Appalachian League

The Appalachian League was an Advanced Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937, continued through World War II with only one year of inactivity in 1956, but was disbanded as part of the restructuring of the minor leagues after the Coronavirus pandemic wiped out what should have been its final season in 2020. It was replaced by a summer college league based in the same cities. From 1937 to 1962, it was Class D League.

Teams were located in the Appalachian regions of the states of Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. In its final seasons, the league operated as a ten-team circuit, with two divisions of five teams.

Earlier incarnations of the league had operated more centrally around Tennessee than later on, from 1911 to 1914 and 1921 to 1925, at the Class D level.

League Champions

Year	Champion
1937	Pennington Gap Lee Bears
1938	Greeneville Burley Cubs
1939	Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox
1940	Johnson City Cardinals
1941	Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox
1942	Bristol Twins
1943	Bristol Twins
1944	Kingsport Cherokees
1945	Kingsport Cherokees
1946	New River Rebels
1947	New River Rebels
1948	Pulaski Counts
1949	Bluefield Blue-Grays
1950	Bluefield Blue-Grays
1951	Kingsport Cherokees
1952	Welch Miners
1953	Welch Miners
1954	Bluefield Blue-Grays
1955	Salem Rebels
1956	Not in operation
1957	Bluefield Dodgers
1958	Johnson City Phillies
1959	Morristown Cubs
1960	Wytheville Senators
1961	Middlesboro Senators
1962	Bluefield Orioles
1963	Bluefield Orioles
1964	Johnson City Yankees
1965	Salem Rebels
1966	Marion Mets
1967	Bluefield Orioles
1968	Marion Mets
1969	Pulaski Phillies
1970	Bluefield Orioles
1971	Bluefield Orioles
1972	Bristol Tigers
1973	Kingsport Royals
1974	Bristol Tigers
1975	Johnson City Cardinals
1976	Johnson City Cardinals
1977	Kingsport Braves
1978	Elizabethton Twins
1979	Paintsville Yankees
1980	Paintsville Yankees
1981	Paintsville Yankees
1982	Bluefield Orioles
1983	Paintsville Brewers
1984	Elizabethton Twins
1985	Bristol Tigers
1986	Pulaski Braves
1987	Burlington Indians
1988	Kingsport Mets
1989	Elizabethton Twins
1990	Elizabethton Twins
1991	Pulaski Braves
1992	Bluefield Orioles
1993	Burlington Indians
1994	Princeton Reds
1995	Kingsport Mets
1996	Bluefield Orioles
1997	Bluefield Orioles
1998	Bristol White Sox
1999	Martinsville Astros
2000	Elizabethton Twins
2001	Bluefield Orioles
2002	Bristol White Sox
2003	Elizabethton Twins
2004	Greeneville Astros
2005	Elizabethton Twins
2006	Danville Braves
2007	Elizabethton Twins
2008	Elizabethton Twins
2009	Danville Braves
2010	Johnson City Cardinals
2011	Johnson City Cardinals
2012	Elizabethton Twins
2013	Pulaski Mariners
2014	Johnson City Cardinals
2015	Greeneville Astros
2016	Johnson City Cardinals
2017	Elizabethton Twins
2018	Elizabethton Twins
2019	Johnson City Cardinals
2020	season canceled due to COVID-19

Cities Represented

1911-1914

• Asheville, NC: Asheville Moonshiners 1911-1912, moved from Southeastern League 1910
• Bristol, VA: Bristol Boosters 1911-1913
• Cleveland, TN: Cleveland Counts 1911-1913
• Harriman, TN: Harriman Boosters 1914
• Johnson City, TN: Johnson City Soldiers 1911-1913, moved from Southeastern League 1910
• Knoxville, TN:
  • Knoxville Appalachians 1911, moved from Southeastern League 1910
  • Knoxville Reds 1912-1914
• Middlesboro, KY: Middlesboro Colonels 1913-1914
• Morristown, TN: Morristown Jobbers 1911-1912, moved from Southeastern League 1910; Morristown Jobbers 1913-1914
• Rome, GA: Rome Romans 1913

