1908 Nashville Vols season

The 1908 Nashville Vols season was the 15th season of minor league baseball in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Nashville Vols' 8th season in the Southern Association. The Vols finished the previous season in last place, but this year won the league pennant, by defeating he New Orleans Pelicans 1-0 on the last day of the season in a game dubbed by Grantland Rice "The Greatest Game Ever Played In Dixie."

This is also the season Rice dubbed the ballpark Sulphur Dell. The team's player-manager was Bill Bernhard. The team featured just two players from Tennessee: Pryor McElveen and Hub Perdue. First baseman Jake Daubert led the league in home runs with six.

Before the season The Vols finished last place in the Southern Association in 1907. A new group of men purchased the team, including Ferdinand E. Kuhn, James B. Carr, Thomas James Tyne, J. T. Connor, James A. Bowling, Robert L. Bolling, Rufus E. Fort, and William G. Hirsig. Well known attorney S. A. Champion supplied legal services. The group envisioned an ambitious project of stadium renovations at Sulphur Dell, and managed to cull $50,000. Kuhn was selected to head the Board of Directors.Simpson pp. 32, 180 He went on a trip to Ponce de Leon Park in Atlanta to observe a modern park and plan renovations.

Kuhn hired Bill Bernhard as manager.

Schedule

Game log

|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb;" | 1 || April 16 || @ Atlanta|| 1–3 ||Ford (1–0) || Sorrell (0–1) || ||Ponce de Leon Park|| 6,000 || 0–1 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 2 || April 17 || @ Atlanta || 3–0 ||Duggan (1–0) ||Castleton (0–1) || || Ponce de Leon Park|| 3,000 || 1–1 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bbb;" | || April 20|| Montgomery|| 3–3 || || || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 4,400 || 1–1 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb;" | 3 || April 21 || Montgomery|| 1–5 ||Van Ada|| Sorrell (0–2)|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 2,000 || 1–2 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb;" | 4 || April 22 || Montgomery|| 5–6 ||Cristall|| Duggan (1–1)|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500 || 1–3|| L2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 5 || April 23 || Montgomery|| 4–2 ||Perdue (1–0)|| Helm|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500 || 2–3|| W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 6|| April 25 || Birmingham|| 3–0 ||Hess (1–0)||Robitaille|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 3,000 || 3–3|| W2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 7 || April 27 ||Birmingham|| 7–6 ||Hunter (1–0)||McNeal|| — ||Sulphur Dell||| 1,500 || 4–3|| W3 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 8 || April 28||Birmingham|| 1–4 ||Fleharty|| Duggan (1–2)|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500 || 4–4|| L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 9 || April 29 || @ Montgomery|| 1–4 ||Thomas|| Perdue (1–1)|| — || || || 4–5|| L2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 10 ||April 30 || @ Montgomery|| 1–4 ||Stackpole|| Hess (1–1)|| — || || || 4–6|| L3

|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb" | 11 || May 1 ||@ Montgomery || 5–0 ||Kellum (1–0) || Merriman || || || || 5–6 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 12 || May 2 || |@ Montgomery || 1–3 || || || || || || 5–7 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 13 || May 4 ||@ Birmingham || 3–1 ||Duggan (2–2) || McNeal|| || || || 6–7 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb;" | 14|| May 7 || @ Birmingham || 1–4 || Turner ||Perdue (1–2)|| || || 450 || 6–8 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb;" | 15 || May 8 || Atlanta || 1–4 || Ford ||Hess (1–2) || — ||Sulphur Dell|| || 6–9 || L2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 16 || May 9 || Atlanta || 2–1 ||Kellum (2–0) ||McKenzie || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500 || 7–9 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 17 || May 11 || Atlanta || 4–2 ||Yerkes (1–0) ||Cummings || — ||Sulphur Dell||1,500 || 8–9 || W2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb;" | 18 || May 12|| Atlanta || 5–6 || Ford ||Duggan (2–3) || — ||Sulphur Dell||2.000 || 8–10 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 19 || May 14|| @ Memphis || 6–2 ||Duggan (3–3) || Chappelle || ||Russwood Park|| || 9–10 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 20|| May 15|| @ Memphis || 5–1 ||Hess (2–2) || Savidge || || Russwood Park|| || 10–10 || W2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 21|| May 16 || @ Memphis || 3–2 ||Hunter (2–1) || Garrity || || Russwood Park|| || 11–10 || W3 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 22 || May 18 ||@ Little Rock || 5–3 ||Perdue (2–2) || Connelly || || || || 12–10 || W4 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 23 || May 19|| @ Little Rock || 1–3 || Hart||Kellum (2–1) || || || || 12–11 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 24 || May 20 ||@ Little Rock || 1–10 || Eyler ||Hess (2–3) || || || || 12–12 || L2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bbb" | || May 21 || @ New Orleans || 0–0 || || || || Athletic Park || || 12–12 || L2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 25 || May 22 || @ New Orleans || 1–4 || Bartley ||Hunter (2–2) || ||Athletic Park || || 12–13 || L3 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 26 || May 23 || @ New Orleans || 1–10 ||Guese ||Perdue (2–3) || || Athletic Park || || 12–14 || L4 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 27 || May 24 || @ New Orleans ||0–5 ||Bartley ||Hess (2–4) || ||Athletic Park || || 12–15 || L5 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb" | 28 || May 25 ||@ Mobile|| 2–1 ||Kellum (3–1) || Torrey || || Monroe Park || || 13–15 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 29 || May 26 ||@ Mobile|| 10–4 ||Duggan (4–3) || Beeker|| || Monroe Park || || 14–15 || W2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 30|| May 29 || Memphis|| 9–1 ||Hunter (3–2) || Garrity|| ||Sulphur Dell||3,000 || 15–15 || W3 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb;" | 31 || May 30 || Memphis|| 0–1 || Savidge ||Duggan (4–4)|| ||Sulphur Dell|| 4,000|| 15–16 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 32 || May 30 || Memphis|| 2–5 ||Chappelle ||Hess (2–5)|| ||Sulphur Dell|| || 15–17 || L2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 33 || May 31 || @ Memphis|| 1–4 || Shields ||Perdue (2–4)|| || Russwood Park || || 15–18 || L3

