Overview
The Class A-1 Southern Association of 1939 started and ended with eight teams. This was the ninth season that the Knoxville team was in the Southern Association. Neil Caldwell was the manager in both 1937 and 1938. The 1939 season opened on April 14 and closed on September 10, 1939. Nashville was declared the league champion in the post season playoffs.
Playoffs - Nashville defeated Memphis, three games to none; Atlanta defeated Chattanoog, three games to none. In the finals, Nashville defeated Atlanta, four games to three.
News and Notes
- Infielder Jim McLeod has been purchased by the Knoxville Smokies from Oklahoma City of the Texas League. Secretary Allen said that McLeod would be used either at third base or shortstop. - The Sporting News - January 19, 1939, page 6
- Knoxville transferred Pitcher Nick Radunich, a right-hander, to Hutchinson in the Western Association, placed Catcher Walter Stephenson on the active roll and suspended Milton McDougal, another receiver, April 25, until he recovers from a recent operation. - The Sporting News - May 4, 1939, page 11
- Knoxville sells Pitcher Jimmy McClure to Jackson (Southeastern). - The Sporting News - May 25, 1939, page 2
- Baltimore buys Outfileder Leon Riley from Knoxville. - The Sporting News – June 8, 1939, page 6
- Knoxville would still be near the top if it had more pitchers like Lamanske and Addis Swigart. The Smokies certainly have the power. - The Sporting News – June 29, 1939, page 3
League Final Standings
| Team |
W |
L |
Pct
|
| Chattanooga Lookouts |
85 |
65 |
.567
|
| Memphis Chicks |
84 |
67 |
.556
|
| Nashville Vols |
85 |
68 |
.556
|
| Atlanta Crackers |
83 |
67 |
.553
|
| Knoxville Smokies |
79 |
73 |
.520
|
| Little Rock Travelers |
68 |
83 |
.450
|
| Birmingham Barons |
64 |
89 |
.418
|
| New Orleans Pelicans |
57 |
93 |
.380
|
Team Names, Parks, Attendance, and Managers
| Team |
Stadium |
Attendance |
Manager
|
| Atlanta Crackers |
Ponce de Leon Park II |
235,968 |
Paul Richards
|
| Birmingham Barons |
Rickwood Field |
95,381 |
Dutch Zwilling
|
| Chattanooga Lookouts |
Joe Engel Stadium |
133,676 |
Kiki Cuyler
|
| Knoxville Smokies |
Smithson Stadium |
116,591 |
Neil Caldwell
|
| Little Rock Travelers |
Ray Winder Field |
62,843 |
George Toorcer
|
| Memphis Chicks |
Russwood Park |
90,345 |
Frank Brazill
|
| Nashville Vols |
Sulphur Dell |
124,232 |
Larry Gilbert
|
| New Orleans Pelicans |
Pelican Stadium |
92,551 |
Roger Peckinpaugh
|
Statistics
League Batting
| Team |
G |
AB |
R |
OR |
H |
TB |
2B |
3B |
HR |
SH |
SB |
CS |
Pct
|
| Nashville |
156 |
5307 |
887 |
815 |
1628 |
2256 |
328 |
42 |
72 |
140 |
54 |
42 |
.307
|
| Memphis |
151 |
5043 |
719 |
684 |
1524 |
2068 |
278 |
67 |
44 |
147 |
81 |
47 |
.303
|
| Knoxville |
156 |
5235 |
859 |
847 |
1564 |
2298 |
301 |
62 |
103 |
154 |
56 |
26 |
.299
|
| Atlanta |
151 |
4983 |
770 |
701 |
1480 |
2078 |
283 |
66 |
61 |
187 |
121 |
66 |
.297
|
| Birmingham |
156 |
5178 |
656 |
821 |
1483 |
2045 |
250 |
87 |
46 |
146 |
49 |
36 |
.286
|
| Chattanooga |
153 |
4957 |
760 |
641 |
1407 |
1996 |
234 |
71 |
71 |
157 |
166 |
60 |
.284
|
| Little Rock |
154 |
4982 |
666 |
719 |
1380 |
1801 |
228 |
62 |
23 |
184 |
117 |
36 |
.277
|
| New Orleans |
155 |
5092 |
641 |
750 |
1384 |
1855 |
233 |
65 |
38 |
170 |
61 |
54 |
.272
|
Knoxville Individual Batting
| Last Name |
First Name |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
SB |
CS |
BA |
SLG |
TB |
SH
|
| Young |
Babe |
156 |
613 |
120 |
223 |
50 |
13 |
21 |
8 |
4 |
.364 |
.591 |
362 |
13
|
| Hafey |
Bud |
74 |
282 |
80 |
100 |
18 |
6 |
16 |
1 |
1 |
.355 |
.631 |
178 |
8
|
| Riley |
Lee |
20 |
68 |
9 |
24 |
2B |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
.353 |
.529 |
36 |
1
|
| Sodd |
Bill |
21 |
74 |
14 |
25 |
10 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
.338 |
.541 |
40 |
2
|
| Abernathy |
