1908 Nashville Vols season

The 1908 Nashville Vols season was the 15th season of minor league baseball in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Nashville Vols' 8th season in the Southern Association.[1] The Vols finished the previous season in last place, but this year won the league pennant, by defeating he New Orleans Pelicans 1-0 on the last day of the season in a game dubbed by Grantland Rice "The Greatest Game Ever Played In Dixie."[2][3][4]

1908 Nashville Vols
Team photo
LeagueSouthern Association
Record75–56 (.573)
League place1st
Team information
PresidentFerdinand E. Kuhn
ManagerBill Bernhard
BallparkSulphur Dell
CityNashville, Tennessee

This is also the season Rice dubbed the ballpark Sulphur Dell.[5] The team's player-manager was Bill Bernhard.[6][7] The team featured just two players from Tennessee: Pryor McElveen and Hub Perdue. First baseman Jake Daubert led the league in home runs with six.[8]

Before the season

The Vols finished last place in the Southern Association in 1907. A new group of men purchased the team, including Ferdinand E. Kuhn, James B. Carr, Thomas James Tyne, J. T. Connor, James A. Bowling, Robert L. Bolling, Rufus E. Fort, and William G. Hirsig. Well known attorney S. A. Champion supplied legal services. The group envisioned an ambitious project of stadium renovations at Sulphur Dell, and managed to cull $50,000. Kuhn was selected to head the Board of Directors.[9] He went on a trip to Ponce de Leon Park in Atlanta to observe a modern park and plan renovations.[10]

Kuhn hired Bill Bernhard as manager.

Schedule

Game log
1908 Game Log (75–56)
April (4–6)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
1April 16@ Atlanta1–3Ford (1–0)Sorrell (0–1)Ponce de Leon Park6,0000–1L1
2April 17@ Atlanta3–0Duggan (1–0)Castleton (0–1)Ponce de Leon Park3,0001–1W1
April 20Montgomery3–3—Sulphur Dell4,4001–1W1
3April 21Montgomery1–5Van AdaSorrell (0–2)—Sulphur Dell2,0001–2L1
4April 22Montgomery5–6CristallDuggan (1–1)—Sulphur Dell1,5001–3L2
5April 23Montgomery4–2Perdue (1–0)Helm—Sulphur Dell1,5002–3W1
6April 25Birmingham3–0Hess (1–0)Robitaille—Sulphur Dell3,0003–3W2
7April 27Birmingham7–6Hunter (1–0)McNeal—Sulphur Dell1,5004–3W3
8April 28Birmingham1–4FlehartyDuggan (1–2)—Sulphur Dell1,5004–4L1
9April 29@ Montgomery1–4ThomasPerdue (1–1)—4–5L2
10April 30@ Montgomery1–4StackpoleHess (1–1)—4–6L3
May (11–12)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
11May 1@ Montgomery5–0Kellum (1–0)Merriman5–6W1
12May 2@ Montgomery1–35–7L1
13May 4@ Birmingham3–1Duggan (2–2)McNeal6–7W1
14May 7@ Birmingham1–4TurnerPerdue (1–2)4506–8L1
15May 8Atlanta1–4FordHess (1–2)—Sulphur Dell6–9L2
16May 9Atlanta2–1Kellum (2–0)McKenzie—Sulphur Dell1,5007–9W1
17May 11Atlanta4–2Yerkes (1–0)Cummings—Sulphur Dell1,5008–9W2
18May 12Atlanta5–6FordDuggan (2–3)—Sulphur Dell2.0008–10L1
19May 14@ Memphis6–2Duggan (3–3)ChappelleRusswood Park9–10W1
20May 15@ Memphis5–1Hess (2–2)SavidgeRusswood Park10–10W2
21May 16@ Memphis3–2Hunter (2–1)GarrityRusswood Park11–10W3
22May 18@ Little Rock5–3Perdue (2–2)Connelly12–10W4
23May 19@ Little Rock1–3HartKellum (2–1)12–11L1
24May 20@ Little Rock1–10EylerHess (2–3)12–12L2
May 21@ New Orleans0–0Athletic Park12–12L2
25May 22@ New Orleans1–4BartleyHunter (2–2)Athletic Park12–13L3
26May 23@ New Orleans1–10GuesePerdue (2–3)Athletic Park12–14L4
27May 24@ New Orleans0–5BartleyHess (2–4)Athletic Park12–15L5
28May 25@ Mobile2–1Kellum (3–1)TorreyMonroe Park13–15W1
29May 26@ Mobile10–4Duggan (4–3)BeekerMonroe Park14–15W2
30May 29Memphis9–1Hunter (3–2)GarritySulphur Dell3,00015–15W3
31May 30Memphis0–1SavidgeDuggan (4–4)Sulphur Dell4,00015–16L1
32May 30Memphis2–5ChappelleHess (2–5)Sulphur Dell15–17L2
33May 31@ Memphis1–4ShieldsPerdue (2–4)Russwood Park15–18L3
June (15–10)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
34June 1Memphis3–1Kellum (4–1)Garrity—Sulphur Dell1,50016–18W1
35June 2New Orleans2–5GueseYerkes (1–2)—Sulphur Dell1,80016–19L1
36June 4New Orleans3–2Duggan (5–4)Clark—Sulphur Dell1,50017–19W1
37June 5New Orleans5–2Duggan (6–4)Bartley—Sulphur Dell1,80018–19W2
38June 6Mobile2–5BeekerKellum (4–2)—Sulphur Dell2,80018–20L1
39June 8Mobile8–1Perdue (3–4)Torrey—Sulphur Dell1,40019–20W1
40June 9Mobile1–3StockdaleYerkes (1–3)—Sulphur Dell1,50019–21L1
41June 10Mobile3–0Duggan (7–4)Beeker—Sulphur Dell1,20020–21W1
42June 11Little Rock2–8EylerBernhard (0–1)—Sulphur Dell1,59920–22L1
43June 12Little Rock7–0Perdue (4–4)Walters—Sulphur Dell1,20021–22W1
44June 13Little Rock1–8EastmanKellum (4–3)—Sulphur Dell1,50021–23L1
45June 15Birmingham0–6RobitailleDuggan (7–5)—Sulphur Dell1,10021–24L2
46June 16Birmingham5–3Perdue (5–4)Turner—Sulphur Dell1,30022–24W1
47June 17Birmingham6–0Kellum (5–3)Robinson—Sulphur Dell1,50023–24W2
48June 18Montgomery5–1Bernhard (1–1)Cristall—Sulphur Dell1,50024–24W3
49June 19Montgomery7–2Duggan (8–5)Guese—Sulphur Dell1,50025–24W4
50June 20Montgomery8–0Perdue (6–4)Juul—Sulphur Dell3,00026–24W5
51June 22@ Atlanta5–4Kellum (6–3)Schopp—Ponce de Leon Park27–24W6
52June 23@ Atlanta5–1Perdue (7–4)—Ponce de Leon Park28–24W7
53June 23@ Atlanta1–4CastletonDuggan (8–6)—Ponce de Leon Park28–25L1
54June 24@ Atlanta0–5FordBernhard (1–2)—Ponce de Leon Park28–26L2
55June 25@ Montgomery3–4GueseKellum (6–4)—28–27L3
56June 26@ Montgomery1–2ThomasPerdue (7–5)—28–28L4
57June 27@ Montgomery3–2Duggan (9–6)McCafferty—29–28W1
58June 30Atlanta3–1Duggan (10–6)Ford—Sulphur Dell1,50030–28W2
July (16–9)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
59July 1Atlanta5–0Perdue (8–5)Schopp—Sulphur Dell1,60030–28W3
60July 3@ Birmingham5–2Kellum (7–4)—31–28W4
61July 4@ Birmingham5–2Duggan (11–6)—1,50032–28W5
62July 5@ New Orleans1–2ClarkPerdue (8–6)—Athletic Park32–29L1
63July 6@ New Orleans2–0Kellum (8–4)Breitenstein—Athletic Park33–29W1
64July 7@ New Orleans3–1Duggan (12–6)Bartley—Athletic Park34–29W2
July 9@ Mobile0–0—Monroe Park34–29W2
65July 10@ Mobile3–2Hunter (3–3)Gaskill—Monroe Park35–29W3
66July 11@ Mobile1–2HickmanKellum (8–5)—Monroe Park35–30L1
67July 12@ Mobile6–3Bernhard (2–2)Gaskill—Monroe Park36–30W1
July 13@ Little Rock3–3—36–30W1
