Herschel Greer Stadium
Encyclopedia
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
park
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
located in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, on the grounds of Fort Negley
Fort Negley
Fort Negley was a fortification built for the American Civil War, located approximately south of downtown Nashville, Tennessee. It was the largest inland fort built in the United States during the war...
, an American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
fortification, approximately two miles (3 km) south of downtown. Opened in 1978, the stadium was posthumously named for Herschel Lynn Greer
Herschel Lynn Greer
Herschel Lynn Greer was a prominent businessman and the first president of Vols Inc., an ownership group organized in 1959 for the purpose of keeping the Nashville Vols minor league baseball franchise in Nashville, Tennessee.Greer worked in the financial sector, co-organizing Guaranty Mortgage...
, a prominent Nashville businessman
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
and the first president of the Nashville Vols
Nashville Vols
The Nashville Vols were a minor league baseball team based in Nashville, Tennessee from 1901 to 1963; the team was inactive in 1962. Known as the Nashville Baseball Club during their first seven seasons, they were officially named the Nashville Volunteers in 1908 for the state's nickname, The...
minor league baseball team. It is home to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds
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...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
(PCL) and can seat 10,300 people.
The stadium is best recognized by its distinctive guitar-shaped scoreboard, which displays the line score
Box score (baseball)
In baseball, the statistical summary of a game is reported in a box score. An abbreviated version of the box score, duplicated from the field scoreboard, is the line score...
across the neck. It has been the site of three minor league all-star game
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
s, eight no-hit
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
games, including one perfect game, and a 24-inning game which tied the record for the longest game in PCL history. In 1993 and 1994, it also served as the home ballpark for the Double-A 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...
's Nashville Xpress
Nashville Xpress
The Nashville Xpress were a minor league baseball team of the Southern League from 1993 to 1994. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee and played home games at Herschel Greer Stadium, which opened in 1978...
.
In recent years, the Sounds have attempted to work out an agreement with the city for a new ballpark to replace Greer, an aging stadium that was not meant to last longer than 30 years. Greer is one of the oldest stadiums used by a Triple-A team, and it now falls well below professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
's standards for a stadium at that class level. It has been the subject of numerous upgrades and repairs to keep it functioning long enough for the Sounds to secure a deal for a new ballpark.
History
When Larry SchmittouLarry 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...
decided to bring professional baseball back to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in the late 1970s, he knew he would have to build a new ballpark for his team. He negotiated a lease with the city for a plot of land at the foot of St. Cloud Hill on the grounds of Fort Negley
Fort Negley
Fort Negley was a fortification built for the American Civil War, located approximately south of downtown Nashville, Tennessee. It was the largest inland fort built in the United States during the war...
, an American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
fortification, approximately two miles (three km) south of downtown. The city was prepared to lease him the land, but Schmittou would be responsible for building the stadium and paying the property taxes.
The projected construction cost of the stadium was between $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
300,000 and $500,000; but the actual cost was over $1 million. Schmittou looked to local suppliers to donate construction materials, took out a $30,000 loan from a bank, and even mortgaged his own home to help pay for the ballpark. Country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
star Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
helped Schmittou bring in fellow stars Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
, Richard Sterban
Richard Sterban
Richard Anthony Sterban is an American bass singer born in Camden, New Jersey, who joined the country and gospel quartet The Oak Ridge Boys in 1972. Prior to joining The Oak Ridge Boys, Sterban toured with J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, who were singing backup for Elvis Presley at that time...
, and Cal Smith
Cal Smith
Calvin Grant Shofner , known professionally as Cal Smith, is an American country musician, most famous for his 1974 hit "Country Bumpkin."-Career:...
as well as other members of the Nashville community as team shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
s. The stadium was posthumously named for Herschel Lynn Greer
Herschel Lynn Greer
Herschel Lynn Greer was a prominent businessman and the first president of Vols Inc., an ownership group organized in 1959 for the purpose of keeping the Nashville Vols minor league baseball franchise in Nashville, Tennessee.Greer worked in the financial sector, co-organizing Guaranty Mortgage...
, a prominent Nashville businessman and the first president of the Nashville Vols
Nashville Vols
The Nashville Vols were a minor league baseball team based in Nashville, Tennessee from 1901 to 1963; the team was inactive in 1962. Known as the Nashville Baseball Club during their first seven seasons, they were officially named the Nashville Volunteers in 1908 for the state's nickname, The...
baseball team, whose family donated $25,000 for stadium construction.
