Scratch1
Contents
Overview
The Class C South Atlantic League of 1909 started and ended with eight teams. One of them, the Charleston Seagulls, had difficulty around mid-season and the franchise and team were transferred to Knoxville. In 1909 the Knoxville team was referred to as the Appalachians. Some newspaper writers of the times called the new team the Orphans, and at times the Pioneers.
News and Notes
- The Board of Directors of the South Atlantic League met at Augusta. Ga., on July 1 and decided to end the present season Saturday night, July 3, and start a new season Monday, July 5. The Charleston franchise, which was turned over to the League on June 26, was transferred to Knoxville, Tenn., and all games scheduled to be played with Charleston will be played in Knoxville, the new season commencing Monday, July 5. - Sporting Life - Philadelphia, PA - July 10, 1909 - LA84.org
- Pitcher Wagner, of Columbia, on the morning of July 5 shut out Knoxville without a safe hit; score, 1 to 0. - Sporting Life - Philadelphia, PA - July 17, 1909 - LA84.org
- First baseman Abbott will probably not rejoin the Knoxville team this season. His wife is seriously ill in Kansas City. Massing is holding down the initial bag. - Sporting Life - Philadelphia, PA - July 24, 1909 - LA84.org
- Pitcher Paige, of Knoxville, is still being held by New Orleans. Secretary Farrell will announce his decision shortly. He is almost sure to revert back to the Knoxville Club. - Sporting Life - Philadelphia, PA - July 24, 1909 - LA84.org
- The Knoxville Club, of the South Atlantic League, has sold pitcher Paige to New Orleans for $900 and has signed a young pitcher named Bruner. - Sporting Life - Philadelphia, PA - July 31, 1909 - LA84.org
- President Jones is having lots of trouble with umpires. In a recent series at Chattanooga between Chattanooga and Knoxville, neither manager would allow Umpire Gifford to officiate, and Umpire Van Sycle failed to show up in the concluding Columbia-Augusta game, July 17, at Columbia. - Sporting Life - Philadelphia, PA - Aug. 7, 1909 - LA84.org
- July 19 - In the South Atlantic League, pitcher Demaree, of Savannah, shutout Knoxville without a hit. The score was 4 to 0. - The Reach Official American League Base Ball Guide for 1910 - archive.org
- Pitcher Hixon, of Columbus, on July 31 held Knoxville to two hits, yet lost his game, 1-0, on, errors. - Sporting Life - Philadelphia, PA - Aug. 14, 1909 - LA84.org
- At Knoxville, August 30, during the Knoxville-Chattanooga game, scores of wasps, aroused by the humming of pop bottles about their nest, flew in the grandstand during the seventh inning and divided interest with exciting play. The wasps took the excitement as an attack on them and answered it quickly, clearing a section of the overcrowded grandstand. The game ended with the angry wasps in possession of the field. - Sporting Life - Philadelphia, PA - Sept. 18, 1909 - LA84.org
- Pitcher Clark, of Chattanooga, on September 1 shut out Knoxville without a safe hit; score, 3 to 0. - Sporting Life - Philadelphia, PA - Sept. 18, 1909 - LA84.org
1909 League Standings
First Half Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct | calculated Pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | 46 | 16 | .738 | .742 |
| Columbus | 40 | 25 | .615 | .615 |
| Augusta | 31 | 35 | .464 | .470 |
| Charleston | 28 | 33 | .459 | .459 |
| Savannah | 30 | 36 | .455 | .455 |
| Jacksonville | 30 | 36 | .455 | .455 |
| Macon | 28 | 38 | .424 | .424 |
| Columbia | 24 | 38 | .387 | .387 |
Second Half Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta | 33 | 14 | .702 |
| Chattanooga | 37 | 20 | .649 |
| Columbus | 32 | 24 | .571 |
| Savannah | 30 | 25 | .545 |
| Knoxville | 24 | 27 | .471 |
| Macon | 21 | 30 | .412 |
| Jacksonville | 17 | 34 | .333 |
| Columbia | 18 | 38 | .321 |
Final Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | 83 | 36 | .697 |
| Columbus | 72 | 49 | .595 |
| Augusta | 64 | 49 | .566 |
| Savannah | 60 | 61 | .496 |
| Charleston / Knoxville | 52 | 60 | .464 |
| Macon | 49 | 68 | .419 |
| Jacksonville | 47 | 70 | .402 |
| Columbia | 42 | 76 | .356 |
1909 Teams and Managers
| Team | Manager |
|---|---|
| Augusta, GA | Louis Castro |
| Columbia, SC | A.C. Granville |
| Jacksonville, FL | D.J. Mullaney |
| Macon, GA | John J. Lawler |
| Savannah, GA | Ernest Howard |
| Charleston, SC / Knoxville, TN | Stephen Griffin |
| Chattanooga, TN | John Dobbs |
| Columbus, GA | James C. Fox |
Statistics
Team Batting
| Team | AB | R | H | SB | Printed BA |
Calculated BA |
|
TB | SH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | 4680 | 600 | 1230 | 290 | .263 | |
.342 | 1600 | 200 |
| Savannah | 3897 | 434 | 932 | 201 | .239 | |
.294 | 1146 | 178 |
| Augusta | 4397 | 472 | 1027 | 363 | .228 | .291 | 1281 | 174 | |
| Columbus | 3729 | 444 | 846 | 216 | .227 | |
.328 | 1224 | 176 |
| Columbia | 3862 | 293 | 826 | 186 | .214 | |
.260 | 1003 | 172 |
| Charleston / Knoxville | 3528 | 288 | 735 | 173 | .208 | |
.258 | 909 | 157 |
| Macon | 3621 | 312 | 742 | 166 | .205 | |
|
878 | 156 |
| Jacksonville | 3453 | 267 | 688 | 177 | .199 | |
.230 | 794 | 137 |
References / Resources
- 1910 Reach Guide at archive.org
- Chronicling America at Library of Congress
- various newspapers at GenealogyBank.com
- Sporting Life at LA84.org
- Allen, Ronald R. Same Old Smokies: A brief history of baseball in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1865-1954, self published, 2008
- Johnson, Lloyd, and Miles Wolff. Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, Baseball America, 2007, pp. 219
- 1909 Charleston Sea Gulls/Knoxville Appalachians page at bbref.com
Credit
This page was assembled and presented by Mark D. Aubrey.
Please see Copyright info.
