1981 Nashville Sounds season
Encyclopedia
The Nashville Sounds
' 1981 season was the franchise's fourth year of play. The team finished the regular season with a record of 81 wins and 62 losses. In post-season play, the team had four wins and three losses on the way to winning the Western Division title; they were eliminated in the Southern League
championship series.
in three games to win the Western Division title.
, and outfielder Willie McGee
, were chosen for the league's post-season All-Star team. Sporting News named Larry Schmittou
as the Southern League and Double-A Executive of the Year. The team was also awarded the MacPhail Trophy for Outstanding Minor League Promotions.
Ted Wilborn
led the league with 106 runs
. Don Mattingly
led the league with 35 double
s. Pitcher Pete Filson
tied with another player for the top winning percentage in the league (.833, 10–2), while Jamie Werly led the league in innings pitched (222) and strikeout
s (193).
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...
' 1981 season was the franchise's fourth year of play. The team finished the regular season with a record of 81 wins and 62 losses. In post-season play, the team had four wins and three losses on the way to winning the Western Division title; they were eliminated in 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 series.
Season standings
| Southern League - Western Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Nashville Sounds | 81 | 62 | .566 | — |
| 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... |
77 | 66 | .538 | 4 |
| Birmingham Barons Birmingham Barons The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club.... |
71 | 70 | .504 | 9 |
| 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... |
67 | 75 | .472 | 13½ |
| Knoxville Blue Jays | 63 | 80 | .441 | 18 |
Game log
| 1981 Game Log | |
|---|---|
Post-season
The Sounds met the first-half winners, the Memphis Chicks, in the Western Division finals. The Sounds swept the Chicks in three straight games.Western Division finals
Nashville swept the Memphis ChicksMemphis 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...
in three games to win the Western Division title.
Southern League Championship
Nashville met the Eastern Division champion Orlando Twins in the best-of-five Southern League Championship series. Nashville lost the series by a tally of three games to one.| 1981 Post-season | |
|---|---|
Roster
| 1981 Nashville Sounds roster | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches/Other | ||||||
Pitchers
|
Catchers
Brian Poldberg Brian John Poldberg is the manager of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Prior to his coaching/managing career, Poldberg played a total of six seasons in the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals minor league systems.Poldberg began his coaching... Dennis Werth Dennis Dean Werth is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder.-Career:Werth is an alumnus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville... Infielders
|
Outfielders
Willie McGee Willie Dean McGee is a retired professional baseball player who won two batting titles and was named Major League Baseball's National League MVP. McGee primarily played center and right field, winning three Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence. McGee spent the majority of his 18-year career... Buck Showalter William Nathaniel "Buck" Showalter III is an American Major League Baseball manager for the Baltimore Orioles. He has previously served in a similar capacity with the New York Yankees , Arizona Diamondbacks , and Texas Rangers... Ted Wilborn Thaddeaus Inglehart Wilborn is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played during two seasons at the major league level for the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. He was drafted by the Yankees in the 4th round of the amateur draft... |
Manager
Stump Merrill Carl "Stump" Merrill is a former manager in Major League Baseball who served as manager of the New York Yankees in and... Coaches
|
||||
Awards and honors
Jamie Werly was selected as the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher. Werly, shortstop Don MattinglyDon Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
, and outfielder Willie McGee
Willie McGee
Willie Dean McGee is a retired professional baseball player who won two batting titles and was named Major League Baseball's National League MVP. McGee primarily played center and right field, winning three Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence. McGee spent the majority of his 18-year career...
, were chosen for the league's post-season All-Star team. Sporting News named Larry Schmittou
Larry Schmittou
Larry Schmittou is an American entrepreneur. He currently owns a S&S Family Entertainment LLC, which operates a chain of bowling centers. He is a former coach of the Vanderbilt University baseball team. From the late 1970s to the mid 1990s, he was the owner of several minor league baseball teams...
as the Southern League and Double-A Executive of the Year. The team was also awarded the MacPhail Trophy for Outstanding Minor League Promotions.
Ted Wilborn
Ted Wilborn
Thaddeaus Inglehart Wilborn is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played during two seasons at the major league level for the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. He was drafted by the Yankees in the 4th round of the amateur draft...
led the league with 106 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. Don Mattingly
Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
led the league with 35 double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s. Pitcher Pete Filson
Pete Filson
William Peter Filson is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during seven seasons at the major league level for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, and Kansas City Royals. He was drafted by the Yankees in the 9th round of the amateur draft out of Temple...
tied with another player for the top winning percentage in the league (.833, 10–2), while Jamie Werly led the league in innings pitched (222) and strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s (193).