1908 Nashville Vols season

1908 Nashville Vols
Team photo
Minor league affiliations
Southern Association (since )
Location
Sulphur Dell (since ) Nashville, Tennessee (since )
Results
Record	75–56 (.573)
League place	1st
Other information
Owner(s)	Ferdinand E. Kuhn
Manager(s)	Bill Bernhard

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]

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) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Stadium Attendance Record Streak 1 April 16 @ Atlanta 1–3 Ford (1–0) Sorrell (0–1) Ponce de Leon Park 6,000 0–1 L1 2 April 17 @ Atlanta 3–0 Duggan (1–0) Castleton (0–1) Ponce de Leon Park 3,000 1–1 W1 April 20 Montgomery 3–3 — Sulphur Dell 4,400 1–1 W1 3 April 21 Montgomery 1–5 Van Ada Sorrell (0–2) — Sulphur Dell 2,000 1–2 L1 4 April 22 Montgomery 5–6 Cristall Duggan (1–1) — Sulphur Dell 1,500 1–3 L2 5 April 23 Montgomery 4–2 Perdue (1–0) Helm — Sulphur Dell 1,500 2–3 W1 6 April 25 Birmingham 3–0 Hess (1–0) Robitaille — Sulphur Dell 3,000 3–3 W2 7 April 27 Birmingham 7–6 Hunter (1–0) McNeal — Sulphur Dell 1,500 4–3 W3 8 April 28 Birmingham 1–4 Fleharty Duggan (1–2) — Sulphur Dell 1,500 4–4 L1 9 April 29 @ Montgomery 1–4 Thomas Perdue (1–1) — 4–5 L2 10 April 30 @ Montgomery 1–4 Stackpole Hess (1–1) — 4–6 L3
May (11–12) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Stadium Attendance Record Streak 11 May 1 @ Montgomery 5–0 Kellum (1–0) Merriman 5–6 W1 12 May 2 @ Montgomery 1–3 5–7 L1 13 May 4 @ Birmingham 3–1 Duggan (2–2) McNeal 6–7 W1 14 May 7 @ Birmingham 1–4 Turner Perdue (1–2) 450 6–8 L1 15 May 8 Atlanta 1–4 Ford Hess (1–2) — Sulphur Dell 6–9 L2 16 May 9 Atlanta 2–1 Kellum (2–0) McKenzie — Sulphur Dell 1,500 7–9 W1 17 May 11 Atlanta 4–2 Yerkes (1–0) Cummings — Sulphur Dell 1,500 8–9 W2 18 May 12 Atlanta 5–6 Ford Duggan (2–3) — Sulphur Dell 2.000 8–10 L1 19 May 14 @ Memphis 6–2 Duggan (3–3) Chappelle Russwood Park 9–10 W1 20 May 15 @ Memphis 5–1 Hess (2–2) Savidge Russwood Park 10–10 W2 21 May 16 @ Memphis 3–2 Hunter (2–1) Garrity Russwood Park 11–10 W3 22 May 18 @ Little Rock 5–3 Perdue (2–2) Connelly 12–10 W4 23 May 19 @ Little Rock 1–3 Hart Kellum (2–1) 12–11 L1 24 May 20 @ Little Rock 1–10 Eyler Hess (2–3) 12–12 L2 May 21 @ New Orleans 0–0 Athletic Park 12–12 L2 25 May 22 @ New Orleans 1–4 Bartley Hunter (2–2) Athletic Park 12–13 L3 26 May 23 @ New Orleans 1–10 Guese Perdue (2–3) Athletic Park 12–14 L4 27 May 24 @ New Orleans 0–5 Bartley Hess (2–4) Athletic Park 12–15 L5 28 May 25 @ Mobile 2–1 Kellum (3–1) Torrey Monroe Park 13–15 W1 29 May 26 @ Mobile 10–4 Duggan (4–3) Beeker Monroe Park 14–15 W2 30 May 29 Memphis 9–1 Hunter (3–2) Garrity Sulphur Dell 3,000 15–15 W3 31 May 30 Memphis 0–1 Savidge Duggan (4–4) Sulphur Dell 4,000 15–16 L1 32 May 30 Memphis 2–5 Chappelle Hess (2–5) Sulphur Dell 15–17 L2 33 May 31 @ Memphis 1–4 Shields Perdue (2–4) Russwood Park 15–18 L3
