The Virginia League was the name of an American professional minor league baseball league that operated between 1939 and 1942. This was the fourth of five incarnations of the Virginia League. The league was a Class D level league in 1939 and 1940. It became a Class C level league for the 1941 and 1942 seasons. The Virginia League resumed play in 1948, after the conclusion of World War II.
History After the Virginia League ceased operations following the 1928 season, the league returned to play in 1939 as a four-team Class D level league. The Harrisonburg Turks, Lynchburg Grays, the Salem-Roanoke Friends, and the Staunton Presidents began league play in 1939.
In 1941, two new teams were added: the Newport News Pilots and the Petersburg Rebels.
In 1942, the Turks were replaced in the league by the Pulaski Counts.
The Virginia League returned to play in 1948, following the conclusion of World War II.
Virginia League 1939–1942 cities represented
Harrisonburg, VA: Harrisonburg Turks 1939–1941 Lynchburg, VA: Lynchburg Grays 1939; Lynchburg Senators 1940–1942 Newport News, VA: Newport News Pilots 1941; Newport News Builders 1942 Petersburg, VA: Petersburg Rebels 1941–1942 Pulaski, VA: Pulaski Counts 1942 Salem, VA & Roanoke, VA: Salem-Roanoke Friends 1939–1942 Staunton, VA: Staunton Presidents 1939–1942
Standings and statistics 1939 Virginia League Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Harrisonburg Turks 6147.565-Hank Hulvey Lynchburg Grays5551.5195 Al Weisman Staunton Presidents5156.4779½Jimmy BairSalem-Roanoke Friends4760.43913½Bob Schleicher Playoff: Lynchburg 1 game, Staunton 0. Finals: Harrisonburg 3 games, Lynchburg 0. +Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Warren Huffman StauntonBA.415 Vincent Polumbo Salem-RoanokeW18 Russ Mincy Salem-RoanokeRuns92 Ernie Utz HarrisonburgSO183 Nicholas Rhabe Lynch/HarrisonHits156 Michael Marko StauntonERA2.52 Kenneth Moore Salem-RoanokeRBI95 Ernie Utz HarrisonburgPCT.714 15-6 Louis Cipalla Harrison/LynchHR10 Walter Poland StauntonPCT.714 15-6 1940 Virginia League Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Lynchburg Senators 7045.609-Guy Lacy Harrisonburg Turks6156.52110 Hank Hulvey Salem-Roanoke Friends5562.47016Eli Harris / Arnold AndersonStaunton Presidents4669.40024Vernon Brandes / John Brennan Playoff: Harrisonburg 2 games, Salem-Roanoke 1. Finals: Lynchburg 3 games, Harrisonburg 2. +Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Henry Loman HarrisonburgBA.322Dick Tate LynchburgW17 Glen AdkinsHarrisonburgRuns119 Ed Haswell LynchburgSO162 Glen Adkins HarrisonburgHits149 Lewis Utz HarrisonburgERA2.87 Joe Kruppa Salem-RoanokeRBI91 Dick Tate LynchburgPCT.739 17-6 Crawford Howard LynchburgHR16
1941 Virginia League Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Petersburg Rebels 6653.555-Clarence Pickrel / Possum Whitted Salem-Roanoke Friends6455.5382 Vernon MackieLynchburg Senators6256.5253½Guy Lacy Harrisonburg Turks6256.5253½Vernon Brandes / Vance Dinges Newport News Pilots5858.5006½Chief Bender Staunton Presidents4276.35623½Hank Hulvey / Gus Tebell Playoffs: Lynchburg 3 games, Petersburg 0; Salem-Roanoke 3 games, Harrisburg 2. Finals: Salem-Roanoke 3 games, Lynchburg 2. +Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Vernon Mackie Salem-RoanokeBA.355 Toy Bowen Salem-RoanokeW17 Royce Watson LynchburgRuns125 Ed Haswell LynchburgSO226 Nicholas Rhabe Peters/HarrisonHits164Don BlackPetersburgERA2.34 Ben Drake Newport NewsRBI117Don BlackPetersburgPCT.688 11-5 Noel Casbier Salem-RoanokeHR21
1942 Virginia League Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Pulaski Counts 7947.627-Jack Crosswhite Lynchburg Senators7451.5924½ Wes Ferrell Petersburg Rebels7452.5875Steve Mizerak Newport News Builders6267.48318½Harry Chozen Salem-Roanoke Friends5969.46121Vernon Mackie Staunton Presidents3294.25447Taylor Sanford Playoffs: Lynchburg 4 games, Newport News 2; Pulaski 4 games, Petersburg 2. Finals: Pulaski 4 games, Lynchburg 2.
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Wes FerrellLynchburgBA.361Everett FaganPulaskiW20 Ray RudisillPulaskiRuns108 Ed Haswell LynchburgSO212 James Blair PetersburgHits167 Ted Garbee LynchburgERA1.97 James Blair PetersburgRBI103 Ted Garbee LynchburgPCT.850 17-3Wes FerrellLynchburgHR31
References