1979 Nashville Sounds season
Encyclopedia
The Nashville Sounds
' 1979 season was the franchise's second year of play. The team finished the regular season with a record of 83 wins and 61 losses. In post-season play, the team had five wins and two losses on the way to winning the Western Division title and the Southern League
championship, the first in franchise history.
started the 1979 season at the bottom of the rankings before improving in late May and June. After winning 20 out of 31 games, the team moved into first-place, only a half-game in front of the number two Memphis Chicks
on the next-to-last day of the first half. Memphis defeated Nashville on the last day of the half, pulling into first-place and leaving the Sounds in second-place.
Nashville and Memphis approached the end of the second half as the top two teams in the division. The Sounds trailed the Chicks by half game with two games left to play, both against Memphis. The first game was rained-out, forcing a split doubleheader
on the last day of the season. Nashville won the afternoon contest in 12 innings by a score of eight runs to seven. Later that night, they beat Memphis three to one to capture the second half Western Division title.
combined for a 5–2 victory over the Chicks, giving Nashville its first Western Division title.
hit a triple
, propelling the Sounds to a 6–2 lead. The Astros were unable to answer in their half of the inning, losing to the Sounds. The game four win gave Nashville its first league championship in only its second year of play.
was selected as the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher. Outfielders Paul Householder
and Duane Walker
were named to the league's post-season All-Star team. Walker was named to the team as an outfielder and as "best hustler."
Pitcher Greg Hughes lead the league with a .733 (11–4) winning percentage. Geoff Combe led the league and set a new Southern League record with 28 saves. Scott Brown
led the league with a 2.34 ERA
. Duane Walker finished the season with a league leading 9 triples
. Paul Householder had the best fielding percentage
for an outfielder (.989) and Dave Van Gorder
had the best among catchers (.982).
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
' 1979 season was the franchise's second year of play. The team finished the regular season with a record of 83 wins and 61 losses. In post-season play, the team had five wins and two losses on the way to winning the Western Division title and the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
championship, the first in franchise history.
Regular season
The Nashville SoundsNashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
started the 1979 season at the bottom of the rankings before improving in late May and June. After winning 20 out of 31 games, the team moved into first-place, only a half-game in front of the number two Memphis Chicks
Memphis Chicks
The Memphis Chicks were an American minor league baseball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Chicks were charter members of the Southern Association from 1901 until November 18, 1960, when the club folded and was transferred to Macon, Georgia for 1961.The Chicks suffered a...
on the next-to-last day of the first half. Memphis defeated Nashville on the last day of the half, pulling into first-place and leaving the Sounds in second-place.
Nashville and Memphis approached the end of the second half as the top two teams in the division. The Sounds trailed the Chicks by half game with two games left to play, both against Memphis. The first game was rained-out, forcing a split doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
on the last day of the season. Nashville won the afternoon contest in 12 innings by a score of eight runs to seven. Later that night, they beat Memphis three to one to capture the second half Western Division title.
Season standings
| Southern League - Western Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Nashville Sounds | 83 | 61 | .576 | — |
| Memphis Chicks Memphis Chicks The Memphis Chicks were an American minor league baseball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Chicks were charter members of the Southern Association from 1901 until November 18, 1960, when the club folded and was transferred to Macon, Georgia for 1961.The Chicks suffered a... |
82 | 62 | .569 | 1 |
| Chattanooga Lookouts Chattanooga Lookouts The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts... |
75 | 69 | .521 | 8 |
| Knoxville Sox | 65 | 76 | .461 | 16½ |
| Montgomery Rebels Montgomery Rebels The Montgomery Rebels was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise representing Montgomery, Alabama, that played in various leagues between and... |
62 | 81 | .434 | 20½ |
Game log
| 1979 Game Log | |
|---|---|
Western Division finals
The Sounds (second-half winner) and Chicks (first-half winner) met again in the best-of-three Western Division championship series. Nashville took the first game 10–2. Pitcher William Kelly recorded the win at home. The second game, held in Memphis, saw the Sounds fall by a score of four runs to three in ten innings. Sounds pitchers Randy Town and Geoff CombeGeoff Combe
Geoffrey Wade Combe is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Combe was signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent in . He made Minor League stops with Eugene, Tampa, Three Rivers, Nashville, and finally Indy before making it to the majors on September 2, .Combe had a series of solid...
combined for a 5–2 victory over the Chicks, giving Nashville its first Western Division title.
