Florida State League
 Florida State League logo |
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| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1919 |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Country(ies) | USA |
| Most recent champion(s) | Daytona Cubs |
| Official website | www.fslbaseball.com |
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues.[1] Each team in the league is affiliated with a Major League Baseball team, and most play in their affiliate's spring training facility.
The league was founded in 1919, and has continued almost entirely uninterrupted to the present day. Most players in the Florida State League do not reach this level until their third or fourth year of professional play. Attendance averages around 500–1,000 per game.
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[edit] History
The league originated in 1919 with teams in Bartow, Bradenton, Lakeland, Orlando, Sanford, and Tampa, Florida. The league closed down in 1928 and resumed play in 1936. It has continued uninterrupted, except for a four-year (1942–1945) suspension during World War II.
The league was realigned following the 2008 season, and is currently divided into two divisions: North and South. The twelve member teams play a 140 game schedule with 70 games at home and 70 games on the road (20 against geographically closest division opponent, 18 against each of the other 4 division teams, 8 against each of the 6 non-division opponents). The six team divisions play a split season with the first half ending in June and the second half ending in September.
Four teams participate in the play-offs. Winners of both halves within each division play each other in a best-of-three game series for the Division Championships. If there is a repeat division winner, a wild card team will qualify for the play-offs. The Division Champions will move on to the League Championship Series and play a best-of-five game series.
In 2009, the Florida State League established a Hall of Fame commemorating the league's great players, managers, owners, and umpires. The awards and ceremonies for the inaugural class will take place at the FSL's winter meetings in Daytona Beach in November.
The Tampa Yankees defeated the Charlotte Stone Crabs 3-2 in the 2010 Florida State League Championship Series.
In the 2011 championship, the Daytona Cubs swept the St. Lucie Mets 3-0 and claimed their fourth title in 11 years.
[edit] Current teams
- 1 Hosting 2012 Florida State League All-Star Game
[edit] Teams of the early FSL (1919-1928)
[edit] Teams of the Modern FSL (1936–present)
[edit] League champions
Since 1979, the winner of the League Championship Series has become the holder—until the following season's championship—of the Watson Spoelstra Florida State League Championship Trophy.[2]
The most recent champions of the Florida State League are:
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[edit] Hall of fame
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Standings | MiLB.com Standings | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Web.minorleaguebaseball.com. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/standings/. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
- ^ "Championship Trophy". Florida State League official website. Minor League Baseball. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/league3/page.jsp?ymd=20061213&content_id=148558&vkey=league3_l123&fext=.jsp&sid=l123. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Florida State League |
- Florida State League official website
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