | 9 | .500 | 4 | ||
Talladega Tigers | 6 | 12 | .333 | 7 | |
5 | 12 | .294 | 7.5 |
#Represented Gadsden-Alabama City-Attalla, Alabama.
The league disbanded May 23.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Griffin | BA | .388 | Talladega | W | 4 | |||
Griffin | Runs | 21 | LaGrange | SO | 39 | |||
Griffin | Hits | 26 | Tri-Cities | Pct | 1.000; 3-0 |
Cities represented, teams & stats 1928–1930[]
- Anniston, Alabama: Anniston Nobles 1928–1930
- Carrollton, Georgia: Carrollton Frogs 1928; Carrollton Champs 1929–1930
- Cedartown, Georgia: Cedartown Sea Cows 1928–1929; Cedartown Braves 1930
- Gadsden, Alabama: Gadsden Eagles 1928–1929
- Huntsville, Alabama: Huntsville Springers 1930
- Lindale, Georgia: 1928; 1929; 1930
- Talladega, Alabama: Talladega Indians 1928–1930
1928 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President:
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cedartown Sea Cows | 55 | 34 | .618 | 0 | / Sherry Smith |
Carrollton Frogs | 54 | 34 | .614 | .5 | Paul Fittery |
Anniston Nobles | 47 | 42 | .528 | 8 | / |
Talladega Indians | 45 | 43 | .511 | 9.5 | / |
Gadsden Eagles | 37 | 49 | .430 | 16.5 | Doc Newton / Joe Schepner |
26 | 62 | .295 | 28.5 |
Playoff: Talladega 2 games, Anniston 1, for the second half title.
Finals: Carrollton 4 games, Talladega 2.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carrollton | BA | .392 | Paul Fittery | Carrollton | W | 21 | ||
Joyner White | Carrollton | Runs | 92 | Abe White | Carrollton | SO | 141 | |
Carrollton | Hits | 152 | Paul Fittery | Carrollton | Pct | .913; 21-2 | ||
Joyner White | Carrollton | HR | 27 | Paul Fittery | Carrollton | ERA | 1.60 |
1929 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President:
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
60 | 39 | .606 | 0 | ||
Carrollton Champs | 56 | 44 | .560 | 4.5 | Paul Fittery |
Talladega Indians | 49 | 49 | .500 | 10.5 | |
Gadsden Eagles | 49 | 50 | .495 | 11 | |
Anniston Nobles | 44 | 56 | .440 | 16.5 | / Verdo Elmore |
Cedartown Sea Cows | 40 | 60 | .400 | 20.5 | / Sherry Smith |
Playoff: Carrollton 4 games, Lindale 0.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bernard Lewis | Talladega | BA | .420 | Gadsden | W | 17 | ||
Cedartown | Runs | 92 | Abe White | Carrollton | SO | 101 | ||
Bernard Lewis | Talladega | Hits | 159 | Paul Fittery | Carrollton | Pct | .889; 16-2 | |
Cedartown | HR | 25 |
1930 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President:
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
63 | 38 | .624 | 0 | ||
Cedartown Braves | 60 | 41 | .594 | 3 | Sherry Smith |
Anniston Nobles | 57 | 44 | .564 | 6 | Paul Fittery / Dixie Walker |
Huntsville Springers | 35 | 66 | .347 | 28 | / / / Dixie Carroll / |
Carrollton Champs# | 38 | 46 | .452 | NA | Carl East / Erskine Thomason |
Talladega Indians# | 33 | 51 | .393 | NA | Walter Barbare / |
#Carrollton and Talladega disbanded August 14.