Woody |
135 |
485 |
84 |
161 |
32 |
4 |
16 |
5 |
0 |
.332 |
.513 |
249 |
10
|
| Rambert |
Pep |
74 |
183 |
33 |
58 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
.317 |
.393 |
72 |
8
|
| Meyer |
Dutch |
110 |
425 |
68 |
129 |
31 |
2 |
9 |
5 |
1 |
.304 |
.449 |
191 |
14
|
| McDougal |
Milton |
58 |
179 |
23 |
53 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
.296 |
.397 |
71 |
3
|
| McLeod |
Jim |
156 |
564 |
80 |
166 |
21 |
4 |
5 |
10 |
8 |
.294 |
.372 |
210 |
27
|
| Shelley |
Hugh |
124 |
457 |
80 |
134 |
21 |
11 |
3 |
17 |
4 |
.293 |
.407 |
186 |
17
|
| Glock |
Charles |
81 |
323 |
51 |
92 |
22 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
.285 |
.378 |
122 |
10
|
| Chapman |
Glenn |
79 |
305 |
49 |
86 |
16 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
.282 |
.400 |
122 |
7
|
| Swigart |
Oad |
45 |
89 |
10 |
25 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.281 |
.292 |
26 |
4
|
| Reitz |
Harold |
60 |
180 |
25 |
49 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
.272 |
.350 |
63 |
3
|
| Richmond |
Proctor |
81 |
291 |
58 |
77 |
18 |
4 |
12 |
2 |
4 |
.265 |
.478 |
139 |
6
|
| Goda |
Mike |
45 |
136 |
15 |
36 |
6 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
.265 |
.397 |
54 |
8
|
| Lamanske |
Frank |
58 |
91 |
17 |
24 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.264 |
.352 |
32 |
3
|
| Watkins |
Linville |
11 |
12 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.250 |
.250 |
3 |
0
|
| Schroeder |
Rip |
37 |
89 |
9 |
20 |
2B |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.225 |
.247 |
22 |
2
|
| Kies |
Norm |
79 |
223 |
32 |
49 |
15 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
.220 |
.345 |
77 |
8
|
| Sharp |
Kola |
30 |
44 |
4 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.205 |
.227 |
10 |
1
|
| Mallory |
Pete |
33 |
40 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.200 |
.225 |
9 |
0
|
| Bertram |
Clare |
40 |
50 |
4 |
11 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.196 |
.320 |
16 |
1
|
| Aragon |
Jack |
16 |
26 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.192 |
.192 |
5 |
0
|
| Kohlman |
Joe |
11 |
12 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.083 |
.167 |
2 |
1
|
| McClure |
Jim |
4 |
2 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
.500 |
|
|
|
| Stephenson |
Walter |
9 |
26 |
|
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
.231 |
|
|
|
| Hughes |
Bill |
2 |
2 |
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
.000 |
|
|
|
| Livengood |
Wes |
2 |
1 |
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
.000 |
|
|
|
| Radunich |
Nick |
2 |
0 |
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
.000 |
|
|
|
| Ehrensberger |
Bill |
1 |
0 |
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
.000 |
|
|
|
League Misc. Batting
| Team |
BB |
HB |
SO |
RBI
|
| Nashville |
549 |
19 |
573 |
799
|
| Knoxville |
491 |
26 |
529 |
778
|
| Atlanta |
456 |
57 |
586 |
691
|
| Chattanooga |
508 |
28 |
570 |
680
|
| Memphis |
375 |
39 |
536 |
633
|
| Little Rock |
442 |
22 |
438 |
596
|
| Birmingham |
369 |
32 |
453 |
593
|
| New Orleans |
453 |
16 |
515 |
569
|
Knoxville Misc. Batting
| Last Name |
First Name |
G |
BB |
HB |
RBI |
SO
|
| Young |
Babe |
156 |
55 |
4 |
137 |
43
|
| Abernathy |
Woody |
135 |
52 |
0 |
103 |
37
|
| Meyer |
Dutch |
110 |
34 |
2 |
76 |
46
|
| McLeod |
Jim |
156 |
50 |
7 |
71 |
38
|
| Shelley |
Hugh |
124 |
32 |
2 |
53 |
19
|
| Richmond |
Proctor |
81 |
38 |
2 |
47 |
45
|
| Hafey |
Bud |
74 |
56 |
2 |
43 |
45
|
| Glock |
Charles |
81 |
25 |
1 |
32 |
26
|
| McDougal |
Milton |
58 |
14 |
0 |
31 |
19
|
| Goda |
Mike |
45 |
12 |
0 |
25 |
25
|
| Chapman |
Glenn |
79 |
24 |
3 |
24 |
30
|
| Rambert |
Pep |
74 |
9 |
0 |
23 |
20
|
| Reitz |
Harold |
60 |
9 |
2 |
19 |
21
|
League Fielding
| Team |
G |
DP |
PO |
A |
E |
Pct.
