1981 Southern League season

1981 Southern League season Southern League Baseball April 9 – September 1 144 10 Regular season Nashville Sounds Tim Laudner, Orlando Twins Playoffs Orlando Twins Nashville Sounds List of Southern League seasons SL 1980 Southern League season 1980 1982 Southern League season 1982 The 1981 Southern League was a Class AA baseball season played between April 9 and September 1. Ten teams played a 144-game schedule, with the top team in each division in each half of the season qualifying for the post-season. The Orlando Twins won the Southern League championship, as they defeated the Nashville Sounds in the playoffs. Team changes The Montgomery Rebels relocated to Birmingham, Alabama and were renamed to the Birmingham Barons. The club remained affiliated with the Detroit Tigers. Teams 1981 Southern League Division Team City MLB Affiliate Stadium East Charlotte Orioles Charlotte, North Carolina Baltimore Orioles Jim Crockett Memorial Park Columbus Astros Columbus, Georgia Houston Astros Golden Park Jacksonville Suns Jacksonville, Florida Kansas City Royals Wolfson Park Orlando Twins Orlando, Florida Minnesota Twins Tinker Field Savannah Braves Savannah, Georgia Atlanta Braves Grayson Stadium West Birmingham Barons Birmingham, Alabama Detroit Tigers Rickwood Field Chattanooga Lookouts Chattanooga, Tennessee Cleveland Indians Engel Stadium Knoxville Blue Jays Knoxville, Tennessee Toronto Blue Jays Bill Meyer Stadium Memphis Chicks Memphis, Tennessee Montreal Expos Tim McCarver Stadium Nashville Sounds Nashville, Tennessee New York Yankees Herschel Greer Stadium Map of teams left 10px East Division 10px West Division 1015 425 370 190 650 USA 2000 USA 35.20 -80.86 Blue pog.svg 80 top Charlotte #ffe USA 32.45 -84.99 Blue pog.svg 80 top Columbus #ffe USA 30.33 -81.64 Blue pog.svg 80 top Jackson-ville #ffe USA 28.54 -81.40 Blue pog.svg 80 top Orlando #ffe USA 32.04 -81.08 Blue pog.svg 80 top Savannah #ffe USA 33.50 -86.86 Red pog.svg 80 top Birming-ham #ffe USA 35.05 -85.29 Red pog.svg 80 top Chattan-ooga #ffe USA 35.98 -83.91 Red pog.svg 80 top Knoxville #ffe USA 35.12 -89.98 Red pog.svg 80 top Memphis #ffe USA 36.14 -86.77 Red pog.svg 80 top Nashville #ffe Regular season Summary The Nashville Sounds finished the season with the best record in the league for the second consecutive season. Standings 1981 SOUL Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed March 4, 2025 East Division Team Win Loss % GB Orlando Twins 79 63 79 63 – Charlotte Orioles 74 69 74 69 5.5 Savannah Braves 70 70 70 70 8 Jacksonville Suns 65 77 65 77 14 Columbus Astros 63 78 63 78 15.5West Division Nashville Sounds 81 62 81 62 – Memphis Chicks 77 66 77 66 4 Birmingham Barons 71 70 71 70 9 Chattanooga Lookouts 67 75 67 75 13.5 Knoxville Blue Jays 63 80 63 80 18 League Leaders Batting leaders 1981 SL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed March 4, 2025 Stat Player Total AVG Kevin Rhomberg, Chattanooga Lookouts .366 H Kevin Rhomberg, Chattanooga Lookouts 187 R Ted Wilborn, Nashville Sounds 106 2B Don Mattingly, Nashville Sounds 35 3B Kevin Rhomberg, Chattanooga Lookouts 14 HR Tim Laudner, Orlando Twins 42 RBI Larry Ray, Columbus Astros 107 SB Kevin Rhomberg, Chattanooga Lookouts 74 Pitching leaders 1981 SL Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed March 4, 2025 Stat Player Total W Craig McMurtry, Savannah Braves 15 ERA Jamie Werly, Nashville Sounds 2.59 CG Jamie Werly, Nashville Sounds 18 SHO Keith Creel, Jacksonville Suns 4 SV Tom Gorman, Memphis Chicks Mark Ross, Columbus Astros 22 IP Jamie Werly, Nashville Sounds 222.0 SO Jamie Werly, Nashville Sounds 193 Playoffs The Orlando Twins won their first Southern League championship, defeating the Nashville Sounds in four games. Playoff bracket Division finals Finals E1 Orlando 3 E2 Savannah 1 W1 Nashville 3 W2 Memphis 0 E1 Orlando 3 W1 Nashville 1 Awards Southern League awards Award name Recipient Most Valuable Player Tim Laudner, Orlando Twins Pitcher of the Year Jamie Werly, Nashville Sounds Manager of the Year Tom Kelly, Orlando Twins See also 1981 Major League Baseball season References External links Minor League Baseball official website Southern League season Category:1981 in sports in Alabama Category:1981 in sports in Florida Category:1981 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:1981 in sports in North Carolina Category:1981 in sports in Tennessee