KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. — Longtime South Atlantic League president John Henry Moss has died, less than a month after suffering a stroke. He was 90.

The league announced that Moss died Wednesday in his hometown of Kings Mountain. He had been hospitalized since June 7.

Moss helped form the Western Carolina League in 1947, and a decade later worked a deal with Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey to stock the league with professionals.

It later became the South Atlantic League, which Moss ran for 50 seasons before his retirement in 2007. He oversaw massive growth and change, with 43 different cities fielding teams under 114 ownership groups.

The South Atlantic League later retired the No. 50 jersey throughout the 16-team league to honor Moss.