List of Southern League champions

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Thirty men on a baseball field; most are wearing light baseball uniforms and dark caps
The 1982 Southern League champion Nashville Sounds

The Southern League (SL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States at the Double-A level, which is two grades below Major League Baseball. A champion has been determined at the end of each season since the league was formed in 1964.

Through 1970, champions were the regular-season pennant winners—the team with the best win–loss record at the conclusion of the regular season. The 1971 title was decided in a postseason series between the two teams with the best records. From 1972 to 1975, the winners of each of two divisions competed in a series to determine champions. The league operated using a split season format from 1976 to 2020. Under this format, the winners of each half within each division played for the division championship, and the division winners met to play for the SL title. The 2021 winner was crowned via a series between the two teams with the best full-season records. As of 2022, the winners of each division from both the first and second halves of the season meet in a best-of-three division series, with the winners of the two division series meeting in a best-of-three championship series.

The Birmingham Barons have won nine Southern League championships, more than any other team, followed by the Jacksonville Suns (6) and Montgomery Rebels (5). Among active SL franchises, Birmingham has won nine championships, the most of all teams, followed by the Knoxville Smokies (4) and Chattanooga Lookouts (3).

History

The Southern League was founded in 1964.[1] A league champion has been determined at the end of each season. Champions from 1964 to 1970 were simply the regular-season pennant winners—the team with the best win–loss record at the conclusion of the regular championship season.Template:Sfn The first league champions were the Lynchburg White Sox, who won by one game over the Birmingham Barons in 1964.Template:Sfn

In 1971, the league merged with the Texas League to form the Dixie Association, an interleague partnership in which they played an interlocking schedule, and the leagues' champions met to determine a Dixie Association champion.[2] The Southern League championship was determined via a best-of-three playoff series between the top two teams in the league, based on winning percentage. The top-seeded Charlotte Hornets defeated the Asheville Tourists, 2–1.Template:Sfn Charlotte then won the Dixie Association title over the Texas League champion Arkansas Travelers, in three-straight games.Template:Sfn The partnership was dissolved after the season.[3]

The Southern League divided its teams into two divisions in 1972. From 1972 to 1975, the winners of each division met in a best-of-five series to determine a champion.Template:Sfn In 1976, the circuit adopted a split season format while maintaining its divisional alignment.Template:Sfn Under this arrangement, the schedule was split into two parts. The team with the best record in each division at the end of the first half won the first-half division title. Standings were then reset so that all clubs had clean records to begin the second half. Second-half division titles were decided in the same manner. Then, the first and second-half winners in each division met to determine division champions. These winners played for the Southern League championship.[4]

The first four-team playoff, held in 1976, was won by the Western Division champion Montgomery Rebels over the Eastern Division champion Orlando Twins, 3–1.Template:Sfn The 1976 playoffs featured a one-game semifinal divisional round and a best-of-five championship series.Template:Sfn Both rounds were the best-of-three in 1977 and 1978.Template:Sfn The 1979 playoffs had a best-of-three divisional round and a best-of-five final.Template:Sfn From 1980 to 2020, both rounds were the best-of-five.Template:Sfn Initially, if one team won both halves, they received a bye into the championship round.Template:Sfn Beginning in 1982, the team in that division with the second-place full-season record was awarded a wild card berth and became the division champion's opponent.Template:Sfn

The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] The Southern League ceased operations before the 2021 season in conjunction with Major League Baseball's (MLB) reorganization of Minor League Baseball.[6] In place of the league, MLB created the Double-A South.[7] Prior to the 2022 season, MLB renamed the Double-A South the Southern League, and it carried on the history of the circuit prior to reorganization.[8] In 2021, the Double-A South held a best-of-five series between the two teams with the best records, regardless of division standings, to determine a league champion.[9] The top-seeded Mississippi Braves bested the Montgomery Biscuits, 3–2, for the title.[10]

In 2022, the Southern League returned to the split-season divisional format it has used for the majority of its existence. The winners of each half in a division vie for the division championship. The second-place overall team is awarded a wild card berth in the event the same team wins both halves. The division champions then compete for the Southern League championship. Both rounds are the best-of-three games. [11]

Champions

Pre-playoff champions (1964–1970)