The home opener for Greer's first tenants, 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...
's Nashville Sounds
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...
, Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, was scheduled for April 25, 1978. Construction was underway, but Schmittou knew the ballpark would not be ready by that date. The team requested to open the season with road games and had to swap a series with the 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...
in order to have more time to complete the stadium. Even with this extra time, the ballpark was still behind schedule. The sod
Sod
Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns...
, which arrived late, was laid and rolled the day before the scheduled opening game with the help of an estimated group of 50 fans who heard an announcement on local radio stations by general manager Farrell Owens inviting them to a "sod party".
Mississippi Braves
The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they are referred to locally, are a minor league baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, and plays in the Southern League. The team is owned and operated by Liberty Media, which...
was witnessed by a sellout crowd of 8,156 spectators. Southern League president Billy Hitchcock
Billy Hitchcock
William Clyde Hitchcock was an American infielder, coach, manager and scout in Major League Baseball. He also served as president of the class AA Southern League from 1971-80...
was on hand to witness the event, and Conway Twitty threw out the first pitch.
Initially, Greer was capable of seating 7,200 spectators, but was expanded to 8,800 by the end of the inaugural season. Theater-type seats with back support and armrests accounted for 3,000 of the stadium's seats; bleacher seats made up the remainder. The press box included two radio broadcast booths and an organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
booth. There were locker rooms for two teams, which each accommodated 25 people, as well as a locker room for umpires
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
. The field measured 330 feet (100 m) down the left and right field lines, 375 feet (114 m) to left- and right-center fields, and 405 feet (123 m) to center field. Eight lighting grids atop steel poles 100 feet (30 m) high provided illumination for night games. Amenities for customers at the park included two men's and women's restrooms and seven concession stands.
With the addition of 5,000 permanent seats, Greer's seating capacity was increased to 13,000 for the 1979 season. Improvements to the playing field included new irrigation and drainage systems which raised the field 5 feet (1.5 m) above its previous elevation. Prior to the 1981 season, Greer underwent a number of renovations including the addition of over 1,200 box seats and over 1,000 new general admission seats. Two wooden general admission seating areas were replaced by 2,000 contoured seats. The original backstop which consisted of several steel poles was upgraded to a steel cable system, eliminating most of the poles. Other stadium upgrades included two new dugout
Dugout (baseball)
In baseball, the dugout is a team's bench area and is located in foul territory between home plate and either first or third base. There are two dugouts, one for the home team and one for the visiting team. In general, the dugout is occupied by all players not prescribed to be on the field at that...
s, three entrance and exit ramps, a new sound system, doubling the size of the reader panel on the scoreboard, and enlarging the ticket booth.
Press box
The press box is a special section of a sports stadium or arena that is set up for the media to report about a given event. It is typically located in the section of the stadium holding the luxury box. In general, newspaper writers sit in this box and write about the on-field event as it unfolds...
included accommodations for members of the media, 2 separate booths for home and visiting radio broadcasts, and 2 separate booths for home and visiting television broadcasts. Ten sky boxes
Luxury box
A Luxury box is a special seating section located within stadiums, arenas and other sporting and entertainment venues. They are typically located in the midsection of a stadium grandstand, usually providing the best views of the event...
were built adjacent the press box; by 1989, the number of sky boxes had increased to 18.
Renovations continued in 1985 with the addition of 1,200 box seats, which replaced some of the reserved grandstand seating, as well as more seating past the right field foul pole. A 4-line scoreboard 10 feet (3.0 m) high replaced the stadium's original, which was relocated to far left field to serve as an out-of-town scoreboard, providing scores for American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
, and American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
baseball games.
Schmittou wanted "to put Nashville in contention for a future major league team." Along with this goal, the need for more seating, and a desire to make Greer a more attractive ballpark, significant renovations began after the 1987 season. The number of box seats was increased by 40%, the clubhouse and umpire facilities were upgraded, and the dugouts were entirely rebuilt. The new dugouts took up slightly more room than the previous ones, resulting in a minor contraction of the field's dimensions: 327 feet (100 m) down the left and right field lines, 371 feet (113 m) to left and right-center fields, and 400 feet (120 m) to center field. The stadium's main concourse entrance was redesigned to incorporate the stonemasonry
Stonemasonry
The craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures...
of the adjacent Fort Negley. This expansion brought Greer's total seating capacity up to 18,000.
