History of the Nashville Sounds facts for kids
The Nashville Sounds are a Minor League Baseball team from Nashville, Tennessee. They started playing in 1978. The team was created by Larry Schmittou and a group of investors. They bought the rights to start a new team in the Double-A Southern League. The Sounds played their home games at Herschel Greer Stadium from 1978 until 2014. In 2015, they moved to a new stadium called First Horizon Park. This new park is built where an old baseball field, Sulphur Dell, used to be.
The Sounds were very popular right away. They had the most fans in all of Minor League Baseball in their first year. They kept having the biggest crowds in the Southern League for seven years. The team won the Southern League championship twice. They won in 1979 when they were connected to the Cincinnati Reds. They won again in 1982 when they were connected to the New York Yankees.
In 1985, the Sounds moved up to the Triple-A level. This was part of a plan to help Nashville get a Major League Baseball team someday. They joined the American Association. The Triple-A Sounds continued the history of the Double-A team. They didn't win the American Association championship very often. They only made the playoffs three times in 13 years.
In 1998, the American Association league ended. The Sounds then joined the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. They played in this league for 23 years. They made the playoffs five times. They won their only Pacific Coast League championship in 2005. At that time, they were connected to the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2021, Minor League Baseball changed how it was organized. Nashville was placed in the Triple-A East league. This league became the International League in 2022.
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Baseball History in Nashville
Nashville has had Minor League Baseball teams since the late 1800s. The city's baseball history began in 1884 with the Nashville Americans. They played in the first Southern League from 1885 to 1886. Their home games were at Sulphur Spring Park, which was later called Athletic Park and Sulphur Dell. This park was home to Nashville's minor league teams until 1963.
The city's longest-running baseball team was the Nashville Vols. They started in 1901 in the Southern Association. They stayed in that league until 1961. The Vols won eight league titles and nine playoff championships. The Southern Association league ended after the 1961 season. The Vols played one last season in 1963. Sulphur Dell stadium was torn down in 1969. Nashville did not have a professional baseball team for 14 years until 1978.
Getting a Team and Building a Ballpark
Larry Schmittou was a college baseball coach at Vanderbilt University from 1968 to 1978. He was very important in bringing professional baseball back to Nashville. He saw how many fans the Chattanooga Lookouts team attracted. This made him want to get involved in Minor League Baseball. Major League Baseball (MLB) teams told Schmittou they would put a minor league team in Nashville if he could provide a good stadium.
Schmittou learned that the city of Nashville would not pay for a new park. So, he teamed up with country musician Conway Twitty and other investors. They decided to pay for a stadium and a minor league team themselves. Schmittou bought 10 percent of the team. Twitty bought 20 percent. The city agreed to let Schmittou use the land near Fort Negley for 20 years. He had to build a stadium for at least 6,500 people. It also had to cost at least $400,000.
Building the stadium ended up costing $1.5 million. Schmittou got a loan and even mortgaged his own home to help pay for it. The ballpark was named Herschel Greer Stadium. It was named after Herschel Lynn Greer, a Nashville businessman. His family donated $25,000 for the stadium.
After securing a stadium, Schmittou and general manager Farrell Owens looked for a major league team to partner with. They found the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds agreed to put a team in Nashville if the stadium was built. Schmittou then got a franchise in the Southern League. This was a Double-A league. It cost $7,500 to join.
Fans were asked to suggest names for the team. The chosen name was "Sounds." This was a play on "Nashville sound," a type of country music from the area. The team's logo and colors came from the Memphis Sounds basketball team. Nashville added blue to Memphis' red and white colors. Nashville's first logo, used from 1978 to 1998, showed a baseball player hitting a ball with a acoustic guitar instead of a bat. This showed the city's music connection. The letters in the team name looked like G-clefs. The cap logo looked like an eighth note.
Southern League Years
Cincinnati Reds (1978–1979)
The Nashville Sounds started playing in 1978 as a new team in the Southern League. They were the Double-A team for the Cincinnati Reds. Their first game was on April 15, 1978. They lost 4–2 to the Memphis Chicks. The Sounds got their first win the next night, beating Memphis 3–0.
Construction on Greer Stadium was still going on for the home opener. The team asked to start the season on the road to give more time. The first home game was set for April 25, but it was rained out. On April 26, the Sounds played their first home game. They won 12–4 against the Savannah Braves. A huge crowd of 8,156 fans came to watch. Tractors were still working on the field that day. Electricity was turned on just five minutes before the gates opened.
The Southern League had a split season. Division winners from each half went to the playoffs. The Sounds, led by manager Chuck Goggin, finished fourth in both halves of their first season. They did not make the playoffs. Their total record was 64–77. Pitcher Bruce Berenyi won the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher Award.
