Cotton States League
SportBaseball
Founded1902
Ceased1955
CountryUnited States

The Cotton States League[1] name was used five times in baseball history. The first Cotton States League ran from 1902 through 1908 as a class D league. After the league shut down, another Cotton States League was reformulated in 1910, with three of the six 1908 members returning for the new campaign and three new teams joining them. This league ran for four seasons, through 1913.

In 1922, the Cotton States League regrouped after nine years out of existence. This time, despite disbanding July 24, 1923, and resuming the next year, the league held itself together for 11 seasons before folding for good on July 13, 1932. The next revival of the CSL took place in 1936 and lasted six seasons before collapsing, before many other minor leagues did when World War II began. This time, it operated as a class C circuit. The league was reestablished in 1947. Again placed as a class C league, the Cotton States League survived through 1955 before folding for the fifth time in less than half a century. In 1953 the Cotton States League tried to evict the Hot Springs Bathers for attempting to include a black player, Jim Tugerson.

Cotton States League timeline

1902–1913

Cities represented/Teams/Seasons

* Baton Rouge, LouisianaBaton Rouge Cajuns1902–1906
* Clarksdale, MississippiClarksdale Swamp Angels1913
* Columbus, MississippiColumbus Discoverers
Columbus Joy Riders		1907–1908
1912–1913
* Greenville, MississippiGreenville Cotton Pickers
Greenville Grays		1902, 1904–1905
1903
* Greenwood, MississippiGreenwood Scouts1910–1912
* Gulfport, MississippiGulfport Crabs1906–1907
* Gulfport/Biloxi, MississippiGulfport-Biloxi Crabs1908
* Hattiesburg, MississippiHattiesburg Tar Heels
Hattiesburg Woodpeckers
Hattiesburg Timberjacks		1905
1910–1911
1912
*Jackson, MississippiJackson Senators
Jackson Tigers
Jackson Drummers
Jackson Lawmakers		1905–1908, 1912
1910
1911
1913
* Meridian, MississippiMeridian White Ribbons
Meridian Metropolitans		1905–1908
1910–1913
* Mobile, AlabamaMobile Sea Gulls1905–1907
* Monroe, LouisianaMonroe Hill Citys
Monroe Municipals		1903–1904
1908
* Natchez, MississippiNatchez Indians
Natchez Hill Climbers		1902–1903
1904–1905
* New Orleans, Louisiana/Yazoo City, Mississippi    New Orleans Little Pels/Yazoo City        1912
* Pensacola, FloridaPensacola Snappers1913
* Pine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff Lumbermen1903–1904
* Selma, AlabamaSelma Centralites1913
* Vicksburg, MississippiVicksburg Hill Billies1902–1908, 1910–1912
* Yazoo City, MississippiYazoo City Zoos1910–1911

[2]

1922–1932

Cities represented/Teams/Seasons

* Alexandria, LouisianaAlexandria Reds1925–1930
* Baton Rouge, LouisianaBaton Rouge Essos
Baton Rouge Highlanders
Baton Rouge Standards
Baton Rouge Senators		1929
1930
1931
1932
* Brookhaven, Mississippi    Brookhaven Truckers1924–1925
* Clarksdale, MississippiClarksdale Cubs1922–1923
* DeQuincy, LouisianaDeQuincy Railroaders1932
* El Dorado, ArkansasEl Dorado Lions1929–1932
* Greenville, MississippiGreenville Bucks
Greenville Swamp Angels		1922
1923
* Greenwood, MississippiGreenwood Indians1922–1923
* Gulfport, MississippiGulfport Tarpons1926–1928
* Hattiesburg, Mississippi      Hattiesburg Hubmen
Hattiesburg Hubbers
Hattiesburg Pinetoppers		1923–1924
1925
1926–1929
* Jackson, MississippiJackson Senators
Jackson Mississippians		1922–1931
1932
* Lake Charles, LouisianaLake Charles Newporters      1929–1930
* Laurel, MississippiLaurel Lumberjacks
Laurel Cardinals		1923–1927
1928–1929
* Meridian, MississippiMeridian Mets1922–1923
1925–1929
* Monroe, LouisianaMonroe Drillers
Monroe Twins		1924–1930
1931–1932
* Opelousas, LouisianaOpelousas Orphans1932
* Pine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff Judges1930–1932
* Port Arthur, TexasPort Arthur Refiners1932
* Vicksburg, MississippiVicksburg Hill Billies1922–1932

