Nashville Vols awards and league leaders
The Nashville Vols minor league baseball team played 62 seasons from its creation in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1901 through its final season of 1963. The club played in 9,019 regular season games and compiled a win–loss record of 4,571–4,448 (.507).[1][2] They had a post-season record of 110–77–1 (.588).[3][4] This list documents top players in particular statistical areas.
The Nashville Baseball Club was formed as a charter member of the newly organized Class B Southern Association in 1901.[5] The team did not receive their official moniker, the Nashville Volunteers, until 1908.[6] However, the team was, and is, commonly referred to as the Vols. Their last season in the Southern Association was 1961. After sitting out the 1962 season, the Vols returned for a final season as a part of the South Atlantic League in 1963.[7]
Eight Vols players won the Southern Association Most Valuable Player Award, the league's only award. Of the 1,215 players to have played for the Vols, 103 players distinguished themselves by leading the league in statistical categories during a season. Bob Lennon led the Southern Association in five areas in 1954: batting average (.345), hits (210), runs (139), RBI (161), and home runs (64). In 1942, Charlie English led the league in four categories: batting average (.341), hits (217), RBI (139), and doubles (50). In 1943, Ed Sauer led the league in four areas: batting average (.368), runs (113), doubles (51), and stolen bases (30). Twenty-nine other players also led in multiple categories in single seasons.
Five players hold Southern Association records for single-season performances. Les Fleming holds the batting average record (.414 in 1941), Charlie Gilbert the runs record (178 in 1948), Jim Poole the RBI record (167 in 1930), Joe Dwyer the doubles record (65 in 1936), and Bob Lennon the home run record (64 in 1954).
Table key
Southern Association record | |
(#) | Tie between two or more players in the league; number indicates total number of players with same performance |
* | Indicates a player played with another team in addition to the Vols that season |
Award winners
Southern Association MVP
Eight Vols were awarded the Southern Association Most Valuable Player Award, more than any other team in the league. Nashville players won the award for three years in a row from 1948 to 1950.[2]
Recipient | Season | Position | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
Greek George[a] | 1940 | Catcher | [8] |
Ed Sauer | 1943 | Outfielder | [9] |
Chuck Workman | 1948 | Outfielder | [10] |
Carl Sawatski | 1949 | Catcher | [11] |
Bob Schultz | 1950 | Pitcher | [12] |
Jack Harshman | 1953 | Pitcher | [13] |
Bob Lennon | 1954 | Outfielder | [14] |
Stan Palys | 1957 | Outfielder | [15] |
All-time Vols teams
Nashville Banner sportswriters Fred Russell and George Leonard created all-time team lists of the top Nashville players from 1901 to 1919 and from 1920 to 1963.[16]
1901–1919
Position | Player |
---|---|
First baseman | Jake Daubert |
Second baseman | Ed Abbaticchio |
Shortstop | Kid Butler |
Third baseman | Art Kores |
Outfielder | Tod Sloan |
Outfielder | Gus Williams |
Outfielder | Doc Wiseman |
Catcher | Ike Fisher |
Catcher | Gabby Street |
Pitcher | Pug Cavet |
Pitcher | Red Fisher* |
Pitcher | Hugh Hill |
Pitcher | Hub Perdue |
Pitcher | Tom Rogers |
Pitcher | War Sanders |
Pitcher | Carl Sitton |
*There is no record of Red Fisher having played with the Vols. |
1920–1963
Position | Fred Russel | George Leonard |
---|---|---|
Player | Player | |
First baseman | Les Fleming | Les Fleming |
Second baseman | John Mihalic | John Mihalic |
Shortstop | Lonny Frey | Woody Williams |
Third baseman | Charlie English | Rance Pless |
Outfielder | Kiki Cuyler | Babe Barna |
Outfielder | Phil Weintraub | Kiki Cuyler |
Catcher | Greek George | Smoky Burgess |
Catcher | Carl Sawatski | Carl Sawatski |
Right-handed Pitcher | Tiny Chaplin | Red Lucas |
Right-handed Pitcher | Red Lucas | Pete Mallory |
Right-handed Pitcher | Jim Maloney | Jim Maloney |
Right-handed Pitcher | Boots Poffenberger | Boots Poffenberger |
Left-handed Pitcher | Jim O'Toole | Jack Harshman |
Left-handed Pitcher | Bob Schultz | Jim O'Toole |
Left-handed Pitcher | Boyd Tepler | Bob Schultz |
Manager | Larry Gilbert | Larry Gilbert |
League leaders
Batting leaders
These players led all other players in the league in particular statistical batting categories in a single season.
Pitching leaders
These players led all other players in the league in particular statistical pitching categories in a single season.
Notes
- a Greek George and Emil Mailho of the Atlanta Crackers were named Co-MVPs in 1940.[2]
References
- "Nashville Vols Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2015 Nashville Sounds Media Guide. Nashville Sounds. 2015. pp. 200–1. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- "Timeline" (PDF). Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- O'Neal, Bill (1994), The Southern League: Baseball in Dixie, 1885–1994, Eakin Press, pp. 306–308, ISBN 0890159521
- Nipper, Skip (2007), Baseball in Nashville, Arcadia Publishing, p. 25, ISBN 9780738543918
- Traughber, Bill (May 23, 2011). "Looking Back: The 1901 Nashville Vols". Nashville Sounds. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
- Nipper, Skip (October 1, 2013). "Name That Team". 262 Down Right. Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
- Weiss, Bill; Wright, Marshall (2001). "Top 100 Teams". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- "Greek George Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- "Ed Sauer Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- "Chuck Workman Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- "Carl Sawatski Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- "Bob Schultz Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- "Jack Harshman Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- "Bob Lennon Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- "Gene Lary Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- "Nashville Vols Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2015 Nashville Sounds Media Guide. Nashville Sounds. 2015. p. 201. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
- "Single Season Batting Average". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Hits". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Runs". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season RBI". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Doubles". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "1963 South Atlantic League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Triples". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Home Runs". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Stolen Bases". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Wins". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Losses". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Innings Pitched". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Strikeouts". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- "Single Season Bases on Balls". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.