Appalachian League Baseball History

Appalachian League (1937-Present)

Milestones

Formed: 1937
Status: Active

First Game: May 21, 19371NO BYLINE. “Appalachian League Season Opens Today”. The Chronicle (Johnson City, TN). May 21, 1937

Seasons: 82 & counting (as of 2020)
States: 5
(KY, NC, TN, VA, WV)

Leadership

Attendance

Trophy Case

 

Background

Coming soon…

 

Appalachian League Franchise List

Franchise Years Active League Champions
Bluefield Blue Jays 2011-2019 None
Bluefield Blue-Grays 1946-1955 1949-1950-1954
Bluefield Dodgers 1957 1957
Bluefield Orioles 1958-2010 1962-1963-1967-1970-1971-1982-1992-1996-1997-2001
Bluefield Ridge Runners 2021-Present None
Bristol Pirates 2014-2019 None
Bristol State Liners 2021-Present None
Bristol Tigers 1969-1994 1972-1974-1985
Bristol Twins 1940-1955 1942-1943
Bristol White Sox 1995-2013 1998-2002
Burlington Indians 1986-2006 1987-1993
Burlington Royals 2007-2019 None
Burlington Sock Puppets 2021-Present None
Covington Astros 1967-1976 None
Covington Red Sox 1966 None
Danville Braves 1993-2019 2006-2009
Danville Otterbots 2021-Present None
Elizabethton Betsy Cubs 1945-1948 None
Elizabethton Betsy Local 1949-1950 None
Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox 1937-1942 1939-1941
Elizabethton Phils 1951 None
Elizabethton River Riders 2021-Present None
Elizabethton Twins 1974-2019 1978-1984-1989-1990-2000-2003-2005-2007-2008-2012-2017-2018
Erwin Aces 1943 None
Erwin Cubs 1944 None
Erwin Mountaineers 1940 None
Greeneville Astros 2004-2017 2004-2015
Greeneville Burley Cubs 1938-1942 1938
Greeneville Flyboys 2021-Present None
Greeneville Reds 2018-2019 None
Harlan Red Sox 1965 None
Harlan Smokies 1961-1962 None
Harlan Yankees 1963 None
Huntington Cubs 1990-1994 None
Johnson City Cardinals 1939-1955 1940
Johnson City Cardinals 1961 None
Johnson City Cardinals 1975-2019 1975-1976-2010-2011-2014-2016-2019
Johnson City Doughboys 2021-Present None
Johnson City Phillies 1957-1960 1958
Johnson City Soldiers 1937-1938 None
Johnson City Yankees 1964-1974 1964
Kingsport Axmen 2021-Present None
Kingsport Braves 1974-1979 1977
Kingsport Cherokees 1938-1941 & 1943-1952 & 1955 1944-1945-1951
Kingsport Dodgers 1942 None
Kingsport Mets 1980-1982 & 1984-2019 1988-1995
Kingsport Orioles 1957 None
Kingsport Pirates 1960-1963 None
Kingsport Royals 1969-1973 1973
Lynchburg Senators 1959 None
Marion A's 1955 None
Marion Mets 1965-1976 1966-1968
Martinsville Astros 1999-2003 1999
Martinsville Phillies 1988-1998
Middlesboro Cubsox 1963 None
Middlesboro Senators 1961-1962 1961
Morristown Cubs 1959-1961 1959
New River Rebels 1946-1950 1946-1947
Newport Canners 1937-1942 None
Paintsville Brewers 1983-1984 1983
Paintsville Hilanders 1978 None
Paintsville Yankees 1979-1982 1979-1980-1981
Pennington Gap Bears 1939 None
Pennington Gap Lee Bears 1937-1938 1937
Pennington Gap Miners 1940 None
Pikeville Brewers 1982 None
Pikeville Cubs 1983-1984 None
Princeton Devil Rays 1997-2007
Princeton Patriots 1990 None
Princeton Pirates 1988-1989 None
Princeton Rays 2008-2019
Princeton Reds 1991-1996 1994
Princeton Whistlepigs 2021-Present None
Pulaski Blue Jays 2003-2006
Pulaski Braves 1982-1992 1986-1991
Pulaski Counts 1946-1950 1948
Pulaski Cubs 1957-1958 None
Pulaski Mariners 2008-2014 2013
Pulaski Phillies 1952-1955 None
Pulaski Phillies 1969-1977 1969
Pulaski Rangers 1997-2002
Pulaski River Turtles 2021-Present None
Pulaski Yankees 2015-2019
River City Rumblers 1995 None
Salem Rebels 1955 & 1957-1967 1955-1965
Welch Miners 1946-1955 1952-1953
Wytheville A's 1964 None
Wytheville Braves 1971-1973 None
Wytheville Cardinals 1957-1959
Wytheville Cubs 1985-1989 None
Wytheville Reds 1967 None
Wytheville Senators 1960 1960
Wytheville Senators 1965 None
Wytheville Senators 1969 None
Wytheville Statesmen 1953-1955 None
Wytheville Twins 1961-1963 None

 

Appalachian League Shop

Editor's Pick

Appalachian League Baseball

Where Rookies Rise
By Allen LaMountain
 

Long-time Appy League beat writer Allen LaMountain wrote this exhaustive chronicle of the Rookie circuit in 2014, offering a history of each city in the circuit and profiles of dozens of the future Major League stars and Hall-of Famers who got their first taste of pro ball in places like Bluefield, Elizabethton, Johnson City and Kingsport.

 

When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

 

 

 

Downloads

2022 Appalachian League Media Guide & Record Book

 

2017 Appalachian League Media Guide (.PDF)

2020 Appalachian League Media Guide (.PDF)

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