Tuesday, April 19, 2016

On This Date - 1942

On this date, April 19, 1942, The Nashville Vols hosted the Knoxville Smokies in a double headers.  The first game went long and the combined time of the two games was 5 hours and 12 minutes.

The Vols won both games, beating up on the Smokies in the first inning of the second game, scoring 9 runs.



The previous day the Vols beat the Smokies 6-4.  A nice way to start the season for the Vols.  The Smokies ended the 1942 season at the bottom of the Southern Association with a 61-88 record.  Nashville finished the regular season in second place with a 85-66 record, behind Little Rock (87-59).

The Arkansas Gazette - April 20, 1942

A tip of the hat to Skip Nipper, who writes the fabulous 262 Down Right blog,  for this story.


images from GenealogyBank.com

Friday, April 8, 2016

This Week In Baseball - 1924

92 years ago this week there was big league baseball happening in Knoxville.

The New York Yankees were finishing up spring training and on the 7th of April they faced the Brooklyn Robin, and beat them handily.

This Yankees team, which had won the World Series in 1923, finished second in 1924, just two games out of first place.  The Robins also finished second that season, just 1-1/2 games out of first place.
The Republican Journal - April 8, 1924

The next day, the two teams played another game.  It was a slugfest.  The minimal reporting shows different results in the final score.  One paper report a 19-12 match and others say that it ended in 20-12 score.

Augusta Chronicle - April 9, 1924

It is interesting to note that the papers refer to the Brooklyn club as the Dodgers.  They are recognized as being the Robins from 1914 to 1931.  They were the Dodgers in 1911 and 1912, then again from 1932 to present.  Yes, I know they started to play in Los Angeles in 1958.

Daily Illinois State Journal - April 9, 1924

What appears to be the bigger story is that Babe Ruth hit two home runs.  He'd knock in 46 in 1924.


Houston Chronicle - April 9, 1924
I have not yet checked the local Knoxville papers, but I assume that the game was played at Caswell Park, home of the Appalachian League's Knoxville Pioneers.  Knoxville finished in first place in the Appy League that season.

Times Picayune - April 9, 1924

Both major league teams started their official season the following week.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Maryville College hosts Johnson Bible College - 1918

Maryville College and Johnson Bible College first played each other in 1912.  It would appear that the first game was won by JBC by a score of 6-4.  MC won the next two games, (7-6, 12-2).

The first game with any sort of meaningful write up occurred on April 26, 1918.  Maryville won, as they would consistently do in future meetings.





 

What did the teams look like back then?  Glad you asked.

1918 Maryville College Baseball Team
image from Chilhowean (1919)

Johnson Bible College Newsletter - July, 1918
image from Johnson University

What do the teams look like now?  Again, glad you asked.

2016 Maryville College Scots
image from MCScots.com
Johnson University Royals
image from JohnsonRoyals.com

The teams take to the field in Maryville tonight at 6pm, 104 years since they first met.  The equipment and the names have changed, but it is still baseball.