Playoff: Cedartown 4 games, Lindale 3, one tie.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bernard Lewis | Lindale | BA | .422 | Paul Fittery | Anniston | W | 16 | |
Cedartown | Runs | 131 | Abe White | Lindale | SO | 143 | ||
Bernard Lewis | Lindale | Hits | 175 | Sherry Smith | Cedartown | Pct | .875; 14-2 | |
George Kelly | Cedartown | HR | 26 | Sherry Smith | Cedartown | ERA | 3.34 |
Cities represented, teams and statistics: 1946–1951[]
- Alexander City, Alabama: Alexander City Millers 1947–1951
- Carrollton, Georgia: Carrollton Hornets 1946–1950
- Griffin, Georgia: 1947–1949; 1950; Griffin Pimientos 1951
- LaGrange, Georgia: 1946–1951
- Newnan, Georgia: 1946–1950
- Opelika, Alabama: Opelika Owls 1946–1951
- Rome, Georgia: 1950–1951
- Tallassee, Alabama: Tallassee Indians 1946–1948; Tallassee Cardinals 1949
- Valley, Alabama, Lanett, Alabama & West Point, Georgia: Valley Rebels 1946–1951
1946 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President:
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carrollton Hornets | 75 | 55 | .577 | 0 | |
Valley Rebels # | 72 | 58 | .554 | 3 | |
Tallassee Indians | 71 | 59 | .546 | 4 | Joe Heving |
68 | 62 | .523 | 7 | / Lloyd Brown | |
59 | 71 | .454 | 16 | / Jack Daniels | |
Opelika Owls | 45 | 85 | .346 | 30 | Jim Hitchcock / |
#Represented Valley-Lanett(AL)-West Point(GA)
Playoff: Tallassee 3 games, Carrollton 2; Valley 3 games, Newnan 2;
Finals: Tallassee 3 games, Valley 2.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carrollton | BA | .381 | Newnan | W | 20 | |||
Jack Daniels | Valley/LaGrange | Runs | 118 | Newnan | SO | 138 | ||
Jack Daniels | Valley/LaGrange | Hits | 159 | Lloyd Brown | Newnan | ERA | 2.17 | |
Jack Daniels | Valley/LaGrange | RBI | 122 | Jack Daniels | Valley/LaGrange | HR | 30 |
1947 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President: Arthur R. Decatur
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carrollton Hornets | 75 | 49 | .605 | 0 | 52,245 | Red Roberts |
Opelika Owls | 76 | 50 | .603 | 0 | 65,173 | |
Valley Rebels | 75 | 51 | .595 | 1 | 79,829 | Frank Luce |
72 | 53 | .576 | 3.5 | 80,600 | Joe Abreu / | |
Tallassee Indians | 62 | 63 | .496 | 13.5 | 44,693 | John Hill |
53 | 68 | .438 | 20.5 | 66,142 | Abe White | |
46 | 78 | .371 | 29 | 55,746 | Carl East / | |
Alexander City Millers | 39 | 86 | .312 | 36.5 | 34,462 | Doug Taitt |
Playoff: Valley 3 games, Carrollton 1; Opelika 3 games, Newnan 1;
Finals: Valley 3 games, Opelika 2.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Red Roberts | Carrollton | BA | .385 | Paul Brock | Newnan | W | 23 | |
Newnan | Runs | 122 | Paul Brock | Newnan | SO | 220 | ||
Vern Morgan | Valley | Hits | 184 | Valley | ERA | 2.15 | ||
Ken Guettler | Griffin | RBI | 103 | Ken Guettler | Griffin | HR | 25 |
1948 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President: Arthur R. Decatur
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valley Rebels | 75 | 51 | .595 | 0 | 60,163 | |
Carrollton Hornets | 73 | 53 | .579 | 2 | 53,000 | Red Roberts / Oliver Hill |
68 | 58 | .540 | 7 | 65,257 | ||
Alexander City Millers | 63 | 63 | .500 | 12 | 44,053 | / / |
Opelika Owls | 62 | 64 | .492 | 13 | 59,000 | / Jim Ball |
55 | 71 | .437 | 20 | 63,672 | Abe White / Paul Campbell | |
54 | 72 | .429 | 21 | 53,589 | ||
Tallassee Indians | 54 | 72 | .429 | 21 | 34,696 | Hugh East / |
Playoff: Valley 3 games, Newnan 1; Carrollton 3 games, Alexander City 2 ;
Finals: Valley 4 games, Carrollton 0.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Griffin | BA | .357 | Opelika | W | 23 | |||
Valley | Runs | 114 | Carrollton | W | 23 | |||
Opelika | Hits | 174 | Carrollton | SO | 2.33 | |||
Griffin | RBI | 105 | Alexander City | ERA | 2.00 | |||
LaGrange | HR | 14 |
1949 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President: Arthur R. Decatur
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
74 | 52 | .587 | 0 | 56,976 | ||
Alexander City Millers | 69 | 57 | .548 | 5 | 37,373 | Red Roberts |