68July 14@ Little Rock1–4HartHunter (4–3)—36–31L1
69July 15@ Little Rock1–2EastmanDuggan (12–7)—36–32L2
70July 15@ Little Rock5–4Kellum (9–5)Buchanan—37–32W1
71July 17@ Memphis3–2Perdue (9–6)Chappelle—Russwood Park38–32W2
72July 18@ Memphis6–1Bernhard (3–2)Shields—Russwood Park39–32W3
73July 20Little Rock2–1Duggan (13–7)Neuer—Sulphur Dell3,00040–32W4
74July 21Little Rock0–3BuchananPerdue (9–7)—Sulphur Dell40–33L1
75July 22Little Rock15–8Hunter (5–3)—Sulphur Dell41–33W1
76July 23Mobile0–2HickmanKellum (9–6)—Sulphur Dell41–34L1
77July 25Mobile4–2Perdue (10–7)Torrey—Sulphur Dell1,80042–35W1
78July 26@ Memphis2–1Bernhard (4–2)Garrity—43–35W2
79July 27New Orleans3–1Kellum (10–6)Bartley—Sulphur Dell3,00044–35W3
80July 28New Orleans5–7ClarkHunter (5–4)—Sulphur Dell3,50044–36L1
81July 29New Orleans2–0Bernhard (5–2)Fritz—Sulphur Dell2,50045–36W1
82July 30Memphis2–5Perdue (10–8)—Sulphur Dell2,00045–37L1
83July 31Memphis0–1SavidgeDuggan (13–8)—Sulphur Dell1,80045–38L2
August (17–12)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
84August 1Memphis3–0Kellum (11–6)SchwenkSulphur Dell3,50046–38W1
85August 3Birmingham2–6BauerPerdue (10–9)Sulphur Dell1,40046–39L1
86August 4Birmingham15–2Hunter (6–4)RobitailleSulphur Dell2,00047–39W1
87August 5Birmingham13–1Kellum (12–6)FordSulphur Dell2,00048–39W2
88August 5Birmingham4–5TurnerDuggan (13–9)Sulphur Dell48–40L1
89August 6Atlanta6–0Bernhard (6–2)RadabaughSulphur Dell2,00049–40W1
90August 7Atlanta2–1Sitton (1–0)MaxwellSulphur Dell3,50050–40W2
91August 8Atlanta2–0Hunter (7–4)ViebahnSulphur Dell51–40W3
92August 10Montgomery6–1Duggan (14–9)BlissSulphur Dell2,40052–40W4
93August 11Montgomery1–3GueseKellum (12–7)Sulphur Dell52–41L1
94August 12Montgomery1–0Bernhard (7–2)ThomasSulphur Dell2,50053–41W1
95August 13@ Atlanta2–5ViebahnHunter (7–5)Ponce de Leon Park53–42L1
96August 14@ Atlanta5–1Sitton (2–0)FordPonce de Leon Park54–42W1
97August 14@ Atlanta2–3JohnsDuggan (14–10)Ponce de Leon Park54–43L1
98August 15@ Atlanta3–1Kellum (13–7)MaxwellPonce de Leon Park55–43W1
99August 17@ Montgomery3–8ThomasSitton (2–1)55–44L1
100August 18@ Montgomery11–6Perdue (11–9)Juul56–44W1
101August 19@ Montgomery6–3Bernhard (8–2)Guese57–44W2
August 20@ Birmingham1–157–44W2
102August 21@ Birmingham2–6FordKellum (13–8)57–45L1
103August 21@ Birmingham4–5ThomasSitton (2–1)57–46L2
104August 22@ Birmingham3–1Perdue (12–9)Robitaille58–46W1
105August 22@ Birmingham0–7FlehartyPerdue (12–10)58–47L1
106August 24@ Little Rock1–2EylerBernhard (8–3)58–48L2
107August 25@ Little Rock5–3Duggan (15–10)Eastman59–48W1
108August 26@ Little Rock4–0Perdue (13–10)Buchanan60–48W2
109August 26@ Little Rock3–2Kellum (14–8)Hart61–48W3
110August 28@ Memphis1–2SchwenkSitton (2–3)Russwood Park61–49L1
111August 29@ Memphis1–5SavidgeBernhard (8–4)Russwood Park61–50L2
August 30@ Memphis2–2Russwood Park5,00061–50L2
112August 31@ New Orleans2–0Kellum (15–8)Bartley—Athletic Park3,30062–50W1
September (13–6)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveStadiumAttendanceRecordStreak
113September 1@ New Orleans1–0Sitton (3–3)Fritz—Athletic Park3,50063–50W2
114September 2@ New Orleans0–3BreitensteinDuggan (15–11)—Athletic Park3,50063–51L1
September 2@ New Orleans0–0—Athletic Park63–51L1
115September 3@ Mobile0–1HickmanPerdue (13–11)—Monroe Park63–52L2
116September 3@ Mobile2–0Perdue (14–11)Hixon—Monroe Park64–52W1
117September 5@ Mobile1–4FisherKellum (15–9)—Monroe Park64–53L1
118September 5@ Mobile10–0Hunter (8–5)—Monroe Park65–53W1
119September 7Memphis1–4SchwenkSitton (3–4)Sulphur Dell3,50065–54L1
120September 7Memphis6–3Duggan (16–11)GarritySulphur Dell7,50066–54W1
121September 8Memphis10–0Perdue (15–11)SavidgeSulphur Dell67–54W2
122September 9Little Rock2–3HartKellum (15–10)Sulphur Dell67–55L1
123September 10Little Rock1–0Duggan (17–11)BuchananSulphur Dell68–55W1
124September 11Little Rock20–1Sitton (4–4)Sulphur Dell69–55W2
125September 12Little Rock11–1Perdue (16–11)HartSulphur Dell70–55W3
126September 14Mobile10–2Duggan (18–11)BeekerSulphur Dell71–55W4
127September 15Mobile8–2Sitton (5–4)FisherSulphur Dell72–55W5
128September 16Mobile10–1Perdue (17–11)Sulphur Dell73–55W6
129September 17New Orleans1–5BartleyBernhard (8–5)Sulphur Dell5,00073–56L1
130September 18New Orleans6–2Duggan (19–11)PhillipsSulphur Dell5,00074–56W1
131September 19New Orleans1–0Sitton (6–4)BreitensteinSulphur Dell10,70075–56W2
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = No decision
Bold = Vols team member
Reference:[11]
Opening day