Key
Record Regular-season win–loss record
GA Games ahead of the second-place team
Champions
Year Champion Record GA Runner-up Ref.
1964 Lynchburg White Sox 81–59 Script error: No such module "sort". Birmingham Barons [12]
1965 Columbus Confederate Yankees 79–59 Script error: No such module "sort".Template:Efn-la Asheville Tourists [13]
1966 Mobile Athletics 88–52 Script error: No such module "sort". Asheville Tourists [14]
1967 Birmingham A's 84–55 Script error: No such module "sort". Montgomery Rebels [15]
1968 Asheville Tourists 86–54 Script error: No such module "sort". Montgomery Rebels [16]
1969 Charlotte Hornets 81–59 Script error: No such module "sort". Birmingham A's [17]
1970 Columbus Astros 78–59 Script error: No such module "sort".Template:Efn-la Montgomery Rebels [18]

Playoff champions (1971–present)

Key
Score Score of the championship series
* Co-champions
P Regular-season pennant winner
E East Division winner
W West Division winner
12 Won both the first and second half of the split season
WC Wild card qualifier
Champions
Year Champion Score Runner-up Other playoff teams Ref.
1971 Charlotte HornetsP 2–1 Asheville Tourists — [19]
1972 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–0 Asheville OriolesE — [20]
1973 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". — [21]
1974 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–2 Script error: No such module "sort". — [22]
1975 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–0 Script error: No such module "sort". — [23]
1976 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Charlotte O's & Chattanooga Lookouts [24]
1977 Script error: No such module "sort". 2–0 Script error: No such module "sort". Savannah Braves [25]
1978 Script error: No such module "sort". 2–1 Savannah Braves Orlando Twins [26]
1979 Nashville Sounds 3–1 Columbus Astros Charlotte O's & Memphis Chicks [27]
1980 Charlotte O's 3–1 Memphis Chicks Nashville Sounds & Savannah Braves [28]
1981 Orlando Twins 3–1 Nashville Sounds Memphis Chicks & Savannah Braves [29]
1982 Nashville Sounds 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Columbus AstrosWC & Knoxville Blue Jays [30]
1983 Birmingham Barons 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Nashville Sounds & Savannah Braves [31]
1984 Charlotte O's 3–0 Knoxville Blue Jays Greenville Braves & Nashville Sounds [32]
1985 Huntsville Stars 3–2 Charlotte O's Columbus Astros & Knoxville Blue Jays [33]
1986 Columbus Astros 3–2 Script error: No such module "sort". Jacksonville Expos & Knoxville Blue Jays [34]
1987 Birmingham Barons 3–1 Charlotte O's Huntsville Stars & Jacksonville Expos [35]
1988 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–0 Script error: No such module "sort". Jacksonville ExposWC & Memphis Chicks Template:Sfn
1989 Birmingham Barons 3–0 Script error: No such module "sort". Huntsville Stars & Orlando Twins [36]
1990 Memphis Chicks 3–2 Orlando SunRays Birmingham Barons & Jacksonville Expos [37]
1991 Orlando SunRays 3–1 Birmingham Barons Greenville Braves & Knoxville Blue Jays [38]
1992 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–2 Script error: No such module "sort". Charlotte KnightsWC & Huntsville StarsWC [39]
1993 Birmingham Barons 3–1 Knoxville Smokies Greenville Braves & Nashville Xpress [40]
1994 Huntsville Stars 3–1 Carolina Mudcats Chattanooga Lookouts & Greenville Braves [41]
1995 Carolina Mudcats12 3–2 Script error: No such module "sort". Memphis Chicks & Orlando CubsWC [42]
1996 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Carolina MudcatsWC & Memphis Chicks [43]
1997 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–2 Script error: No such module "sort". Knoxville Smokies & Mobile BayBears [44]
1998 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Huntsville StarsWC & Knoxville Smokies [45]
1999 Orlando Rays 3–1 West Tenn Diamond Jaxx12 Chattanooga LookoutsWC & Knoxville Smokies [46]
2000 West Tenn Diamond Jaxx 3–2 Script error: No such module "sort". Birmingham Barons & Greenville Braves [47]
2001* Huntsville Stars —Template:Efn-la — Birmingham Barons & Chattanooga LookoutsWC [48]
Script error: No such module "sort".
2002 Birmingham Barons 3–0 Script error: No such module "sort". Carolina Mudcats & West Tenn Diamond Jaxx [49]
2003 Carolina Mudcats12 3–2 Script error: No such module "sort". Birmingham Barons & Tennessee SmokiesWC [50]
2004* Script error: No such module "sort". —Template:Efn-la — Birmingham Barons & Chattanooga Lookouts [51]
Tennessee Smokies
2005 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–1 West Tenn Diamond Jaxx12 Birmingham Barons & Carolina MudcatsWC [52]
2006 Montgomery Biscuits 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Chattanooga Lookouts & Jacksonville Suns [53]
2007 Montgomery Biscuits 3–2 Script error: No such module "sort". Mississippi Braves & Tennessee SmokiesWC [54]
2008 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–2 Carolina Mudcats Birmingham Barons & West Tenn Diamond Jaxx [55]
2009 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Birmingham Barons & Huntsville Stars [56]
2010 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Mobile BayBearsWC & West Tenn Diamond JaxxWC [57]
2011 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Birmingham Barons & Chattanooga Lookouts [58]
2012 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Chattanooga Lookouts & Montgomery Biscuits [59]
2013 Birmingham Barons 3–2 Mobile BayBears12 Mississippi BravesWC & Tennessee Smokies [60]
2014 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–0 Script error: No such module "sort". Huntsville Stars & Mobile BayBears [61]
2015 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–2 Script error: No such module "sort". Montgomery Biscuits & Pensacola Blue Wahoos [62]
2016 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–0 Mississippi BravesWC Montgomery Biscuits & Pensacola Blue Wahoos12 [63]
2017* Script error: No such module "sort". —Template:Efn-la — Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp & Montgomery BiscuitsWC [64]
Pensacola Blue Wahoos
2018 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–1 Script error: No such module "sort". Montgomery Biscuits & Pensacola Blue WahoosWC [65]
2019 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–2 Script error: No such module "sort". Montgomery Biscuits12 & Pensacola Blue WahoosWC [66]
2020 Script error: No such module "sort". [5]
2021 Script error: No such module "sort". 3–2 Montgomery Biscuits — [67]
2022 Script error: No such module "sort".1 2–1 Tennessee SmokiesWC Montgomery Biscuits2 & Rocket City Trash Pandas12 [68]
2023 Tennessee Smokies2 2–0 Pensacola Blue Wahoos1 Chattanooga Lookouts1 & Montgomery Biscuits2 [69]
2024 Birmingham Barons1 2–0 Montgomery Biscuits12 Biloxi ShuckersWC & Tennessee Smokies2 [70]
2025 Birmingham Barons2 2–1 Montgomery Biscuits2 Biloxi Shuckers1 & Chattanooga Lookouts1 [71]