[2]

1936–1955

* Clarksdale, MississippiClarksdale Ginners
Clarksdale Red Sox
Clarksdale Planters		1936, 1941
1937–1940
1947–1951
* Cleveland, MississippiCleveland A's1936
* El Dorado, ArkansasEl Dorado Lions
El Dorado Oilers		1936–1940
1941, 1947–1955
* Greenville, MississippiGreenville Bucks
Greenville Buckshots
Greenville Tigers		1936–1938, 1955
1939–1941, 1953
1954
* Greenwood, Mississippi      Greenwood Chiefs
Greenwood Giants
Greenwood Dodgers
Greenwood Crackers
Greenwood Choctaws    		1936
1937
1938, 1947–1952
1939
1940
* Helena, ArkansasHelena Seaporters1936–1941, 1947–1949
* Hot Springs, ArkansasHot Springs Bathers1938–1941, 1947–1955
* Jackson, MississippiJackson Senators1936, 1953
* Marshall, TexasMarshall Tigers1941
* Meridian, MississippiMeridian Millers1952–1955
* Monroe, LouisianaMonroe Twins
Monroe White Sox
Monroe Sports		1937
1938–1941
1950–1955
* Natchez, MississippiNatchez Indians1948–1953
* Pine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff Judges
Pine Bluff Cardinals		1936–1940, 1950–1955
1948–1949
* Texarkana, TexasTexarkana Twins1941
* Vicksburg, MississippiVicksburg Hill Billies1937, 1941, 1955

[2]

Championship teams

First stage (1902–1908)

  • 1902 – Natchez Indians
  • 1903 – Baton Rouge Cajuns
  • 1904 – Pine Bluff Lumbermen
  • 1905 – Greenville Cotton Pickers
  • 1906 – Mobile Sea Gulls
  • 1907 – Mobile Sea Gulls
  • 1908 – Jackson Senators
  • 1909 – The league did not play

Second stage (1909–1913)

  • 1910 – Greenwood Scouts
  • 1911 – Vicksburg Hill Billies
  • 1912 – Vicksburg Hill Billies *
  • 1913 – Jackson Lawmakers
 * Greenwood Scouts was declared champion as first half champion Vicksburg had disbanded.
  • From 1914 through 1921 the league did not play

Third stage (1922–1932)

  • 1922 – Greenwood Indians
    Playoff: Greenwood beat Meridian, four to zero games
  • 1923 – Greenville Swamp Angels
    No playoff after the league disbanded
  • 1924 – Hattiesburg Hubmen
  • 1925 – Meridian Mets
  • 1926 – Hattiesburg Pinetoppers
  • 1927 – Jackson Red Sox
    Playoff: Jackson beat Monroe, four to one games
  • 1928 – Jackson Red Sox
    Playoffs:
    Hattiesburg Pinetoppers beat Meridian, four to one games
    Vicksburg Hill Billies beat Jackson, four to two games
    Final series: Vicksburg beat Hattiesburg, four to three games
  • 1929 – Alexandria Reds
    Playoffs:
    El Dorado Lions beat Laurel, four to one games
    Jackson Red Sox beat Alexandria, four to two games
    Final series: El Dorado beat Jackson, four to one games
  • 1930 – El Dorado Lions
    Playoff: Pine Bluff Judges beat El Dorado, four to three games
  • 1931 – Jackson Red Sox
    Playoff: Jackson beat Vicksburg, four to zero games
  • 1932 – Baton Rouge Senators
    No playoff after the disbanding of the league
  • From 1933 through 1935 the league did not play

