The Alabama State League was a minor league baseball league that played between 1940 and 1950, with an interruption due to World War II. The Alabama State League was a Class D level league. The Alabama State League consisted of teams based exclusively in Alabama, evolving from and into the Alabama-Florida League, as that league added and reduced Florida based franchises.
History In 1940, the Alabama-Florida League changed its name to the Alabama State League after the Florida based Panama City Pelicans franchise folded, leaving the league with only Alabama based franchises. After two years, the league shut down due to World War II, but resumed activity in 1946. After another five years of operation, the Alabama-Florida name was brought back for the 1951 season, when the Panama City Fliers franchise joined the league. The Alabama State League was a Class D level league for its duration.
The Alabama State League began play as a six–team league in 1940, with the Andalusia Rams, Brewton Millers, Dothan Browns, Greenville Lions, Tallassee Indians and Troy Trojans as charter members.
Cities represented Andalusia, AL: Andalusia Rams (1940–1941); Andalusia Arrows (1947–1950) Brewton, AL: Brewton Millers (1940–1941, 1946–1950) Dothan, AL: Dothan Browns (1940–1941, 1946–1950) Enterprise, AL: Enterprise Boll Weevils (1947–1950) Geneva, AL: Geneva Red Birds (1946–1950) Greenville, AL: Greenville Lions (1940–1941, 1946–1948); Greenville Pirates (1949–1950) Headland, AL: Headland Dixie Runners (1950) Ozark, AL: Ozark Eagles (1946–1950) Tallassee, AL: Tallassee Indians (1940–1941) Troy, AL: Troy Trojans (1940); Troy Dodgers (1941); Troy Trojans (1946–1947); Troy Tigers (1948–1949) Tuskegee, AL: Tuskegee Airmen (1941)
Standings & statistics 1940 Alabama State League schedule Team standingsWLGBPct.Manager Tallassee Indians 8445.651– Steve Bysco Greenville Lions 7159.54613½ Dick Luckey Dothan Browns6762.51917 Cat Milner Troy Trojans6663.51218 Ellis Johnson / Harold Fehrenbacher Brewton Millers5179.39233½Yam Yaryan Andalusia Rams4980.38035 Bruner Nix / Oscar Mosley Playoffs: Greenville 3 games, Troy 2; Dothan 3 games, Tallassee 2.Finals: Dothan 4 games, Greenville 2.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Emory Lindsey TallasseeBA.350 John Travis GreenvilleW20 Felix JurwiakDothanRuns121 Steve Bysco TallasseeW20 James Persons TallasseeHits172Royce LintAndalusiaSo166 Johnny OstrowskiTroyRBI120 John Travis GreenvilleERA3.18 Gordon Goodell TallasseeHR31 1941 Alabama State League schedule Team standingsWLGBPct.Manager Dothan Browns 7940.664– Cat Milner Tallassee Indians 7545.6254½ Steve Bysco Andalusia Rams6060.50019½ Ralph McAdams Brewton Millers4968.41929 Lee Head Troy Dodgers /Tuskegee Airmen 4871.40331 Pudge Powers Greenville Lions4572.38533 Ernie Wingard / Herb Thomas Troy (37–50) moved to Tuskegee July 31. Playoffs: Dothan 3 games, Andalusia 1; Tallassee 3 games, Brewton 1.Finals: Dothan 4 games, Tallassee 1.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Luther Gunnells DothanBA.395 Joe Rivers DothanW20 Luther Gunnells DothanRuns143 Francis Mannheim TallasseeSO184 Ray Knowles TallasseeHits199Cy MooreTallasseeERA2.84 Forrest Austin TallasseeRBI149 Forrest Austin TallasseeHR32
