List of Southern League champions

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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref name=2020can>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Southern League ceased operations before the 2021 season in conjunction with Major League Baseball's (MLB) reorganization of Minor League Baseball.<ref name=KReichard2-13-2021>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In place of the league, MLB created the Double-A South.<ref name=JMayo2-12-2021>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref name=MILB3-16-2022>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref name=KHenegan7-1-2021>Template:Cite news</ref> The top-seeded Mississippi Braves bested the Montgomery Biscuits, 3–2, for the title.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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. <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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	Template:Abbr	Runner-up	Template:Abbr
1964	Lynchburg White Sox	81–59	Template:Sort	Birmingham Barons	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1965	Columbus Confederate Yankees	79–59	Template:SortTemplate:Efn-la	Asheville Tourists	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1966	Mobile Athletics	88–52	Template:Sort	Asheville Tourists	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1967	Birmingham A's	84–55	Template:Sort	Montgomery Rebels	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1968	Asheville Tourists	86–54	Template:Sort	Montgomery Rebels	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1969	Charlotte Hornets	81–59	Template:Sort	Birmingham A's	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1970	Columbus Astros	78–59	Template:SortTemplate:Efn-la	Montgomery Rebels	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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	Template:Abbr
1971	Charlotte HornetsP	2–1	Asheville Tourists	—	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1972	Template:Sort	3–0	Asheville OriolesE	—	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1973	Template:Sort	3–1	Template:Sort	—	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1974	Template:Sort	3–2	Template:Sort	—	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1975	Template:Sort	3–0	Template:Sort	—	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1976	Template:Sort	3–1	Template:Sort	Charlotte O's & Chattanooga Lookouts	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1977	Template:Sort	2–0	Template:Sort	Savannah Braves	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1978	Template:Sort	2–1	Savannah Braves	Orlando Twins	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1979	Nashville Sounds	3–1	Columbus Astros	Charlotte O's & Memphis Chicks	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1980	Charlotte O's	3–1	Memphis Chicks	Nashville Sounds & Savannah Braves	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1981	Orlando Twins	3–1	Nashville Sounds	Memphis Chicks & Savannah Braves	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1982	Nashville Sounds	3–1	Template:Sort	Columbus AstrosWC & Knoxville Blue Jays	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1983	Birmingham Barons	3–1	Template:Sort	Nashville Sounds & Savannah Braves	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1984	Charlotte O's	3–0	Knoxville Blue Jays	Greenville Braves & Nashville Sounds	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1985	Huntsville Stars	3–2	Charlotte O's	Columbus Astros & Knoxville Blue Jays	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1986	Columbus Astros	3–2	Template:Sort	Jacksonville Expos & Knoxville Blue Jays	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1987	Birmingham Barons	3–1	Charlotte O's	Huntsville Stars & Jacksonville Expos	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1988	Template:Sort	3–0	Template:Sort	Jacksonville ExposWC & Memphis Chicks	Template:Sfn
1989	Birmingham Barons	3–0	Template:Sort	Huntsville Stars & Orlando Twins	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1990	Memphis Chicks	3–2	Orlando SunRays	Birmingham Barons & Jacksonville Expos	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1991	Orlando SunRays	3–1	Birmingham Barons	Greenville Braves & Knoxville Blue Jays	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1992	Template:Sort	3–2	Template:Sort	Charlotte KnightsWC & Huntsville StarsWC	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1993	Birmingham Barons	3–1	Knoxville Smokies	Greenville Braves & Nashville Xpress	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1994	Huntsville Stars	3–1	Carolina Mudcats	Chattanooga Lookouts & Greenville Braves	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1995	Carolina Mudcats12	3–2	Template:Sort	Memphis Chicks & Orlando CubsWC	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1996	Template:Sort	3–1	Template:Sort	Carolina MudcatsWC & Memphis Chicks	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1997	Template:Sort	3–2	Template:Sort	Knoxville Smokies & Mobile BayBears	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1998	Template:Sort	3–1	Template:Sort	Huntsville StarsWC & Knoxville Smokies	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1999	Orlando Rays	3–1	West Tenn Diamond Jaxx12	Chattanooga LookoutsWC & Knoxville Smokies	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2000	West Tenn Diamond Jaxx	3–2	Template:Sort	Birmingham Barons & Greenville Braves	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2001*	Huntsville Stars	—Template:Efn-la	—	Birmingham Barons & Chattanooga LookoutsWC	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Template:Sort
2002	Birmingham Barons	3–0	Template:Sort	Carolina Mudcats & West Tenn Diamond Jaxx	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2003	Carolina Mudcats12	3–2	Template:Sort	Birmingham Barons & Tennessee SmokiesWC	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2004*	Template:Sort	—Template:Efn-la	—	Birmingham Barons & Chattanooga Lookouts	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Tennessee Smokies
2005	Template:Sort	3–1	West Tenn Diamond Jaxx12	Birmingham Barons & Carolina MudcatsWC	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2006	Montgomery Biscuits	3–1	Template:Sort	Chattanooga Lookouts & Jacksonville Suns	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2007	Montgomery Biscuits	3–2	Template:Sort	Mississippi Braves & Tennessee SmokiesWC	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2008	Template:Sort	3–2	Carolina Mudcats	Birmingham Barons & West Tenn Diamond Jaxx	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2009	Template:Sort	3–1	Template:Sort	Birmingham Barons & Huntsville Stars	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010	Template:Sort	3–1	Template:Sort	Mobile BayBearsWC & West Tenn Diamond JaxxWC	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2011	Template:Sort	3–1	Template:Sort	Birmingham Barons & Chattanooga Lookouts	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2012	Template:Sort	3–1	Template:Sort	Chattanooga Lookouts & Montgomery Biscuits	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2013	Birmingham Barons	3–2	Mobile BayBears12	Mississippi BravesWC & Tennessee Smokies	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2014	Template:Sort	3–0	Template:Sort	Huntsville Stars & Mobile BayBears	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2015	Template:Sort	3–2	Template:Sort	Montgomery Biscuits & Pensacola Blue Wahoos	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2016	Template:Sort	3–0	Mississippi BravesWC	Montgomery Biscuits & Pensacola Blue Wahoos12	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2017*	Template:Sort	—Template:Efn-la	—	Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp & Montgomery BiscuitsWC	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Pensacola Blue Wahoos
2018	Template:Sort	3–1	Template:Sort	Montgomery Biscuits & Pensacola Blue WahoosWC	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2019	Template:Sort	3–2	Template:Sort	Montgomery Biscuits12 & Pensacola Blue WahoosWC	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2020	Template:Sort				<ref name=2020can/>
2021	Template:Sort	3–2	Montgomery Biscuits	—	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2022	Template:Sort1	2–1	Tennessee SmokiesWC	Montgomery Biscuits2 & Rocket City Trash Pandas12	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2023	Tennessee Smokies2	2–0	Pensacola Blue Wahoos1	Chattanooga Lookouts1 & Montgomery Biscuits2	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2024	Birmingham Barons1	2–0	Montgomery Biscuits12	Biloxi ShuckersWC & Tennessee Smokies2	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2025	Birmingham Barons2	2–1	Montgomery Biscuits2	Biloxi Shuckers1 & Chattanooga Lookouts1	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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

References

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