The Nashville Tigers were a minor league baseball

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...

 from 1893 to 1894. 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 Blues

Nashville Blues

The Nashville Blues were a minor league baseball team of the Southern League in 1887. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee and played home games at Athletic Park, which was opened in 1885. Preceded by the Nashville Americans, the Blues were Nashville's second professional baseball team...

, the Tigers were Nashville's third professional baseball team. The Tigers are credited with playing the first night baseball game in the city on July 6, 1894.

1893

In 1893, the Nashville Tigers replaced the Nashville Blues

Nashville Blues

The Nashville Blues were a minor league baseball team of the Southern League in 1887. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee and played home games at Athletic Park, which was opened in 1885. Preceded by the Nashville Americans, the Blues were Nashville's second professional baseball team...

, which folded towards the end of the 1887 season, as 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...

's entry into 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...

. The 12-team circuit also included the Atlanta Windjammers, Augusta Electricians, Charleston Seagulls, Chattanooga Warriors, Macon Central City, Memphis Giants, Mobile Blackbirds, Montgomery Colts, 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...

, Savannah Electrics, and a team from Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...

 that later relocated to Pensacola

Pensacola, Florida

Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...

. The Tigers 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.

The Tigers 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 former major league

Major 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...

 player and manager Ted Sullivan

Ted Sullivan (baseball)

Timothy Paul "Ted" Sullivan was an Irish-American manager and player in Major League Baseball who was born in County Clare, Ireland.-Career:...

 in their inaugural season. They finished in last place with a 33–60 record.

The most notable event of the season happened before the season was even underway. That April, the Tigers participated in a two-game exhibition series against the original Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles (19th century)

The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...

 of 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...

. In the first game of the series, Baltimore's George Treadway

George Treadway

George B. Treadway was a baseball player in the National League from 1893 to 1896. He played for the Baltimore Orioles for 1 season, the Brooklyn Grooms for 2 seasons, and finished off his career with 2 games for the Louisville Colonels. He was a lifetime .284 hitter, with 12 home runs and 224 RBI...

, a right fielder, hit a double

Double (baseball)

In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....

, scoring shortstop John McGraw

John McGraw

John McGraw may refer to:* John McGraw , , New York lumber tycoon, and one of the founding trustees of Cornell University* John McGraw , , Governor of Washington state from 1893–1897...

 in the first inning. Tredway added another 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...

 with his 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...

 in the sixth. McGraw was hit by pitch

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:...

 in the eighth and later scored on left fielder Harry Stovey

Harry Stovey

Harry Duffield Stovey, born Harry Duffield Stowe was a 19th century Major League Baseball player and the first player in major league history to hit 100 home runs...

's triple

Triple (baseball)

In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....

. The Orioles outscored Nashville by a final tally of 3–0.

Game two resulted in a tie score (9–9). The game would have been played to conclusion, but was called on account of darkness in the ninth inning. During the fourth inning, the game's only umpire was removed due to the Baltimore club disagreeing with some of his questionable calls. Oddly, he was replaced by Tom Vickery, Nashville's pitcher from the previous day's contest.

1894

The Tigers returned to play in 1894 under the management of 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...

. The Southern league was reduced to eight teams which also included the Atlanta Atlantans, Charleston Seagulls, Macon Hornets, Memphis Giants, Mobile Bluebirds, New Orleans Pelicans, and Savannah Modocs.

On July 4, Nashville and New Orleans were scheduled to play a night game

Night game

A night game is a sporting event that takes place, completely or partially, after the local sunset. Depending on the sport, this can be done either with floodlights or with the usual low-light conditions.-Cricket:...

 at Athletic Park. This was long before ballparks were equipped with electric lights and night games were seen as gimmicks. To put time into perspective, the first major league night game was not played until 1935. The game was rained out twice, but finally rescheduled for July 6 as a tripleheader. The first two games would be played during the day, with the special night game to be played that evening.

The teams spilt the day-doubleheader, each winning one game. That evening, 54 large electric lights were placed around Athletic Park to light the field; the baseball was also covered with phosphorus

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is the chemical element that has the symbol P and atomic number 15. A multivalent nonmetal of the nitrogen group, phosphorus as a mineral is almost always present in its maximally oxidized state, as inorganic phosphate rocks...

 to aid visibility. Adding to the novelty of a night game, players came onto the field wearing costumes that included grass skirts, ballet costumes, loud suits, bonnets, and dresses. The decidedly unusual contest drew an estimated 4,000 fans; typical games drew only a few hundred. The Nashville Tigers won the game by a score of three runs to two. This marked the first time that a night baseball game was played in Nashville. This feat is often incorrectly attributed to 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...

 in 1931.

