# 1956 Carolina League season

The 1956 Carolina League was a Class B baseball season played between April 17 and September 3. Eight teams played a 154-game schedule, with the top four teams qualifying for the post-season.
The Fayetteville Highlanders won the Carolina League championship, defeating the Danville Leafs in the final round of the playoffs.

## Team changes

* The Burlington-Graham Pirates relocated to Kinston, North Carolina, and were renamed the Kinston Eagles. The club remained affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
* The Reidsville Phillies relocated to Wilson, North Carolina, and were renamed the Wilson Tobs.
* The Fayetteville Highlanders ended their affiliation with the Baltimore Orioles and began an affiliation with the Cleveland Indians.

## Teams

1956 Carolina League :
| Team | City | MLB Affiliate | Stadium |
| Danville Leafs | Danville, Virginia | New York Giants | League Park |
| Durham Bulls | Durham, North Carolina | Detroit Tigers | Durham Athletic Park |
| Fayetteville Highlanders | Fayetteville, North Carolina | Cleveland Indians | Pittman Stadium |
| Greensboro Patriots | Greensboro, North Carolina | Boston Red Sox | World War Memorial Stadium |
| High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms | Thomasville, North Carolina | Cincinnati Redlegs | Finch Field |
| Kinston Eagles | Kinston, North Carolina | Pittsburgh Pirates | Grainger Stadium |
| Wilson Tobs | Wilson, North Carolina | Philadelphia Phillies | Fleming Stadium |
| Winston-Salem Twins | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | New York Yankees | Ernie Shore Field |

## Regular season
### Summary

* The High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms finished with the best record in the regular season for the second consecutive season.
* The regular season schedule is lengthened from 140-games to 154-games.

### Standings

Carolina League :
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms | 91 | 63 | .591 | – |
| Durham Bulls | 84 | 69 | .549 | 6.5 |
| Danville Leafs | 83 | 69 | .546 | 7 |
| Fayetteville Highlanders | 78 | 71 | .523 | 10.5 |
| Greensboro Patriots | 75 | 79 | .487 | 16 |
| Wilson Tobs | 72 | 79 | .477 | 17.5 |
| Kinston Eagles | 66 | 87 | .431 | 24.5 |
| Winston-Salem Twins | 59 | 91 | .393 | 30 |

## League Leaders
### Batting leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| AVG | Curt Flood, High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms | .340 |
| H | George Contratto, Greensboro Patriots Curt Flood, High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms | 190 |
| R | Curt Flood, High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms | 133 |
| 2B | Willie McCovey, Danville Leafs | 38 |
| 3B | Dale Ferris, Durham Bulls | 10 |
| HR | Leon Wagner, Danville Leafs | 51 |
| RBI | Leon Wagner, Danville Leafs | 166 |
| SB | Bill Kallas, Fayetteville Highlanders | 35 |

### Pitching leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| W | Jack Taylor, High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms | 22 |
| ERA | Kenneth Deal, Greensboro Patriots | 2.19 |
| CG | Jack Taylor, High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms | 28 |
| SHO | Woody Rich, High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms Jack Taylor, High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms Albert Wilson, Danville Leafs | 4 |
| SO | Earl Hunsinger, Wilson Tobs | 232 |
| IP | Jack Taylor, High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms | 289.0 |

## Playoffs

* The Fayetteville Highlanders won their second Carolina League championship in three seasons, defeating the Danville Leafs in six games.
* The semi-finals were reduced from a best-of-seven series to a best-of-five series.

### Playoff bracket

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | High Point-Thomasville | 0 | | | |
| 4 | Fayetteville | 3 | | | |
| 4 | Fayetteville | 3 | 4 | Fayetteville | 4 |
| | | | 3 | Danville | 2 |
| 2 | Durham | 1 | 3 | Danville | 2 |
| 3 | Danville | 3 | | | |

## Awards

Carolina League awards :
| Award name | Recipient |
| Most Valuable Player | Curt Flood, High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms |
| Manager of the Year | Johnny Pesky, Durham Bulls |