The 1888 Southern League was a minor league baseball season played between April 7 and July 8. Four teams played during the season with the top team winning the league pennant and championship.
The Birmingham Maroons won the Southern League championship, as they had the best record in the league.
Team changes The Mobile Swamp Angels, Nashville Blues and the Savannah club did not return to the league after disbanding during the 1887 season. The Birmingham Ironmakers are renamed to the Birmingham Maroons. The Memphis Browns are renamed to the Memphis Grays.
Teams 1888 Southern League Team City Stadium Birmingham Maroons Birmingham, Alabama West End Park Charleston Seagulls Charleston, South Carolina Ball Park Field Memphis Grays Memphis, Tennessee Olympic Park New Orleans Pelicans New Orleans, Louisiana Crescent City Base Ball Park
Map of teams
Regular season Summary The Birmingham Maroons finished the season with the best record in the league for the first time in franchise history. On June 30, the Memphis Grays disbanded. On July 8, the league disbanded.
Standings 1888 SOUA Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed August 1, 2026 Southern League Team Win Loss % GB Birmingham Maroons 32 19 – Memphis Grays 26 24 5.5 New Orleans Pelicans 25 32 10 Charleston Seagulls 20 28 10.5
League Leaders Batting leaders 1888 SL Leaders at statscrew.com, URL accessed August 1, 2026 1888 SL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed August 1, 2026 Stat Player Total AVG Monk Cline, Memphis Grays .339 H Monk Cline, Memphis Grays 74 R Monk Cline, Memphis Grays 55 2B Monk Cline, Memphis Grays 20 3B Fred Mann, Charleston Seagulls Jimmy McAleer, Memphis Grays 4 HR Perry Werden, New Orleans Pelicans 5 SB Abner Powell, New Orleans Pelicans 49
Pitching leaders 1888 SL Leaders at statscrew.com, URL accessed August 1, 2026 1888 SL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed August 1, 2026 Stat Player Total W John Ewing, Memphis Grays Tom Sullivan, Birmingham Maroons 12 ERA John Ewing, Memphis Grays 1.39 CG Tom Sullivan, Birmingham Maroons Wild Bill Widner, New Orleans Pelicans 21 SHO Wild Bill Widner, New Orleans Pelicans 4 IP Wild Bill Widner, New Orleans Pelicans 198.0 SO Kid Nichols, Memphis Grays 84
See also 1888 Major League Baseball season
References
External links Minor League Baseball official website