The 1886 Southern League was a Class B minor league baseball season played between April 15 and September 4. Eight teams played a 100-game schedule, with the top team winning the league pennant and championship.
The Atlanta Atlantas won the Southern League championship, as they had the best record in the league.
Team changes The Birmingham club and the Columbus Stars did not return to the league after disbanding late in the 1885 season. The Chattanooga Lookouts returned to the league after disbanding late in the 1885 season. The Charleston Seagulls join the league. The Memphis Reds are renamed to the Memphis Grays. The Savannah club joins the league.
Teams 1886 Southern League Team City Stadium Atlanta Atlantas Atlanta, Georgia Athletic Park Augusta Browns Augusta, Georgia Warren Park Charleston Seagulls Charleston, South Carolina Ball Park Field Chattanooga Lookouts Chattanooga, Tennessee Base Ball Grounds Macon Macon, Georgia Mulberry Park Memphis Grays Memphis, Tennessee Olympic Park Nashville Americans Nashville, Tennessee Sulphur Spring Park Savannah Savannah, Georgia Bolton Street Park
Map of teams
Regular season Summary The Atlanta Atlantas finished the season with the best record in the league for the second consecutive season. On July 5, the Augusta Browns disbanded. On July 9, the Chattanooga Lookouts disbanded. On September 4, the league announced the season had ended due to the 1886 Charleston earthquake.
Standings 1886 SOUA Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed August 1, 2026 Southern League Team Win Loss % GB Atlanta Atlantas 64 28 – Savannah 59 33 5 Nashville Americans 46 43 16.5 Memphis Grays 43 46 19.5 Charleston Seagulls 44 49 20.5 Augusta Browns 21 31 23 Macon 32 59 31.5 Chattanooga Lookouts 20 40 28
League Leaders Batting leaders 1886 SL Leaders at statscrew.com, URL accessed August 1, 2026 1886 SL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed August 1, 2026 Stat Player Total AVG Denny Lyons, Atlanta Atlantas .327 H Lefty Marr, Nashville Americans 129 R Blondie Purcell, Atlanta Atlantas 105 2B John Sneed, Memphis Grays 23 3B Monk Cline, Atlanta Atlantas Jim Field, Savannah Tom Lynch, Atlanta Atlantas 8 HR Blondie Purcell, Atlanta Atlantas 8 SB Blondie Purcell, Atlanta Atlantas 72
Pitching leaders 1886 SL Leaders at statscrew.com, URL accessed August 1, 2026 1886 SL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed August 1, 2026 Stat Player Total W Hank O'Day, Savannah 26 ERA Gus Weyhing, Charleston Seagulls 0.76 CG Ed Knouff, Memphis Grays Hank O'Day, Savannah 36 SHO Hank O'Day, Savannah John Shaffer, Atlanta Atlantas 5 IP Ed Knouff, Memphis Grays 341.2 SO Ed Knouff, Memphis Grays 342
See also 1886 Major League Baseball season
References
External links Minor League Baseball official website