Fourth stage (1936–1941)

  • 1936 – Greenwood Giants
    Playoffs:
    El Dorado Lions beat Greenwood, three to one games
    Greenville Bucks beat Pine Bluff, three to one games
    Final series: El Dorado beat Greenville, four to one games
  • 1937 – Pine Bluff Judges
    Playoffs:
    Pine Bluff beat Greenville, four to one games
    El Dorado beat Greenwood, four to one games
    Final series: El Dorado beat Pine Bluff, four to one games
  • 1938 – Greenville Bucks
    Playoffs:
    Monroe White Sox beat Helena, three to one games
    Greenville beat El Dorado, three to one games
    Final series: Monroe beat Greenville, four to two games
  • 1939 – Monroe White Sox
    Playoffs:
    Hot Springs Bathers beat Monroe, three to two games
    Greenville Buckshots beat Clarksdale, three to one games
    Final series: Greenville beat Hot Springs, four to one games
  • 1940 – Monroe White Sox
    Playoffs:
    Monroe beat Greenville, three to one games
    El Dorado Oilers beat Helena, three to one games
    Final series: Monroe beat El Dorado, four to one games
  • 1941 – Monroe White Sox
    Playoffs:
    Vicksburg Hill Billies beat Monroe, three to two games
    Hot Springs Bathers beat Greenville, three to zero games
    Final series: Hot Springs beat Vicksburg, four to zero games
  • From 1942 through 1946 the league did not play

Fifth stage (1947–1955)

  • 1947 – Greenwood Dodgers
    Playoffs:
    Greenwood beat Clarksdale, three to one games
    Greenville Bucks beat El Dorado, three to two games
    Final series: Greenwood beat Greenville, four to three games
  • 1948 – Greenwood Dodgers
    Playoffs:
    Greenwood beat Natchez, three to zero games
    Hot Springs Bathers beat Clarksdale, three to zero games
    Final series: Hot Springs beat Greenwood, four to three games
  • 1949 – Greenwood Dodgers
    Playoffs:
    Natchez Indians beat El Dorado, four to three games
    Pine Bluff Cardinals beat Greenwood, four to two games
    Final series: Natchez beat Pine Bluff, four to one games
  • 1950 – Pine Bluff Judges
    Playoffs:
    Hot Springs Bathers beat Monroe, four to two games
    Natchez Indians beat Pine Bluff, four to one games
    Final series: Hot Springs beat Natchez, four to three games
  • 1951 – Monroe Sports
    Playoffs:
    Natchez Indians beat Monroe, four to three games
    Pine Bluff Judges beat Greenwood, four to three games
    Final series: Natchez beat Pine Bluff, four to one games
  • 1952 – Meridian Millers
    Playoffs:
    Meridian beat Monroe, four to two games
    Natchez Indians beat Greenwood, four to two games
    Final series: Meridian beat Natchez, four to three games
  • 1953 – Meridian Millers
    Playoffs: Meridian beat Jackson, four to two games
    El Dorado Oilers beat Pine Bluff, four to zero games
    Final series: Meridian beat El Dorado, four to zero games
  • 1954 – Greenville Tigers
    Playoffs:
    Greenville beat Monroe, four to one games
    El Dorado Oilers beat Meridian, four to three games
    Final series: El Dorado beat Greenville, four to two games

[2]

Sources

  1. ↑ Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: The Official Record of Minor League Baseball – Lloyd Johnson, Steve McDonald, Miles Wolff (editors). Publisher: Baseball America, 1997. Format: Paperback, 672pp. Language: English. ISBN 0-9637189-7-5
  2. 1 2 3 4 The Official Record of Minor League Baseball
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