Greenwood, Mississippi Minor League Baseball

The original Cotton States League name was restored for the 1936 season. The Greenwood Dodgers, under manager Frank Brazil, edged the Greenville Bucks by one game to win the top spot in the the league. Leslie Horn was Greenwood's leading batter at .328 and Tom Ferrick turned the league's best ERA, 2.17

El Dorado won the 1937 Cotton States League playoffs for the second straight season with the Greenwood Dodgers in the third spot with 76 wins and 62 losses. Glen Stewart was selected as the league's top 2B.

In 1938, the Greenwood Dodgers finished 7th with a 55-83 record, as the Greenville Bucks won the the regular league championship and Monroe won the playoffs. July 26th, was Eddie Amelung night. Bob Salveson played 2B, 3B, and SS and did an excellent job at all three positions.

Greenwood finished in 3rd place in the 1939 regular season, at 77-63, and proceeded to defeat the Clarksdale Red Sox and Hot Springs Bathers for the Shaughnessey title. Eddie Amelung established a new league record for triples with 23.

Greenwood's bright spot in 1940 was a no-hit game by Edward "Pat" Malone against Hot Springs. Greenwood finished the season in 7th place. With the coming of World War II, Greenwood would not have another team until 1947, when they became a farm team for the Brooklyn Dodgers. The league was reorganized for the 1947 season and the race was mostly a two-club affair. Greenwood won 92 games to tie the league high mark. They lost only 38, a new low. In the playoffs, Greenwood Dodgers beat the Clarksdale Planters and Greenville Bucks. Mervin Dornburg was Greenwood's leading batter. Bob Duchaney had 15 triples to lead all clubs, and Russ Opplinger had 21 victories.

The Cotton States League gained full strength in 1948 with the addition of the Natchez Indians and Pine Bluff. But once again, it was the Greenwood Dodgers leading the way with their second championship in a row. The Hot Springs Bathers defeated the Greenwood Dodgers in the playoffs 4 games to 3. Labe Dean of Greenwood set a new Cotton States League low in ERA at 1.34. The Cotton States League's first all-star game was played in Greenwood.

Greenwood continued it's Cotton States League superiority by winning the division three years in a row during the 1949 season. The Dodgers won 84-56 to land the top spot again, but lost to Pine Bluff in the playoffs. Tommy Graham, Pine Bluff Cardinals, and Elwood May, Greenwood Dodgers, both were 20 game winners.

The Pine Bluff Judges won the league crown in 1950 as Greenwood fell to fifth place at 69-69. Future New York Yankee Ryne Duren of the Pine Bluff Cardinals, led the league with 233 K's. Lou Landini of Greenwood was chosen as the league's all-star catcher.

In 1951, the Greenwood Dodgers finished in second place in the regular season and was eliminated in the playoffs by Pine Bluff. The official all-star team included Greenwood Dodgers players Fred Waters and Carl Tumlinson. Tumlinson hit a HR in the all-star game and Greenwood Dodger pitcher Hugh Moxley was the winning pitcher as the Mississippi all-stars beat the Ark-La all-stars.

1952 was to be the last year for professional baseball in Greenwood, which had it's origins back to 1910. The parent team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, decided not to operate a club in Greenwood in 1953. The record of the club had been excellent, but the income had been insufficient to cover operating expenses. Greenwood finished in 3rd place at 70-56 and lost in the playoffs to the Natchez Indians. John Tidwell batted .311 and John Forizs was 20-8, to lead the team in hitting and pitching. On August 8th, Karl Spooner struck out 19 batters to tie a CSL record.

Greenwood sent many players to the major leagues: