Coastal Plain League (Class D) Explained

Coastal Plain League
Sport:	Minor League Baseball
President:	J. Bruce Eure (1937–1939) Ray Goodmon (1939–1941, 1946–1952)
Inaugural:	1937
Teams:	13
Country:	United States of America
Continent:	or
Continents:	-->
Folded:	1952
Classification:	Class D (1937–1941, 1946–1952)
Related Comps:	Coastal Plain League

The Coastal Plain League was a Minor league baseball affiliated circuit which, except for the war years (1942–1945), operated in North Carolina between 1937 and 1952. It was classified as a "D" league. It grew out of a semi-pro league that operated from 1935 to 1936 under the same Coastal Plain League name. Today, the summer collegiate baseball league has adopted the Coastal Plain League moniker.

Cities represented

• Ayden, NC

Ayden Aces (1937–1938)

• Edenton, NC

Edenton Colonials (1952)

• Fayetteville, NC

Fayetteville Cubs (1946)

• Goldsboro, NC

Goldsboro Goldbugs (1937–1941,1946–1949); Goldsboro Cardinals (1950–1951); Goldsboro Jets (1952)

• Greenville, NC

Greenville Greenies (1937–1941,1946–49); Greenville Robins (1950–1951)

• Kinston, NC

Kinston Eagles (1937–1941, 1946–1952)

• New Bern, NC

New Bern Bears (1937–1941, 1946–1952)

• Roanoke Rapids, NC

Roanoke Rapids Blue Jays (1947); Roanoke Rapids Jays (1948–1952)

• Rocky Mount, NC

Rocky Mount Leafs (1941); Rocky Mount Rocks (1946); Rocky Mount Leafs (1947–1952)

• Snow Hill, NC

Snow Hill Billies (1937–1940)

• Tarboro, NC

Tarboro Combs (1937); Tarboro Serpents (1938–1939); Tarboro Tars (1940); Tarboro Orioles (1941); Tarboro Tars (1946–1948); Tarboro Athletics (1949); Tarboro Tars (1950); Tarboro A's (1951); Tarboro Tars (1952)

• Williamston, NC

Williamston Martins (1937–1941)

• Wilson, NC

Wilson Tobs (1939–1941, 1946–1952) Tarboro was also known as the Goobers in 1939

Standings & statistics

1937 to 1941

1937 Coastal Plain League
schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Snow Hill Billies	62	36	.633	-
Williamston Martins	55	41	.573	6.0
Tarboro Serpents	53	42	.558	7.5
New Bern Bears	48	45	.516	11.5	Doc Smith
Ayden Aces	47	46	.505	12.5	Nick Harrison / Monk Joyner
Goldsboro Goldbugs	47	51	.480	15.0	Clarence Roper
Greenville Greenies	40	58	.408	22.0
Kinston Eagles	32	65	.330	29.5	Krim Bess / Vern Taylor

Playoff: Snow Hill 3 games, New Bern 1; Tarboro 3 games, Williamston 1.
Finals: Snow Hill 4 games, Tarboro 1.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Monk Joyner	Ayden	BA	.380		Owen Elliott	Goldsboro	W	18
Dwight Wall	Snow Hill	Runs	88		James Rollins	Williamston	SO	202
Monk Joyner	Ayden	Hits	136		Emil Zak	Snow Hill	Pct	.842; 16-3
Monk Joyner	Ayden	RBI	97
Monk Joyner	Ayden	HR	24
Joe Bistroff	Snow Hill	HR	24

1938 Coastal Plain League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
New Bern Bears	63	49	.563	-	Doc Smith
Tarboro Serpents	60	47	.561	0.5
Snow Hill Billies	61	49	.555	1.0
Kinston Eagles	60	50	.545	2.0
Williamston Martins	56	56	.500	7.0
Goldsboro Goldbugs	47	65	.420	16.0
Greenville Greenies	45	68	.398	18.5	Monk Joyner / Rube Wilson
Ayden Aces	38	76	.333	26.0	Frank Sidle / Bill Herring / Frank Rodgers

Playoff: New Bern 4 games, Kinston 0; Snow Hill 4 games, Tarboro 2.
Finals: New Bern 4 games, Snow Hill 0.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Doyt Morris	Ayden	BA	.377		Jim Mooney	Tarboro	W	19
Alf Anderson	New Bern	Runs	101		Cliff Wentz	Kinston	SO	179
Johnny Wyrostek	Kinston	Hits	149		Eddie Hurley	Kinston	Pct	.750; 15-5
Bill F. Harper	New Bern	RBI	84	+	Les Burge	New Bern	HR	22

