1952 Western Carolina League

From SABR Encyclopedia

1952 Western Carolina League
Classification:	D

Statistics

{{#sabr-lightbox-iframe:http://sabrpedia.org/includes/active/leagues/batting/2e4c3a74.html|Individual batting statistics for 1952 Western Carolina League|width:95%;height:95%;scrolling:auto|Batting}} • {{#sabr-lightbox-iframe:http://sabrpedia.org/includes/active/leagues/pitching/2e4c3a74.html|Individual pitching statistics for 1952 Western Carolina League|width:95%;height:95%;scrolling:auto|Pitching}}

The Western Carolina League was a Class D league in North Carolina which existed from 1948-1952.

For the 1952 season the league had six teams: Hickory Rebels, Lincolnton Cardinals, Marion Marauders, Morganton Aggies, Rutherford County Owls, and Shelby Farmers. Most of the teams were independent and had no working agreement with a major league club. As a result, most teams struggled financially, and the Morganton Aggies folded in early August.^[1]

The league schedule called for 120 games per club, although the most played by any team was 111 due to late-season rainouts and the withdrawal of Morganton from the league.

The Lincolnton Cardinals(72-39) won the regular season pennant by one-half game over the Shelby Farmers(71-39), but Shelby prevailed in the playoffs to win the league championship.

Team rosters were limited to 16 players divided among three catgeories: rookies, limited service players, and veterans.

The league president was Judge T. Earl Franklin of Morganton, NC.^[2]

The 1952 season was marked by a mid-season walkout of the league umpires who felt the league did not act decisively after two umpires were verbally assaulted by fans following a Lincolnton-Shelby game. Umpires who resigned were Umpire-in-Chief John "Red" Sherrill, Charles Canupp, Bill Hearn, Lamar Laney, Jimmy "Bull" Newsome, and Loren Williams. One umpire, John Hollar, did not join the walkout.^[3]

Following the 1952 season, the league merged with the North Carolina State League to form the Tar Heel League.

Footnotes

1. ↑ "Aggies Withdraw from Western Carolina League". Marion Progress, 1952-August-07.
2. ↑ "Marauders Play Host to Aggies in Opening Game". The McDowell News, 1952-April-21.
3. ↑ "Umps Quit League". The McDowell News, 1952-July-08.