List of Nashville Vols awards, All-Stars, and league leaders

The Nashville Vols were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1901 to 1963. They were established as charter members of the Southern Association in 1901. Known as the Nashville Baseball Club during their first seven seasons, they became the Nashville Volunteers (regularly shortened to Vols) in 1908. Nashville remained in the Southern Association until the circuit disbanded after the 1961 season. The team sat out the 1962 campaign but returned for a final season in the South Atlantic League in 1963 before ceasing operations altogether. Over 62 seasons, numerous players, managers, and coaches won awards, were selected for All-Star teams, or led their league in various statistical areas.

Eight Vols won the Southern Association Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, more than any other team in the league. These were: Greek George, Ed Sauer, Chuck Workman, Carl Sawatski, Bob Schultz, Jack Harshman, Bob Lennon, and Stan Palys. The only Vol to win the Rookie of the Year Award was Jim O'Toole. Eighty-seven players and four managers and coaches were selected for midseason All-Star teams. Of these, 14 were selected twice with Nashville: Buddy Gilbert, Larry Gilbert, Oris Hockett, Bob Kelly, Pete Mallory, Rube Novotney, Hugh Poland, Hal Quick, Carl Sawatski, Phil Shartzer, Jim Shilling, Dick Sisler, Leo Twardy, and Ben Wade. Two players were chosen as the MVP for their contributions in All-Star games: Tommy Brown and Chuck Coles. Additionally, the Vols served as the competition for the Southern Association All-Stars on six occasions in games held at Nashville's Sulphur Dell.

Five players hold Southern Association records for single-season performances in major statistical categories. Les Fleming holds the batting average record (.414 in 1941), Charlie Gilbert the runs record (178 in 1948), Jim Poole the runs batted in (RBI) record (167 in 1930), Joe Dwyer the doubles record (65 in 1936), and Bob Lennon the home run record (64 in 1954). Lennon led the league in five major categories in 1954: batting average (.345), hits (210), runs (139), RBI (161), and home runs (64). Charlie English led the circuit in four areas in 1942: batting average (.341), hits (217), RBI (139), and doubles (50). Ed Sauer led the league in four categories in 1943: batting average (.368), runs (113), doubles (51), and stolen bases (30).

Key +KeySouthern Association recordNumber of wins by individuals who won an award multiple times*Tie between two or more individuals; number indicates total number of individuals with same performance

Awards League awards

These players won Southern Association year-end awards during the club's membership from 1901 to 1961.

+Southern Association awardsAwardRecipientSeasonPosition Most Valuable Player1940CatcherMost Valuable Player1943OutfielderMost Valuable Player1948OutfielderMost Valuable Player1949CatcherMost Valuable Player1950PitcherMost Valuable Player1953PitcherMost Valuable Player1954OutfielderMost Valuable Player1957OutfielderRookie of the Year1958Pitcher

All-time Vols teams Nashville Banner sportswriters Fred Russell and George Leonard created two rosters of the all-time greatest players, covering the periods of 1901 to 1919 and 1920 to 1963.

1901–1919

+All-time Vols (1901–1919)PositionPlayerFirst basemanSecond basemanShortstopThird basemanOutfielderOutfielderOutfielderCatcherCatcherPitcherPitcherPitcherPitcherPitcherPitcher

1920–1963

+All-time Vols (1920–1963)PositionFred RussellGeorge LeonardPlayerPlayerFirst basemanSecond basemanShortstopThird basemanOutfielderOutfielderCatcherCatcherRight-handed pitcherRight-handed pitcherRight-handed pitcherRight-handed pitcherLeft-handed pitcherLeft-handed pitcherLeft-handed pitcherManager

All-Stars

Midseason All-Stars

These players, coaches, and managers were selected to participate in the Southern Association All-Star Game (1938–1961) or the South Atlantic League All-Star Game (1963). Additionally, the Vols served as the competition for the Southern Association All-Stars on six occasions (1940, 1943, 1948, 1949, 1953, 1957) in games held at Nashville's Sulphur Dell.

