# 1978 Southern League season

The 1978 Southern League was a Class AA baseball season played between April 13 and September 3. Ten teams played a 144-game schedule, with the top team in each division in each half of the season qualifying for the post-season.
The Knoxville Sox won the Southern League championship, as they defeated the Savannah Braves in the playoffs.

## Team changes

* The Memphis Chicks join the league as an expansion team and play in the West Division. The team began an affiliation with the Montreal Expos.
* The Nashville Sounds join the league as an expansion team and play in the West Division. The team began an affiliation with the Cincinnati Reds.
* The Columbus Astros move from the West Division to the East Division.
* The Chattanooga Lookouts ended their affiliation with the Oakland Athletics and began a new affiliation with the Cleveland Indians.

## Teams

1978 Southern League :
| Division | Team | City | MLB Affiliate | Stadium |
| East | Charlotte Orioles | Charlotte, North Carolina | Baltimore Orioles | Jim Crockett Memorial Park |
| East | Columbus Astros | Columbus, Georgia | Houston Astros | Golden Park |
| East | Jacksonville Suns | Jacksonville, Florida | Kansas City Royals | Wolfson Park |
| East | Orlando Twins | Orlando, Florida | Minnesota Twins | Tinker Field |
| East | Savannah Braves | Savannah, Georgia | Atlanta Braves | Grayson Stadium |
| West | Chattanooga Lookouts | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Cleveland Indians | Engel Stadium |
| West | Knoxville Sox | Knoxville, Tennessee | Chicago White Sox | Bill Meyer Stadium |
| West | Memphis Chicks | Memphis, Tennessee | Montreal Expos | Tim McCarver Stadium |
| West | Montgomery Rebels | Montgomery, Alabama | Detroit Tigers | Paterson Field |
| West | Nashville Sounds | Nashville, Tennessee | Cincinnati Reds | Herschel Greer Stadium |

## Regular season
### Summary

* The Knoxville Sox finished the season with the best record in the league for the first time in franchise history.

### Standings

East Division :
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Orlando Twins | 82 | 61 | .573 | – |
| Jacksonville Suns | 73 | 69 | .514 | 8.5 |
| Savannah Braves | 72 | 72 | .500 | 10.5 |
| Columbus Astros | 70 | 73 | .490 | 12 |
| Charlotte Orioles | 66 | 78 | .458 | 16.5 |
| West Division |||||
| Knoxville Sox | 88 | 56 | .611 | – |
| Memphis Chicks | 71 | 73 | .493 | 17 |
| Montgomery Rebels | 67 | 77 | .465 | 21 |
| Nashville Sounds | 64 | 77 | .454 | 22.5 |
| Chattanooga Lookouts | 63 | 80 | .441 | 24.5 |

## League Leaders
### Batting leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| AVG | Joe Gates, Knoxville Sox | .332 |
| H | Joe Gates, Knoxville Sox | 161 |
| R | Joe Gates, Knoxville Sox | 85 |
| 2B | Sal Rende, Chattanooga Lookouts | 29 |
| 3B | Gary Cooper, Savannah Braves | 9 |
| HR | Eddie Gates, Memphis Chicks | 25 |
| RBI | Sal Rende, Chattanooga Lookouts | 87 |
| SB | LaMart Harris, Memphis Chicks | 45 |

### Pitching leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| W | Terry Sheehan, Orlando Twins | 17 |
| ERA | Roger Alexander, Savannah Braves | 1.84 |
| CG | Gordie Pladson, Columbus Astros | 14 |
| SHO | Roger Alexander, Savannah Braves | 5 |
| SV | Dwight Lewis, Orlando Twins Dan Quisenberry, Jacksonville Suns | 15 |
| IP | Terry Sheehan, Orlando Twins | 213.0 |
| SO | Jay Howell, Nashville Sounds | 173 |

## Playoffs

* The Knoxville Sox earned a bye in the division finals, as they won the division in both halves of the season.
* The Knoxville Sox won their second Southern League championship, defeating the Savannah Braves in three games.

### Playoff bracket

| Division finals | Division finals | Division finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| E1 | Orlando | 1 | | | |
| E2 | Savannah | 2 | | | |
| E2 | Savannah | 2 | E2 | Savannah | 1 |
| | | | W1 | Knoxville | 2 |
| W1 | Knoxville | bye | W1 | Knoxville | 2 |

## Awards

Southern League awards :
| Award name | Recipient |
| Most Valuable Player | Eddie Gates, Memphis Chicks |
| Pitcher of the Year | Bruce Berenyi, Nashville Sounds |
| Manager of the Year | Bobby Dews, Savannah Braves |