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
-shaped scoreboard
Scoreboard
A scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
was installed behind the left-center field wall prior to the 1993 season. Another addition in 1993 was that of a second team to play at Greer. From 1993 to 1994, the ballpark simultaneously served as the home field for the Sounds and the Nashville Xpress
Nashville Xpress
The Nashville Xpress were a minor league baseball team of the Southern League from 1993 to 1994. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee and played home games at Herschel Greer Stadium, which opened in 1978...
, the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
which played in the Southern League. This came about when Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
acquired a Triple-A expansion franchise in 1993, leaving the city's Double-A team, the Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
, without a home. Sounds President Larry Schmittou offered Greer Stadium as a temporary home for the team. In order to accommodate another club at Greer, the Xpress scheduled its home games during the Sounds' road trips. This marked the first time since the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
shared Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
in 1976 that two teams shared a facility. Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
ranked the dual Nashville teams as number one on its list of the "top ten happenings in minor league baseball." In 1995, the Xpress relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
and became the Port City Roosters
Port City Roosters
The Port City Roosters were a minor league baseball team based in Wilmington, North Carolina. The team, which played in the Southern League, was the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners major-league club. The Roosters played in Brooks Field on the campus of the University of North Carolina,...
.
Over $200,000 was spent on renovations in the fall and winter before the 1995 season. The home clubhouse and weight room were remodeled, aisles behind the dugouts were resurfaced to reduce slippery areas, and the entire playing field was re-sodded. This was the first replacement and upgrading of the field since the original sod was laid in 1978. First, all of the old grass was stripped from the field. Then, the grounds crew installed a new drainage system. Four trenches were dug and laid with 2,500 feet (760 m) of drainage pipe to carry water away from the field and beyond the center field wall. A layer of gravel was laid over the pipe, and a 4-to-6-inch (10 to 15 cm) layer of sand was placed above the gravel. After raising the level of the infield dirt and brick warning track
Warning track
A warning track is the term for the part of the baseball field that is closest to the wall or fence and is typically made of dirt, instead of grass or artificial turf like most of the field. It runs parallel to the ballpark's wall and looks like a running track...
to the same height of the new field, 100,000 square feet (9,300 m²) of Tifton 419 Bermuda Grass
Cynodon
Cynodon is a genus of nine species of grasses, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Old World. The genus as a whole as well as its species are commonly known as Bermuda Grass or Dog's Tooth Grass.-Species:...
was installed on the field and edged into a baseball diamond configuration.
In the 2000s decade, following the construction of newer, relatively luxurious minor league ballparks, Greer has fallen below standards set for Triple-A stadiums by professional baseball. The aging stadium was not meant to last longer than 30 years, and has been the subject of many renovations to meet Triple-A standards. The Sounds had originally planned on leaving Greer for a new ballpark in the early 2000s decade. Opening day at the proposed new venue was repeatedly pushed back, eventually to as late as 2008. After years of the Sounds lobbying for a new park and threatening to leave town (either for the suburbs or a new location altogether), the Nashville Metro Council approved a new stadium on February 7, 2006. It was to be called First Tennessee Field
First Tennessee Field
First Tennessee Field was the name of a proposed minor league baseball stadium planned for construction in Nashville, Tennessee. The new ballpark was to sit on the banks of the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville, on the former site of the Nashville Thermal Transfer Plant...
and was planned for construction on the west bank of the Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
in downtown Nashville, just 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Greer. However, the Sounds and private developers Struever Brothers, Eccles, & Rouse were unable to finalize financing and design plans for the new stadium by the April 15, 2007, deadline set by the Metro Council. As a result, the First Tennessee Field construction project was canceled.
MFP Baseball, which purchased the Sounds in early 2009, invested over $2 million to make repairs and upgrades to the aging stadium's playing field, restrooms, concession stands, scoreboard, sound system, and seating. The infield was re-sodded and leveled, protective railing was installed along the edge of the field, and the backstop netting was replaced. The entire concourse and guitar scoreboard were repainted, broken seats were replaced, and Sluggers Sports Bar & Grill was remodeled. A permanent concert stage and a family fun zone were constructed by the concourse entrance. As of August 2010, the team has identified three sites around Nashville under consideration for the location of a new ballpark: the area south of Korean Veterans Boulevard in the SoBro (South of Broadway) district, the former Polar Ice property at 11th Avenue and Charlotte Avenue, and the parking lot that was once the location of Sulphur Dell
Sulphur Dell
Sulphur Dell is a former minor league baseball park in Nashville, Tennessee. It was used for baseball for nearly 100 years, from to . From to , it was the home of the Nashville Vols minor league team...
