The Cotton States LeagueEncyclopedia 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. was a minor league baseball league that played between 1902 and 1955. The Cotton States League formed on five occasions. The first Cotton States League played from 1902 through 1908 as a Class D level league. After the league did not play in 1909, the 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. The league played for four seasons, through 1913 before being interrupted by World War I.
In 1922, the Cotton States League reformed after a nine-year hiatus. The 1923 league folded during the season on July 24, 1923, before resuming the next year. The league played for 11 seasons before folding on July 13, 1932, during the Great Depression.
The next revival of the Cotton States League took place in 1936, and the league played six seasons before folding, as many other minor leagues did when World War II began. This time, it operated as a Class C level league. Following the war, the league was resumed play in 1947 continuing play as Class C level league. The Cotton States League played through the 1955 season before permanently folding following its fifth incarnation 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 Cities represented/Teams/Seasons Alexandria, Louisiana: Alexandria Reds (1925–1930) Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Baton Rouge Cajuns (1902–1906); Baton Rouge Essos (1929); Baton Rouge Highlanders (1930); Baton Rouge Standards (1931); Baton Rouge Senators (1932) Brookhaven, Mississippi: Brookhaven Truckers (1924–1925) Clarksdale, Mississippi: Clarksdale Swamp Angels (1913): Clarksdale Cubs (1922–1923); Clarksdale Ginners (1936, 1941); Clarksdale Red Sox (1937–1940); Clarksdale Planters (1947–1951) Cleveland, Mississippi: Cleveland A's (1936) Columbus, Mississippi: Columbus Discoverers (1907–1908); Columbus Joy Riders (1912–1913) DeQuincy, Louisiana: DeQuincy Railroaders (1932) El Dorado, Arkansas: El Dorado Lions (1929–1932, 1936–1940); El Dorado Oilers (1941, 1947–1955) Greenville, Mississippi: Greenville Cotton Pickers (1902, 1904–1905); Greenville Grays (1903); Greenville Bucks (1922); Greenville Swamp Angels (1923); Greenville Bucks (1936–1938); Greenville Buckshots (1939–1941, 1953, 1955); Greenville Tigers (1954) Greenwood, Mississippi: Greenwood Scouts (1910–1912; Greenwood Indians (1922–1923); Greenwood Chiefs (1936); Greenwood Giants (1937) Greenwood Dodgers (1938, 1947–1952); Greenwood Crackers (1939); Greenwood Choctaws (1940) Gulfport, Mississippi: Gulfport Crabs (1906–1907); Gulfport Tarpons (1926–1928) Gulfport, Mississippi/Biloxi, Mississippi: Gulfport-Biloxi Crabs (1908) Hattiesburg, Mississippi: Hattiesburg Tar Heels (1905); Hattiesburg Woodpeckers (1910–1911); Hattiesburg Timberjacks (1912); Hattiesburg Hubmen (1923–1924); Hattiesburg Hubbers (1925); Hattiesburg Pinetoppers (1926–1929) Helena, Arkansas: Helena Seaporters (1936–1941, 1947–1949) Hot Springs, Arkansas: Hot Springs Bathers (1938–1941, 1947–1955) Jackson, Mississippi: Jackson Senators (1905–1908, 1912); Jackson Tigers (1910); Jackson Drummers (1911); Jackson Lawmakers (1913); Jackson Senators (1922–1931); Jackson Mississippians (1932); Jackson Senators (1936, 1953) Lake Charles, Louisiana: Lake Charles Newporters (1929–1930) Laurel, Mississippi: Laurel Lumberjacks (1923–1927); Laurel Cardinals (1928–1929) Marshall, Texas: Marshall Tigers (1941) Meridian, Mississippi: Meridian White Ribbons (1905–1911); Meridian Metropolitans (1912–1913); Meridian Mets (1925–1929); Meridian Millers (1952–1955) Mobile, Alabama: Mobile Sea Gulls (1905–1907) Monroe, Louisiana: Monroe Hill Citys (1903–1904); Monroe Municipals (1908); Monroe Drillers (1924–1930); Monroe Twins (1931–1932, 1937); Monroe White Sox (1938–1941); Monroe Sports (1950–1955) Natchez, Mississippi: Natchez Indians (1902–1903); Natchez Hill Climbers (1904–1905); Natchez Indians (1948–1953) New Orleans, Louisiana: New Orleans Little Pels (1912) Opelousas, Louisiana: Opelousas Orphans (1932) Pensacola, Florida: Pensacola Snappers (1913) Pine Bluff, Arkansas: Pine Bluff Lumbermen (1903–1904); Pine Bluff Judges (1930–1932, 1936–1940); Pine Bluff Cardinals (1948–1949); Pine Bluff Judges (1950–1955) Port Arthur, Texas: Port Arthur Refiners (1932) Selma, Alabama: Selma Centralites (1913) Texarkana, Texas: Texarkana Twins (1941) Vicksburg, Mississippi: Vicksburg Hill Billies (1902–1908, 1910–1912, 1922–1932, 1937, 1941, 1955) Yazoo City, Mississippi: Yazoo City Zoos (1910–1911); Yazoo City (1912) The Official Record of Minor League Baseball
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 (1910–1913) 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 defeated Meridian Mets, 4 games to 0 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 defeated Monroe Drillers, 4 games to 1 1928 – Jackson Red Sox; Playoffs: Hattiesburg Pinetoppers defeated Meridian, 4 games to 1; Vicksburg Hill Billies defeated Jackson, 4 games to 2Final series: Vicksburg defeated Hattiesburg, 4 games to 3 1929 – Alexandria Reds; Playoffs: El Dorado Lions defeated Laurel Cardinals, 4 games to 1; Jackson Red Sox defeated Alexandria, 4 games to 1Final series: El Dorado defeated Jackson, 4 games to 1 1930 – Pine Bluff Judges; Playoff: Pine Bluff Judges defeated El Dorado, 4 games to 0 1931 – Jackson Red Sox; Playoff: Jackson defeated Vicksburg, 4 games to 0 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 defeated Greenwood, 3 games to 1; Greenville Bucks beat Pine Bluff, 3 games to 1Final series: El Dorado beat Greenville, 4 games to 1 1937 – Pine Bluff Judges; Playoffs: Pine Bluff beat Greenville, 4 games to 1; El Dorado defeated Greenwood, 4 games to 1Final series: El Dorado beat Pine Bluff, 4 games to 1 1938 – Greenville Bucks; Playoffs: Monroe White Sox defeated beat Helena, 3 games to 1; Greenville defeated El Dorado, 3 games to 1Final series: Monroe beat Greenville, 4 games to 2 1939 – Monroe White Sox; Playoffs: Hot Springs Bathers defeated Monroe, 3 games to 2; Greenville Buckshots defeated Clarksdale, 3 games to 1Final series: Greenville defeated Hot Springs, 4 games to 1 1940 – Monroe White Sox; Playoffs: Monroe defeated Greenville, 3 games to 1; El Dorado Oilers defeated Helena, 3 games to 1Final series: Monroe defeated El Dorado, 4 games to 1 1941 – Monroe White Sox; Playoffs: Vicksburg Hill Billies defeated Monroe, 3 games to 2; Hot Springs Bathers defeated Greenville, 3 games to 0Final series: Hot Springs defeated Vicksburg, 4 games to 0 From 1942 through 1946 the league did not play
Fifth stage (1947–1955) 1947 – Greenwood Dodgers; Playoffs: Greenwood defeated Clarksdale Cubs, 3 games to 1; Greenville Bucks defeated El Dorado, 3 games to 2Final series: Greenwood defeated Greenville, 4 games to 3 1948 – Greenwood Dodgers; Playoffs: Greenwood defeated Natchez, 3 games to 0; Hot Springs Bathers defeated Clarksdale, 3 games to 0Final series: Hot Springs defeated Greenwood, 4 games to 3 1949 – Greenwood Dodgers; Playoffs: Natchez Indians defeated El Dorado, 4 games to 3; Pine Bluff Cardinals defeated Greenwood, 4 games to 