June (15–10) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Stadium Attendance Record Streak 34 June 1 Memphis 3–1 Kellum (4–1) Garrity — Sulphur Dell 1,500 16–18 W1 35 June 2 New Orleans 2–5 Guese Yerkes (1–2) — Sulphur Dell 1,800 16–19 L1 36 June 4 New Orleans 3–2 Duggan (5–4) Clark — Sulphur Dell 1,500 17–19 W1 37 June 5 New Orleans 5–2 Duggan (6–4) Bartley — Sulphur Dell 1,800 18–19 W2 38 June 6 Mobile 2–5 Beeker Kellum (4–2) — Sulphur Dell 2,800 18–20 L1 39 June 8 Mobile 8–1 Perdue (3–4) Torrey — Sulphur Dell 1,400 19–20 W1 40 June 9 Mobile 1–3 Stockdale Yerkes (1–3) — Sulphur Dell 1,500 19–21 L1 41 June 10 Mobile 3–0 Duggan (7–4) Beeker — Sulphur Dell 1,200 20–21 W1 42 June 11 Little Rock 2–8 Eyler Bernhard (0–1) — Sulphur Dell 1,599 20–22 L1 43 June 12 Little Rock 7–0 Perdue (4–4) Walters — Sulphur Dell 1,200 21–22 W1 44 June 13 Little Rock 1–8 Eastman Kellum (4–3) — Sulphur Dell 1,500 21–23 L1 45 June 15 Birmingham 0–6 Robitaille Duggan (7–5) — Sulphur Dell 1,100 21–24 L2 46 June 16 Birmingham 5–3 Perdue (5–4) Turner — Sulphur Dell 1,300 22–24 W1 47 June 17 Birmingham 6–0 Kellum (5–3) Robinson — Sulphur Dell 1,500 23–24 W2 48 June 18 Montgomery 5–1 Bernhard (1–1) Cristall — Sulphur Dell 1,500 24–24 W3 49 June 19 Montgomery 7–2 Duggan (8–5) Guese — Sulphur Dell 1,500 25–24 W4 50 June 20 Montgomery 8–0 Perdue (6–4) Juul — Sulphur Dell 3,000 26–24 W5 51 June 22 @ Atlanta 5–4 Kellum (6–3) Schopp — Ponce de Leon Park 27–24 W6 52 June 23 @ Atlanta 5–1 Perdue (7–4) — Ponce de Leon Park 28–24 W7 53 June 23 @ Atlanta 1–4 Castleton Duggan (8–6) — Ponce de Leon Park 28–25 L1 54 June 24 @ Atlanta 0–5 Ford Bernhard (1–2) — Ponce de Leon Park 28–26 L2 55 June 25 @ Montgomery 3–4 Guese Kellum (6–4) — 28–27 L3 56 June 26 @ Montgomery 1–2 Thomas Perdue (7–5) — 28–28 L4 57 June 27 @ Montgomery 3–2 Duggan (9–6) McCafferty — 29–28 W1 58 June 30 Atlanta 3–1 Duggan (10–6) Ford — Sulphur Dell 1,500 30–28 W2
July (16–9) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Stadium Attendance Record Streak 59 July 1 Atlanta 5–0 Perdue (8–5) Schopp — Sulphur Dell 1,600 30–28 W3 60 July 3 @ Birmingham 5–2 Kellum (7–4) — 31–28 W4 61 July 4 @ Birmingham 5–2 Duggan (11–6) — 1,500 32–28 W5 62 July 5 @ New Orleans 1–2 Clark Perdue (8–6) — Athletic Park 32–29 L1 63 July 6 @ New Orleans 2–0 Kellum (8–4) Breitenstein — Athletic Park 33–29 W1 64 July 7 @ New Orleans 3–1 Duggan (12–6) Bartley — Athletic Park 34–29 W2 July 9 @ Mobile 