The Florida East Coast League was the name of two United States, American minor league baseball circuits based on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of Florida. The first edition of the league operated as a Class D (baseball), Class D level league from 1940 to 1942. The league reformed for the 1972 season as a Rookie (baseball), Rookie level league before folding.

History

The first incarnation of the FECL was as a Class D circuit that played from through May 14, . It shut its doors, along with many other minor leagues, a few months after the United States entered World War II, and, despite the postwar baseball boom, it was not revived. The second Florida East Coast League was a Rookie-class "complex league" owned and operated by Major League Baseball clubs. It existed for one season — — and was intended to provide a second Florida-based league for 18- and 19-year-old players, along with the established Gulf Coast League, which was then concentrated along the west coast of Florida. The FECL of 1972 featured four teams based at minor league training complexes in Cocoa, Florida, Cocoa and Melbourne, Florida, Melbourne.

FECL teams, 1940–1942

* Cocoa Beach Fliers * DeLand Red Hats * Fort Lauderdale Tarpons (champions, 1940) * Fort Pierce Bombers * Hollywood Chiefs * Miami Beach Flamingos (champions, 1941) * Miami Beach Tigers * Miami Seminoles * Miami Wahoos * Orlando Senators * West Palm Beach Indians

FECL teams, 1972

* Cocoa Astros (FECL), Cocoa Astros * Cocoa Expos (minor league baseball), Cocoa Expos * Melbourne Reds (U.S. baseball), Melbourne Reds (champions) * Melbourne Twins

Standings & statistics

1940 to 1942

1940 Florida East Coast League Playoffs: Ft. Lauderdale 3 games, West Palm Beach 1; Miami Beach 3 games, Hollywood 0.
Finals: Ft. Lauderdale 4 games, Miami Beach 1. 1941 Florida East Coast League Playoffs: Miami Beach 3 games, Fort Pierce 1;West Palm Beach 3 games, Ft. Lauderdale 2.
Finals: Miami Beach 4 games, West Palm Beach 2. 1942 Florida East Coast League''
schedule
Playoffs: None Scheduled.
Cocoa disbanded April 21; Ft. Lauderdale disbanded May 14.
The league disbanded May 14.

1972

1972 Florida East Coast League Total league attendance, 966
No playoffs Scheduled.

References

*Johnson, Lloyd and Wolff, Miles, eds., ''The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball,'' 3d edition. Durham, N.C.: Baseball America, 2007. {{Professional Baseball Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Baseball leagues in Florida 1940 establishments in Florida 1942 disestablishments in Florida 1972 establishments in Florida 1972 disestablishments in Florida Sports leagues established in 1940 Sports leagues disestablished in 1942 Sports leagues established in 1972 Sports leagues disestablished in 1972