1939 Coastal Plain League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Greenville Greenies	74	48	.607	-	Rube Wilson
Goldsboro Goldbugs	69	53	.566	5.0
Williamston Martins	65	57	.533	9.0	Paul O'Malley
Kinston Eagles	65	59	.524	10.0	Snake Henry / Ray Lucas / Bill Herring
New Bern Bears	62	59	.512	11.5	Doc Smith
Wilson Tobs	64	61	.512	11.5	Frank Rodgers
Snow Hill Billies	56	64	.467	17.0
Tarboro Tars	36	90	.286	40.0	Guy Schatzer / Fred Neisler / Larry Merville

Playoff: Kinston 4 games, Greenville 2; Williamston 4 games, Goldsboro 1.
Finals: Williamston 4 games, Kinston 1.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Uriah Norwood	New Bern	BA	.336			Kinston	W	22
Claude Capps	Goldsboro	Runs	99		Don King	Greenville	ERA	1.25
Ed Black	Greenville	Hits	151		Harry Swain	Williamston	SO	186
Harry Soufas	Snow Hill	Hits	151		Joe Bistroff	Snow Hill	RBI	108
Charles Whitaker	Snow Hill	Hits	151		Joe Bistroff	Snow Hill	HR	32

1940 Coastal Plain League
schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Wilson Tobs	77	49	.611	-	Frank Rodgers
Tarboro Tars	72	51	.585	3.5	Arthur McHenry / Bill Steinecke / Wes Ratteree
Goldsboro Goldbugs	66	58	.532	10.0	Mack Arnette
Kinston Eagles	63	60	.516	12.5	Denny Sothern / Sid Stringfellow / William Averette
Snow Hill Billies	62	64	.492	15.0	Dwight Wall
New Bern Bears	58	67	.464	18.5	Guy Shatzer / Gene McCarty / Marv Farrell / Danny Sothern
Greenville Greenies	53	71	.427	23.0	Rube Wilson
Williamston Martins	47	78	.376	29.5	Dixie Parker / Harry Swain

Playoff: Kinston 4 games, Wilson 3; Tarboro 4 games, Goldsboro 1.
Finals: Tarboro 4 games, Kinston 2.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Earl Carnahan	Wilson	BA	.354		Walter Wilson	Goldsboro	W	21
Charles Metelski	Tarboro	Runs	115		Harry Swain	Williamston	SO	215
Doyt Morris	Wilson	Hits	185		Bill Zinser	Kinston	ERA	2.08
Earl Carnahan	Wilson	RBI	119		Luis Olmo	Wilson	HR	18

1941 Coastal Plain League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Wilson Tobs	87	30	.744	-
Greenville Greenies	64	54	.542	23.5	Rube Wilson
New Bern Bears	61	57	.517	26.5
Rocky Mount Leafs	59	59	.500	28.5
Goldsboro Goldbugs	58	61	.487	30.0	Mack Arnette / Dave McKinney
Williamston Martins	56	61	.479	31.0	Frank Rodgers
Tarboro Orioles	44	72	.379	42.5	Poke Whalen
Kinston Eagles	42	77	.353	46.0	Arthur McHenry / Joe DeMasi

Playoff: Wilson 4 games, Rocky Mount 1; Greenville 4 games, New Bern 2.
Finals: Wilson 4 games, Greenville 2.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Earl Carnahan	Wilson	BA	.370		Bill Webb	Wilson	W	23
Erv Dickens	Wilson	Runs	114		Julio Acosta	Goldsboro	SO	199
Earl Carnahan	Wilson	Hits	176		Joe Talley	Wilson	ERA	1.93
Lyle Thompson	New Bern	RBI	111		Fred Eason	Wilson	HR	18

The league did not play From 1942 thru 1945 due to World War II

1946 to 1952

1946 Coastal Plain League
schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Rocky Mount Rocks	74	51	.592	-	104,218	Harry Soufas
Kinston Eagles	67	56	.545	6.0	54,120	Frank Rodgers
Wilson Tobs	67	57	.540	6.5	108,229	Irv Dickens
Goldsboro Goldbugs	64	60	.516	9.5	92,123
Tarboro Tars	61	65	.484	13.5	46,679	Michael Kardish / Bull Hamons
Greenville Greenies	58	67	.464	16.0	62,359	Horace Payne
New Bern Bears	57	68	.456	17.0	90,485
Fayetteville Cubs	51	75	.405	23.5	77,007	John Intlekofer / Don Anderson

