# Coastal Plain League (Class D)

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 and statistics
### 1937 to 1941

1937 Coastal Plain League schedule
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| Snow Hill Billies | 62 | 36 | .633 | - | Dwight Wall / Peahead Walker |
| Williamston Martins | 55 | 41 | .573 | 6.0 | Arthur Hauger |
| Tarboro Serpents | 53 | 42 | .558 | 7.5 | Snake Henry |
| 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 | Bo Farley |
| 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 | Snake Henry |
| Snow Hill Billies | 61 | 49 | .555 | 1.0 | Peahead Walker |
| Kinston Eagles | 60 | 50 | .545 | 2.0 | Tommy West |
| Williamston Martins | 56 | 56 | .500 | 7.0 | Arthur Hauger |
| Goldsboro Goldbugs | 47 | 65 | .420 | 16.0 | Clarence Roper / Mule Shirley |
| 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 |
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 | Mule Shirley |
| 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 | Peahead Walker |
| 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 | Bill Herring | 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 | - | Bill Herring |
| Greenville Greenies | 64 | 54 | .542 | 23.5 | Rube Wilson |
| New Bern Bears | 61 | 57 | .517 | 26.5 | Doc Smith / Jake Wade |
| Rocky Mount Leafs | 59 | 59 | .500 | 28.5 | Norm McCaskill / Gus Brittain |
| 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 | Bill Herring |
| 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 | Abe White |
| 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 | Max Wilson |
| Kinston Eagles | 74 | 65 | .532 | 4.5 | 68,986 | Steve Collins |
| 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 | Bill Herring | 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 | Steve Collins |
| Goldsboro Goldbugs | 79 | 61 | .564 | 8.0 | 81,499 | Bill Herring |
| Rocky Mount Leafs | 78 | 61 | .561 | 8.5 | 94,811 | Turkey Tyson |
| 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 | Max Wilson / Irv Dickens / Bob Latshaw |
| 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 | Steve Mizerak / Max Wilson |
| Tarboro Athletics | 68 | 68 | .500 | 9.5 | 41,212 | Joe Antolick |
| 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 | Randy Heflin |
| Tarboro Athletics | 67 | 71 | .486 | 13.0 | 36,467 | Joe Antolick |
| 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 | Wes Livengood |
| 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 | Morrie Aderholt |
| Rocky Mount Leafs | 39 | 86 | .312 | 39.5 | 27,753 | Jim Mills / Bull Hamons / Red Benton |
| Tarboro Athletics | 13 | 22 | .371 | NA | 6,431 | Joe Rullo |
| Greenville Robins | 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 | Wayne Blackburn |
| 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 | Wes Livengood |
| Roanoke Rapids Jays | 63 | 61 | .508 | 13.5 | 36,830 | Pete Appleton |
| Rocky Mount Leafs | 59 | 63 | .484 | 16.5 | 40,629 | Paul Badgett / Quentin Martin / Turkey Tyson / Tommy Warren |
| Tarboro Tars | 49 | 71 | .408 | 25.5 | 28,439 | Bill Long |
| New Bern Bears | 40 | 83 | .325 | 36.0 | 29,056 | Con Dempsey / John Pavlich / Steve Collins |
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 |

## 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