Southern League Hall of Fame

Billy Hitchcock played all four infield positions during a nine-year American League active career. He broke in with the 1942 Detroit Tigers, spent three years in the Army Air Force in the Pacific during World War II, and resumed his major league career from 1946-53. Hitchcock spent the next several years as a manager and coach with the Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves. His career managing record was 274 wins, 261 losses (.514). Hitchcock then scouted for the Montreal Expos from 1968-71. In 1980 he was presented with the "King of Baseball" award given by Minor League Baseball. With Hitchcock as league president, the Southern League added teams, expanded the playoffs and introduced split-season play. Hitchcock led a rejuvenation of the league that included stadium refurbishments and a concerted effort to make the league more family-friendly. The league's attendance figures rose dramatically during his tenure, from 333,500 in 1971 to over 1.7 million in 1980.

Jimmy Bragan was an infielder, manager and league president in Minor League Baseball, a scout and coach at the Major League level, and a college baseball coach during a 40-plus year career in the game. He was the brother of Major League catcher, shortstop, manager and Coach Bobby Bragan. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Jimmy Bragan attended Mississippi State University and played baseball in the Brooklyn Dodgers farm system from 1950-1957. After his playing career ended, he was a coach and manager in the Dodgers, Reds and Expos organizations. He became head baseball coach of Mississippi State University in 1975, and a coach with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1976-1977. In 1980, he succeeded Billy Hitchcock as President of the Southern League. He presided over a host of new stadiums in the league, including fields in Greenville, Huntsville, Birmingham and Charlotte. Southern League attendance steadily climbed toward two million in the 1980s. In 1994 he was presented with the "King of Baseball" award given by Minor League Baseball.