Photographs Courtesy of Jim Reynolds

After the 1929 season, Augusta began the new decade with a new moniker… the Augusta Wolves. The Wolves featured Debs Garms who hit .347 with 6 HRs, but he would be promoted before he could do much damage to the league. Garms would go on to bat .355 for the Pirates and take the batting title for the National League. The Wolves were a little better than the previous season’s Tygers, finishing in 4th place, 2 games below .500. The South Atlantic League would shut down operations and regroup during the depression, reopening its doors 6 years later. In the meantime, the Augusta Wolves moved over to the new Class D Palmetto League. Featuring teams in Spartansburg/Anderson SC, Greenville, Florence and here in Augusta… the Wolves were unbeatable, taking over 1st place with an incredible 53-23 record thanks to two future Philadelphia Athletics… Future All-Star Wally Moses (.316) and Bill McGhee (15 2B, 14 HR, .405). Bloomer Milner who had once owned the Jennings Stadium batting title and still owned the doubles record was also excellent, batting .378 with 19 2Bs. Bill McGhee’s .405 batting average took over Odie Strain’s record of .361 and it looked like the new Wolves were destined to bring home Jennings Stadium’s first championship. Unfortunately, the Palmetto League didn’t survive its first year and shut down on July 23rd for good, leaving the team without a league to play in and a 1st place berth that would go for naught.