The economic distress of the Great Depression was accompanied by the rise of the farm system — pioneered by the St. Louis Cardinals' Branch Rickey.

The first business manager of the Red Birds was a baseball novice named Larry MacPhail.

[1] Columbus produced a number of great players, including Hall of Famers Enos Slaughter and Billy Southworth.

Columbus immediately gained a new AAA team when the Ottawa A's franchise of the International League began playing there in 1955.

When the Sally League resumed play in 1946 after World War II, the Georgia-based farm club changed its name to the Columbus Cardinals.