Baseball history in Nashville and interviews with local baseball figures as told by Skip Nipper - researcher, author, writer, and historian...
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Tennessee Vintage Base Ball and 19th Century Baseball Rules
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Today I umpired a game in Tennessee Vintage Baseball at Oaklands Mansion in Murfreesboro between the Stones River Scouts and Phoenix of East Nashville. These teams play the “gentleman’s game” (gentle ladies play these days, too) and it is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. The rules are different from what we may know, and in this e…
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Nashville Sounds to Honor Negro Leagues Star Henry Kimbro
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Henry Kimbro was a stocky speedster who earned his living slap-hitting baseballs between third base and shortstop or into the outfield gaps. He served as the leadoff hitter for the Baltimore Elite Giants for 13 of his 18 seasons in the Negro Leagues as his 5’ 8”, 175- pound frame could generate quite a punch when he chose. On Saturday, August 10, t…
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Baseball Lifer: Nashville Manager Chuck Dressen
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Chuck Dressen stuck by his players and taught them to win. He studied them, and he played situational baseball. In Nashville he won over 200 games in parts of four seasons and led the Vols to a fourth-, third-, and two second-place finishes. He became a well-loved, no nonsense Nashville manager. In this episode you will hear about the career of Chu…
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The first ceremonial opening day “first pitch” took place in National Park, later to be named Griffith Stadium, on April 14, 1910, by William Howard Taft, preceding the game between the Philadelphia Athletics and Washington Nationals. It began a tradition by presidents, dignitaries, entertainers, and other special guests before games in the major l…
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Recollection by a Player of an 1868 Base Ball Game
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Scrolling through online sources for baseball games (whether one word, “baseball,” or two “base ball,” every once in a while I come across something with added interest. I am going to take you back to October of 1868, Saturday, the 3rd, and then fast-forward to an article in the Sunday, July 10, 1927 edition of the Nashville Banner, entitled “C. S.…
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Revisiting the Career of Whiz Kid Dick Sisler
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Before Dick Sisler was Nashville Vols manager, his claim to fame was secured several years before as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. In a previous episode I told about his career and events during his Nashville tenure. But his feat on October 1, 1950, his home run that sealed the National League pennant, broke the spell of expectations for t…
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Tom Wilson built a ballpark for his Nashville Elite Giants and opened it in time for the 1929 Negro Southern League season. It became an venue for not only baseball, but family gatherings, festivals, and all sorts of events for all people, Black or White. In this episode, I give background about Tom Wilson's life, including when he demolished his b…
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I want to tell you about a great baseball player who came out of the ranks of the Nashville Interscholastic League and made his way to the major leagues for nine seasons and had about as much talent as anyone who came out of Nashville. That player was Bobby Tillman, a 6’4” right-hander, signed out of Middle Tennessee State College by Red Sox scout,…
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New Life, or Near Death? The 1955 Nashville Vols
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Even though the Nashville franchise would exist until the demise of the Southern Association after the 1961 season, the handwriting was on the wall. The excitement of a new era of Nashville baseball possibly being ushered in for 1955 seemed fleeting, even with a new Vols/Reds affiliation. Were the opening-day rainouts the precursor to the last year…
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Stearnes and Kimbro: Major Leaguers at Last
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Negro Leaguers statistics for past years have been elevated equal to that of Major League players. Not all years, but in particular, seven leagues for various seasons. No easy task for researchers and historians who have been working on this project, it now brings to light the on-the-field efforts of many Black baseball players, as the stats now ch…
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This week I wondered about the number of knuckleball pitchers with a Nashville connection. I have seen videos of thrown knuckleballs with little or no rotation, haven’t you? Besides kids in your neighborhood, or having a catch in Little League practice, how many of them were thrown by someone with a connection to Music City? In this episode, I tell…
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Once the Civil War was over, local teams began to flourish in Nashville. These base ball clubs formed the foundation of future teams in the late 19th Century, including the non-professional Nashville Maroons. One of the claims for the earliest teams included a long-time battery, Robert "Lefty" Corbitt and Ed Mrzena, in 1891. I have the photograph t…