0–0 — Monroe Park 34–29 W2 65 July 10 @ Mobile 3–2 Hunter (3–3) Gaskill — Monroe Park 35–29 W3 66 July 11 @ Mobile 1–2 Hickman Kellum (8–5) — Monroe Park 35–30 L1 67 July 12 @ Mobile 6–3 Bernhard (2–2) Gaskill — Monroe Park 36–30 W1 July 13 @ Little Rock 3–3 — 36–30 W1 68 July 14 @ Little Rock 1–4 Hart Hunter (4–3) — 36–31 L1 69 July 15 @ Little Rock 1–2 Eastman Duggan (12–7) — 36–32 L2 70 July 15 @ Little Rock 5–4 Kellum (9–5) Buchanan — 37–32 W1 71 July 17 @ Memphis 3–2 Perdue (9–6) Chappelle — Russwood Park 38–32 W2 72 July 18 @ Memphis 6–1 Bernhard (3–2) Shields — Russwood Park 39–32 W3 73 July 20 Little Rock 2–1 Duggan (13–7) Neuer — Sulphur Dell 3,000 40–32 W4 74 July 21 Little Rock 0–3 Buchanan Perdue (9–7) — Sulphur Dell 40–33 L1 75 July 22 Little Rock 15–8 Hunter (5–3) — Sulphur Dell 41–33 W1 76 July 23 Mobile 0–2 Hickman Kellum (9–6) — Sulphur Dell 41–34 L1 77 July 25 Mobile 4–2 Perdue (10–7) Torrey — Sulphur Dell 1,800 42–35 W1 78 July 26 @ Memphis 2–1 Bernhard (4–2) Garrity — 43–35 W2 79 July 27 New Orleans 3–1 Kellum (10–6) Bartley — Sulphur Dell 3,000 44–35 W3 80 July 28 New Orleans 5–7 Clark Hunter (5–4) — Sulphur Dell 3,500 44–36 L1 81 July 29 New Orleans 2–0 Bernhard (5–2) Fritz — Sulphur Dell 2,500 45–36 W1 82 July 30 Memphis 2–5 Perdue (10–8) — Sulphur Dell 2,000 45–37 L1 83 July 31 Memphis 0–1 Savidge Duggan (13–8) — Sulphur Dell 1,800 45–38 L2
August (17–12) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Stadium Attendance Record Streak 84 August 1 Memphis 3–0 Kellum (11–6) Schwenk Sulphur Dell 3,500 46–38 W1 85 August 3 Birmingham 2–6 Bauer Perdue (10–9) Sulphur Dell 1,400 46–39 L1 86 August 4 Birmingham 15–2 Hunter (6–4) Robitaille Sulphur Dell 2,000 47–39 W1 87 August 5 Birmingham 13–1 Kellum (12–6) Ford Sulphur Dell 2,000 48–39 W2 88 August 5 Birmingham 4–5 Turner Duggan (13–9) Sulphur Dell 48–40 L1 89 August 6 Atlanta 6–0 Bernhard (6–2) Radabaugh Sulphur Dell 2,000 49���40 W1 90 August 7 Atlanta 2–1 Sitton (1–0) Maxwell Sulphur Dell 3,500 50–40 W2 91 August 8 Atlanta 2–0 Hunter (7–4) Viebahn Sulphur Dell 51–40 W3 92 August 10 Montgomery 6–1 Duggan (14–9) Bliss Sulphur Dell 2,400 52–40 W4 93 August 11 Montgomery 1–3 Guese Kellum (12–7) Sulphur Dell 52–41 L1 94 August 12 Montgomery 1–0 Bernhard (7–2) Thomas Sulphur Dell 2,500 53–41 W1 95 August 13 @ Atlanta 2–5 Viebahn Hunter (7–5) Ponce de Leon Park 53–42 L1 96 August 14 @ Atlanta 5–1 Sitton (2–0) Ford Ponce de Leon Park 54–42 W1 97 August 14 @ Atlanta 2–3 Johns Duggan (14–10) Ponce de Leon Park 54–43 L1 98 August 15 @ Atlanta 3–1 Kellum (13–7) Maxwell Ponce de Leon Park 55–43 W1 99 August 17 @ Montgomery 3–8 Thomas Sitton (2–1) 55–44 