The 1963 South Atlantic League was a Class AA baseball season played between April 19 and September 2. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with the winner of each half of the season qualifying for the playoffs.
The Augusta Yankees won the South Atlantic League championship, defeating the Lynchburg White Sox in the final round of the playoffs.
League changes The league was elevated from Class A to Class AA in 1963. Following the 1963 season, the South Atlantic League dissolved and was re-founded as the Southern League, maintaining a new set of records. Following the 1963 season: The Asheville Tourists, Charlotte Hornets, Chattanooga Lookouts, Knoxville Smokies, Lynchburg White Sox and Macon Peaches joined the Southern League. The Augusta Yankees and Nashville Vols folded.
Team changes The Greenville Spinners left the league and joined the Western Carolinas League. The Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides left the league and joined the Carolina League. The Chattanooga Lookouts joined the league after last playing in the Southern Association in 1961. The club began an affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Nashville Vols joined the league after last playing in the Southern Association in 1961. The club began an affiliation with the Los Angeles Angels.
Teams 1963 South Atlantic League Team City MLB Affiliate Stadium Asheville Tourists Asheville, North Carolina Pittsburgh Pirates McCormick Field Augusta Yankees Augusta, Georgia New York Yankees Jennings Stadium Charlotte Hornets Charlotte, North Carolina Minnesota Twins Clark Griffith Park Chattanooga Lookouts Chattanooga, Tennessee Philadelphia Phillies Engel Stadium Knoxville Smokies Knoxville, Tennessee Detroit Tigers Knoxville Municipal Stadium Lynchburg White Sox Lynchburg, Virginia Chicago White Sox City Stadium Macon Peaches Macon, Georgia Cincinnati Reds Luther Williams Field Nashville Vols Nashville, Tennessee Los Angeles Angels Sulphur Dell
Map of teams
Regular season Summary The Macon Peaches finish the season with the best record in the league for the first time since 1950. Despite finishing with the best record in the league, the Macon Peaches failed to qualify for the playoffs due to not having the best record in the league in either half of the season.
Standings 1963 SALLY Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed February 24, 2025 South Atlantic League Team Win Loss % GB Macon Peaches 81 59 – Lynchburg White Sox 79 61 2 Asheville Tourists 79 61 2 Augusta Yankees 75 63 5 Knoxville Smokies 71 68 9.5 Chattanooga Lookouts 62 78 19 Charlotte Hornets 58 82 23 Nashville Vols 53 86 27.5
League Leaders Batting leaders 1963 SAL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed February 24, 2025 Stat Player Total AVG Marv Staehle, Nashville Vols .337 H Ike Futch, Augusta Yankees 177 R Adolfo Phillips, Chattanooga Lookouts 90 2B Mel Corbo, Nashville Vols 31 3B Costen Shockley, Chattanooga Lookouts 12 HR Frederick Loesekam, Lynchburg White Sox 21 RBI Bert Barth, Charlotte Hornets 80 SB Teolindo Acosta, Macon Peaches 21
Pitching leaders 1963 SAL Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed February 24, 2025 Stat Player Total W Troy Giles, Asheville Tourists Fred Talbot, Lynchburg White Sox 18 ERA Thomas Richards, Lynchburg White Sox 2.22 CG Troy Giles, Asheville Tourists 19 SHO Jose Lizondro, Lynchburg White Sox 7 IP Charlie Rabe, Macon Peaches 221.0 SO Troy Giles, Asheville Tourists 159
Playoffs The Augusta Yankees won their sixth South Atlantic League championship, defeating the Lynchburg White Sox in five games.
Playoff bracket
See also 1963 Major League Baseball season
References
External links Minor League Baseball official website