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Today’s subject is the Chinese University of Hawai‘i and its baseball team – in 1914. I am sure you are wondering what this team has to do with Nashville, and I know you know I always talk about Nashville’s baseball connections. There is one. Vandy’s 1914 baseball schedule listed May 18 and 19 against the “Chinese Team of Hawaii.” Wait a minute. Di…
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Nashville's Outfield Artist: Julius "Doc" Wiseman
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In a rare occurrence, the pennant-deciding game between Nashville and New Orleans on the last day of the 1908 season was halted in the middle of the seventh inning for a ceremony to honor Nashville’s most popular player: Doc Wiseman. He was awarded a gold pocket watch for eight years playing with the local team. It was inscribed with the following:…
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Sulphur Dell was not just a baseball venue. Concerts by Tex Ritter, Jackie Wilson, and James Brown were held at what was Nashville's event center. Dick Clark’s Cavalcade of Stars, Esther Williams’ Water Follies, and the Shrine Circus drew large crowds, and barn-storming baseball exhibitions were held at the memorable ballpark before its demise. In …
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I wrote a story this past week about Jeff Peeples, one of the most dominating athletes ever from Nashville. If you would like to read it, you can find it at baseballinnashville.com. In writing that story it brought back memories I have of playing as a 15-year-old in the Nashville Babe Ruth League. Today, I can look back on that season as a special …
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In what must be one of baseball’s most productive offensive games ever in Sulphur Dell, Chattanooga outlasted Nashville, 24-17, in the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday, June 12, 1946. Nashville won the first game that day by a score of 4-3, but the nightcap was one for the record books. Listen as I tell about this and other high-scoring g…
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Have you ever wondered what ballplayers did during the off-season back in the day when salaries were not exorbitant like they are now? What did Nashville Vols do in the offseason? In this episode, hear how players would be spending their winter once the 1952 Southern Association season ended! Want to stay in touch? Find me here: Twitter: Skip's Cor…
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Was Hugh Hill’s .416 in 1902 Legitimate, or Not?
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Hugh Hill was born on July 21, 1879, in Ringgold, Georgia, and signed with Newt Fisher’s 1901 Nashville baseball club in the inaugural season of the Southern Association. As a pitcher, he won six games while losing five, playing in 51 games because he was also an outfielder. The ball club won the pennant that season, and when 1902 rolled around, Fi…
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Today, April 1st, marks a day of notoriety all its own. I have heard of pranks on April Fool’s Day that run the gamut, and if you have had fun with it, been the butt of a joke, or if you have made a family member mad, it is a fun day in most cases. Unless it is taken to an extreme, which I do not forgive. Some are funny. Others? Not so much. Baseba…
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Destination Cooperstown: Another Trip of a Lifetime
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It was going to be the trip of a lifetime, and boy, was I excited about it. For most of my life, I had dreamed of visiting Cooperstown, and finally, it was going to happen. In this episode, I tell about a special visit that rivals two spring training trips, MLB World Series and All-Star games, and the birth of all four of my children. Well, maybe n…
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Remembering Our 2016 Spring Training Trip with Dave Ammenheuser
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Tennessean sports editor Dave Ammenheuser coordinated a spring training trip in 2016, and I tagged along with high school teammate Bart Leathers and everyone’s “Mr. Nashville Baseball”, Farrell Owens (both deceased). Dave has moved on to various assignments, but eight years later, here we are to talk about that great six-games-in-five days “immacul…
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Betty-Jane Taylor: A Woman for All Seasons
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Betty-Jane Taylor and I have known each other through her husband Larry, who not only played for the Nashville Vols, but was basketball and baseball coach at Berry College in Rome, Georgia. Larry passed away not quite two years ago, on April 21, 2022, at the age of 91. He was a good baseball friend and loyal member of the Nashville Old Timers Baseb…
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Old Timers President Tony Rankin Talks Baseball
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Tony Rankin loves the game of baseball as much as anybody, both as an autograph collector and with a passion for its purpose. A clinical therapist, speaker, and author, in this Skip’s Corner episode Tony explains how we like to remember things that take us back to a fun place in life that we don’t necessarily have today when he says: “Baseball is t…
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As we bring Black History Month to an end, I want you to know about a special player with a special talent. Ray Dandridge never had the chance to play in the majors, but the record shows he was clearly one of the greatest third basemen of all time. And, he had a brief connection to Nashville baseball. Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame i…
