Meridian Millers
Meridian teams played as minor league affiliates of the St. Louis Browns (1937–1938, 1941), Brooklyn Dodgers (1946), Cleveland Indians (1947–1948) and Baltimore Orioles (1955).
[5] The Jackson Mississippians (New York Yankees affiliate), Mobile Shippers (St. Louis Cardinals), Montgomery Bombers (Cleveland Indians), Pensacola Fliers and Selma Cloverleafs (Washington Senators) teams joined with Meridian in beginning league play on April 15, 1937.
The Scrappers ended their initial season 25.5 games behind first place Pensacola and did not qualify for the four-teams playoffs, which were won by the Mobile Shippers.
[10] Tom was the older brother of College Football Hall of Fame member George Cafego, who played halfback at the University of Tennessee and was the first overall selection in the 1940 NFL draft by the Chicago Cardinals.
Tom Cafego supported his family, and helped his brother finish college, by playing professional baseball and also mining coal in the offseasons.
Cleveland Indians player Bill Wambsganss made the only triple-play in World Series history on Mitchell's batted ball.
The Eagles were led by manager Bennie Tate and ended the regular season 25.0 games behind the pennant winning Mobile Shippers.
Wright sought to be sent closer to his Dyersburg, Tennessee home where he could continue working as a machinist at a local textile mill while also playing baseball.
[23] In their last season before play was interrupted due to World War II, the Meridian Eagles finished in last place in the 1942 Class B level Southeastern League.
[27] The Anniston Rams, Gadsden Pilots, Jackson Senators, Montgomery Rebels, Pensacola Fliers, Selma Cloverleafs and Vicksburg Billies teams joined Meridian in returning to league play beginning on April 12.
The owners of the Fairground Field baseball park also would not allow the team to receive revenue on ballpark advertisements, worth an estimated $2,500 annually.
In November 1942, Lawson paused his professional baseball career and enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II.
[9] After his 1947 season leading Meridian, Roxie Lawson was hired in January 1948 to become the manager of the Green Bay Bluejays of the Wisconsin State League.
[48] Aaron also recalled of Geraghty that "he chewed me out when I needed it, but he told me how good I could be and – most important – he taught me how to study the game, and never make the same mistake twice.
"[49] Future author Pat Jordan, then Aarons teammate on the 1953 Jacksonville Brave, remembered that Geraghty would regularly confront racial segregation that the team encountered.
Geraghty would insist that he and his minority players (Aaron, Horace Garner, and Felix Mantilla) be served as equals at the finest restaurants.
"[50] Two years before joining Meridian, on June 24, 1946, a terrible accident had occurred and Geraghty was one of the survivors of a bus crash that killed nine members of the Spokane Indians team.
The injured survivors included players Pete Barisoff, Gus Hallbourg, Dick Powers, Irv Konopka, Levi McCormack, and the bus driver Glen Berg.
Playing their final season as the "Peps" Meridian finished 23.5 games behind the first place and eventual league champion Montgomery Rebels.
The El Dorado Oilers, Greenville Bucks, Greenwood Dodgers, Hot Springs Bathers, Monroe Sports, Natchez Indians and Pine Bluff Judges teams joined with Meridian in beginning league play on April 23, 1952.
The Millers ended the regular season 5.0 games ahead of the second place Natchez Indians in the final standings of the eight-team league.
Attorney Leslie O'Connor, a former assistant to Commissioner of Baseball Kenesaw Mountain Landis was now a member of the Major-Minor League Executive Council.
Rumors also persisted that only five of the teams had voted to expel Hot Springs, which was shy of the two-thirds requirement as noted in the league constitution.
[73] National Association President George M. Trautman ordered that Hot Springs remain in the league until he had time to review the matter.
Trautman also stated that even if procedures had been followed correctly, if the only reason for the Hot Springs banishment was "the employment of two Negro players, this office would still be required to declare the forfeiture invalid.
"[74] Before Trautman made a ruling, on April 14, 1953, the Cotton States League owners held another meeting and voted to readmit the Bathers.
Meridian ended the regular season 12.5 games ahead of the second place El Dorado Oilers in the final standings of the eight-team league.
In the finals, the Meridian Millers swept El Dorado in four games to win their second consecutive Cotton States League championship.
[9] In 1954, the Meridian Millers signed player Carlos "Chico" Heron, playing his first professional season after attending the University of Panama in his home country.
After his playing career, Chico Heron became a minor league scout, working for the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, Saint Louis Cardinals, and New York Yankees.