2Final series: Natchez defeated Pine Bluff, 4 games to 1 1950 – Pine Bluff Judges; Playoffs: Hot Springs Bathers defeated Monroe, 4 games to 2; Natchez Indians defeated Pine Bluff, 4 games to1Final series: Hot Springs defeated Natchez, 4 games to 3 1951 – Monroe Sports; Playoffs: Natchez Indians defeated Monroe, 4 games to 2; Pine Bluff Judges defeated Greenwood, 4 games to 3Final series: Natchez defeated Pine Bluff, 4 games to 1 1952 – Meridian Millers; Playoffs: Meridian defeated Monroe, 4 games to 2; Natchez Indians defeated Greenwood, 4 games to 2Final series: Meridian defeated Natchez, 4 games to 3 1953 – Meridian Millers; Playoffs: Meridian defeated Jackson, 4 games to 2; El Dorado Oilers defeated Pine Bluff, 4 games to 0Final series: Meridian defeated El Dorado, 4 games to 0 1954 – Greenville Tigers; Playoffs: Greenville defeated Monroe, 4 games to 1; El Dorado Oilers defeated Meridian, 4 games to 3Final series: El Dorado defeated Greenville, 4 games to 2
Standings & statistics 1902 to 1908 1902 Cotton States League Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Natchez Indians 5551.519— George Blackburn Baton Rouge Cajuns 5354.4952½ Robert Pender Vicksburg Hill Climbers 5253.4952½ Jesse Reynolds Greenville Cotton Pickers 5355.4913Bell Hebron
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotHoward MurphyBaton RougeBA.400 1903 Cotton States League Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Baton Rouge Red Sticks 7442.638— Robert Pender Vicksburg Hill Billies 7046.6034 Billy Earle Natchez Indians 5959.50016 Albert Haupt Pine Bluff Lumbermen 5460.47419 George Blackburn / Frank Christian Greenville Grays 5364.45321½William A. Smith Monroe Hill Citys 3675.32435½ Henry Hunt / Con Strothers Jim McDermott
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot William A. Smith GreenvilleBA.308 Howie Camnitz VicksburgW26 Ed Zinram NatchezHits144 Howie Camnitz VicksburgSO294 Howie Camnitz VicksburgPct.788; 26–7
1904 Cotton States League Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Pine Bluff Lumbermen 7343.629—Bert Blue / George Reed Vicksburg Hill Climbers 6848.5865 Billy Earle Monroe Hill Citys 6256.52512 George Leidy Greenville Cotton Pickers 5161.45520 Bobby Rothermel Baton Rouge Red Sticks 4963.43822 Robert Pender Natchez Indians 4274.36231 George Blackburn / William Breitenstein
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTotHoward MurphyPine BluffBA.343 Robert Lee Vernuelle Pine BluffW24Ollie Gfroerer Pine BluffRuns102 Gordon Hickman MonroeW24Howard Murphy Pine BluffHits156 Ross Helm MonroeSO221Forrest Plass VicksburgSB72 Walt Deaver Pine BluffPct.762; 16–5
1905 Cotton States League Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Greenville Cotton Pickers 5025.667— George Reed Meridian White Ribbons 4935.5835½ Tom Stouch Pine Bluff Lumbermen 4231.5757 Guy Sample Jackson Senators 4637.5548 Tommy Reynolds / Ace Stewart Baton Rouge Cajuns 4438.5379½ Wilson Matthews Vicksburg Hill Climbers 3243.42718 Frank Belt / Kid Keenan Hattiesburg Tar Heels 2146.31325 Cooney Best / Perry Werden Natchez Indians / Mobile Sea Gulls 2453.31227 George Kelley / George Reed Natchez (18–27) moved to Mobile June 26. Hattiesburg and Pine Bluff folded July 16. League disbanded July 31, with National Association approval, due to Yellow Fever epidemic.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Mike Welday GreenvilleBA.349 Slim Sallee MeridianW10 Mike Welday GreenvilleRuns62 Slim Sallee MeridianPct.714; 10–4 Mike Welday GreenvilleHits99
1906 Cotton States League