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Negro Leaguers in the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame
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If you have never been to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, it is worth a few hours of your time. It honors athletes, teams, coaches, sportswriters, and sports executives for their contributions to sports in our state. In celebraton of Black History Month, it is important to highlight inductees who played Negro Leagues baseball, and to call attent…
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Clinton “Butch” McCord was destined to be one of baseball’s greatest players. The color of one’s skin was a factor in many baseball careers throughout the United States, and Butch ran into many roadblocks along the way, too. But never did he let them get him down. I have spoken about Butch many times, but never have I made him the subject of an ent…
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Coaches: Teach Your Players Well About the Negro Leagues
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Michael Thurmon was one of the organizers of the Tennessee Vintage Base Ball Association. His love for history led him to study early base ball, as it was played in the middle of the 19th Century. Today, he has taken his love for The Game to coach a team of youngsters who he teaches baseball skills, but he goes a step further, too: He teaches him a…
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Joey Hale from Goodlettsville Little League: Like Father, Like Son
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You are really going to enjoy this Nashville Baseball History podcast episode. Joey Hale, who coached the Southeast regional team from Goodlettsville to the 2012 Little League United States Championship, is my guest. He describes the journey to Williamsport and tells about each player. His passion for baseball and teaching youngsters the game is ev…
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Nashville’s reading public who relied on the written word from the newspapers, the morning Nashville Tennessean and evening Nashville Banner (the Banner is long gone and the Tennessean is no longer the up-to-date version, through no fault of its own) knew they could trust the writers to deliver the best coverage, the best detailed account of a game…
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Strawberry Bill Bernhard Brings a Championship to Nashville
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When the Nashville Baseball Club needed a manager to bring the team out of the Southern Association cellar, Bill Bernhard was just the man to do it. With nine seasons of major league experience, and nearly Cleveland's big league manager, Bernhard immediately made an impact. The man known for his genteel demeanor, he learned his craft from Hall of F…
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Dick Sisler came from a baseball family. His father, George, was a two-time batting champion and a career .340 hitter and was named to the inaugural class of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. His brother, Dave Sisler, pitched in the major leagues for Boston, Detroit, Washington, and Cincinnati, and his brother, George, Jr., was president …
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Who Would You Choose as a Member of the Baseball in Nashville Hall of Fame?
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A few years ago I selected the Top 10 Most Influential People in Nashville Baseball History with the emphasis on "influential." That list was limited in that regard, but I have a dream to produce a Baseball in Nashville Hall of Fame by taking nominations from others. That list could be honed down to a select few for induction in 2024, with more add…
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Guy Lefty and Christine lived only a few blocks from Sulphur Dell, where he played baseball for the Nashville Vols for 20 years. He found it hard to continue their holiday traditions when she passed away, but during one visit to the old ballpark, a surprise was in store. Listen to this fictional account of a beloved ballplayer and a Christmas Day s…
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Nashville's Southern Association Batting Champions 1901-1961
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During the 61-year existence of the Southern Association, only three players hit for an average over .400, and all three played for the Nashville Vols. In all, 18 players who led the league wore a Vols uniform, and in this episode I name each one. Insight into the controversy of Hugh Hill's .416 batting average in 1902 is explained, too, and I hope…
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David Lindsey Was a Columbia, CMA, and Lipscomb Baseball Star
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David Lindsey's father, Eldon "Toby" Lindsey, was a minor league pitcher and played parts of two seasons for the Nashville Vols with six seaons in the minors before serving in the military. His influence on David and his brothers Gerry, Jimmy, and Danny, all excellent players in their own right, went a long way in each one finding a special place i…
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Here in Music City, the name goes with the territory. In 1925, the establishment of radio station WSM and its launch of the broadcast that would be called the Grand Ole Opry further secured Nashville's reputation as a musical center and sparked its durable nickname of Music City. Ballparks, football and soccer stadiums, and just about every other s…
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Vintage Base Ball Legend Rick “Uncle Jesse” Brewer