. Team officials expect a deal for a new ballpark to be in place by spring 2011.
All-Star Games
The Southern League All-Star Game was held twice at Greer Stadium, once in 1979 and again in 1983. In 1979, the All-Star team competed against the major leagueMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. The All-Stars defeated the Braves by a score of five to two. When the game returned to Nashville in 1983, the All-Star squad played against the hosting Nashville Sounds. The Sounds lost to the All-Stars by a score of three runs to two.
Greer played host to the Triple-A All-Star Game
Triple-A All-Star Game
The Triple-A All-Star Game is a single baseball game held between the two Triple-A leagues in minor league baseball—the International League and the Pacific Coast League...
on July 14, 1994. Before a crowd of 11,601, and live television and radio audiences, the team of National League-affiliated (NL) All-Stars defeated the team of American League-affiliated (AL) All-Stars by a score of eight runs to five. Brad Woodall
Brad Woodall
David Bradley Woodall is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He is an alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(NL – Richmond Braves
Richmond Braves
The Richmond Braves were the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League. Colloquially referred to as the R-Braves, they were based in Richmond, Virginia, where they played from 1966, when the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta where their AAA team, the Crackers,...
) was the winning pitcher, Gary Buckels
Gary Buckels
Gary Scott Buckels is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during one season at the major league level for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was signed by the California Angels as an amateur free agent in...
(NL – Louisville Redbirds) earned a save, and Kirt Ojala
Kirt Ojala
Kirt Stanley Ojala is a former American major league baseball player who is most noted for being the pitcher who gave up the 400th career home run to Barry Bonds...
(AL – Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
) was the losing pitcher. The "Stars of Stars," or Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
s, were Luis Lopez
Luis Lopez (catcher)
Luis Antonio Lopez is a former catcher and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played in 41 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians during the and seasons....
(International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
– Richmond), Paul Faries
Paul Faries
Paul Tyrrell Faries is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman. He played during four seasons at the major league level for the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. He was drafted by the Padres in the 23rd round of the amateur draft...
(PCL – Phoenix Firebirds
Phoenix Firebirds
The Phoenix Firebirds, formerly the Phoenix Giants, were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Phoenix, Arizona, USA from 1958-1959, and 1966 until 1997....
), and Ray Durham
Ray Durham
Ray Durham , nicknamed The Sugarman, is a former Major League Baseball second baseman.A two-time All-Star, Durham in his prime was one of the premier offensive catalysts in all of baseball, providing prototypical lead-off hitting with power...
(American Association – Nashville).
Major league exhibitions
On April 16, 1981, the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
made a stop in Nashville to play an exhibition game against the Sounds. The 10–1 Yankees victory was played in front of a standing-room only crowd of 17,318 spectators. Yankees present at the game were owner George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
, coach Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
, and players Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
, Bucky Dent
Bucky Dent
Russell Earl "Bucky" Dent , is a former American Major League Baseball player and manager. He earned two World Series rings as the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees in and , and was voted the World Series MVP in 1978...
, Lou Piniella
Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
, Bobby Murcer
Bobby Murcer
Bobby Ray Murcer was an American Major League Baseball outfielder who played for 17 seasons between 1965 and 1983, mostly with the New York Yankees, whom he later rejoined as a longtime broadcaster...
, Goose Gossage
Rich Gossage
Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname...
, Tommy John
Tommy John
Thomas Edward John Jr. is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball whose 288 career victories rank as the seventh highest total among left-handers in major league history...
, and Johnny Oates
Johnny Oates
Johnny Lane Oates was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees from 1970 to 1981...
. The Yankees returned for another game against the Sounds on April 28, 1983. This time, Nashville came out on the winning end, beating the Yankees 5–4 before a crowd of 13,641.
The St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
played an exhibition game at Greer on April 3, 1983. Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander
Lamar Alexander
Andrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W...
was in attendance to watch the teams, which included players Ozzie Smith
Ozzie Smith
Osborne Earl "Ozzie" Smith is an American former baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals from 1978 to 1996...
, George Hendrick
George Hendrick
George Andrew Hendrick Jr. is a former major league outfielder for the Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels. However Hendrick is best remembered as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, for whom he played for from 1979–84. He was a...
, Rafael Santana
Rafael Santana
Rafael Francisco Santana de la Cruz is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who won a World Series ring with the 1986 New York Mets. He currently serves as the Dominican Republic scouting and player development supervisor for the Chicago White Sox.-St...
, Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
, Alfredo Griffin
Alfredo Griffin
Alfredo Claudino Griffin is a former Major League Baseball player, who played shortstop for four teams from 1976 to 1993. He is currently the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Playing career:...
, and former Sounds 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...
. On April 4–5, 1987, the Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
played a two-game exhibition series at Greer. The first game resulted in an 8–8 tie, but the Reds defeated the Expos, by a score of 5–3, in the second game of the series.
Three major league exhibitions took place at Greer prior to the 1988 season. On April 1, the Cincinnati Reds were scheduled to play against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, but the game was rained out. The White Sox were defeated by the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, 8–6, on April 2. On April 3, the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
defeated the Indians by a score of 3–2. A few years later, on April 6, 1991, the Reds returned to face the Cleveland Indians, resulting in a 4–3 Cincinnati victory in 10 innings. On March 28, 1996, the White Sox defeated the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
by a score of 4–3.
No-hitters and perfect games
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
s, including one perfect game. The first took place on May 16, 1981, when Jeff Cornell
Jeff Cornell
Jeffery Ray Cornell is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during the season at the major league level for the San Francisco Giants. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 8th round of the 1978 draft. Cornell played his first professional season with their Rookie League...
, of the visiting Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
, pitched a 4–0 no-hit game against the Sounds. The second no-hitter at Greer was Jim Deshaies
Jim Deshaies
James Joseph "Jim" Deshaies , also known as "JD", is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball and currently a TV commentator with the Houston Astros.- Major-league career :...
' 5–1 win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
over the Columbus Astros on May 4, 1984. In the second inning, Deshaies walked
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
three batters and hit
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
another, accounting for the only Astros run
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...
of the game, part of a seven-inning 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...
. The third, a 6–0 win over the Oklahoma City 89ers, was thrown by Nashville's Bryan Kelly
Bryan Kelly (baseball)
Bryan Keith Kelly is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during two seasons at the major league level for the Detroit Tigers. He was drafted by the Tigers in the 6th round of the 1981 amateur draft...
on July 17, 1985.
In a rare occurrence, the Sounds and the Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
exchanged no-hitters on back-to-back nights (August 6 and August 7, 1988). First, Indianapolis’ Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson
Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
and Pat Pacillo
Pat Pacillo
Patrick Michael Pacillo is a former Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds in 1987 and 1988. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1st round of the 1984 amateur draft out of Seton Hall University and he debuted on May 23, 1987. In his debut he pitched 5 innings and...
combined for a no-hit loss against the Sounds, a 1–0 Nashville win. Nashville won when Lenny Harris
Lenny Harris
Leonard Anthony Harris is a former Major League Baseball utility infielder who is currently the hitting instructor for the Great Lakes Loons. He is best known for holding the record for the most pinch hits in a major league career...
walked to first base, stole
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
second base and third base, and then came home, scoring on a groundout
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
. The next night, Nashville's Jack Armstrong registered a no-hit game against the Indians, a 4–0 Sounds victory. This was the first time in American Association history that teams played in back-to-back no-hit games.
On April 7, 2003, John Wasdin
John Wasdin
John Truman Wasdin is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball. He was born in Fort Belvoir, Virginia and raised in Tallahassee, Florida....
tossed a perfect game at Greer in a 4–0 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
. This was only the second nine-inning perfect complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
in the 100-year history of the PCL. Wasdin threw 100 pitches, striking out
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....
15 batters. Later in the year, on August 2, Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies...
pitchers Chris Gissell
Chris Gissell
Christopher Odell Gissell is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies organization....
(7 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
(IP)) and Jesús Sánchez
Jesus Sanchez
Jesús Paulino Sánchez is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of seven seasons in the majors from until . Most recently, he appeared in three games for the Sacramento River Cats of the Oakland Athletics organization in .-External links:...
(2 IP) combined for a no-hit 3–0 win against Nashville. The most recent no-hit effort at Greer took place on July 15, 2006, when Nashville pitchers Carlos Villanueva (6 IP), Mike Meyers
Mike Meyers (baseball)
Michael Gregory "Mike" Meyers was raised in Tillsonburg, Ontario and is a former professional baseball pitcher who played in the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and Milwaukee Brewers organizations from to ....