Sportswriter and Vanderbilt baseball coach Grantland Rice accompanied the team to Atlanta. President Kuhn ordered a line score hung up on a slate board outside Sulphur Dell, for local fans to follow the game.[12]

Mike McCormick leaves

On June 15, team captain Mike McCormick had a heated exchange with fans and ultimately abandoned the team.[13]

Despite this, the Vols changed the team and went on a winning streak as a result. On June 20 in an 8–0 win over Montgomery, Butler hit a then-rare, outside-the-park home run.[14]

Seventeen inning contest

The seventeen-inning game on July 9 against Mobile was declared a tie. Both pitchers received praise, and Hamilton Love wrote Perdue "has done more than any one man to hold up the team."[15]

Carl Sitton's debut

On August 7, Southern Association rookie Sitton debuted against the Crackers, winning a close game 2–1 and striking out eight.[16]

Hub Perdue's doubleheader

On September 3, Hub Perdue pitched a shutout until the final inning, when he let a run across. He then insisted on pitching the second game of a doubleheader, and pitched a shut-out win.[17]

John Duggan's no-hitter

On September 10, Nashville's John Duggan pitched a no-hitter, the second in team history, against the Little Rock Travelers at Sulphur Dell. Only two Little Rock batters reached base, one via walk and another on a fielding error. Nashville's Pryor McElveen, who had earlier misplayed the ball at third, drove in Doc Wiseman in the sixth inning for the only run of the game, a 1–0 win.[18][19]

Last game vs. New Orleans

According to one account, "By one run, by one point, Nashville has won the Southern League pennant, nosing New Orleans out literally by an eyelash. Saturday's game, which was the deciding one, between Nashville and New Orleans was the greatest exhibition of the national game ever seen in the south and the finish in the league race probably sets a record in baseball history".[20]

Carl Sitton's spitball defeated Ted Breitenstein 1–0 in the "Greatest Game".[21] Sitton pitched a complete-game, nine-strikeout, four-hit, shutout.

Nashville scored in the bottom of the seventh inning. With two outs, catcher Ed Hurlburt hit a single. Then Sitton did too. Harry "Deerfoot" Bay bunted perfectly down the third base line to load the bases, Bay's fondest memory in his long baseball career.[22] Doc Wiseman then drove in the winning run. Sitton was thrown out at home after Hurlburt scored.[22] The time of the game was one hour and forty-two minutes.[2]

Panorama of baseball field and packed stands
The decisive Nashville-New Orleans game

Standings

Season standings
Bill Bernhard, the team's manager.
Team W L Pct. GB
Nashville Vols 7556.573—
New Orleans Pelicans 7657.571—
Memphis Egyptians 7362.5414
Montgomery Senators 6865.5118
Mobile Sea Gulls 6767.50091⁄2
Atlanta Crackers 6372.46714
Little Rock Travelers 6276.449161⁄2
Birmingham Barons 5382.39324
Source:[23]

Record vs. opponents
A game at Sulphur Dell, 1908
Team ATL BIR LR MEM MOB MTG NAS NO
Atlanta —11–812–89–107–1210–106–138–11
Birmingham 9–11—11–97–1310–96–129–102–18
Little Rock 8–129–11—10–911–98–129–107–13
Memphis 10–93–79–10—12–910–98–1111–7
Mobile 12–79–109–119–12—11–76–1211–8
Montgomery 10–1012–612–89–107–11—10–98–11
Nashville 13–610–910–911–812–69–10—10–8
New Orleans 11–818–213–77–118–1111–88–10—
Source:[24]

Roster
Doc Wiseman, "The Hero of the Dell".

