1896 Southern League season

1896 Southern League season Southern League Baseball April 16 – August 16 6 Regular season New Orleans Pelicans List of Southern League seasons SL 1895 Southern League season 1895 1898 Southern League season 1898 The 1896 Southern League was a Class B minor league baseball season played between April 16 and August 16. Six teams during the season with the top team winning the pennant. The New Orleans Pelicans finished with the best record in the league, winning the Southern League championship. Team changes The Little Rock Travelers and Memphis Giants disbanded during the 1895 season and did not return to the league. The Evansville Blackbirds and Nashville Seraphs disbanded. The Birmingham Bluebirds rejoin the league. Previously, the club last played in the league during the 1893 season. The Columbus Babies join the league. Previously, the Columbus Stars played in the Southern League in the 1885 season. The Mobile Bluebirds are renamed to the Mobile Blackbirds. The Montgomery Grays are renamed to the Montgomery Senators. Teams 1896 Southern League Team City Stadium Atlanta Crackers Atlanta, Georgia Brisbine Park Birmingham Bluebirds Birmingham, Alabama West End Park Columbus Babies Columbus, Georgia Wildwood Park Mobile Blackbirds Mobile, Alabama Frascati Park Montgomery Senators Montgomery, Alabama Riverside Park New Orleans Pelicans New Orleans, Louisiana Crescent City Base Ball Park Map of teams left 10px Southern League teams 1050 475 350 0 880 USA 2400 USA 33.75 -84.39 Black pog.svg 80 right Crackers #ffe USA 33.52 -86.81 Black pog.svg 80 left Bluebirds #ffe USA 32.49 -84.94 Black pog.svg 80 right Babies #ffe USA 30.67 -88.10 Black pog.svg 80 left Blackbirds #ffe USA 32.37 -86.30 Black pog.svg 80 left Senators #ffe USA 29.99 -90.12 Black pog.svg 80 left Pelicans #ffe Regular season Summary The New Orleans Pelicans won the pennant for the third time in team history. On July 11, the Atlanta Crackers disbanded. On July 14, the Birmingham Bluebirds disbanded. On August 16, the league canceled the remainder of the season due to financial instability. The league would remain inactive in 1897. Standings 1896 SOUA Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed August 3, 2026 Southern League Team Win Loss % GB New Orleans Pelicans 67 30 67 30 – Montgomery Senators 60 37 60 37 7 Atlanta Crackers 36 36 36 36 18.5 Mobile Bluebirds 39 59 39 59 28.5 Birmingham Bluebirds 26 41 26 41 26 Columbus Babies 35 60 35 60 31 League Leaders Batting leaders 1896 SL Leaders at statscrew.com, URL accessed August 3, 20261896 SL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed August 3, 2026 Stat Player Total AVG Edward Deady, Montgomery Senators .371 H Edward Deady, Montgomery Senators 154 R Abner Powell, New Orleans Pelicans 97 2B Jack Huston, New Orleans Pelicans Joe Katz, Birmingham Bluebirds 27 3B Ike Fisher, Mobile Blackbirds 15 HR Ike Fisher, Mobile Blackbirds 10 SB Abner Powell, New Orleans Pelicans 60 Pitching leaders 1896 SL Leaders at statscrew.com, URL accessed August 2, 20261896 SL Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed August 2, 2026 Stat Player Total W Lee Smith, New Orleans Pelicans 22 ERA Skel Roach, Mobile Blackbirds 1.13 CG Tully Sparks, Birmingham/Mobile 32 SHO Lee Smith, New Orleans Pelicans 7 IP Lee Smith, New Orleans Pelicans 293.0 SO Lee Smith, New Orleans Pelicans 128 See also 1896 Major League Baseball season References External links Minor League Baseball official website Southern League season Category:1896 in sports in Alabama Category:1896 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:1896 in sports in Louisiana