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.

Bob Lennon led the Southern Association in five categories in 1954 (batting average, hits, runs, RBI, and home runs) and was awarded the Southern Association MVP Award.

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

Bob Schultz won the Southern Association MVP Award in 1950.

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

Jake Daubert was named first baseman on the 1901 to 1919 all-time team by Fred Russell.

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

Larry Gilbert was the unanimous choice of both Fred Russell and George Leonard for manager of the 1920 to 1963 all-time team.

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

Ed Abbaticchio led the league in runs (127) in 1901 and in triples (18) and stolen bases (61) in 1902.

Gus Williams led the league in doubles (33) in 1916.

Kiki Cuyler led the league in stolen bases with 68 in 1923.

Lance Richbourg led the league in doubles (46) and stolen bases (30) in 1933.

Dale Alexander led the league with 42 doubles in 1937.

Hal Jeffcoat led the league in hits (218) in 1947.

Smoky Burgess was the league's batting champion with a .384 batting average in 1948.

Jack Harshman hit 47 home runs in 1957, more than any other player in the league.

These players led all other players in the league in particular statistical batting categories in a single season.

Statistic	Player	Record	Season	Ref
Batting average	Harry Welchonce	.325	1912	[17]
Batting average	Moose Clabaugh	.378	1931	[17]
Batting average	Moose Clabaugh	.382	1932	[17]
Batting average	Phil Weintraub	.401	1934	[17]
Batting average	Doug Taitt	.355	1935	[17]
Batting average	Bert Haas	.365	1939	[17]
Batting average	Les Fleming	.414	1941	[17]
Batting average	Charlie English	.341	1942	[17]
Batting average	Ed Sauer	.368	1943	[17]
Batting average	Smoky Burgess	.384	1948	[17]
Batting average	Bob Borkowski	.376	1949	[17]
Batting average	Babe Barna	.358	1951	[17]
Batting average	Rance Pless	.364	1952	[17]
Batting average	Bill Taylor	.350	1953	[17]
Batting average	Bob Lennon	.345	1954	[17]
Batting average	Charles Williams	.368	1955	[17]
Batting average	Stan Palys	.359	1957	[17]
Batting average	Jim Fridley	.348	1958	[17]
Hits	Pug Bennett	166	1904	[18]
Hits	Frank Norcum	157	1905	[18]
Hits	Harry Welchonce	157	1912	[18]
Hits	Bill Rodda	190^(2)	1934	[18]
Hits	Doug Taitt	194	1935	[18]
Hits	Joe Dwyer	194	1936	[18]
Hits	Arnie Moser	223	1940	[18]
Hits	Charlie English	217	1942	[18]
Hits	Hal Jeffcoat	218	1947	[18]
Hits	Tookie Gilbert	197	1949	[18]
Hits	Robert Ludwig	213	1951	[18]
Hits	Rance Pless	196	1952	[18]
Hits	Bob Lennon	210	1954	[18]
Hits	Charles Williams	211	1955	[18]
Runs	Ed Abbaticchio	127	1901	[19]
Runs	Doc Wiseman	111	1902	[19]
Runs	Frank Norcum	86	1905	[19]
Runs	Jay Partridge	155	1930	[19]
Runs	Bill Rodda	140	1932	[19]