1921-1925

• Bristol, VA: Bristol State Liners 1921-1925
• Cleveland, TN: Cleveland Manufacturers 1921-1922
• Greeneville, TN: Greeneville Burley Cubs 1921-1925
• Johnson City, TN: Johnson City Soldiers 1921-1924
• Kingsport, TN: Kingsport Indians 1921-1925
• Knoxville, TN: Knoxville Pioneers 1921-1924
• Morristown, TN: Morristown Roosters 1923-1925

1937-2019

• Bluefield, WV / Bluefield, VA:
  • Bluefield Blue-Grays 1946-1955
  • Bluefield Dodgers 1957
  • Bluefield Orioles 1958-2010
  • Bluefield Blue Jays 2011-2019
• Bristol, TN / Bristol, VA:
  • Bristol Twins 1940-1955
  • Bristol Tigers 1969-1994
  • Bristol White Sox 1995-2013
  • Bristol Pirates 2014-2019
• Burlington, NC:
  • Burlington Indians 1986-2006
  • Burlington Royals 2007-2019
• Covington, VA:
  • Covington Red Sox 1966
  • Covington Astros 1967-1976
• Danville, VA: Danville Braves 1993-2019
• Elizabethton, TN:
  • Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox 1937-1942
  • Elizabethton Betsy Cubs 1945-1948
  • Elizabethton Betsy Local 1949-1950
  • Elizabethton Phils 1951
  • Elizabethton Twins 1974-2019
• Erwin, TN:
  • Erwin Mountaineers 1940
  • Erwin Aces 1943
  • Erwin Cubs 1944
• Greeneville, TN:
  • Greeneville Burley Cubs 1938-1942
  • Greeneville Astros 2004-2017
  • Greeneville Reds 2018-2019
• Harlan, KY:
  • Harlan Smokies 1961-1962
  • Harlan Yankees 1963
  • Harlan Red Sox 1965
• Huntington, WV:
  • Huntington Cubs 1990-1994
  • River City Rumblers 1995
• Johnson City, TN:
  • Johnson City Soldiers 1937-1938
  • Johnson City Cardinals 1939-1955, 1961, 1975-2019
  • Johnson City Phillies 1957-1960
  • Johnson City Yankees 1964-1974
• Kingsport, TN:
  • Kingsport Cherokees 1938-1941, 1943-1952, 1955
  • Kingsport Dodgers 1942
  • Kingsport Orioles 1957
  • Kingsport Pirates 1960-1963
  • Kingsport Royals 1969-1973
  • Kingsport Braves 1974-1979
  • Kingsport Mets 1980-1982, 1984-2019
• Lynchburg, VA: Lynchburg Senators 1959
• Marion, VA:
  • Marion A's 1955
  • Marion Mets 1965-1976
• Martinsville, VA:
  • Martinsville Phillies 1988-1998
  • Martinsville Astros 1999-2003
• Middlesboro, KY:
  • Middlesboro Senators 1961-1962
  • Middlesboro Cubsox 1963
• Morristown, TN: Morristown Cubs 1959-1961
• Pearisburg, VA & Narrows, VA: New River Rebels 1946-1950
• Newport, TN: Newport Canners 1937-1942
• Paintsville, KY:
  • Paintsville Highlanders 1978
  • Paintsville Yankees 1979-1982
  • Paintsville Brewers 1983-1984
• Pennington Gap, VA:
  • Pennington Gap Lee Bears 1937-1938
  • Pennington Gap Bears 1939
  • Pennington Gap Miners 1940
• Pikeville, KY:
  • Pikeville Brewers 1982
  • Pikeville Cubs 1983-1984
• Princeton, WV:
  • Princeton Pirates 1988-1989
  • Princeton Patriots 1990
  • Princeton Reds 1991-1996
  • Princeton Devil Rays 1997-2007
  • Princeton Rays 2008-2019
• Pulaski, VA:
  • Pulaski Counts 1946-1950
  • Pulaski Phillies 1952-1955, 1969-1977
  • Pulaski Cubs 1957-1958
  • Pulaski Braves 1982-1992
  • Pulaski Rangers 1997-2002
  • Pulaski Blue Jays 2003-2006
  • Pulaski Mariners 2008-2014
  • Pulaski Yankees 2015-2019
• Salem, VA : Salem Rebels 1955, 1957-1967
• Welch, WV: Welch Miners 1946-1955
• Wytheville, VA:
  • Wytheville Statesmen 1953-1955
  • Wytheville Cardinals 1957-1959
  • Wytheville Senators 1960, 1965, 1969
  • Wytheville Twins 1961-1963
  • Wytheville A's 1964
  • Wytheville Reds 1967
  • Wytheville Braves 1971-1973
  • Wytheville Cubs 1985-1989