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I have an unpublished personal “Circle of Honor,” which includes family members, teammates, acquaintances, and friends, a unique list of many who have been meaningful to me in my life. One of them is Rick Brewer, who passed away a few days ago, and I could do no less than let listeners know how much he meant to me and hundreds of others. He was a g…
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P. T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman,”in Nashville
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Nearly 40 years before becoming “Sulphur Dell”, the low-lying area north of Nashville’s downtown was called Sulphur Spring Bottom. It had a natural salt lick and sulphur spring, and many years before the city was founded, the area teemed with wildlife, especially buffalo and deer who came to lick the mineral salt. It was there baseball found its ho…
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Celebrating Nashville Ballplayers Who Served in the Military
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Ty Cobb, Christie Mathewson, Ted Williams, Monte Irvin, and Yogi Berra are just a few baseball Hall of Famers who served in the military, often putting off or leaving their careers to sign up. George Archie, Johnny Beazley, Charlie Gilbert, Russ Meers, and Hoyt Wilhelm were a few lesser known ballplayers with a Nashville connection who served in th…
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With Daylight Savings Time ending, we gain the one hour we gave up in March and are now on Standard Time. Years ago, there was a change in time as ordered by Congress and I often wonder how the fans took to the change in time, and how it affected attendance to baseball games in years gone by. In this episode I tell about the early days when there w…
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The impact of television on baseball attendance was never more thoroughly demonstrated than the night of the Joe Walcott-Ezzard Charles championship boxing match, June 5, 1950, when clubs generally reported low gates as fans remained home to view the title bout. Television was a new dynamic in homes across the nation, and baseball games began its s…
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Phyllis Adkisson-Smith, Daughter of Negro Leagues Star Wilbur "Yank" Adkisson
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After attending Nashville's Pearl High School, Wilbur "Yank" Adkisson spent three years in the Army during World War II, where he played baseball with some of the greats: Joe DiMaggio, Enos Slaughter, Josh Gibson, Roy Campanella, Satchel Paige, and Jackie Robinson. He became a Negro Leagues star with the Nashville Cubs, where he was known as a powe…
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Pete Weber is not only the radio play-by-play announcer for the Nashville Predators but also has a history in baseball. His story takes us from his hometown of Galesburg, Illinois, to Notre Dame and many stops along the way. Join us in listening to our conversation about his love of sports, his broadcasting career, and the personal stories that mak…
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As a member of the Tennessee Vols baseball team, R. A. Dickey "had to win at everything," according to teammate Travis Copley. Dickey's long road to success included determination, perserverance, and dedication, and learning a new pitch: the knuckleball. Listen as I tell about this family man's journey through minor and major league baseball, his 2…
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Music and baseball go hand in hand, don't they? From the Jazz age, to Bluegrass, to Country, to an eclectic music scene that now defines Music City, what are the chances those genres paralleled Nashville's growth? Listen to this episode as I tell about band leaders and musicians who not only played music on stage, they played baseball on the field.…
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Bobby Durnbaugh, the consummate teammate, was my friend, and I enjoyed our visits and phone conversations. He blessed me by talking so freely about his thoughts on baseball and memories about his experiences. He was a fan-favorite in the cities he played in, but especially at Sulphur Dell in Nashville. I hope you will listen to this episode, a hard…
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Donelson, Vanderbilt, and Tri-State League Star, Steve Burger
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Steve Burger's story includes growing up in Donelson, playing Little League, Babe Ruth, and American Legion baseball. As a 1969 graduate of Donelson High School who excelled in football, basketball, and baseball, he was an All-Nashville player in all three sports. After high school, he attended Vanderbilt University on a football scholarship and pl…
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Vols Pitcher George Jeffcoat Sets Strikeout Record
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In front of 2,800 fans at Sulphur Dell on September 10, 1940 George Jeffcoat fulfilled a prediction he made to local sportswriter Raymond Johnson, and sets a Southern Association strikeout record in the process. Jeffcoat was one of four brothers to play minor league baseball, and he and his brother Halboth made it to the major leagues. Listen to th…
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On Wednesday, February 5, 1969, just five years before his passing, Tamulis was honored as Old Timer of the year at the annual Nashville Old Timers banquet. In 1942, Tamulis posted an impressive 20–8 record for Nashville in leading the Vols to the Southern Association playoffs championship and Dixie Series title. In this episode I tell about his ca…
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