South Atlantic League (1946-1955)
Tombstone
Born: 1946
Re-Branded: 1956 (Columbus Foxes)
First Game: April 17, 1946 (L 7-6 vs. Macon Peaches)
Last Game: August 31, 1955 (L 10-0 @ Jacksonville Braves)
South Atlantic League Championships: None
Stadia
1946-1950: Golden Park I
1951-1955: Golden Park II
Ownership & Affiliation
Owner:
Major League Affiliation: St. Louis Cardinals
Background
The Columbus Cardinals (not to be confused with the Ohio-based Columbus Red Birds of the same era) were a Class A farm club of the St. Louis Cardinals for a decade after World War II. The Cardinals played in the old South Atlantic League, which featured ball clubs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.
Columbus, Georgia had a long affiliation with St. Louis dating back to 1936. The Columbus Red Birds formed that year and played until 1942 when the South Atlantic League suspended played for three years for the war. When the league resumed play in 1946, Columbus set up as a St. Louis farm club once again, with the slightly modified “Cardinals” name.
The Cardinals won the Sally League regular season during 1946 and 1947 but suffered 1st round playoff defeats both years. In 1951, Columbus replaced the old wooden Golden Park with a new brick-and-steel structure, also called Golden Park, on the same piece of property.
Shift To Baltimore Orioles & Name Change
The Cardinals left town in 1956. Columbus remained in the Sally League, but shifted the Major League affiliation to the Baltimore Orioles and re-branded as the “Columbus Foxes”, a name used previously by several local ballclubs from 1909 to 1932.
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