Eastern Shore League
The Eastern Shore Baseball League was a class D minor league baseball league that operated on the Delmarva Peninsula for parts of three different decades. The league's first season was in 1922 and the last was in 1949, although the years were not consecutive, and featured teams from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. The first incarnation lasted from 1922 to mid-1928 (disbanded in July), the second from 1937 to 1941, and the third from 1946 to 1949. Though the level of play was competitive and many future major leaguers gained experience in the ESBL, funding the league remained a constant problem for the rural franchises.
| Classification | Class D (1922–1927, 1937–1941, 1948–1949) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Minor League Baseball |
| First season | 1922 |
| Ceased | 1949 |
| President | Walter B. Miller (1922) M.B. Thawley (1923, 1925) J. Harry Rew (1924, 1926–1928) J. Thomas Kibler (1937) Harry S. Russell (1938–1941) J. Thomas Kibler (1946–1947) Dallas Culver (1948–1949) |
| No. of teams | 14 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Most titles | 3 Parksley Spuds (1922, 1924, 1927) Salisbury Cardinals (1937, 1938, 1948) |
| Related competitions | Blue Ridge League |
Future major leaguers who played in the ESBL include notables such as: Frank "Home Run" Baker, Mickey Cochrane, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Vernon, and Don Zimmer.
The Eastern Shore Baseball Hall of Fame at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland, pays homage to ESBL players and locals who made the major leagues. Perdue Stadium is the home of the class A Delmarva Shorebirds, an Orioles farm team.