That year, the franchise finished the first half of the season in sixth-place with a 24–35 record. Approximately nine games into the second half, the league folded due to financial problems with franchises. Some teams were selling their players to other clubs in order to stay financially solvent, while others refused to continue play. This prompted the Southern League to call the rest of the season off. As of the last game, the Tigers were in first-place with a 6–3 record.

The top hitters for the 1894 team were first baseman Charles Dooley (.332), second baseman John O’Brien (.319), and shortstop Pete Sweeney (.278). The top two pitchers were George Borchers

George Borchers

George Benard "Chief" Borchers was a 19th century Major League Baseball pitcher. In he led the pitching staff of the minor league Nashville Tigers with the most wins .-External links:...

 (11–14) and George Harper

George Harper (pitcher)

George B. Harper was a pitcher for Major League Baseball in the 19th century. He played in 12 games for the Philadelphia Phillies during the 1894 season and 16 games for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms during the 1896 season...

 (8–3). In 1894, the Tigers franchise was replaced 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...

.

Season-by-season results

Nashville Tigers
Year	Record	Win %	Finish
1893	33–60	.355	8th
1894*	30–38	.441	6th
Totals	66–98	.402	—

* The league suspended operations approximately nine games into the second half of the season.

All-time roster

Sixty-nine men are known to have played for the Tigers. Due to the state of recordkeeping at the time, first names are missing for some players.

1893

• King Bailey
  King Bailey
  Linwood C. "King" Bailey was a baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds. Born in Virginia, he died in Macon, Georgia. He played only one entire baseball match for the Cincinnati Reds during his career, which he won, on September 21, 1895. At that time, he was 24 years old, weighed 185 Pounds, and...
  
  
• Harry Berte
  Harry Berte
  Harry Thomas Berte was a Major League Baseball player. Williams played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1903 season. In four games, he had five hits in 15 at-bats, with one walk....
  
  
• Daniel Boland
• Albert Boxendale
• Joe Burke
• Clarence Conley
• John Dolan
• Ike Fisher
  Ike Fisher
  Newton "Ike" Fisher was a Major League Baseball catcher and third baseman. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League in .-External links:...
  
  
• Bill Geiss
  Bill Geiss
  William J. Geiss was a pitcher and second baseman in Major League Baseball for the 1882 Baltimore Orioles and 1884 Detroit Wolverines. His brother, Emil Geiss, also played professional baseball.-External links:...
  
  
• Thomas Gillen
• Henley
• Paul Hines
  Paul Hines
  Paul Aloysius Hines was an American center fielder in professional baseball who played in the National Association and Major League Baseball from 1872 to 1891...
  
  
• Bill Hoffer
  Bill Hoffer
  William Leopold Hoffer was a professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of six seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Blues. For his career, he compiled a 92-46 record in 161 appearances, with a 3.75 earned run average and 314 strikeouts...
  
  
• Hughes
• John Keenan

• Bill Krieg
  Bill Krieg
  William Frederick Krieg was a Major League Baseball player from 1884 to 1887. He won three batting titles in the minor leagues.-Career:...
  
  
• Frank Lacourage
• Laird
• Bob Langsford
  Bob Langsford
  Robert William Langsford , was a Major League Baseball shortstop for the 1889 Louisville Colonels.-External links:...
  
  
• Sam LaRocque
  Sam LaRocque
  Simeon Henry Jean LaRocque was a former professional baseball player. He was a second baseman over parts of three seasons with the Detroit Wolverines, Pittsburgh Alleghenys/Pirates and Louisville Colonels...
  
  
• Edgar Leach
• Leiter
• Tom Letcher
  Tom Letcher
  Frederick Thomas Letcher was a Major League Baseball outfielder. He played in six games for the 1891 Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association. He had an extensive minor league career that lasted from 1890 through 1911 and included two seasons as player/manager in 1908 and 1910.-Sources:...
  
  
• Con Lucid
  Con Lucid
  Cornelius Cecil Lucid was a 19th century Major League Baseball pitcher. He played from 1893-1897. He committed suicide in Houston, Texas.-External links:*...
  
  
• Reddy Mack
  Reddy Mack
  Joseph "Reddy" Mack played professional baseball from 1885 to 1890, mainly as a second baseman. Mack played the first four years of his career with the Louisville Colonels. Three of the years Mack hit under a .250 batting average, while in 1887 Mack hit an impressive .308, the best of his career...
  
  
• Mart McQuaid
  Mart McQuaid
  Mortimer Martin McQuaid , was a professional baseball second baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball for the 1891 St. Louis Browns and 1898 Washington Senators.-External links:...
  
