Naming the 1909 Knoxville team

Knoxville Sentinel - July 5, 1909

In July of 1909, professional baseball returned to Knoxville.  The Charleston Seagulls, of the Class C South Atlantic League, folded and Knoxville picked up the team.  But what to name them?

The Knoxville Sentinel asked fans for their suggestions.  Following are the names submitted as of July 5, 1909.

• Reds 
• Cherokees 
• Mountaineers 
• Colonels 
• Moonshiners 
• Gray Eagles 
• White Caps 
• Red Sox 
• Billikens 
• Exiles 
• Orphans 
• Pioneers 
• Skyscrapers 
• Moguls 
• Knoxville Knockers 
• Smokies 
• Kildees 
• Gila Monsters 
• Boosters 
• Chilhowees 
• Sentinels 
• Marble City 
• Knoxville Reds 
• Knoxall 
• Marbleites 
• Hillbillies 
• Hoosiers 
• Volunteers 
• Marbles 
• Greater Knoxvilles 
• League Savers 
• Bootleggers 
• Crackerjacks 
• Carpet Baggers 
• The Highlanders 
• The Haymakers 
• Imperials 
• Boosters 
• Marble Hearts

The team took the name Pioneers, although they were often called Orphans in the press.

1868 Championship of the State

The Knoxville Holstons were the state champions of 1867. They were challenged to play a match for the championship of the State by the Phoenix BBC of Nashville.

Republican Banner (Nashville, Tenn.) - August 25, 1868

A few weeks later they headed west.

The Athens Post (Athens, Tenn.) - September 18, 1868

There is a wonderful four column write up in the Republican Banner of Nashville.  Each play described in detail for every inning.  Too large to reproduce here and probably would violate some spirit of copyright law issues.  I present just the box score.

Republican Banner (Nashville, Tenn.) - September 13, 1868

The Nashville team would come to Knoxville to face the Holstons again later that same month.

1888 Vanderbilt Field Day

In the spring of 1888, early May to be specific, athletes from various universities in Tennessee, came to Nashville to compete in various athletic and scholastic competitions.  Track and field events were scheduled, as well as am oratory contest.

The highlight would be the base ball games between the Vanderbilt and University of Tennessee clubs.

The Daily American - May 4, 1888

The first day started with field sports beginning at 2:15pm with the ball game to begin at 4 o'clock.

The Daily American - May 4, 1888

Vanderbilt was to be the victor in the first game, winning 9-6.

The Daily American - May 5, 1888

A second game was sceduled for the next day.  Vanderbilt, again, was victorious.  This time the score was 9-1.

The Daily American - May 6, 1888

These are the first recorded meetings of the two school's baseball teams.   The University of Tennessee says that their first official baseball team was formed in 1897.  I might argue, but not too strongly at this time.

UT vs Indiana

The University of Tennessee Volunteers have played against the Hoosiers of Indiana University just three times before this weekend's series.  1917, 1921, and 2011.  UT won the first twp of those games.

The Hoosier's Record Book (pdf file) and Game Notes (pdf file) have the two teams only having played twice (1917 and 2011).  The Vols' Game Notes (pdf file) have the teams playing three times.

Here's what my research produced.

IU plans a southern tour, scheduling UT on Wednesday, March 28, 1917.  Here's what was happening that month: The Jones Act was created, Puerto Rico territory created, US citizenship granted. In the Stanley Cup: Seattle Metropolitans (PCHA) beat Montreal Canadiens (NHL), 3 games to 1 - Seattle is 1st US team to win Stanley Cup.  The US is the first nation to recognize the new government of Russia.

As reported in newspapers around the nation, UT downs IU, 5-2.

The Indianapolis News explains why.

Four years later, the Hoosiers return to Knoxville and drop the game, 13-3.  Events of that month include: Iowa imposes the first state cigarette tax. Albert Einstein lectures in New York City on his new "Theory of Relativity". KDKA broadcast first radio sporting event, a boxing match (Ray-Dundee, 10 round, no decision from Pittsburgh's Motor Square Garden).

90 years later, on March 5, 2011, the Hoosiers found revenge, besting the Vols 6-3.  Some events of that month were: The Space Shuttle Discovery makes its final landing after 39 flights. A reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant melts and explodes and releases radioactivity into the atmosphere a day after Japan's earthquake. Charlie Sheen is fired from the CBS sitcom "Two and a Half Men". 52nd SEC Men's Basketball Tournament: Kentucky beats Florida, 70-54.

Jumping ahead to 2019, the Vols have already taken the first game of the series, 5-1 and as I type this, are up 2-0, at the top of the third inning of the second game.