The first mention of the league was in March 1886 when the following ad ran in several major Southern newspapers: “A call has been issued for the captains of all colored base ball clubs of Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee that have a fair record and desire to enter the Southern League of Colored Base Ballists to send name and address to The Manager of the Southern League of Coloered Base Ballists, Lock Box 298, Jacksonville, Florida.”[1][2] T.T.
[4] An informational circular obtained by The News and Courier said that the board of directors represented “… a capital of nearly $100,000.”[4] Clubs that wanted to join the league were required to submit a five dollar fee to cover the cost of advertising, postage, and telegraph cost.
[4] They were also required to pay $1.50 for a subscription to The Southern Leader, a black newspaper based in Jacksonville, Florida.
[6] During the meeting T. T. Hardin read a prepared report about the league and made recommendations that were adopted by the delegates.
[10] The first game of the Southern League of Colored Base Ballists was played on June 7, 1886 between the Champions and the Eclipse in Atlanta, Georgia.