Statesboro Pilots

[2] The Douglas Trojans, Dublin Green Sox, Eastman Dodgers, Fitzgerald Pioneers, Hazlehurst-Baxley Cardinals, Jesup Bees and Vidalia Indians joined Statesboro in beginning league play on April 21, 1952.

[4][5] The Pilots had records of 39–56 in 1952,[2] 59–77 in 1953,[6] 57–73 in 1954[7] and 25–40 in 1955, never finishing above fourth place in the league standings and losing their only playoff series in 1954.

[10][11][9] On July 19, 1952, at Pilots Field, Joe Louis Reliford of the visiting Fitzgerald Pioneers, age 12, became the youngest person to play in a professional baseball game.

A photo of Reliford in uniform is housed in the Baseball Hall of Fame Library in Cooperstown, N.Y.[12][13] During the game, Reliford, playing outfield for one inning, made a catch over the wall, robbing Pilot player Jim Shuster of a home run to end the game.

According to reports, an alleged incident during an away game against the Hazlehurst-Baxley Cardinals on June 26, 1955, led to Statesboro leaving the league.

Regarding Pilots Field today, according to the Statesboro Herald: "the field, which had wooden stands and wooden box seats, was on the road that runs by the old Georgia State Patrol headquarters, now the Department of Driver Services office, from U.S. Highway 301 North toward Brodie International.