Playoff: Rocky Mount 4 games, Goldsboro 1; Kinston 4 games, Wilson 3.
Finals: Rocky Mount 4 games, Kinston 2.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Vern Shetler	New Bern	BA	.362		Bill Kennedy	Rocky Mount	W	28
John Wolfe	Wilson	Runs	123		Bill Kennedy	Rocky Mount	SO	456
Ray Carlson	Greenville	Hits	158		Bill Kennedy	Rocky Mount	ERA	1.03
Verne Blackwell	Greenville	RBI	114		Charles Munday	Rocky Mount	HR	21

1947 Coastal Plain League
schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Wilson Tobs	79	61	.564	-	138,548
Kinston Eagles	74	65	.532	4.5	68,986
Tarboro Tars	74	66	.529	5.0	75,281	Bull Hamons
New Bern Bears	73	66	.525	5.5	104,426	Jake Daniel / Harry Soufas / Tom Murray / Worlise Knowles
Goldsboro Goldbugs	72	67	.518	6.5	88,607	Bill Herring
Rocky Mount Leafs	68	71	.489	10.5	100,794	Charlie Mundy
Roanoke Rapids Blue Jays	60	80	.429	19.0	115,837	Stu Martin
Greenville Greenies	58	82	.414	21.0	66,316	Johnny Pare / Larry Baldwin / Ordie Timm

Playoff: Wilson 4 games, New Bern 1; Kinston 4 games, Tarboro 2.
Finals: Kinston 4 games, Wilson 2.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

LeRoy Kennedy	Tarboro	BA	.381		Eddie Neville	Tarboro	W	28
Sal Zunno	New Bern	Runs	133		Sam McLawhorne	Kinston	SO	238
Herb May	Rocky Mount	Hits	190			Goldsboro	ERA	1.79
Harry Soufas	New Bern	RBI	122		Harry Soufas	New Bern	HR	25

1948 Coastal Plain League
schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Tarboro Tars	87	53	.621	-	67,767	Bull Hamons
Kinston Eagles	80	59	.576	6.5	76,770
Goldsboro Goldbugs	79	61	.564	8.0	81,499	Bill Herring
Rocky Mount Leafs	78	61	.561	8.5	94,811
New Bern Bears	69	70	.496	17.5	69,548	Harry Soufas / Tal Abernathy / Winston Palmer
Wilson Tobs	61	79	.436	26.0	95,238
Roanoke Rapids Jays	54	86	.386	33.0	87,187	Stu Martin
Greenville Greenies	50	89	.360	36.5	60,938	Bill Phebus / Bob Cohen / Kelly Kee

Playoff: Tarboro 4 games, Rocky Mount 2; Kinston 4 games, Goldsboro 3.
Finals: Tarboro 4 games, Kinston 1.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Valentine Gonzalez	Roanoke Rapids	BA	.383		Red Benton	Rocky Mount	W	28
Grover Fowler	Rocky Mount	Runs	138		Harry Helmer	Rocky Mount	SO	268
Quentin Martin	Rocky Mount	Hits	207		Bill Herring	Goldsboro	ERA	2.60
Ray Komanecky	Tarboro	RBI	137		John Hanley	Rocky Mount	HR	35

1949 Coastal Plain League
schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Rocky Mount Leafs	79	60	.568	0	80,786	Quentin Martin / Red Benton
Kinston Eagles	74	64	.536	4.5	88,814	Steve Collins
New Bern Bears	73	66	.525	6.0	72,291	Bull Hamons
Greenville Greenies	71	67	.514	7.5	72,420	Fred Williams
Goldsboro Goldbugs	68	68	.500	9.5	71,690
Tarboro Athletics	68	68	.500	9.5	41,212
Roanoke Rapids Jays	60	78	.435	18.5	68,247	Russ Meers / Glen Lockamy
Wilson Tobs	57	79	.419	20.5	71,413	Ross Morrow

Playoff: Greenville 4 games, Rocky Mount 2; Kinston 4 games, New Bern 2.
Finals: Greensville 4 games, Kinston 2.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Clyde Whitener	Goldsboro	BA	.355		Bill Padgett	New Bern	W	22
John Tepedino	Greenville	Runs	132		Robert Mangum	Goldsboro	SO	248
Clyde Whitener	Goldsboro	Hits	194		Vincent Gohl	Tarboro	ERA	1.27
Fred Williams	Greenville	RBI	122		Quentin Martin	Rocky Mount	HR	27

