Nashville Centennials
Encyclopedia
The Nashville Centennials were a minor league baseball
team of the Class C Central League
in 1897. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee
and played home games at Athletic Park
, which was opened in 1885. Preceded by the Nashville Seraphs
, the Centennials were Nashville's fifth professional baseball team. The Centennials were named for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition
held that year in Nashville in celebration of Tennessee
's centennial as a US state (which had actually occurred a year earlier, in 1896).
in 1897. The new Nashville entry replaced the Nashville Seraphs
, which folded after the 1895 season, as the city's representative in professional baseball. The six-team Central League also included the Cairo Egyptians
, Evansville Brewers, Paducah Little Colonels, Terre Haute Hottentots, and Washington Browns. The Centennials played their home games at Athletic Park
, which would later come to be known as Sulphur Dell
. William Works, a former outfielder for the 1894 Nashville Tigers
, was selected as the team's player-manager.
By June 2, the Centennials were in first place with a 19–12 record. Due to insufficient financial backing, the team played its final game on June 4—a 15–2 loss to Terre Haute. The entire league collapsed by mid-July.
The Centennails did not return to play in 1898. The city of Nashville was left without a professional baseball team until the Nashville Vols
franchise was formed as a charter member of the Southern Association
in 1901.
* The team suspended operations on June 4, 1897.
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...
team of the Class C Central League
Central League (baseball)
The Central League was a minor league baseball league that operated sporadically from 1903-1917, 1920-1922, 1926, 1928-1930, 1934, and 1948-1951. In 1926, the league merged mid-season with the Michigan State League and played under that name for the remainder of the season...
in 1897. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee
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...
and played home games at Athletic Park
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...
, which was opened in 1885. Preceded by the Nashville Seraphs
Nashville Seraphs
The Nashville Seraphs were a minor league baseball team of the Southern League in 1895. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee and played home games at Athletic Park, which was opened in 1885. Preceded by the Nashville Tigers, the Seraphs were Nashville's fourth professional baseball team...
, the Centennials were Nashville's fifth professional baseball team. The Centennials were named for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition
Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition
The Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition was an exposition staged between May 1 and October 31 of 1897 in Nashville. It celebrated the 100th anniversary of Tennessee's entry into the union in 1796, although it was a year late....
held that year in Nashville in celebration of 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...
's centennial as a US state (which had actually occurred a year earlier, in 1896).
Team history
The Nashville Centennials joined the Class C Central LeagueCentral League (baseball)
The Central League was a minor league baseball league that operated sporadically from 1903-1917, 1920-1922, 1926, 1928-1930, 1934, and 1948-1951. In 1926, the league merged mid-season with the Michigan State League and played under that name for the remainder of the season...
in 1897. The new Nashville entry replaced the Nashville Seraphs
Nashville Seraphs
The Nashville Seraphs were a minor league baseball team of the Southern League in 1895. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee and played home games at Athletic Park, which was opened in 1885. Preceded by the Nashville Tigers, the Seraphs were Nashville's fourth professional baseball team...
, which folded after the 1895 season, as the city's representative in professional baseball. The six-team Central League also included the Cairo Egyptians
Cairo Egyptians
The Cairo Egyptians were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the KITTY League on and off from 1903-1950.The team, based in Cairo, Illinois played in the first Kitty League from 1903-1906 as the Egyptians , Champions and Giants...
, Evansville Brewers, Paducah Little Colonels, Terre Haute Hottentots, and Washington Browns. The Centennials played their home games at Athletic Park
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...
, which would later come to be known as 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...
. William Works, a former outfielder for the 1894 Nashville Tigers
Nashville Tigers
The Nashville Tigers were a minor league baseball team of the Southern League from 1893 to 1894. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee and played home games at Athletic Park, which was opened in 1885. Preceded by the Nashville Blues, the Tigers were Nashville's third professional baseball team...
, was selected as the team's player-manager.
By June 2, the Centennials were in first place with a 19–12 record. Due to insufficient financial backing, the team played its final game on June 4—a 15–2 loss to Terre Haute. The entire league collapsed by mid-July.
The Centennails did not return to play in 1898. The city of Nashville was left without a professional baseball team until 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...
franchise was formed as a charter member of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
in 1901.
Season-by-season results
| Nashville Centennials | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Record | Win % | Finish |
| 1897* | 19–13 | .594 | 1st |
| Totals | 19–13 | .594 | — |
All-time roster
Twenty-three men are known to have played for the Centennials.- Frank Belt
- Fred Blakely
- Edward Boland
- Fred Brott
- Callahan
- George Cleve
- Theodore ConoverTheodore ConoverTheodore Conover , nickamed "Huck" was a Major League Baseball player who pitched in one game for the Cincinnati Red Stockings of the American Association on May 26, 1889. He pitched two innings in the game, allowing four runs, three of which were earned. He continued to play in the minor leagues...
- Pat DillardPat DillardRobert Lee "Pat" Dillard was a professional baseball player from 1896 to 1906. He played one season in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. Dillard was 6 feet tall and weighed 180 pounds.-Career:...
- Ford
- Will Geralds
- Percy Griffin
- Kyle
- Patrick Lynch
- Jack McCoy
- Louis Ogden
- Charlie PettyCharlie PettyCharles E. Petty was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched all or part of three seasons in the majors, between and , for the Cincinnati Red Stockings , New York Giants, Washington Senators , and Cleveland Spiders....
- Stewart
- Veatch
- Charles Watkins
- Wiecke
- Williams
- Willis
- William Works