  
• Dusty Miller
• Charlie Newman
  Charlie Newman (baseball)
  -Sources:...
  
  
• Billy O'Brien
  Billy O'Brien
  William Smith O'Brien was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He was a native of Albany, New York.O'Brien played for the St. Paul Saints and Kansas City Cowboys, both of the Union Association, in 1884. He also played for the National League Washington Senators and the Brooklyn Gladiators...
  
  
• Dick Phelan
  Dick Phelan
  James Dickson Phelan was a professional baseball player who played second baseman in the Major Leagues in 1884-1885 for the Baltimore Monumentals of the Union Association and the Buffalo Bisons and St. Louis Maroons of the National League. He remained active in the minor leagues through1...
  
  

• Bill Phillips
  Bill Phillips (pitcher)
  William Corcoran Phillips , nicknamed "Whoa Bill" or "Silver Bill," was an American right-handed pitcher and manager in Major League Baseball....
  
  
• Pat Ready
• Smith
• Sowders
• Sullivan
• Ted Sullivan
  Ted Sullivan (baseball)
  Timothy Paul "Ted" Sullivan was an Irish-American manager and player in Major League Baseball who was born in County Clare, Ireland.-Career:...
  
  
• Kid Summers
  Kid Summers
  William "Kid" Summers was a Major League Baseball player. He played for the St. Louis Browns in 1893.-Sources:...
  
  
• Wally Taylor
• Harry Truby
  Harry Truby
  Harry Garvin Truby , is a former professional baseball player who was a infielder in the Major Leagues from 1895 to 1896. He would play for the Chicago Colts and Pittsburgh Pirates....
  
  
• Turner
• Tom Vickery
  Tom Vickery
  Thomas Gill Vickery , was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues in -. He would play for the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Colts.-External links:...
  
  
• William Wetterer
• William York

1894

• Ollie Beard
  Ollie Beard
  Oliver Perry Beard was an American Major League Baseball player who played shortstop for the Cincinnati Red Stockings/Reds from 1889 to 1890. He then played third base for the Louisville Colonels in 1891. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, it is claimed that his family invented the Kentucky version of...
  
  
• George Borchers
  George Borchers
  George Benard "Chief" Borchers was a 19th century Major League Baseball pitcher. In he led the pitching staff of the minor league Nashville Tigers with the most wins .-External links:...
  
  
• George Cleve
• Cline
• James Collopy
• Charles Dooley
• Frank Fletcher
  Frank Fletcher (baseball)
  Oliver Frank Fletcher was an American baseball player. Born in Hildreth, Illinois, he played shortstop and third base and batted and threw right-handed...
  
  
• Carney Flynn
  Carney Flynn
  -References:...
  
  
• John Harper

• Jackson
• William Kinsler
  William Kinsler
  William H. Kinsler , was a professional baseball player who played outfield in the Major Leagues for New York Giants of the National League. He appeared in one game, on June 8, 1893. The following season he played for the Nashville Tigers in the Southern Association.-External links:...
  
  
• Jacob Lookabaugh
• Jack Meara
• Meeker
• Sam Moran
  Sam 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:...
  
  
• John O'Brien
• Peralto
• Abner Powell
  Abner Powell
  Abner Charles Powell was a Major league baseball player who was a member of the Washington Nationals of the Union Association in 1884. He later played for the Baltimore Orioles and the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1886...
  
  

• Josh Reilly
  Josh Reilly
  William Henry Reilly , was a former professional baseball player who played second base in the Major Leagues for the 1896 Chicago Colts. He played in the minor leagues from 1890 through 1903, primarily in various western leagues. He also managed in the minors in 1903 and 1904.-Sources:...
  
  
• Sam Shaw
  Sam Shaw
  Samuel E. Shaw was an American professional baseball player who played parts of two seasons for the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association and the Chicago Colts of the National League. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland the date and place of his death is unknown.-External links:...
  
  
• 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...
  
  
• Pete Sweeney
  Pete Sweeney
  Peter Jay Sweeney was a third baseman in Major League Baseball in the 19th century. His professional career stretched from 1879 through 1897, though only 1888-1890 were spent in the Major Leagues.-Sources:...
  
  
• Pop Swett
  Pop Swett
  William Edward "Pop" Swett was a catcher in Major League Baseball in 1890.-Career:Swett was born in San Francisco, California. He started his professional baseball career in 1888, with the San Francisco Haverlys of the California League...
  
  
• Webster
• Milt Whitehead
  Milt Whitehead
  Milton P. Whitehead , was a Major League Baseball player who played shortstop in . He would play for the St. Louis Maroons and Kansas City Cowboys.-External links:...
  
  
• William Works