Runs	Joe Dwyer	127	1936	[19]
Runs	John Mihalic	124	1942	[19]
Runs	Ed Sauer	113	1943	[19]
Runs	Charlie Gilbert	178	1948	[19]
Runs	Tookie Gilbert	146	1949	[19]
Runs	Bob Boring	108	1953	[19]
Runs	Bob Lennon	139	1954	[19]
Runs	Bob Hazle	114	1955	[19]
Runs	Stan Palys	116	1957	[19]
Runs batted in	Albert Bernsen	118	1923	[20]
Runs batted in	Chick Tolson	143	1925	[20]
Runs batted in	Jim Poole	127	1929*	[20]
Runs batted in	Jim Poole	167	1930	[20]
Runs batted in	Stan Keyes	147	1932	[20]
Runs batted in	Doug Taitt	132	1936	[20]
Runs batted in	Gus Dugas	118^(2)	1940	[20]
Runs batted in	Charlie English	139	1942	[20]
Runs batted in	Mel Hicks	107	1943	[20]
Runs batted in	Chuck Workman	182	1948	[20]
Runs batted in	Carl Sawatski	153	1949	[20]
Runs batted in	Bob Lennon	161	1954	[20]
Runs batted in	Chuck Coles	107	1958	[20]
Doubles	Gus Williams	33	1916	[21]
Doubles	Pete Knisely	42	1917	[21]
Doubles	Fred Graf	31^(2)	1919	[21]
Doubles	Chick Tolson	44	1925	[21]
Doubles	Lance Richbourg	46	1933	[21]
Doubles	Bill Rodda	46	1934	[21]
Doubles	Joe Martin	45^(2)	1935	[21]
Doubles	Joe Dwyer	65	1936	[21]
Doubles	Dale Alexander	42	1937	[21]
Doubles	Charlie English	50	1942	[21]
Doubles	Ed Sauer	51	1943	[21]
Doubles	William Manning	41	1946	[21]
Doubles	Cy Block	50	1947	[21]
Doubles	Bob Boring	42^(2)	1953	[21]
Doubles	Billy Gardner	42^(2)	1953	[21]
Doubles	Charles Williams	44	1955	[21]
Doubles	Mel Corbo	31	1963	[22]
Triples	Ed Abbaticchio	18	1902	[23]
Triples	R Wickham	14	1919	[23]
Triples	Bevo LeBourveau	20	1923*	[23]
Triples	Ultus Alvarez	12	1959	[23]
Home runs	Tex McDonald	8	1919	[24]
Home runs	Rip Wade	24	1928	[24]
Home runs	Jim Poole	33	1929*	[24]
Home runs	Jim Poole	50	1930	[24]
Home runs	Moose Clabaugh	23	1931	[24]
Home runs	Stan Keyes	35	1932	[24]
Home runs	Dutch Prather	23	1933	[24]
Home runs	Doug Taitt	17	1935	[24]
Home runs	Doug Taitt	20^(2)	1936	[24]
Home runs	Willie Duke	19	1937	[24]
Home runs	Gus Dugas	22^(2)	1940	[24]
Home runs	Chuck Workman	29	1942	[24]
Home runs	Mel Hicks	16	1944	[24]
Home runs	Ted Pawelek	15	1946	[24]
Home runs	Chuck Workman	52	1948	[24]
Home runs	Carl Sawatski	45	1949	[24]
Home runs	Jack Harshman	47	1951	[24]
Home runs	Bob Lennon	64	1954	[24]
Home runs	Bob Hazle	29	1955	[24]
Stolen bases	Ed Abbaticchio	61	1902	[25]
Stolen bases	Dave Callahan	54	1914	[25]
Stolen bases	Kiki Cuyler	68	1923	[25]
Stolen bases	Lance Richbourg	30	1933	[25]
Stolen bases	Charlie Brewster	20	1942	[25]
Stolen bases	Ed Sauer	30	1943	[25]
Stolen bases	Don Nicholas	16	1957	[25]

Pitching leaders

Hub Perdue led the league in wins (23) in 1909.

Heinie Berger led the league with 310 innings pitched in 1914.

Tom Rogers co-led the league with 24 wins in 1916.

By Speece led the league in wins (22) in 1936.

These players led all other players in the league in particular statistical pitching categories in a single season.