+Midseason All-StarsSeasonPlayerPosition1938Pitcher1938Outfielder1938Second baseman1938Outfielder1939Catcher1939Outfielder1940Catcher1940 Outfielder1940Pitcher1941Shortstop1941First baseman1941 Manager1941 Outfielder1941Pitcher1942Outfielder1942Third baseman1942 First baseman1942Pitcher1943Pitcher1943Shortstop1943Outfielder1944Shortstop1944Pitcher1944 Manager1946First baseman1946Catcher1946Catcher1946 Second baseman1946 Pitcher1947Catcher1947Outfielder1947 Pitcher1947 Shortstop1947Utility1947 Pitcher1947Catcher1948Outfielder1948 Shortstop1948 Pitcher1948 Pitcher1948Outfielder1949Outfielder1949First baseman1949 Pitcher1949Pitcher1949 Catcher1950Outfielder1950 Catcher1950Pitcher1951Pitcher1951Catcher1951Third baseman1951Manager1951Outfielder1951Shortstop1952Pitcher1952 Catcher1952Third baseman1952 Coach1952Pitcher1952Outfielder1953Third baseman1953Pitcher1953 Catcher1954Outfielder1954 Manager1954Outfielder1955Outfielder1955Outfielder1955Pitcher1955Outfielder1955Pitcher1955Second baseman1956Catcher1956Pitcher1956Outfielder1956Third baseman1956 Pitcher1956Utility1957Pitcher1957Catcher1957 Pitcher1957Outfielder1957Outfielder1957 Shortstop1957 First baseman1958Coach1958First baseman1958Outfielder1958 Outfielder1958Pitcher1958 Manager1959Outfielder1959Outfielder1959Pitcher1959Catcher1959 Shortstop1960Third baseman1960Pitcher1960Catcher1961 Outfielder1961Outfielder1961Pitcher1963Pitcher1963Shortstop

All-Star Game MVPs

These players won Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards for their contributions in the Southern Association All-Star Game (1938–1961).

+All-Star Game MVPsSeasonPlayerPosition1957Third baseman1958First baseman

League leaders

Batting leaders

These players led all other players in their league in distinct statistical batting categories in a single season.

+Individual batting leadersStatisticPlayerRecordSeason Batting average.3251912Batting average.3781931Batting average.3821932Batting average.4011934Batting average.3551935Batting average.3651939Batting average.4141941Batting average.3411942Batting average.3681943Batting average.3841948Batting average.3761949Batting average.3581951Batting average.3641952Batting average.3501953Batting average.3451954Batting average.3681955Batting average.3591957Batting average.3481958Batting average.3371963Hits1661904Hits1571905Hits1571912Hits190*1934Hits1941935Hits1941936Hits2231940Hits2171942Hits2181947Hits1971949Hits2131951Hits1961952Hits2101954Hits2111955Runs1271901Runs1111902Runs861905Runs1551930Runs1401932Runs1271936Runs1241942Runs1131943Runs1781948Runs1461949Runs1081953Runs1391954Runs1141955Runs1161957Runs batted in1181923Runs batted in1431925Runs batted in1271929Runs batted in1671930Runs batted in1471932Runs batted in1321936Runs batted in118*1940Runs batted in1391942Runs batted in1071943Runs batted in1821948Runs batted in1531949Runs batted in1611954Runs batted in1071958Doubles331916Doubles421917Doubles31*1919Doubles441925Doubles461933Doubles461934Doubles45*1935Doubles651936Doubles421937Doubles501942Doubles511943Doubles411946Doubles501947Doubles42*1953Doubles42*1953Doubles441955Doubles311963Triples181902Triples141919Triples201923Triples121959Home runs81919Home runs241928Home runs331929Home runs501930Home runs231931Home runs351932Home runs231933Home runs171935Home runs20*1936Home runs191937Home runs22*1940Home runs291942Home runs161944Home runs151946Home runs521948Home runs451949Home runs471951Home runs641954Home runs291955Stolen bases611902Stolen bases541914Stolen bases681923Stolen bases301933Stolen bases201942Stolen bases301943Stolen bases161957

Pitching leaders

These pitchers led all other pitchers in their league in distinct statistical pitching categories in a single season.

+Individual pitching leadersStatisticPlayerRecordSeason Wins251901Wins231909Wins24*1916Wins22*1929Wins24*1935Wins221936Wins21*1938Wins261940Wins201949Wins251950Wins231953Wins241957Wins20*1958Losses241902Losses221904Losses211905Losses211912Losses11*1918Losses191930Losses241931Losses16*1935Losses201938Losses181954Losses161956Innings pitched3101914Innings pitched257*1930Innings pitched257*1930Innings pitched3041933Innings pitched2761937Innings pitched2591957Innings pitched2801958Strikeouts1341919Strikeouts1701922Strikeouts1411925Strikeouts103*1927Strikeouts1351933Strikeouts1221940Strikeouts1611941Strikeouts1461942Strikeouts1471944Strikeouts1791946Strikeouts1451947Strikeouts1521952Strikeouts1831953Strikeouts1841954Walks1511921Walks961935Walks1211938Walks1671941Walks1281946Walks1401952Walks1161953Walks1241954Walks1461957Walks1321958

Notes

References