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The History of Baseball in Louisiana

Baseball has been played in Louisiana since the 1880s. While there are no major league teams, Louisiana is home to popular minor league and college baseball teams.

One of the first baseball teams in Louisiana was the New Orleans Pelicans. Founded in 1887, the Pelicans were an active team for the next 72 years. During their time they had major league affiliations with several teams including the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the New York Yankees.

Another minor league team to start up in the late 1800s is the Shreveport Sports. Originally called the Shreveport Grays in 1895, this team has seen a handful of incarnations. They were called, at one time or another, the Giants, Pirates, Gassers, Braves, Captains and Swamp Dragons. While the New Orleans Pelicans are now a defunct team, the Shreveport Sports are still going strong as the premier professional independent league baseball team in Louisiana, playing in the American Association.

In 1900, the New Orleans Zephyrs started in Kansas City, MO and then moved to Denver, CO in the mid-1950s, before finally finding a home in New Orleans in 1993. During their time in New Orleans they have been affiliated with several major league teams, such as the Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Washington Nationals and the New York Mets. The New Orleans Zephyrs are a Triple-A class level team playing in the Pacific Coast League.

Another active Louisiana baseball team is the Alexandria Aces. They currently play in the United League and have been active off and on since 1934.

Two Louisiana colleges have NCAA Division I baseball representation: the Tulane Green Wave of Tulane University, and the University of New Orleans with the New Orleans Privateers. Tulane’s team has consistently ranked among the best college teams in the nation.

With a rich history dating back more than 120 years, and a strong dedication to the sport at all levels, the future of baseball in Louisiana is bright indeed.