Statistic	Player	Record	Season	Ref
Wins	Guy Sample	25	1901*	[26]
Wins	Hub Perdue	23	1909	[26]
Wins	Tom Rogers	24^(3)	1916	[26]
Wins	Benny Frey	22^(3)	1929	[26]
Wins	Tiny Chaplin	24^(2)	1935	[26]
Wins	By Speece	22	1936	[26]
Wins	Bill Crouch	21^(3)	1938	[26]
Wins	Boots Poffenberger	26	1940	[26]
Wins	Pete Mallory	20	1949	[26]
Wins	Bob Schultz	25	1950	[26]
Wins	Jack Harshman	23	1953	[26]
Wins	Bob Kelly	24	1957	[26]
Wins	Jim O'Toole	20^(3)	1958	[26]
Losses	Walter Deaver	24	1903	[27]
Losses	Wiley Piatt	22	1904	[27]
Losses	Art Herman	21	1905	[27]
Losses	Frank Bair	21	1912	[27]
Losses	Art Decatur	11^(2)	1918	[27]
Losses	Emory Zumbro	19	1930	[27]
Losses	George Milstead	24	1931	[27]
Losses	Sharkey Eiland	16^(5)	1935	[27]
Losses	Ray Starr	20	1938	[27]
Losses	William Padget	18	1954	[27]
Losses	Bob Kelly	16	1956	[27]
Innings pitched	Heinie Berger	310	1914	[28]
Innings pitched	Lefty Willis	257^(2)	1930	[28]
Innings pitched	Alex McColl	257^(2)	1930	[28]
Innings pitched	Tiny Chaplin	304	1933	[28]
Innings pitched	Ray Starr	276	1937	[28]
Innings pitched	Bob Kelly	259	1957	[28]
Innings pitched	Jim O'Toole	280	1958	[28]
Strikeouts	Claude Jonnard	134	1919	[29]
Strikeouts	Oscar Fuhr	103^(2)	1927	[29]
Strikeouts	Jackie Reid	135	1933	[29]
Strikeouts	Ace Adams	122	1940	[29]
Strikeouts	Russ Meers	161	1941	[29]
Strikeouts	George Jeffcoat	146	1942	[29]
Strikeouts	Boyd Tepler	147	1944	[29]
Strikeouts	Dutch McCall	179	1946	[29]
Strikeouts	Ben Wade	145	1947	[29]
Strikeouts	Al Worthington	152	1952	[29]
Strikeouts	Jim Constable	183	1953	[29]
Strikeouts	Joe Margoneri	184	1954	[29]
Walks	Cy Warmoth	151	1921	[30]
Walks	Sharkey Eiland	96	1935	[30]
Walks	Ray Starr	121	1938	[30]
Walks	Russ Meers	167	1941	[30]
Walks	Dutch McCall	128	1946	[30]
Walks	Al Worthington	140	1952	[30]
Walks	Jack Harshman	116	1953	[30]
Walks	Joe Margoneri	124	1954	[30]
Walks	Jerry Davis	146	1957	[30]
Walks	Jim O'Toole	132	1958	[30]

Notes

• ^a Greek George and Emil Mailho of the Atlanta Crackers were named Co-MVPs in 1940.[2]

References

1. "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.
2. "Timeline" (PDF). Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
3. O'Neal, Bill (1994), The Southern League: Baseball in Dixie, 1885–1994, Eakin Press, pp. 306–308, ISBN 0890159521
4. Nipper, Skip (2007), Baseball in Nashville, Arcadia Publishing, p. 25, ISBN 9780738543918
5. Traughber, Bill (May 23, 2011). "Looking Back: The 1901 Nashville Vols". Nashville Sounds. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
6. Nipper, Skip (October 1, 2013). "Name That Team". 262 Down Right. Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
7. Weiss, Bill; Wright, Marshall (2001). "Top 100 Teams". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
8. "Greek George Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
9. "Ed Sauer Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
10. "Chuck Workman Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
11. "Carl Sawatski Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
12. "Bob Schultz Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
13. "Jack Harshman Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
14. "Bob Lennon Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
15. "Gene Lary Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
16. "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.
17. "Single Season Batting Average". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
18. "Single Season Hits". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
19. "Single Season Runs". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
20. "Single Season RBI". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
21. "Single Season Doubles". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
22. "1963 South Atlantic League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
23. "Single Season Triples". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
24. "Single Season Home Runs". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
25. "Single Season Stolen Bases". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
26. "Single Season Wins". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
27. "Single Season Losses". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
28. "Single Season Innings Pitched". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
29. "Single Season Strikeouts". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
30. "Single Season Bases on Balls". Southern Association Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2015.