Introduction
The Southern League was a minor league baseball league that operated in the south United States during the late 19th century. The league that is the subject of this page was formed in 1885 (141 years ago).
The Southern League started out as an independent league in Baseball in 1885. When the league was reformed in 1892, it became one of the first minor leagues in baseball when it established an agreement with the National League and American Association to honor player suspensions and reserve clauses.
The Southern League had a very unstable history with team rosters changing frequently, teams disbanding in-season, and a number of seasons that ended before all games were played and champions were declared. The Southern League also missed three complete seasons in 1890, 1891, and 1897. Still it possesses a legacy of contributing to the Baseball ecosystem for many decades by developing players until its eventual demise after 1961.
Classification
Independent League (1885 to 1889) / Top Minor League (1892 and on)
Seasons Summary
12 seasons in 15 years between 1885 and 1899.
| Year | Champion | # of Teams |
| 1885 | Atlanta Atlantas | 8 |
| 1886 | Atlanta Atlantas | 8 |
| 1887 | New Orleans Pelicans | 7 |
| 1888 | No champion | 5 |
| 1889 | No champion | 6 |
| 1890 | On hiatus | On hiatus |
| 1891 | On hiatus | On hiatus |
| 1892 | Chattanooga Chatts | 8 |
| 1893 | Macon Central City and Augusta Electricians Tie | 12 |
| 1894 | Memphis Giants | 8 |
| 1895 | Fort Worth Panthers | 17 |
| 1896 | New Orleans Pelicans | 6 |
| 1897 | On hiatus | On hiatus |
| 1898 | No champion | 8 |
| 1899 | No champion | 4 |
League Championship Summary
# of seasons: 12
List of teams who won championships sorted by number of championships.
| Team | # of League Championships |
| Atlanta Atlantas | 2 (1885-1886) |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 2 (1887, 1896) |
| Chattanooga Chatts | 1 (1892) |
| Memphis Giants | 1 (1894) |
| Fort Worth Panthers | 1 (1895) |
| Macon Central City and Augusta Electricians Tie | 1 (1893) |
| No champion | 4 (1888-1889, 1898-1899) |
Future Features
Last Updated on May 22, 2026 by Al Young