1983 Southern League – Top Batters

To many fans of the Southern League teams the excitement of professional baseball was right here among these ten teams, all of whom were affiliated with major league teams.

1983 East Division Standings

Savannah Braves 81-64 … Jacksonville Suns (KC Royals) 77-68 - 4 GB … Charlotte Orioles 69-77 12.5 GB … Columbus Astros 64-79 16 GB … Orlando Twins 62-83 19 GB

1983 West Division Standings

Birmingham Barons 91-54 (Detroit Tigers) … Nashville Sounds NY Yankees) 88-58 3.5 GB … Chattanooga Lockouts (Seattle Mariners) 68-75 22 GB … Knoxville Blue Jays 64-83 27.5 GB … Memphis Chicks (Montreal Expos/Washington Nats) 61-85 30.5 GB

1983 Southern League Batting Average Leaders (200 at bats for Batting Title… 145 at bats or more for players under .300)

Note: a few players played in two different minor leagues

Pete Dalena, Nashville Sounds .322, Shooty Babitt, Memphis Chicks .320, Chris Johnson, Knoxville Blue Jays .318, Butch Davis, Jacksonville Suns .317

Ivan Calderon, Chattanooga Lockouts .311, Stanley Younger, Birmingham Barons .309, Mike McCain, Orlando Twins .308, John Stefero, Charlotte O’s .307, Don Carter, Memphis Chicks .303, Doc Estes, Savannah Braves .303, Victor Mata, Nashville Blue Jays .303, Erick Peterson, Nashville .303, Milt Thompson Savannah .303

Danny Tartabull, Chattanooga .301, Miguel Negron, Chattanooga .300, Gregory Norman, Birminghan .300, Glenn Davis, Columbus .299, Jerry Lomastro, Orlando .299, Vic Rodriguez, Charlotte .298, Paul Hodgson, Knoxville .297, Raymond Borucki, Birmingham .296, Alvin Davis, Chattanooga .296

Dave Leeper, Jacksonville .291, Carlos Rios , Savannah .292, Steve Lombardozzi, Orlando .291, Raul Tovar, Birmingham .289, John Csefalvay, Columbus .288, Bob Melvin, Birmingham .288, John Morris, Jacksonville .288, Larry Sheets, Charlotte .288, Glen Bockhorn, Savannah .287, Darnell Coles, Chattanooga .287, Jesus Alfaro, Charlotte .286, Razor Shines, Memphis .286

Mike Cole, Savannah .285, Jesus Figueroa, Knoxville .285, Mike Reddish, Nashville .285, Kenneth Baker, Birmingham .284, Marty Wilkerson, Jacksonville .281, Clay Hill, Chattanooga .280, Antonio Pilla, Orlando .280, Johnny Tutt, Charlotte .280, Mike Reynolds, Savannah .279, Tim Knight, Nashville .278, Eric Bullock, Columbus .276, Leonel Carrion, Memphis .276, Buck Showalter, Nashville .276

Minor League Baseball Players Page 320