Nashville Seraphs
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...
team of 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...
in 1895. 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 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...
, the Seraphs were Nashville's fourth professional baseball team. The Seraphs won the Southern League pennant in their only year of existence.
Team history
On January 14, 1895, Southern LeagueSouthern 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...
officials granted expansion franchises
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
to Henry Powers for Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
and W. H. Stallings for 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...
. The new Nashville entry, called the Nashville Seraphs, replaced the 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...
, which folded after the 1894 season, as the city's entry into the Southern League. The nine-team circuit also included the Atlanta Crackers
Atlanta Crackers
The Atlanta Crackers were minor league baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966....
, Chattanooga Warriors, Evansville Blackbirds, Little Rock Travelers
Little Rock Travelers
The Little Rock Travelers were an American minor league baseball team located in Little Rock, Arkansas and members of the Southern Association, which as a Class A, A1 or AA circuit was typically two rungs below Major League Baseball...
, Memphis Giants, Mobile Bluebirds, Montgomery Grays, and New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans were a Minor league professional baseball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Team history:Founded in 1887, the Pelicans became part of the Southern Association in 1901...
. The Seraphs 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...
. With a distance of 262 feet (79.9 m) to the right field wall, it was a notorious hitter's park.
In their first and only season of play, the Seraphs were managed
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
by player-manager George Stallings
George Stallings
George Tweedy Stallings was an American manager and player in Major League Baseball. His most famous achievement – leading the Boston Braves from last place in mid-July to the National League championship and a World Series sweep of the powerful Philadelphia Athletics – resulted in a nickname he...
, who also played as an infielder. Stallings previously managed the Nashville Tigers, and would later manage the Boston 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....
to win the 1914 World Series
1914 World Series
In the 1914 World Series, the Boston Braves beat the Philadelphia Athletics in a four-game sweep.A contender for greatest upset of all time, the "Miracle Braves" were in last place on July 4, then roared on to win the National League pennant by games and sweep the stunned Athletics...
. The Seraphs opened up the season on the road with a 17–10 loss against Evansville.
On July 27, Butler, a Nashville outfielder, had his contract purchased by the 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...
's New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
under manager Jack Doyle
Jack Doyle (baseball)
John Joseph "Jack" Doyle was an Irish-American first baseman in Major League Baseball whose career spanned 17 seasons, mainly in the National League.He was born in Killorglin, Ireland, and emigrated to the U.S...
. Butler achieved a .371 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
and 34 stolen base
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...
s during his time with the Seraphs.
Towards the end of the season, Nashville was in third-place behind Evansville and Atlanta. The race for the Southern League championship, determined by winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
, heated up following a disputed call during an August 10 contest at Athletic Park versus Atlanta. Nashville was trailing 8–10 in their last at-bat in the ninth inning. They scored a 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...
and still had men on first and second base with their catcher, Sweeney, at-bat. He hit a high foul fly ball back toward the grandstand. As Atlanta's catcher, Wilson, attempted to get under the ball, his foot slipped causing him to miss it. While reaching for the ball, a boy in the stands threw a glove or cap past his head. The umpire
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...
, Clark, ruled this as interference and called Sweeney out, resulting in a 9–10 Seraphs loss. This incident would come to be known as the "Glove Game."
Following the defeat, Nashville went on a 20-game winning streak, moving them into first-place with only a few games left to play. Nashville stood at 65–35 (.650), Evansville was in second at 61–33 (.649), and Atlanta was third at 62–34 (.646). The last day of scheduled play was September 2, but Atlanta played an additional game the following day. The win by Atlanta moved them into a tie with the Seraphs for first-place with the same .670 winning percentage.
Nashville claimed to be the rightful pennant winners and protested the final standings for three reasons. Firstly, the August 10 "Glove Game" should have been thrown out because of the umpire's bad call. Secondly, New Orleans used an ineligible player who had been suspended from the Pennsylvania State League
Pennsylvania State League
The Pennsylvania State League played from 1892-1895, then changed into the first Atlantic League.-Cities represented:*Allentown, PA: Allentown Colts 1892-1893; Allentown Kelly's Killers 1894; Allentown Goobers 1895; Allentown 1895...
, and should forfeit all games he participated in. Lastly, since Atlanta played a game one day after the official end of the season, their September 3 win should be stricken from their record.
Southern League and team representatives held a meeting in Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
to determine a winner. The members decided to throw out the "Glove Game" on the basis that the umpire's ruling was illegal since there was no rule providing for the punishment of a club for the offense of an outsider. Atlanta's August 3 game was also declared null since it was played after the season was over. Nashville withdrew its protest of New Orleans’ ineligible player. These rulings caused the Seraphs' winning percentage to rise to .676 and Atlanta's to fall to .667, making Nashville the league pennant winner.
Pitcher Samuel Moran was signed to a contract with the National League's 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...
on August 18, during the heat of the pennant race. At the time of his departure, Moran's record was 22–12; he had also recorded 113 strike out
Strike Out
Strike Out, , North American Harness racing championStrike Out was born in 1969 at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and is by Bret Hanover out of the mare Golden Miss....
s with Nashville.
Despite the championship season, the Seraphs did not return to play in 1896. The city of Nashville was left without a professional baseball team until the Nashville Centennials
Nashville Centennials
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...
franchise was formed as a member of the 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.
Season-by-season results
| Nashville Seraphs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Record | Win % | Finish |
| 1895 | 71–34 | .376 | 1st |
| Totals | 71–34 | .676 | — |
All-time roster
Nineteen men are known to have played for the Seraphs.- Frank ButlerFrank Butler (baseball)Frank Dean Butler , was a professional baseball player who played outfielder in the Major Leagues.-External links:...
- George Cleve
- Edward Daniels
- Al Gibson
- Richard Gorman
- Art HermanArt HermanArthur Herman was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Louisville Colonels of the National League in 1896 and 1897. He played in the minor leagues through 1906.-External links:...
- Julius Knoll
- Patrick Lynch
- Lefty MarrLefty MarrCharles W. "Lefty" Marr , was a professional baseball player who played outfield and third base in the Major Leagues from -. He would play for the Cincinnati Red Stockings , Columbus Solons, and Cincinnati Kelly's Killers.-External links:...
- Jack McCann
- Tom McCreeryTom McCreeryThomas Livingston "Tom" McCreery was an outfielder and pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Louisville Colonels , New York Giants , Pittsburgh Pirates , Brooklyn Superbas and Boston Beaneaters...
- Ed McZena
- Sam MoranSam Moran (baseball)Samuel Moran was a former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League in August and September 1895.-External links:...
- Bert MyersBert MyersJames Albert Myers was an American professional baseball player who played in parts of three seasons for the St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators and Philadelphia Phillies....
- Jim RitzJim RitzJames L. Ritz was a third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played in one game for the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League on July 20, 1894...
- Henry Smith
- George StallingsGeorge StallingsGeorge Tweedy Stallings was an American manager and player in Major League Baseball. His most famous achievement – leading the Boston Braves from last place in mid-July to the National League championship and a World Series sweep of the powerful Philadelphia Athletics – resulted in a nickname he...
- Daniel Sweeney
- Mike TrostMike TrostMichael J. Trost was a Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the St. Louis Brows of the American Association in 17 games during the 1890 season and for the Louisville Colonels of the National League in 3 games in 1895. He also had an extensive minor league baseball career that lasted from...