1946 Alabama State League Team standingsWLGBPct.Manager Dothan Browns 7258.554– Frank Martin Geneva Red Birds 6961.5313 Charles Holly Greenville Lions6762.5194½ Dan Miller / William AndersonBrewton Millers6365.4928 Ben Catchings Troy Trojans6068.46911 Norman DeWeese Ozark Eagles5572.43315½ Ray Knapp / Dick Coffman Playoffs: Geneva 3 games, Brewton 1; Greenville 3 games, Dothan 1.Finals: Geneva 3 games, Greenville 1.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Emil Bozich TroyBA.354James Atkins GenevaW20 Melvin Schwab OzarkRuns128Max PetersonGreenvilleW20 Emil Bozich TroyHits178Carl Johnson DothanERA2.46 Harold Walther Green/GenRBI124Earl Johnson DothanSO271 Harold Walther Green/GenHR17 Melvin Schwab OzarkHR17 1947 Alabama State League schedule Team standings WLPCTGBAttend Managers Greenville Lions9048.652–40,000 Sam Demma Brewton Millers7859.56911½42,000 Norman Veazey Enterprise Boll Weevils7761.55813 53,000 Ben Catchings Dothan Browns 6970.49621½50,000 Frank Martin / Woody Coombs Emory Lindsey Andalusia Arrows 6771.48623 62,000 Robert Engle Ozark Eagles6574.46825½45,000 Dolly Lambert Troy Trojans5880.42032 37,000 Bob Benish Geneva Red Birds 4990.35341½35,000 Jimmy Francoline / Francis Welker Playoffs: Greenville 4 games, Enterprise 3; Brewton 4 games, Dothan 3.Finals: Greenville 4 games, Brewton 3.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Perry Roberts Greenville BA.389 Max Peterson GreenvilleW27 Ben Catchings EnterpriseRuns126Max Peterson GreenvilleSO266 Perry Roberts GreenvilleHits228Max Peterson GreenvilleERA2.02 Perry Roberts GreenvilleRBI152 Andy Archipoli OzarkHR24 1948 Alabama State League Team standings WLPCTGBAttend Managers Troy Tigers8341.669–40,242 Bob Benish Greenville Pirates8046.6354 30,424Walt Tauscher Dothan Browns6462.50820 57,638 Cat Milner Ozark Eagles 6165.48423 36,500 Frank Martin Brewton Millers 5868.46026 29,227 Joe Beaugez / Bill McGhee Enterprise Boll Weevils5767.46026 39,416 Dolly Lambert / Richard Bixby Geneva Red Birds5472.42930 36,781 Harold Ferenbacher Andalusia Arrows 4581.35739 40,000John George / Charlie Wilcox Playoffs: Dothan 4 games, Troy 2; Greenville 4 games, Ozark 3.Finals: Dothan 4 games, Greenville 0.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Bill McGhee Brewton BA.356 Frank HillDothanW22 John Burns GreenvilleRuns108 Frank Hill DothanSO209 Bill Godwin OzarkHits157 Richard Gilkerson TroyERA1.69 Glen Lindermuth GreenvilleRBI107John PowellAndalusiaHR17 1949 Alabama State League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGBAttend Managers Greenville Pirates8344.654–23,443Walt Tauscher Ozark Eagles8245.646125,804George Hennessey Enterprise Boll Weevils6361.50818½30,603 Russell Taylor Andalusia Arrows 5965.47622½39,958Manny Russo / Robert Engle Dothan Browns 5768.45625 32,471Joe Cavosie / James Coller / Daniel Long Geneva Red Birds5669.44826 23,775 Carl Wollgast Brewton Millers5173.41130½25,533Joe Szuch / Norman Veazey Troy Tigers 4975.39532½18,323 Cat MilnerPlayoffs: Greenville 4 games, Enterprise 1; Andalusia 4 games, Ozark 1.Finals: Andalusia 4 games, Greenville 1.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Roy LeFevre Greenville BA.321 Carl Wollgast GenevaW22 George HughesOzarkRuns114Spencer DavisOzarkSO220 Roy LeFevre GreenvilleHits151 Carl Wollgast GenevaERA1.89 Doug Walker OzarkRBI107Tom McBrideGeneva/OzarkHR15 1950 Alabama State League Team standingsWLPCTGBAttend Managers Enterprise Boll Weevils7649.608–23,269Paul O'Dea Dothan Browns7253.5764 51,665Shovel Hodge Headland Dixie Runners6856.5487½27,121 John A. McPherson Greenville Pirates 6561.51611½17,106Mickey O'Neil Andalusia Arrows 6362.50413 43,163 Bubba Ball Brewton Millers5472.42922½24,397 Cat Milner / Cotton McCaskey Sam Demma Geneva Red Birds5273.41624 14,194Johnny Grodzicki / Robert Comiskey Ozark Eagles 5175.40525½17,779 Julian Morgan Playoffs: Headland 4 games, Enterprise 3; Dothan 4 games, Greenville 2. Finals: Dothan 4 games, Headland 1. +Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot John A. McPherson HeadlandBA.405 David Hataway AndalusiaW23 Joe Harper HeadlandRuns138 Thomas Stone HeadlandSO246 John A. McPherson HeadlandHits197 James Pomykala GreenvilleERA2.19 John A. McPhersonHeadlandRBI132 Lamar Bowden DothanHR15
References