L1 100 August 18 @ Montgomery 11–6 Perdue (11–9) Juul 56–44 W1 101 August 19 @ Montgomery 6–3 Bernhard (8–2) Guese 57–44 W2 August 20 @ Birmingham 1–1 57–44 W2 102 August 21 @ Birmingham 2–6 Ford Kellum (13–8) 57–45 L1 103 August 21 @ Birmingham 4–5 Thomas Sitton (2–1) 57–46 L2 104 August 22 @ Birmingham 3–1 Perdue (12–9) Robitaille 58–46 W1 105 August 22 @ Birmingham 0–7 Fleharty Perdue (12–10) 58–47 L1 106 August 24 @ Little Rock 1–2 Eyler Bernhard (8–3) 58–48 L2 107 August 25 @ Little Rock 5–3 Duggan (15–10) Eastman 59–48 W1 108 August 26 @ Little Rock 4–0 Perdue (13–10) Buchanan 60–48 W2 109 August 26 @ Little Rock 3–2 Kellum (14–8) Hart 61–48 W3 110 August 28 @ Memphis 1–2 Schwenk Sitton (2–3) Russwood Park 61–49 L1 111 August 29 @ Memphis 1–5 Savidge Bernhard (8–4) Russwood Park 61–50 L2 August 30 @ Memphis 2–2 Russwood Park 5,000 61–50 L2 112 August 31 @ New Orleans 2–0 Kellum (15–8) Bartley — Athletic Park 3,300 62–50 W1
September (13–6) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Stadium Attendance Record Streak 113 September 1 @ New Orleans 1–0 Sitton (3–3) Fritz — Athletic Park 3,500 63–50 W2 114 September 2 @ New Orleans 0–3 Breitenstein Duggan (15–11) — Athletic Park 3,500 63–51 L1 September 2 @ New Orleans 0–0 — Athletic Park 63–51 L1 115 September 3 @ Mobile 0–1 Hickman Perdue (13–11) — Monroe Park 63–52 L2 116 September 3 @ Mobile 2–0 Perdue (14–11) Hixon — Monroe Park 64–52 W1 117 September 5 @ Mobile 1–4 Fisher Kellum (15–9) — Monroe Park 64–53 L1 118 September 5 @ Mobile 10–0 Hunter (8–5) — Monroe Park 65–53 W1 119 September 7 Memphis 1–4 Schwenk Sitton (3–4) Sulphur Dell 3,500 65–54 L1 120 September 7 Memphis 6–3 Duggan (16–11) Garrity Sulphur Dell 7,500 66–54 W1 121 September 8 Memphis 10–0 Perdue (15–11) Savidge Sulphur Dell 67–54 W2 122 September 9 Little Rock 2–3 Hart Kellum (15–10) Sulphur Dell 67–55 L1 123 September 10 Little Rock 1–0 Duggan (17–11) Buchanan Sulphur Dell 68–55 W1 124 September 11 Little Rock 20–1 Sitton (4–4) Sulphur Dell 69–55 W2 125 September 12 Little Rock 11–1 Perdue (16–11) Hart Sulphur Dell 70–55 W3 126 September 14 Mobile 10–2 Duggan (18–11) Beeker Sulphur Dell 71–55 W4 127 September 15 Mobile 8–2 Sitton (5–4) Fisher Sulphur Dell 72–55 W5 128 September 16 Mobile 10–1 Perdue (17–11) Sulphur Dell 73–55 W6 129 September 17 New Orleans 1–5 Bartley Bernhard (8–5) Sulphur Dell 5,000 73–56 L1 130 September 18 New Orleans 6–2 Duggan (19–11) Phillips Sulphur Dell 5,000 74–56 W1 131 September 19 New Orleans 1–0 Sitton (6–4) Breitenstein Sulphur Dell 10,700 75–56 W2
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = No decision Bold = Vols team member Reference:[11]