Tallassee Cardinals | 66 | 60 | .524 | 8 | 43,364 | / Fred Blackwell |
65 | 61 | .516 | 9 | 59,952 | Claude Cooper | |
Valley Rebels | 62 | 64 | .492 | 12 | 52,859 | / Vern Morgan / |
Opelika Owls | 62 | 64 | .492 | 12 | 44,885 | Jim Ball |
Carrollton Hornets | 56 | 70 | .444 | 18 | 36,029 | / William Rucker |
50 | 76 | .397 | 24 | 47,825 | Etchison / York / Sanders / Gibson |
Playoff: Newnan 3 games, Tallassee 2; Alexander City 3 games, LaGrange 1 ;
Finals: Alexander City 4 games, Newnan 2.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joel Chapman | Valley | BA | .351 | John McFadden | Newnan | W | 21 | |
Alexander City | Runs | 108 | John McFadden | Newnan | SO | 180 | ||
Valley | Hits | 153 | Newnan | ERA | 2.02 | |||
Newnan | RBI | 108 | Newnan | HR | 28 |
1950 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President: Arthur R. Decatur
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
73 | 48 | .603 | 0 | 53,781 | Claude Cooper | |
Alexander City Millers | 73 | 53 | .579 | 2.5 | 36,546 | Red Roberts |
Carrollton Hornets | 66 | 57 | .537 | 8 | 26,365 | |
62 | 60 | .508 | 11.5 | 37,215 | ||
Valley Rebels | 58 | 65 | .472 | 16 | 31,619 | Myril Hoag / Jack Daniels |
57 | 64 | .471 | 16 | 37,167 | Abe White / | |
Opelika Owls | 52 | 72 | .419 | 22.5 | 36,912 | / Bailey / |
49 | 71 | .408 | 23.5 | 30,482 | / John Stowe / Myril Hoag |
Playoff: LaGrange 2 games, Carrollton 0; Alexander City 2 games, Newnan 0 ;
Finals: LaGrange 3 games, Alexander City 2.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carrollton | BA | .365 | Don Bessent | LaGrange | W | 22 | ||
Carrollton | Runs | 149 | Don Bessent | LaGrange | SO | 229 | ||
Carrollton | Hits | 168 | Don Bessent | LaGrange | ERA | 2.33 | ||
Carrollton | RBI | 151 | Carrollton | HR | 38 |
1951 Georgia–Alabama League[]
President: Arthur R. Decatur
Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
67 | 47 | .588 | 0 | 33,734 | Claude Cooper | |
Valley Rebels | 64 | 52 | .552 | 4 | 37,515 | George Grant |
58 | 57 | .504 | 9.5 | 41,000 | Leon Culberson | |
58 | 58 | .500 | 10 | 24,804 | Mike Conte / / | |
Alexander City Millers # | 33 | 45 | .423 | NA | 19,737 | / |
Opelika Owls ## | 23 | 44 | .343 | NA | 18,000 | / Gene Bailey |
##Opelika disbanded July 1; #Alexander City disbanded July 15.
Player statistics[]
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Griffin | BA | .379 | LaGrange | W | 21 | |||
Griffin | Runs | 111 | LaGrange | SO | 120 | |||
Rome | Hits | 171 | Joe Pennington | Valley | ERA | 2.45 | ||
Rome | RBI | 135 | Rome | HR | 26 |
League records 1913–1951[]
Batting | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | |
Jack Daniels | Valley/LaGrange | G | 129 | 46 | Johnny Allen | LaGrange | G | 129 | 46 | |
Bernard Lewis | Lindale | BA | .422 | 30 | Newnan | AB | 526 | 48 | ||
Carrollton | R | 149 | 50 | Lanett | H | 184 | 47 | |||
Carrollton | RBI | 151 | 50 | John Stowe | Rome | 2B | 39 | 51 | ||
Gadsden | 3B | 17 | 29 | Carrollton | HR | 38 | 50 | |||
Bernard Lewis | Lindale | EBH | 69 | 30 | Carrollton | TB | 311 | 50 | ||
Cedartown | SAC | 21 | 29 | Alexander City | SB | 85 | 49 | |||
Carrollton | BB | 165 | 50 | LaGrange/Carroll | SO | 118 | 48 |
Pitching | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | |
Alexander City | GA | 51 | 49 | Paul Brock | Newnan | CG | 28 | 47 | ||
Opelika | WI | 23 | 48 | Paul Brock | Newnan | WI | 23 | 48 | ||
Carrollton | WI | 23 | 48 | Opelika | L | 17 | 49 | |||
Talladega/New | Pct | .933-12-1 | 15 | Paul Fittery | Carrollton | ERA | 1.60 | 28 | ||
Paul Fittery | Carrollton | Pct | .913-21-2 | 28 | Paul Brock | Newnan | IP | 313 | 47 | |
Alexander City | ShO | 6 | 49 | Carrollton | SO | 233 | 48 | |||
Newnam | BB | 149 | 48 |
Sources[]
The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Second Edition via Baseball-Reference.com under GFDL.
- Baseball leagues in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Baseball leagues in Alabama
- Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States