(2 IP), and Alec Zumwalt (1 IP) combined on a 2–0 win over the Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
.
| No. | |Pitcher(s) | |Score | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor | Home | ||||
| 1 | May 16, 1981 | Jeff Cornell Jeff Cornell Jeffery Ray Cornell is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during the season at the major league level for the San Francisco Giants. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 8th round of the 1978 draft. Cornell played his first professional season with their Rookie League... |
Jacksonville Suns Jacksonville Suns The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team... † |
Nashville Sounds 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... |
4–0 |
| 2 | May 4, 1984 | Jim Deshaies Jim Deshaies James Joseph "Jim" Deshaies , also known as "JD", is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball and currently a TV commentator with the Houston Astros.- Major-league career :... |
Columbus Astros | Nashville Sounds† | 1–5 |
| 3 | July 17, 1985 | Bryan Kelly Bryan Kelly (baseball) Bryan Keith Kelly is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during two seasons at the major league level for the Detroit Tigers. He was drafted by the Tigers in the 6th round of the 1981 amateur draft... |
Oklahoma City 89ers | Nashville Sounds† | 0–6 |
| 4 | August 6, 1988 | Randy Johnson Randy Johnson Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams.... Pat Pacillo Pat Pacillo Patrick Michael Pacillo is a former Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds in 1987 and 1988. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1st round of the 1984 amateur draft out of Seton Hall University and he debuted on May 23, 1987. In his debut he pitched 5 innings and... |
Indianapolis Indians Indianapolis Indians The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis... ‡ |
Nashville Sounds | 0–1 |
| 5 | August 7, 1988 | Jack Armstrong | Indianapolis Indians | Nashville Sounds† | 0–4 |
| 6 | April 7, 2003 | John Wasdin John Wasdin John Truman Wasdin is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball. He was born in Fort Belvoir, Virginia and raised in Tallahassee, Florida.... |
Albuquerque Isotopes Albuquerque Isotopes The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers... |
Nashville Sounds† | 0–4 |
| 7 | August 2, 2003 | Chris Gissell Chris Gissell Christopher Odell Gissell is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies organization.... Jesus Sanchez Jesus Sanchez Jesús Paulino Sánchez is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of seven seasons in the majors from until . Most recently, he appeared in three games for the Sacramento River Cats of the Oakland Athletics organization in .-External links:... |
Colorado Springs Sky Sox Colorado Springs Sky Sox The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies... † |
Nashville Sounds | 3–0 |
| 8 | July 15, 2006 | Carlos Villanueva Mike Meyers Mike Meyers (baseball) Michael Gregory "Mike" Meyers was raised in Tillsonburg, Ontario and is a former professional baseball pitcher who played in the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and Milwaukee Brewers organizations from to .... Alec Zumwalt |
Memphis Redbirds Memphis Redbirds The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a... |
Nashville Sounds† | 0–2 |
| (†) Pitched a no-hitter and won • (‡) Pitched a no-hitter and lost | |||||
Other notable events
On May 5–6, 2006, Greer was the site of a game which tied the record for the longest game, in terms of innings played, in PCL history. The Sounds and the New Orleans ZephyrsNew Orleans Zephyrs
The New Orleans Zephyrs are a minor league baseball team based in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The Zephyrs play in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. The Zephyrs play their home games at Zephyr Field....
competed in a 24-inning game, played over the course of two days, which lasted a total of eight hours and seven minutes. New Orleans defeated Nashville by a score of five runs to four. The record was originally set on June 8, 1909 in a game between the San Francisco Seals and Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks (PCL)
The Oakland Oaks were a minor league baseball team in Oakland, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1955, after which the club transferred to Vancouver, British Columbia...
. A few years later, on September 10, 1911, the record was tied by a contest between the Sacramento Solons
Sacramento Solons
The Sacramento Solons were a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Pacific Coast League during several periods . The current Sacramento River Cats began play in 2000...
and Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
. Seven PCL records were broken in the game, and three were tied.
Other events
In the early 1980s, Greer Stadium served as the home field for the Father Ryan High SchoolFather Ryan High School
Father Ryan High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Nashville, Tennessee. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville and named for Father Abram J. Ryan.-Campus:...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team. Father Ryan returned to playing at Greer from 2006 through 2008, before moving to a new school athletic complex for the 2009 season. Depending on the Sounds' schedule, some of the school's home games were held at the visiting school's field (with Father Ryan designated as the home team) or at other unused local high school fields. In the football configuration, the field runs along the first base line.
The Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
baseball team plays the majority of its season at Greer. When the Sounds' home schedule prohibits its use, Belmont's games are played at Nashville's Shelby Park.
Greer has been the site of the City of Hope
City of Hope National Medical Center
City of Hope National Medical Center, is a private, not-for-profit clinical research center, hospital and graduate medical school located in Duarte, California, United States...
Celebrity Softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
Challenge since 1991. Two teams of country music stars participate in the game, from which proceeds go toward research and treatment of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Past participants include Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
, Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005...
, Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley
Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
, Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus
William "Billy" Ray Cyrus is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist, who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon...
, Sara Evans
Sara Evans
Sara Lynn Evans is an American country singer and songwriter.Evans was one of the few traditional-styled singers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1990s, according to Allmusic. Since emerging in the late 1990s, Evans has made five No. 1 Country hits and Gold and Platinum-certified albums by...
, Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery, and founded the existing duo in 1999.Signed to Columbia Records,...
, and Phil Vassar
Phil Vassar
Phil Vassar is an American country music artist. Vassar made his debut on the country music scene in the late 1990s, co-writing singles for several country artists, including Tim McGraw , Jo Dee Messina , Collin Raye , and Alan Jackson Phil Vassar (born May 28, 1964 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an...
. As of the 2008 event, more than $1.5 million has been raised.
From 2001 to 2011, Greer was home to the Jeff Fisher & Friends Charity Softball Game. Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Jeff Fisher
Jeff Fisher
Jeffrey Michael "Jeff" Fisher is the former head coach of the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. He has a 146-120 career record as an NFL head coach.-Early life:...
and players from the team, past and present, competed in order to benefit local charities. Titans participants included Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
, Steve McNair
Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....
, Eddie George
Eddie George
Edward Nathan "Eddie" George, Jr. is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He played for the Tennessee Titans both in Tennessee and in Houston when the franchise was known as the Houston Oilers, and spent his final season with the Dallas Cowboys...
, Frank Wycheck
Frank Wycheck
Frank John Wycheck is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. Wycheck attended Archbishop Ryan High School in Northeast Philadelphia. Drafted in sixth round of the 1993 NFL Draft out of the University of Maryland by the Washington Redskins...
, Rob Bironas
Rob Bironas
James Robert Douglas "Rob" Bironas is an American football placekicker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Auburn University and Georgia Southern.Bironas was an All-Pro...
, and Keith Bulluck
Keith Bulluck
Keith J. Bulluck is an American Football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted 30th overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse....
, among others. Tomáš Vokoun
Tomas Vokoun
Tomáš Vokoun is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
and coach Barry Trotz
Barry Trotz
Barry Trotz is the head coach of the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators. He was previously the coach of the American Hockey League's Baltimore Skipjacks and Portland Pirates, with whom he won an AHL championship in 1994. That same year, he won the Louis A.R...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
have also taken part.
In 2002, the music video for Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
's "Some Dreams", a song featured in the motion picture The Rookie
The Rookie (2002 film)
The Rookie is a 2002 drama sports film directed by John Lee Hancock. It is based on the true story of Jim Morris, who had a brief, but famous Major League Baseball career in 1999. The film stars Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez, and Brian Cox....
, was filmed at Greer. The video, intercut with clips from the film, shows Earle and his band performing the song on the empty ballpark's field.
Scoreboard
Greer's distinctive guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
-shaped scoreboard
Scoreboard
A scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
was manufactured by the Fairtron Corporation and installed by the Joslin Sign Company prior to the 1993 season. It is painted black with red, yellow, and white trim, and is located behind the outfield wall in left-center field.
The line score
Box score (baseball)
In baseball, the statistical summary of a game is reported in a box score. An abbreviated version of the box score, duplicated from the field scoreboard, is the line score...
is displayed on the guitar's neck
Neck (music)
The neck is the part of certain string instruments that projects from the main body and is the base of the fingerboard, where the fingers are placed to stop the strings at different pitches. Guitars, lutes, the violin family, and the mandolin family are examples of instruments which have necks.The...
, while the ball
Strike zone
In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual right pentagonal prism over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing.-Definition:...
/strike
Strike zone
In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual right pentagonal prism over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing.-Definition:...
/out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
count, the batter's uniform number, and the hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
/error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
indicator are all situated on the headstock
Headstock
Headstock or peghead is a part of guitar or similar stringed instrument. The main function of a headstock is holding the instrument's strings. Strings go from the bridge past the nut and are usually fixed on machine heads on headstock...
. Six small advertising signs represent the tuning keys
Machine head
A machine head is part of a string instrument ranging from guitars to double basses, a geared apparatus for applying tension and thereby tuning a string, usually located at the headstock. A headstock has several machine heads, one per string...