Game summaries[]

April[]

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]

June[]

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]

July[]

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]

August[]

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]

September[]

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]

Standings[]

Season standings[]

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB
Nashville Vols	75	56	.573	—
New Orleans Pelicans	76	57	.571	—
Memphis Egyptians	73	62	.541	4
Montgomery Senators	68	65	.511	8
Mobile Sea Gulls	67	67	.500	91⁄2
Atlanta Crackers	63	72	.467	14
Little Rock Travelers	62	76	.449	161⁄2
Birmingham Barons	53	82	.393	24

Source:^[23]

Record vs. opponents[]

Team	ATL	BIR	LR	MEM	MOB	MTG	NAS	NO
Atlanta	—	11–8	12–8	9–10	7–12	10–10	6–13	8–11
Birmingham	9–11	—	11–9	7–13	10–9	6–12	9–10	2–18
Little Rock	8–12	9–11	—	10–9	11–9	8–12	9–10	7–13
Memphis	10–9	3–7	9–10	—	12–9	10–9	8–11	11–7
Mobile	12–7	9–10	9–11	9–12	—	11–7	6–12	11–8
Montgomery	10–10	12–6	12–8	9–10	7–11	—	10–9	8–11
Nashville	13–6	10–9	10–9	11–8	12–6	9–10	—	10–8
New Orleans	11–8	18–2	13–7	7–11	8–11	11–8	8–10	—

Source:^[24]

Roster[]

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 Bill Bernhard John Duggan Win Kellum Hub Perdue Carl Sitton Bill Sorrells Stan Yerkes		Catchers Jack Hardy Ed Hurlburt Warren Seabough Infielders Kid Butler Jake Daubert Walter East John Hess Henry Jansing Mike McCormick Pryor McElveen Frank Morse		Outfielders Harry Bay Al Decker Jim Duggan George Hunter Johnny Siegle Doc Wiseman		Manager Bill Bernhard

Player stats[]

Batting[]

Starters[]

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

Batting order[a]	Pos	Player	G	AB	R	H	AVG	SLG	SB
1	LF	Harry Bay	103	415	45	112	.270	.289	19
7	SS	Kid Butler	136	480	36	127	.265	.321	13
6	1B	Jake Daubert	138	473	49	124	.262	.368	13
3	2B	Walter East
4	3B	Pryor McElveen	138	514	66	146	.284	.372	15
5	CF	Johnny Siegle	122	428	52	114	.266	.339	16
2	RF	Doc Wiseman	138	525	77	132	.251	.301	30

Others[]

Pos	Player	G	AB	R	H	AVG	SLG	SB
CF	Al Decker
C	Jack Hardy	60	194	22	40	.206	.289	12
C	Ed Hurlburt
3B	Henry Jansing
SS	Mike McCormick	48	173	16	45	.260	.283	12
C	Warren Seabough	96	334	16	90	.269	.290	5

Pitchers[]

Pos	Player	G	AB	R	H	AVG	SLG	SB
P	Bill Bernhard	15	51	2	10	.196	.216	0
P	John Duggan	33	97	6	17	.175	.186	0
P/IF	John Hess	7	19	0	4	.211	.211	1
P/OF	George Hunter	60	201	33	53	.264	.333	18
P	Win Kellum	26	78	10	14	.179	.218	0
P	Hub Perdue	34	101	8	16	.158	.168	0
P	Carl Sitton	10	33	2	6	.182	.182	0
P	Stan Yerkes	6	12	0	3	.250	.250	0

Source:^[25]

Pitching[]

Starting pitchers[]

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

Player	G	W	L	W%
John Duggan	34	19	12	.613
Win Kellum	24	15	9	.625
Hub Perdue	32	16	12	.571

Other pitchers[]

Player	G	W	L	W%
Bill Bernhard	14	7	6	.538
Jake Daubert	—	—	—	—
John Hess	7	2	5	.286
George Hunter	14	8	5	.615
Carl Sitton	10	6	4	.600
Bill Sorrells	—	—	—	—
Stan Yerkes	6	—	—	—

Source:^[25]

Notes[]

References[]

Specific

General

• "1908 Nashville Volunteers". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved February 12, 2020.