Southern League Championship
Nashville went on to face the Columbus Astros in the Southern League Championship, a best-of-five series. Nashville began the series at home with a 4–3 loss. The next night, they came back to tie the series at one game apiece, beating Columbus 3–1. The second game was attended by 8,102 fans, which set a Southern League playoff record. The series then moved to Columbus for the next two games. Nashville won the third game 14–7. The fourth game was tied 2–2 in the ninth inning. With the bases loaded, Nashville's Dave Van GorderDave Van Gorder
David Thomas Van Gorder is a retired Major League Baseball catcher. He played during five seasons at the major league level for the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles. He was drafted by the Reds in the 2nd round of the 1978 amateur draft...
hit a triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, propelling the Sounds to a 6–2 lead. The Astros were unable to answer in their half of the inning, losing to the Sounds. The game four win gave Nashville its first league championship in only its second year of play.
| 1979 Post-season | |
|---|---|
Roster
| 1979 Nashville Sounds roster | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches/Other | ||||||
Pitchers
|
Catchers
Dave Van Gorder David Thomas Van Gorder is a retired Major League Baseball catcher. He played during five seasons at the major league level for the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles. He was drafted by the Reds in the 2nd round of the 1978 amateur draft... Infielders
|
Outfielders
Paul Householder Paul Wesley Householder is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played during eight seasons at the major league level for the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Houston Astros. He was drafted by the Reds in the 2nd round of the 1976 amateur draft... Eddie Milner Edward James Milner is a former professional baseball player. He played all or part of nine seasons in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants , primarily as a center fielder. Milner batted and threw left-handed.Eddie Milner was drafted out of Central State... Duane Walker Duane Allen Walker is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played during five seasons at the major league level for the Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers, and St. Louis Cardinals. He was drafted by the Reds in the 1st round of the secondary phase of the 1976 amateur draft... |
Manager
George Scherger George Richard Scherger , nicknamed "'Sugar Bear," was a retired coach in American Major League Baseball and a former longtime minor league infielder and manager... Coaches
|
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Awards and honors
Pitcher Geoff CombeGeoff Combe
Geoffrey Wade Combe is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Combe was signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent in . He made Minor League stops with Eugene, Tampa, Three Rivers, Nashville, and finally Indy before making it to the majors on September 2, .Combe had a series of solid...
was selected as the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher. Outfielders Paul Householder
Paul Householder
Paul Wesley Householder is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played during eight seasons at the major league level for the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Houston Astros. He was drafted by the Reds in the 2nd round of the 1976 amateur draft...
and Duane Walker
Duane Walker
Duane Allen Walker is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played during five seasons at the major league level for the Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers, and St. Louis Cardinals. He was drafted by the Reds in the 1st round of the secondary phase of the 1976 amateur draft...
were named to the league's post-season All-Star team. Walker was named to the team as an outfielder and as "best hustler."
Pitcher Greg Hughes lead the league with a .733 (11–4) winning percentage. Geoff Combe led the league and set a new Southern League record with 28 saves. Scott Brown
Scott Brown (baseball)
Scott Edward Brown is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during one season at the major league level for the Cincinnati Reds. He was drafted by the Reds in the 4th round of the amateur draft...
led the league with a 2.34 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. Duane Walker finished the season with a league leading 9 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
. Paul Householder had the best fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
for an outfielder (.989) and Dave Van Gorder
Dave Van Gorder
David Thomas Van Gorder is a retired Major League Baseball catcher. He played during five seasons at the major league level for the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles. He was drafted by the Reds in the 2nd round of the 1978 amateur draft...
had the best among catchers (.982).