Wins by team

Active Southern League teams appear in bold.

Team Wins Year(s)
Birmingham Barons (Birmingham A's) 9 1967, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1993, 2002, 2013, 2024, 2025
Jacksonville Suns 6 1996, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014
Montgomery Rebels 5 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977
Jackson Generals (West Tenn Diamond Jaxx) 4 2000, 2016, 2018, 2019
Knoxville Smokies (Knoxville Sox/Tennessee Smokies) 1974, 1978, 2004, 2023
Mobile BayBears 1998, 2004, 2011, 2012
Chattanooga Lookouts 3 1988, 2015, 2017
Huntsville Stars 1985, 1994, 2001
Orlando Rays (Orlando Twins/SunRays) 1981, 1991, 1999
Carolina Mudcats 2 1995, 2003
Charlotte Hornets 1969, 1971
Charlotte O's 1980, 1984
Columbus Astros 1970, 1986
Greenville Braves 1992, 1997
Mississippi Braves 2008, 2021
Montgomery Biscuits 2006, 2007
Nashville Sounds 1979, 1982
Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2017, 2022
Asheville Tourists 1 1968
Columbus Confederate Yankees 1965
Lynchburg White Sox 1964
Memphis Chicks 1990
Mobile Athletics 1966

Notes

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References

Specific

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  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  54. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  55. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  56. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  57. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  58. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  59. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  60. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  64. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  66. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  67. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  68. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  69. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  70. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  71. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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General

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