. The body
Sound box
A sound box or sounding box is an open chamber in the body of a musical instrument which modifies the sound of the instrument, and helps transfer that sound to the surrounding air. Objects respond more strongly to vibrations at certain frequencies, known as resonances...
of the guitar features an LED
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
display board and a low resolution color matrix board. Between the two boards are an analog clock and a current temperature display. Around the boards are four large spaces for advertising; the two on top are static, and the two on bottom rotate between three images each. High-tension nets cover the electronic sections to protect them from home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
balls. Above the board is a circular advertising space. This space originally displayed the team's guitar-swinger logo, and at times has displayed other Sounds logos. Originally, when a home run was hit, the guitar-swinger logo would light up and perimeter lights around the entire scoreboard would begin flashing; it was also capable of shooting fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
after each Sounds home run. In recent years, the scoreboard has been in a state of disrepair. When MFP Baseball purchased the team in late 2008, they repaired the scoreboard, making it once again fully functional. It was also repainted black, red, yellow, and white over its original red, white, and blue color scheme to reflect the team's present colors, and one of its original monochrome matrix boards was replaced by an LED display.
The entire scoreboard measures 115.6 feet (35.2 m) across, 53 feet (16 m) high, and 2 feet (0.61 m) deep. Individual components of the guitar are as follows: 60-foot (18 m) body, 36-foot (11 m) neck, and 19.6-foot (6.0 m) tuning key section. It is installed approximately 80 feet (24 m) above the ground. It takes 243,155 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s to power its 8,179 total lamps, which are connected to 64,169 feet (19,559 m) of wire. The entire display weighs 35,825 pounds (16,250 kg).
The stadium's original scoreboard was a black, non-descript, rectangular unit with a two line reader panel. In 1985, it was moved to beside the left field foul pole to make room for a new rectangular 4-line scoreboard 10 feet (3 m) high with a fully animated reader panel. The original unit was then used as an out-of-town scoreboard, displaying the scores of other baseball games. When the guitar display was installed in 1993, the original scoreboard was removed and replaced by the second scoreboard, which became the new out-of-town board. As of 2008, the out-of-town scoreboard is no longer in use, but remains installed in the park.
Facilities
Seating at the ballpark includes fixed stadium seats, general admission bleacherBleacher
Bleachers is an American term used to describe the raised, tiered rows of seats found at sports fields or at other spectator events...
s, some with contoured seats, and eighteen skyboxes
Luxury box
A Luxury box is a special seating section located within stadiums, arenas and other sporting and entertainment venues. They are typically located in the midsection of a stadium grandstand, usually providing the best views of the event...
located on the third floor. As of 2009, total seating capacity is 10,052. Games can be watched from one of four picnic areas— one behind home plate, one on the third base line, one in the third base stands, and one beyond the right field wall. A rentable hot tub deck is located in the right field corner. There is a concert stage and family fun zone located on The Plaza inside the concourse entrance.
Several concession stands and cart vendors are located on the concourse. The stadium is home to a full service restaurant, Sluggers Sports Bar and Grill, which is located on the fourth floor. Open during all Sounds home dates, games can be viewed from the restaurant via windows overlooking the field.
Ground rules
The following ground rulesGround rules (baseball)
In baseball, ground rules are special rules particular to each baseball park in which the game is played. Unlike the well-defined playing field of most other sports, the playing area of a baseball field extends to an outfield fence in fair territory and the stadium seating in foul territory...
apply to baseball games played at Greer Stadium:
- Any ball hitting any portion of the fence or screen behind home plate is in play.
- Any thrown ball hitting the dugout railing, netting, or foundation and rebounding onto the field is in play.
- Any fairly batted or thrown ball that goes into the dugout or strikes equipment on the dugout steps is out of play.
- Any ball going into the dugout camera well or hitting other parts of dugout is out of play.
- Any batted ball hitting a foul pole above the fence line is a home runHome runIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
. - Any ball hitting the center field batter's eye at any height remains in play.
- Any ball striking the upper section of the two-tiered outfield wall on the fly is a home run, regardless of whether or not the ball re-enters the playing field.
- Any bouncing ball striking the upper section of the wall is a ground rule doubleGround rule doubleIn baseball, a ground rule double is an award of two bases from the time of pitch to all baserunners including the batter-runner as a result of the ball leaving play after being hit fairly and leaving the field under a condition of the ground rules in effect at the field where the game is being...
, regardless of whether or not the ball re-enters the playing field - Any ball striking the guitar scoreboard is considered a home run.