The 1961 South Atlantic League was a Class A baseball season played between April 17 and September 5. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with the top team winning the league pennant and championship.
The Asheville Tourists won the South Atlantic League pennant and championship, as they had the best record in the league.
Team changes The Macon Dodgers leave the league and join the Southern Association. The Savannah Pirates disbanded. The Greenville Spinners are reactivated and the club rejoins the league, last playing in the Tri-State League in 1955. The Spinners last played in the South Atlantic League in 1950. The team begins an affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides join the league as an expansion team. The club begins an affiliation with the Kansas City Athletics. The Asheville Tourists ended their affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies and began a new affiliation with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Jacksonville Braves ended their affiliation with the Milwaukee Braves and began a new affiliation with the Houston Colt .45s. The club was renamed the Jacksonville Jets.
Teams 1961 South Atlantic League Team City MLB Affiliate Stadium Asheville Tourists Asheville, North Carolina Pittsburgh Pirates McCormick Field Charleston White Sox Charleston, South Carolina Chicago White Sox Hampton Park Charlotte Hornets Charlotte, North Carolina Minnesota Twins Clark Griffith Park Columbia Reds Columbia, South Carolina Cincinnati Reds Capital City Stadium Greenville Spinners Greenville, South Carolina Los Angeles Dodgers Meadowbrook Park Jacksonville Jets Jacksonville, Florida Houston Colt .45s Jacksonville Baseball Park Knoxville Smokies Knoxville, Tennessee Detroit Tigers Knoxville Municipal Stadium Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides Portsmouth, Virginia Norfolk, Virginia Kansas City Athletics Frank D. Lawrence Stadium High Rock Park
Map of teams
Regular season Summary The Asheville Tourists finish the season with the best record in the league for the first time since 1928.
Standings 1961 SALLY Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed February 23, 2025 South Atlantic League Team Win Loss % GB Asheville Tourists 87 50 – Knoxville Smokies 75 64 13 Greenville Spinners 72 66 15.5 Columbia Reds 70 65 16 Charleston White Sox 70 68 17.5 Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides 66 72 21.5 Charlotte Hornets 61 79 27.5 Jacksonville Jets 51 88 37
League Leaders Batting leaders 1961 SAL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed February 23, 2025 Stat Player Total AVG Teolindo Acosta, Columbia Reds .343 H Teolindo Acosta, Columbia Reds Bill Roman, Knoxville Smokies 167 R Gary Rushing, Asheville Tourists 108 2B Wendell Antoine, Charlotte Hornets 37 3B Bill Roman, Knoxville Smokies 17 HR Gary Rushing, Asheville Tourists 25 RBI Gary Rushing, Asheville Tourists 99 SB Teolindo Acosta, Columbia Reds 40
Pitching leaders 1961 SAL Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed February 23, 2025 Stat Player Total W Jack Taylor, Charlotte Hornets 17 ERA Nick Willhite, Greenville Spinners 1.80 CG Nick Willhite, Greenville Spinners 23 SHO Nick Willhite, Greenville Spinners 6 IP Nick Willhite, Greenville Spinners 230.0 SO Nick Willhite, Greenville Spinners 161
See also 1961 Major League Baseball season
References
External links Minor League Baseball official website