Meridian Brakemen

After a 40-year absence, professional baseball returned to Meridian, MS with the Meridian Brakemen of the Big South League forming in 1996. The team finished last in the six-team league in both halves with a combined record of 26-44 and at one point traded 1B Andre Keene for money and a Muddy Waters record. Keene hit .317 with 16 homers between the two teams and made the All-Star team. Joining him As All-Stars were OF Tony Bellinato (.340, 15 HR) and OF Stanton Cameron (.333 with a league-high 21 HR and 78 RBI between the Columbia Mules and Meridian).

In their second and last season, they won the first-half title at 23-12 but slipped to 9-17 in the second half and were swept by the Greenville Bluesmen in the best-of-5 championship. Arnold Santiago led the league in RBI (53) despite not getting enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title, and Shawn Cheek (.362) paced the league in hits (80) and doubles (19). After the season, the league folded, and the Brakemen were no more.

The name "Brakemen" is inspired by country music pioneer Jimmie Rodgers, Meridian's most famous native, who was known as "the Singing Brakeman".