Notable alumni

Hall of Fame

Eleven Appalachian League alumni have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame:

• Orlando Cepeda (1955, Salem)
• Joe Mauer (2001, Elizabethton)
• Greg Maddux (1984, Pikeville)
• Eddie Murray (1973, Bluefield)
• Tony Oliva (1961, Wytheville)
• Kirby Puckett (1982, Elizabethton)
• Cal Ripken Jr. (1978, Bluefield)
• Nolan Ryan (1965, Marion)
• Scott Rolen (1993, Martinsville)
• Jim Thome (1990, Burlington)
• Alan Trammell (1976, Bristol)

MLB Most Valuable Player

13 Appalachian League alumni have received the Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award:

• Don Baylor (1967, Bluefield) 1979 AL MVP
• Jeff Burroughs (1969, Wytheville) 1974 AL MVP
• Orlando Cepeda (1955, Salem) 1967 NL MVP
• Josh Hamilton (1999, Princeton) 2010 AL MVP
• Denny McLain (1962, Harlan) 1968 AL MVP
• Joe Mauer (2001, Elizabethton) 2009 AL MVP
• Kevin Mitchell (1981, Kingston) 1989 NL MVP
• Justin Morneau (2000, Elizabethton) 2006 AL MVP
• Dale Murphy (1974, Kingsport) 2 x NL MVP (1982 & 1983)
• Terry Pendleton (1982, Johnson City) 1991 NL MVP
• Boog Powell (1958, Bluefield) 1970 AL MVP
• Cal Ripken Jr. (1978, Bluefield) 1991 AL MVP
• Jimmy Rollins (1996, Martinsville) 2007 NL MVP

Cy Young Award

10 Appalachian League alumni have received the Cy Young Award:

• Steve Bedrosian (1978, Kingsport) 1987 NL Cy Young Award
• Dean Chance (1959, Bluefield) 1964 AL Cy Young Award
• Bartolo Colon (1994, Burlington) 2005 AL Cy Young Award
• Dwight Gooden (1982, Kingsport) 1985 NL Cy Young Award
• Ron Guidry (1971, Johnson City) 1977 AL Cy Young Award
• LaMarr Hoyt (1973, Johnson City) 1983 AL Cy Young Award
• Sparky Lyle (1964, Bluefield) 1977 AL Cy Young Award
• Denny McLain (1962, Harlan) 2 × AL Cy Young Award (1968, 1969)
• Greg Maddux (1984, Pikeville) 4 × NL Cy Young Award (1992–1995)
• CC Sabathia (1998, Burlington) 2007 AL Cy Young Award