Twenty-four players competed for the Vols over the course of the season.[25] Of these, Daubert, Butler, Wiseman, Perdue, and Sitton were named by Nashville Banner sportswriters Fred Russell and George Leonard to an all-time team consisting of top Nashville players from 1901 to 1919.[26]

1908 Nashville Vols
Roster
Pitchers
  • John Duggan
  • Bill Sorrells
 Catchers
  • Ed Hurlburt
  • Warren Seabough

Infielders

  • Walter East
  • John Hess
  • Henry Jansing
  • Frank Morse
 Outfielders
  • Al Decker
 Manager

Player stats

Starters
"Deerfoot" Bay was the team's leadoff hitter.

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; AVG = Batting average; SLG = Slugging percentage; SB = Stolen bases

Batting order[lower-alpha 1] Pos Player G AB R H AVG SLG SB
1LFHarry Bay 10341545112.270.28919
7SSKid Butler 13648036127.265.32113
61BJake Daubert 13847349124.262.36813
32BWalter East
43BPryor McElveen 13851466146.284.37215
5CFJohnny Siegle 12242852114.266.33916
2RFDoc Wiseman 13852577132.251.30130

Others
Pos Player G AB R H AVG SLG SB
CFAl Decker
CJack Hardy 601942240.206.28912
CEd Hurlburt
3BHenry Jansing
SSMike McCormick 481731645.260.28312
CWarren Seabough 963341690.269.2905

Pitchers
Pos Player G AB R H AVG SLG SB
PBill Bernhard 1551210.196.2160
PJohn Duggan 3397617.175.1860
P/IFJohn Hess 71904.211.2111
P/OFGeorge Hunter 602013353.264.33318
PWin Kellum 26781014.179.2180
PHub Perdue 34101816.158.1680
PCarl Sitton 103326.182.1820
PStan Yerkes 61203.250.2500
Source:[25]

Starting pitchers
Hub Perdue

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; W% = Winning percentage

Player G W L W%
John Duggan 341912.613
Win Kellum 24159.625
Hub Perdue 321612.571

Other pitchers
Player G W L W%
Bill Bernhard 1476.538
Jake Daubert ————
John Hess 725.286
George Hunter 1485.615
Carl Sitton 1064.600
Bill Sorrells ————
Stan Yerkes 6———
Source:[25]

Notes
  1. By August, the team's batting lineup had been settled as follows:[27]

References
Specific
  1. "Nashville, Tennessee Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  2. The Reach Official American League Base Ball Guide For 1908. A.J. Reach Company. 1908. p. 215.
  3. Simpson, John A. (2007). The Greatest Game Ever Played In Dixie. ISBN 9780786430505.
  4. Simpson, John A. (2013). Hub Perdue: Clown Prince of the Mound. ISBN 978-0786472253.
  5. "Sports writer Grantland Rice credited with Sulphur Dell moniker". The Tennessean.
  6. Nipper, Skip (February 10, 2007). Baseball in Nashville. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738543918 – via Google Books.
  7. "History of baseball at Sulphur Dell". The Tennessean.
  8. "1908 Southern League (SL) minor league baseball Leaders on StatsCrew.com".
  9. Simpson pp. 32, 180
  10. Grantland Rice (January 22, 1908). "In Sulphur Dell". The Tennessean. p. 8. Retrieved January 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  11. Simpson, pp. 237-248
  12. Simpson, p. 60
  13. Simpson, p. 96
  14. Ibid, p. 101
  15. Ibid, p. 112
  16. Ibid. p. 129
  17. "Reference at webcache.googleusercontent.com".
  18. McGill, Chuck. "Minor League No-Hitters". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  19. "No Hit Game for J. Duggan". Nashville Banner. Nashville. September 11, 1908. p. 12. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  20. Hamilton Love (October 10, 1908). "South Sayings" (PDF). Sporting Life: 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  21. "Looking Back: Nashville's Baseball Championships". MiLB.com.
  22. Simpson 2013, p. 62
  23. "1908 Southern Association". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  24. The Reach Official American League Base Ball Guide for 1908. A.J. Reach Company. 1908. p. 213.
  25. "1908 Nashville Volunteers Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  26. "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.
  27. Simpson, p. 132
General
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