Georgia–Florida League
| Sport |
Minor League Baseball Class A (1962) Class D (1935-1942, 1946-1958, 1962-1963) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1935 |
| Ceased | 1963 |
| No. of teams | 14 |
| Country | USA |
| Most titles | 8 Albany |
The Georgia–Florida League was a minor baseball league that existed from 1935 through 1958 (suspending operations during World War II) and in 1962–1963. It was one of many Class D circuits that played in the Southeastern United States during the postwar period—a group that included the Georgia State League, Georgia–Alabama League, Florida State League, and the Alabama State League.
The GFL's longest-serving clubs represented Moultrie, Thomasville and Albany, all in Georgia. While it managed to survive the downturn in minor league baseball attendance through 1958 and experienced only a handful of in-season franchise shifts (and no in-season team foldings), its member clubs frequently switched affiliations and identities.
In 1963, the minor leagues reorganized and the Georgia–Florida League was designated Class A. But there were only four teams in the '63 GFL, and its champion, the Thomasville Tigers, a Detroit affiliate, attracted only 7,234 fans over the entire course of a home schedule of over 60 games—an average of about 120 fans per game. Attendance woes such as that sealed the league's fate; it folded that autumn and has not since been revived.
Member teams
References
- Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, editors: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997.