MLB Rookie of the Year

17 Appalachian League alumni have received the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award:

• Orlando Cepeda (1955, Salem) 1958 NL Rookie of the Year
• Vince Coleman (1982, Johnson City) 1985 NL Rookie of the Year
• Marty Cordova (1989, Elizabethon) 1995 AL Rookie of the Year
• Carlos Correa (2012, Greenville) 2015 AL Rookie of the Year
• Jacob deGrom (2010, Kingsport) 2014 NL Rookie of the Year
• Neftali Feliz (2007, Danville) 2011 AL Rookie of the Year
• Mark Fidrych (1974, Bristol) 1976 AL Rookie of the Year
• Rafael Furcal (1998, Danville) 2000 NL Rookie of the Year
• Dwight Gooden (1982, Kingsport) 1984 NL Rookie of the Year
• Ken Hubbs (1959, Morristown) (Died age 22) 1962 Rookie of the Year
• David Justice (1985, Oulaski) 1990 NL Rookie of the Year
• Craig Kimbrel (2008, Danville) 2011 NL Rookie of the Year
• Eddie Murray (1973, Bluefield) 1977 AL Rookie of the Year
• Wil Myers (2009, Burlington) 2013 NL Rookie of the Year
• Scott Rolen (1993, Martinsville) 1997 NL Rookie of the Year
• Darryl Strawberry (1980, Kingsport) 1983 NL Rookie of the Year
• Jerome Walton (1986, Wytheville) 1989 NL Rookie of the Year

Other notable alumni and league leaders

• Joe Altobelli (1966–1967, Bluefield MGR) MGR: 1983 World Series Champion - Baltimore Orioles
• Jose Altuve (2008-09, Greenville) 3 x AL Batting Champion (2014, 2016, 2017)
• Floyd Bannister (1976, Covington) 1982 AL Strikeout Leader
• Mark Fidrych (1974, Bristol) 1976 AL ERA Leader
• Gio Gonzalez (2004, Bristol) 2012 NL Wins Leader
• Dallas Green (1969, Pulaski) Mgr: 1980 World Series Champion - Philadelphia Phillies
• Bobby Grich (1967, Bluefield) AL Home Run Leader
• Josh Hamilton (1999, Princeton) 2010 AL Batting Champion
• Andruw Jones (1994, Danville) 2005 MLB home run leader; 2005 NL RBI Leader
• Dennis Leonard (1972, Kingsport) 1977 AL Wins Leader
• Joe Magrane (1985, Johnson City) 1988 NL ERA Leader
• Jerry Manuel (1972, Bristol) 2000 AL Manager of the Year
• Joe Mauer (2001, Elizabethton) 3 × AL Batting champion (2006, 2008–2009)
• Urban Meyer (1983, Pulaski) NCAA Football Coach: 3 x National Champion
• Kevin Millwood (1994, Danville) 2005 AL ERA Leader
• Yadier Molina (2001, Johnson City) 8 × Gold Glove Award (2008–2015)
• Justin Morneau (2000, Elizabethton) 2014 NL Batting Champion
• Johnny Oates (1968, Bluefield) 1996 AL Manager of the Year
• Salvador Perez (2008, Burlington) 2015 World Series MVP
• Manny Ramirez (1991, Burlington) 2004 AL home run leader; 1999 AL RBI leader; 2002 AL Batting Champion
• Jose Reyes (2000, Kingston) 2011 NL Batting Champion
• J.R. Richard (1969, Covington) 1979 NL ERA Leader; 2 × NL Strikeout Leader (1978, 1979)
• Jose Rijo (1992, Paintsville) 1990 World Series MVP: 1993 NL strikeout leader
• Sammy Stewart (1975 Bluefield) 1981 AL ERA Leader
• Oscar Taveras (2010, Johnson City) Died Age 22.
• Adam Wainwright (2000, Danville) 2 × NL Wins Leader (2009, 2013)
• Lou Whitaker (1975, Bristol)
• Lefty Williams (1912, Morristown) Black Sox scandal

Further Reading

• Thomas Boswell: "Rookies in God's Country", in How Life Imitates the World Series, Penguin Books, New York, NY, 1982, pp. 120-126.
• Sam Dykstra: "Appy League becoming collegiate wood-bat circuit: Former Rookie Advanced loop introducing changes for 2021 season", MiLB.com, September 29, 2020. [1]

Related Sites

• Official website of the Appalachian League