|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 34 || June 1 || Memphis|| 3–1 ||Kellum (4–1) || Garrity || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500 || 16–18 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb;" | 35 || June 2 ||New Orleans|| 2–5 || Guese ||Yerkes (1–2)|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,800 || 16–19 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 36 || June 4 || New Orleans|| 3–2 ||Duggan (5–4) || Clark|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500 || 17–19 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb" | 37 || June 5|| New Orleans|| 5–2 ||Duggan (6–4) || Bartley|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,800 || 18–19 || W2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 38 || June 6|| Mobile || 2–5 || Beeker ||Kellum (4–2) || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 2,800|| 18–20 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb" | 39 || June 8 || Mobile || 8–1 ||Perdue (3–4) || Torrey || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,400|| 19–20 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 40 || June 9 || Mobile || 1–3 ||Stockdale ||Yerkes (1–3)|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500|| 19–21 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb" | 41 || June 10 || Mobile || 3–0 ||Duggan (7–4) ||Beeker || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,200|| 20–21 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 42 || June 11 ||Little Rock || 2–8 ||Eyler ||Bernhard (0–1) || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,599|| 20–22 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 43 || June 12 ||Little Rock || 7–0 ||Perdue (4–4) ||Walters || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,200|| 21–22 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb;" | 44 || June 13 ||Little Rock || 1–8 ||Eastman ||Kellum (4–3) || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500|| 21–23 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb;" | 45 || June 15 ||Birmingham || 0–6 ||Robitaille ||Duggan (7–5) || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,100|| 21–24 || L2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 46 || June 16 || Birmingham || 5–3 ||Perdue (5–4) ||Turner || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,300|| 22–24|| W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 47 || June 17 || Birmingham || 6–0 ||Kellum (5–3)||Robinson|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500|| 23–24 || W2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 48 || June 18 || Montgomery || 5–1 ||Bernhard (1–1)||Cristall|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500|| 24–24 || W3 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" |49 || June 19 || Montgomery || 7–2 ||Duggan (8–5)||Guese|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500|| 25–24 || W4 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 50 || June 20 || Montgomery || 8–0 ||Perdue (6–4) ||Juul|| — ||Sulphur Dell|| 3,000|| 26–24 || W5 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" |51 || June 22 || @ Atlanta || 5–4 ||Kellum (6–3)||Schopp|| — || Ponce de Leon Park || ||27–24 || W6 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 52 || June 23 || @ Atlanta || 5–1 ||Perdue (7–4) || || — || Ponce de Leon Park || ||28–24 || W7 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 53 || June 23 || @ Atlanta || 1–4 ||Castleton ||Duggan (8–6)|| — || Ponce de Leon Park || ||28–25 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 54 || June 24 || @ Atlanta || 0–5||Ford ||Bernhard (1–2)|| — || Ponce de Leon Park || ||28–26 || L2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" |55 || June 25 || @ Montgomery || 3–4 ||Guese ||Kellum (6–4)|| — || || || 28–27 || L3 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 56 || June 26 ||@ Montgomery || 1–2 ||Thomas ||Perdue (7–5)|| — || || || 28–28 || L4 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb" | 57 || June 27 ||@ Montgomery || 3–2 ||Duggan (9–6) ||McCafferty || — || || || 29–28 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb" | 58 || June 30 || Atlanta || 3–1 ||Duggan (10–6) ||Ford || — ||Sulphur Dell|| 1,500||30–28 || W2

|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 59 || July 1 || Atlanta || 5–0 ||Perdue (8–5) || Schopp || — ||Sulphur Dell||1,600 || 30–28 || W3 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb" | 60 || July 3 || @ Birmingham || 5–2||Kellum (7–4) || || — || || || 31–28 || W4 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb" | 61 || July 4 ||@ Birmingham || 5–2||Duggan (11–6) || || — || || 1,500|| 32–28 || W5 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 62 || July 5 || @ New Orleans || 1–2|| Clark ||Perdue (8–6) || — || Athletic Park || || 32–29 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 63 || July 6 ||@ New Orleans || 2–0||Kellum (8–4) ||Breitenstein|| — || Athletic Park|| || 33–29 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 64 || July 7 ||@ New Orleans || 3–1||Duggan (12–6) ||Bartley || — || Athletic Park || || 34–29 || W2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bbb;" | || July 9 || @ Mobile || 0–0|| || || — || Monroe Park || || 34–29 || W2 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb;" | 65 || July 10 || @ Mobile || 3–2||Hunter (3–3) ||Gaskill|| — || Monroe Park || || 35–29|| W3 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 66 || July 11 || @ Mobile || 1–2|| Hickman ||Kellum (8–5)|| — ||Monroe Park || || 35–30 || L1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bfb" | 67 || July 12 || @ Mobile || 6–3||Bernhard (2–2)||Gaskill|| — || Monroe Park || || 36–30 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#bbb" | || July 13 || @ Little Rock || 3–3|| || || — || || || 36–30 || W1 |- style="text-align:center; background-color:#fbb" | 68 || July 14 || @ Little Rock || 1–4|| Hart||Hunter (4–3)|| — || || || 36–31 || L1