Skip's Corner

I have been fortunate to have met several baseball stars,  but there are three who allowed me to not only shake their hands, but have a special interaction.Listen in as I relate a few baseball blessings from a few years ago.Thanks to David Nipper for producing Skip's Corner  episodes!

When Bill McCarthy was hired by owner Ted Murray to be general manager of the Nashville Vols, he knew his task was to make the club successful.McCarthy began by making major upgrades to Sulphur Dell in 1956  with Murray's blessing.In this episode you will learn about the renovation of Sulphur Dell!

Compiling a list of major league players from Nashville high schools was more difficult than I thought it would be. Utilizing baseball-reference.com as a main source, along with a list of major leaguers born in Nashville, I found the lack of historical date as a roadblock.At any rate, I have been able to confirm 38 players, although there are many more where no information that I can find. Listen as I tell about those I have established as a major leaguer with a Nashville high school connection; it is an on-going task!

Born in England and schooled in Massachusetts, John Dickins served in the Union army during the Civil War. After his release from Confedarate prison, he commanded a colored regiment in the Battle of Nashville. When the war ended he moved there, and in 1866, the Cumberland Base Ball Club was formed under his guidance and he served as president and captain.When his team played in Louisville after losing to them in Nashville, the game was billed as the first game played west of the Alleghenys using National Association rules. Hear his story and how he molded base ball in Nashville and Louisville, impacting how the game would be played across the South.If you would like to know more about Tennessee Vintage Base Ball and the quest for the Sulphur Dell Cup, click here:

When I began sulphurdell.com several years ago, many people wrote to me or told me what their favorite memories of the old ballpark were. In this episode I tell about some of the rememberances fans and families had.In the meantime, won't you write to me and tell me yours? Send a note to 262downright@gmail.com!

Henry Kimbro had a sixteen-year career in the Negro Leagues with the Baltimore Elite Giants, Birmingham Black Barons, and in Harlem with the New York Black Yankees. Listen in as Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton tells his story through a perspective of love and respect that only a daughter can relate to others.Discovering her father's scrapbook after he passed away, she was moved to write Daddy's Scrapbook: Henry Kimbro of the Negro Baseball League, A Daughter’s Perspective. That allowed her to frame his history with family and faith, expressing herself with admiration for him and her mother as the foundation that guided her journey through life.

Nashville's baseball history includes amateur and semi-pro adult leagues, and the City League had a long line of baseball heroes in their own right. Listen to the events leading up to the 1961 All-Star game, and how the Falstaff and Nashville Sporting Goods teams made their way to the AABC state tournament in Knoxville.

Nashville's Old Timers Baseball Association has been around since 1938 when Harry "War Horse" Rogers came up with the idea to gather players and fans for "hot stove" baseball conversations. For 84 years, the organization has supported local baseball at all levels. Hear about Rogers and the illustrious history of the Old Timers.

Joe Casey was born on Juy 31, 1926, and passed away on his 96th birthday. He was an iconic figure in Nashville as Metro Police Chief for 16 years, but few know he had a promising career in professional baseball before he hurt his arm. A man of stature in his build and reputation, his family's connection to my family has been long-lasting, and I will miss him. Listen in as I tell about that special relationship.Note: Casey was signed to a professional baseball contract by the Boston Braves but never made it to the big leagues, and the Nashville Vols team he played for was not the minor league baseball team but a basketball team in the Southern Basketball League.

Recent Baseball Hall of Fame inductions gave me reason to check how  many in Cooperstown had some connection to Nashville. I knew of several, and I know I have missed some, but with 340 current inductees there were many more that I could have imagined. I hope you will listen in as I give some Nashville connection for many who are immortalized in this special way.

Nashville hosted the 1949 All-Star game, and hopes were high for large attendance as the hometown Vols touted sluggers Babe Barna, Tookie Gilbert, and Carl Sawatski. The final score did not match the enthusiasm of the fans who turned out. Listen to highlights of the game played on Tuesday, July 13 that night.

On July 11, 1916, Tom Rogers pitched a perfect game at Sulphur Dell against Chattanooga. The Lookouts' Jim "Lefty" Allen allowed only one hit in the Vols' win, 1-0.Hear about this great name in Nashville baseball history.

No ballpark in the United States had the configuration of Sulphur Dell. Its quirky hills, colorful advertisements on the outfield walls, and closeness to the action made it a fan favorite - and opposing players hated it. When they referred to the bandbox bordered by Jackson Avenue, Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and a railroad spur, it was "Suffer Hell."The odor of the nearby natural sulphur spring, stockyard, and meat packing plant lent a special flavor to the hot dogs. Learn more about the beloved ballpark by listening to this episode of Skip's Corner!

Memphis held a 7-0 lead over Nashville going into the bottom of the ninth in a game at Sulphur Dell on May 8, 1959. When the Vols put on a rally to take the win over the Chicks, it was one for the books. Listen to this episode to hear how it happened!

Bobby Durnbaugh spent four seasons with Nashville in the Southern Association, but his professional career lasted eight years in the minors, and two games for the Cincinnati Reds.At 89 years old, he is a passionate storyteller. He remembers his teammates from the good old days, truthfully and with great detail.In this episode, he looks through photographs and proudly describes the Vols' ballpark, Sulphur Dell, to his wife, Betty, and fills me in about the personalities he called teammates. Our conversation is  a blessing to me, and I hope it is for you.

Gene Smith was a member of the Nashville Old Timers Baseball Association. He was a star athlete at Antioch High School and in local amateur leagues; he passed away a few days ago. Listen in as Larry Schmittou talks about Gene's involvement as part-owner of the Nashville Sounds.

This past weekend I attended SABR's Jerry Malloy Negro Leagues Conference in Birmingham, Alabama. It was one of the most enjoyable events I have attended as I learned more about Black baseball history. I caught up with four important historians, Louis Manley, Dr. Layton Revel, Phil Dixon, and Gary Gillette, and asked them to talk about various subjects regarding Nashville's rich Negro Leagues history. Their insight was terrific, and I am grateful for their willingness to share.

Without Tom Wilson, there may not have been Negro League baseball in Nashville. I hope you will listen as I talk about him and a few other Black baseball players from Nashville who are important figures in the history of the sport.

Collecting baseball cards as a hobby is a great way to learn about player's stats. The backs of cards I collected gave tidbits about streaks and superstitions, too. Nashville players had their share of both!

Dutch McCall, George Jeffcoat, and Boots Poffenberger had amazing accomplishments while  pitching for Nashville. Hear about them and other Vols pitching greats.