1950 Coastal Plain League
schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Roanoke Rapids Jays	80	58	.580	-	80,665	Glen Lockamy / Walt McJunkin
Rocky Mount Leafs	73	65	.525	7.0	62,027	Red Benton
New Bern Bears	71	67	.514	9.0	63,486	Harry Land
Kinston Eagles	70	68	.507	10.0	51,794	Walter Millies
Wilson Tobs	68	70	.493	12.0	84,159	Bill Herring
Greenville Robins	67	70	.489	12.5	49,140
Tarboro Athletics	67	71	.486	13.0	36,467
Goldsboro Cardinals	56	83	.403	24.5	35,719	James Herbison

Playoff: Kinston 4 games, Roanoke Rapids 0; New Bern 4 games, Rocky Mount 2.
Finals: New Bern 4 games, Kinston 0.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Quentin Martin	Rocky Mount	BA	.351		Alton Brown	Roanoke Rapids	W	28
Dallas Orf	Tarboro	Runs	110		Alton Brown	Roanoke Rapids	SO	204
Quentin Martin	Rocky Mount	Hits	171		Leo Groeschen	Kinston	ERA	1.74
Warriner Bass	Roanoke Rapids	RBI	148		Paul Smith	Goldsboro	HR	24

1951 Coastal Plain League
schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Kinston Eagles	79	47	.627	-	41,516
New Bern Bears	72	54	.571	7.0	45,388	Harry Land
Goldsboro Cardinals	70	55	.550	8.5	36,529	George Ferrell
Wilson Tobs	69	57	.548	10.0	54,753	Joe Antolick / Alfred Rehm
Roanoke Rapids Jays	59	66	.472	19.5	34,132
Rocky Mount Leafs	39	86	.312	39.5	27,753	Jim Mills / Bull Hamons / Red Benton
	13	22	.371	NA	6,431
	10	24	.294	NA	5,932	John Streza

Tarboro and Greensville disbanded June 6.
Playoff: Wilson 4 games, Kinston 2; New Bern 4 games, Goldsboro 2.
Finals: New Bern 4 games, Wilson 3.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Kite Thomas	Goldsboro	BA	.343		Alexander Zych	Kinston	W	22
Bob Horan	Kinston	Runs	109		Robert Slaybaugh	Goldsboro	SO	223
Kite Thomas	Goldsboro	Hits	175		Bunky Stewart	New Bern	ERA	1.16
Jim McComas	Wilson	RBI	95		Jim McComas	Wilson	HR	20

1952 Coastal Plain League
schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
Kinston Eagles	76	47	.608	-	43,301
Wilson Tobs	71	51	.582	4.5	57,565	Jake McComas / Alfred Rehm
Edenton Colonials	69	55	.557	7.5	24,420	Vernon Mustian / Tom Ingel / Gashouse Parker
Goldsboro Jets	63	59	.516	12.5	35,365
Roanoke Rapids Jays	63	61	.508	13.5	36,830
Rocky Mount Leafs	59	63	.484	16.5	40,629
Tarboro Tars	49	71	.408	25.5	28,439	Bill Long
New Bern Bears	40	83	.325	36.0	29,056

Playoff: Goldsboro 4 games, Kinston 3; Edenton 4 games, Wilson 0.
Finals: Edenton 4 games, Goldsboro 1.

Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Tom Leonard	Goldsboro	BA	.375		Gene Host	Kinston	W	26
Cecil Fogleman	Tarboro	Runs	101		John Raines	Edenton	W	26
Bill Wollet	Roanoke Rapids	Hits	151		Ted Abernathy	Roanoke Rapids	SO	293
Sam Stell	Tarboro	RBI	77		Rodney Heath	Rocky Mount	ERA	1.27
Wade Martin	Rocky Mount	HR	11		John Perry	Goldsboro	SHo	10

^[1]

Coastal Plain League Champions

• 1937 – Snow Hill
• 1938 – New Bern
• 1939 – Williamston
• 1940 – Tarboro
• 1941 – Wilson
• 1946 – Rocky Mount
• 1947 – Kinston
• 1948 – Tarboro
• 1949 – Greenville
• 1950 – New Bern
• 1951 – New Bern
• 1952 – Edenton

References

• Book: Gaunt, Robert. We Would Have Played Forever: The Story of the Coastal Plain Baseball League . Baseball America, Inc. . 1997 . 0-945164-02-5 .
• Book: Holaday, J. Chris. Professional Baseball in North Carolina: An Illustrated City-by-City History, 1901–1996 . McFarland & Company, Inc. . 1998 . 0-7864-0532-5 .
• Book: Johnson . Lloyd . Miles Wolff . The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, third ed. . Baseball America, Inc. . 2007 . 978-1-932391-17-6 .

External links

• Baseball Reference – Coastal Plain League History

Notes and References

1. Book: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball . Lloyd Johnson . Miles Wolff . Third . . 2007 . 978-1932391176.