1961 South Atlantic League season
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| 1961 South Atlantic League season | |
|---|---|
| League | South Atlantic League |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | April 17 – September 5 |
| Number of games | 140 |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Regular season | |
| League champions | Asheville Tourists |
The 1961 South Atlantic League was a Class A baseball season played between April 17 and September 5. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with the top team winning the league pennant and championship.
The Asheville Tourists won the South Atlantic League pennant and championship, as they had the best record in the league.
- The Macon Dodgers leave the league and join the Southern Association.
- The Savannah Pirates disbanded.
- The Greenville Spinners are reactivated and the club rejoins the league, last playing in the Tri-State League in 1955. The Spinners last played in the South Atlantic League in 1950. The team begins an affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- The Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides join the league as an expansion team. The club begins an affiliation with the Kansas City Athletics.
- The Asheville Tourists ended their affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies and began a new affiliation with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- The Jacksonville Braves ended their affiliation with the Milwaukee Braves and began a new affiliation with the Houston Colt .45s. The club was renamed the Jacksonville Jets.
Teams
Map of teams
Regular season
Summary
- The Asheville Tourists finish the season with the best record in the league for the first time since 1928.
Standings
| South Atlantic League | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Asheville Tourists | 87 | 50 | .635 | – |
| Knoxville Smokies | 75 | 64 | .540 | 13 |
| Greenville Spinners | 72 | 66 | .522 | 15.5 |
| Columbia Reds | 70 | 65 | .519 | 16 |
| Charleston White Sox | 70 | 68 | .507 | 17.5 |
| Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides | 66 | 72 | .478 | 21.5 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 61 | 79 | .436 | 27.5 |
| Jacksonville Jets | 51 | 88 | .367 | 37 |
League Leaders
Batting leaders
Pitching leaders
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Jack Taylor, Charlotte Hornets | 17 |
| ERA | Nick Willhite, Greenville Spinners | 1.80 |
| CG | Nick Willhite, Greenville Spinners | 23 |
| SHO | Nick Willhite, Greenville Spinners | 6 |
| IP | Nick Willhite, Greenville Spinners | 230.0 |
| SO | Nick Willhite, Greenville Spinners | 161 |