The 1981 Carolina League was a Class A baseball season played between April 10 and August 31. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with the winners of each half of the season competing in the playoffs.
The Hagerstown Suns won the Carolina League championship, defeating the Peninsula Pilots in the final round of the playoffs.
Team changes The Rocky Mount Pines relocated to Hagerstown, Maryland, and are renamed the Hagerstown Suns. The club began an affiliation with the Baltimore Orioles. The Salem Pirates ended their affiliation with the Pittsburgh Pirates and began a new affiliation with the San Diego Padres. The club is renamed the Salem Redbirds. The Alexandria Dukes began an affiliation with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Teams 1981 Carolina League Division Team City MLB Affiliate Stadium North Alexandria Dukes Alexandria, Virginia Pittsburgh Pirates Municipal Stadium at Four Mile Run Hagerstown Suns Hagerstown, Maryland Baltimore Orioles Municipal Stadium Lynchburg Mets Lynchburg, Virginia New York Mets City Stadium Salem Redbirds Salem, Virginia San Diego Padres Salem Municipal Field South Durham Bulls Durham, North Carolina Atlanta Braves Durham Athletic Park Kinston Eagles Kinston, North Carolina Toronto Blue Jays Grainger Stadium Peninsula Pilots Hampton, Virginia Philadelphia Phillies War Memorial Stadium Winston-Salem Red Sox Winston-Salem, North Carolina Boston Red Sox Ernie Shore Field
Map of teams
Regular season Summary The Peninsula Pilots finished with the best record in the league for the second consecutive season.
Standings 1981 CL Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed December 12, 2024 North division Team Win Loss % GB Hagerstown Suns 70 68 – Lynchburg Mets 71 69 – Salem Redbirds 66 74 5 Alexandria Dukes 62 75 7.5South division Peninsula Pilots 71 65 – Winston-Salem Red Sox 72 67 0.5 Kinston Eagles 72 68 1 Durham Bulls 70 68 2
League Leaders Batting leaders 1981 CL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 12, 2024 Stat Player Total AVG Brad Komminsk, Durham Bulls .322 H Brad Komminsk, Durham Bulls Benjamin Perez, Kinston Eagles 148 R Gerry Davis, Salem Redbirds 114 2B John Schaive, Alexandria Dukes 33 3B Billy Beane, Lynchburg Mets John Pavlik, Hagerstown Suns 9 HR Gerry Davis, Salem Redbirds 34 RBI Brad Komminsk, Durham Bulls 104 SB Gus Burgess, Winston-Salem Red Sox 68
Pitching leaders 1981 CL Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 12, 2024 Stat Player Total W Mike Brown, Winston-Salem Red Sox 14 ERA Mike Brown, Winston-Salem Red Sox 1.49 CG Mike Brown, Winston-Salem Red Sox 12 SV Marty Decker, Peninsula Pilots 18 SO Jeff Bittiger, Lynchburg Mets 168 IP Rick Behenna, Durham Bulls 196.0
Playoffs The Hagerstown Suns won their first Carolina League championship, defeating the Peninsula Pilots in three games.
Playoff bracket
Awards Carolina League awards Award name Recipient Most Valuable Player Brad Komminsk, Durham Bulls Pitcher of the Year Mike Brown, Winston-Salem Red Sox Manager of the Year Grady Little, Hagerstown Suns
See also 1981 Major League Baseball season
References
External links Minor League Baseball official website