|
| Nashville |
156 |
126 |
3933 |
1634 |
184 |
.971
|
| Knoxville |
156 |
130 |
3929 |
1825 |
184 |
.969
|
| Birmingham |
156 |
145 |
3004 |
1722 |
187 |
.968
|
| Little Rock |
154 |
141 |
3879 |
1801 |
169 |
.967
|
| New Orleans |
155 |
140 |
3808 |
1630 |
209 |
.964
|
| Memphis |
151 |
95 |
3833 |
1518 |
202 |
.964
|
| Chattanooga |
153 |
177 |
3847 |
1846 |
221 |
.963
|
| Atlanta |
151 |
107 |
3842 |
1009 |
218 |
.962
|
Knoxville Individual Fielding
| Last Name |
First Name |
Position |
G |
PO |
A |
E |
Pct.
|
| Young |
Babe |
1B |
156 |
1381 |
118 |
13 |
.991
|
| Glock |
Charles |
2B |
45 |
88 |
124 |
8 |
.964
|
| Meyer |
Dutch |
2B |
110 |
299 |
337 |
29 |
.956
|
| Reitz |
Harold |
3B |
51 |
35 |
106 |
9 |
.940
|
| Goda |
Mike |
3B |
44 |
43 |
68 |
9 |
.925
|
| Glock |
Charles |
3B |
36 |
31 |
66 |
9 |
.915
|
| McLeod |
Jim |
SS |
156 |
364 |
525 |
29 |
.968
|
| Abernathy |
Woody |
OF |
129 |
255 |
12 |
6 |
.978
|
| Hafey |
Bud |
OF |
74 |
216 |
11 |
6 |
.974
|
| Shelley |
Hugh |
OF |
123 |
299 |
18 |
11 |
.966
|
| Richmond |
Proctor |
OF |
78 |
137 |
5 |
5 |
.966
|
| Chapman |
Glenn |
OF |
79 |
170 |
5 |
7 |
.962
|
| Rambert |
Pep |
OF |
34 |
70 |
2 |
4 |
.947
|
| Riley |
Lee |
OF |
19 |
30 |
2 |
2 |
.941
|
| Sodd |
Bill |
OF |
20 |
35 |
3 |
5 |
.884
|
| Lamanske |
Frank |
P |
32 |
3 |
25 |
0 |
1.000
|
| Mallory |
Pete |
P |
31 |
7 |
18 |
0 |
1.000
|
| Kohlman |
Joe |
P |
11 |
2 |
15 |
0 |
1.000
|
| Watkins |
Linville |
P |
11 |
1 |
11 |
0 |
1.000
|
| Schroeder |
Rip |
P |
37 |
15 |
53 |
1 |
.986
|
| Rambert |
Pep |
P |
32 |
15 |
51 |
1 |
.985
|
| Bertram |
Clare |
P |
40 |
4 |
28 |
1 |
.970
|
| Swigart |
Oad |
P |
42 |
11 |
52 |
2 |
.969
|
| Sharp |
Kola |
P |
29 |
7 |
23 |
2 |
.938
|
| Kies |
Norm |
C |
71 |
253 |
28 |
7 |
.976
|
| McDougal |
Milton |
C |
52 |
157 |
24 |
8 |
.958
|
| Aragon |
Jack |
C |
12 |
15 |
8 |
2 |
.920
|
Knoxville Individual Pitching
| Last Name |
First Name |
G |
W |
L |
Pct |
IP |
AB |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HB |
ERA
|
| Swigart |
Oad |
42 |
17 |
10 |
.630 |
242 |
953 |
265 |
126 |
105 |
84 |
110 |
2 |
3.90
|
| Bertram |
Clare |
40 |
11 |
9 |
.550 |
151 |
575 |
171 |
82 |
73 |
49 |
85 |
2 |
4.35
|
| Sharp |
Kola |
29 |
6 |
6 |
.500 |
111 |
455 |
151 |
67 |
59 |
19 |
10 |
0 |
4.70
|
| Rambert |
Pep |
32 |
11 |
8 |
.579 |
153 |
608 |
180 |
91 |
82 |
42 |
39 |
4 |
4.82
|
| Schroeder |
Rip |
37 |
14 |
12 |
.538 |
231 |
941 |
293 |
160 |
137 |
70 |
57 |
3 |
5.34
|
| Mallory |
Pete |
31 |
5 |
11 |
.313 |
121 |
498 |
160 |
81 |
73 |
28 |
52 |
3 |
5.43
|
| Lamanske |
Frank |
32 |
13 |
7 |
.650 |
179 |
773 |
265 |
132 |
114 |
55 |
62 |
2 |
5.73
|
| Kohlman |
Joe |
11 |
1 |
3 |
.250 |
47 |
194 |
64 |
36 |
32 |
21 |
10 |
1 |
6.13
|
| Watkins |
Linville |
11 |
1 |
3 |
.250 |
36 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Hughes |
Bill |
2 |
0 |
2 |
.000 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Livengood |
Wes |
2 |
0 |
1 |
.000 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
References / Resources
- The Sporting News at Paper of Record
- various newspapers at GenealogyBank.com
- various newspapers at newspapers.com
- 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. 410
- 1939 Knoxville Smokies page at bbref.com
Credit
This page was assembled and presented by Mark D. Aubrey.
Please see Copyright info.
