The 1946 South Atlantic League was a Class A baseball season played between April 17 and September 4. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with the top four teams qualifying for the playoffs.
The Augusta Tigers won the South Atlantic League championship, defeating the Columbia Reds in the final round of the playoffs.
League changes At the end of the 1942 season, the South Atlantic League announced that the league would shutdown due to World War II. The league resumed play in 1946. The league was elevated from Class B to Class A beginning in 1946.
Team changes The Columbus Red Birds are renamed to the Columbus Cardinals. The club remained affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Augusta Tigers ended their affiliation with the Detroit Tigers and began a new affiliation with the New York Yankees. The Greenville Spinners began an affiliation with the Chicago White Sox. The Savannah Indians began an affiliation with the Philadelphia Athletics.
Teams 1946 South Atlantic League Team City MLB Affiliate Stadium Augusta Tigers Augusta, Georgia New York Yankees Municipal Stadium Charleston Rebels Charleston, South Carolina None College Park Columbia Reds Columbia, South Carolina Cincinnati Reds Capital City Stadium Columbus Cardinals Columbus, Georgia St. Louis Cardinals Golden Park Greenville Spinners Greenville, South Carolina Chicago White Sox Meadowbrook Park Jacksonville Tars Jacksonville, Florida New York Giants Durkee Field Macon Peaches Macon, Georgia Chicago Cubs Luther Williams Field Savannah Indians Savannah, Georgia Philadelphia Athletics Grayson Stadium
Map of teams
Regular season Summary The Columbus Cardinals finish the season with the best record for the first time since 1939.
Standings 1946 SALLY Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed February 18, 2025 South Atlantic League Team Win Loss % GB Columbus Cardinals 79 60 – Columbia Reds 78 61 1 Greenville Spinners 76 62 2.5 Augusta Tigers 76 63 3 Charleston Rebels 65 75 14.5 Jacksonville Tars 65 75 14.5 Macon Peaches 61 79 18.5 Savannah Indians 55 81 23.5
League Leaders Batting leaders 1946 SAL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed February 18, 2025 Stat Player Total AVG Ted Kluszewski, Columbia Reds .352 H Frank Baumholtz, Columbia Reds Frank Boeck, Augusta Tigers 162 R Frank Boeck, Augusta Tigers 103 2B Frank Baumholtz, Columbia Reds 43 3B Roy Broome, Columbus Cardinals 16 HR Bob Erps, Columbus Cardinals 16 RBI Roy Broome, Columbus Cardinals 99 SB Roy Hartsfield, Charleston Rebels 18
Pitching leaders 1946 SAL Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed February 18, 2025 Stat Player Total W Sheldon Jones, Jacksonville Tars Dick Starr, Augusta Tigers 19 ERA Dick Starr, Augusta Tigers 2.07 CG Dick Starr, Augusta Tigers 24 SHO Matthew Nolan, Greenville Spinners Dick Starr, Augusta Tigers 5 IP Dick Starr, Augusta Tigers 287.0 SO Dick Starr, Augusta Tigers 233
Playoffs The Augusta Tigers won their fourth South Atlantic League championship, defeating the Columbia Reds in four games.
Playoff bracket
See also 1946 Major League Baseball season
References
External links Minor League Baseball official website