The team was very successful with fans. The Sounds had 380,000 fans at Greer Stadium in their first season. This was the most in all of Minor League Baseball. Nashville led the Southern League in attendance for all seven years they were in it. Schmittou wanted to make money from selling souvenirs and food, not just tickets. He focused on family-friendly entertainment. The Sounds had promotions every night. They had a fun, carnival-like atmosphere between innings. They gave away T-shirts, trading cards, and even a player's old car. The team won awards for its great promotions in 1978, 1980, and 1981.
In 1979, under manager George Scherger, the Sounds started slowly but then won many games. They won the second half of the season with a 48–27 record. They beat the Memphis Chicks in the division championship. Then, they faced the Columbus Astros for the league championship. Nashville won their first Southern League championship! In the final game, catcher Dave Van Gorder hit a big triple to give the Sounds the lead. Reliever Geoff Combe finished the game, and Nashville won 6–2. The team's total record was 83–61. Geoff Combe won the Most Outstanding Pitcher Award.
Nashville hosted the 1979 Southern League All-Star Game. The All-Stars played against the major league Atlanta Braves. The All-Stars, coached by Nashville's Scherger, won 5–2. Nashville players Geoff Combe, Paul Householder, Dave Van Gorder, and Duane Walker were All-Stars. Walker was named the game's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
The Reds did not want the Sounds to use a designated hitter (DH). Schmittou felt this hurt the team. So, the Sounds looked for a new major league team to partner with for 1980. After two seasons with the Reds, Nashville had a 152–140 record.
New York Yankees (1980–1984)
In 1980, the Sounds became the Double-A team for the New York Yankees. Under manager Stump Merrill, the 1980 Sounds had an amazing season. They finished the second half of the season far ahead of other teams. They lost to Memphis in the division championship. The team's pitchers were the best in the league. Steve Balboni, an All-Star and league MVP, led the league in runs, home runs, and RBIs. Andy McGaffigan was named the top pitcher. Their 97–46 record is the best in franchise history. The 1980 Sounds are considered one of the greatest minor league teams ever. Nashville set a Southern League attendance record that year with over 575,000 fans.
On April 16, 1981, the Yankees played an exhibition game against the Sounds in Nashville. The Yankees won 10–1. Over 17,000 fans came to watch. Famous Yankees players like Reggie Jackson and Dave Winfield were there. The Sounds won the second half of the season. They beat the Chicks to win the Western Division championship. But they lost the league championship series to the Orlando Twins. Nashville had an 81–62 record. Pitcher Jamie Werly won the Most Outstanding Pitcher Award.
The 1982 Sounds, led by manager Johnny Oates, won the second half of the season. They beat the Knoxville Blue Jays in the playoffs. Then, they played the Jacksonville Suns for the league championship. Nashville led the series 2–1. In Game Four, the Sounds won in extra innings. Outfielder Brian Dayett hit a walk-off home run to win the game 5–3. Nashville won their second Southern League championship! Their season record was 77–67. Dayett was named the Southern League MVP. Stefan Wever was the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher. Otis Nixon stole 133 bases in 1981 and 1982, a team record. On August 18, 1982, the Sounds set a single-game attendance record with 22,315 fans.
The Yankees came back for another exhibition game on April 28, 1983. The Sounds made a big comeback in the ninth inning to win 5–4. Over 13,000 fans watched. Yankees manager Billy Martin and players like Goose Gossage were there. The Sounds won the second half of the season again. But they lost the division championship to the Birmingham Barons. Nashville finished with an 88–58 record.
The Southern League All-Star Game was in Nashville on June 19, 1983. The Sounds played against the league's All-Stars. The All-Stars won 3–2.
In 1984, the Sounds tied for first place in the second half. They won a tiebreaker game against the Birmingham Barons. This was their sixth straight second-half title. But they lost to the Knoxville Blue Jays in the division finals. Manager Jim Marshall led the team to a 74–73 record. On May 4, Jim Deshaies pitched the team's first no-hitter. Nashville had a great record of 431–320 during their five years with the Yankees. Their total record in the Southern League was 583–460.
American Association Years
In 1983, Sounds president Larry Schmittou saw that fewer people were coming to games. He wanted to get a Triple-A team to make baseball more exciting in Nashville. In July 1984, Schmittou bought the Triple-A Evansville Triplets team. He planned to move them to Nashville for the 1985 season. The Triple-A Sounds continued the history of the Double-A team.
Detroit Tigers (1985–1986)
The Sounds became a Triple-A team in 1985. They joined the American Association and partnered with the Detroit Tigers. They played their first Triple-A game on April 11, winning 3–1 against the Buffalo Bisons. Only 4,730 fans came to this game.
On April 12, Nashville played an exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers had won the 1984 World Series. Famous players like Kirk Gibson and Alan Trammell were there. The Tigers won 9–3 in extra innings. Over 16,000 fans watched. On July 17, Bryan Kelly pitched the team's second no-hitter. The Sounds won 6–0. Nashville finished second in their division. They did not make the playoffs.
In 1986, the Sounds played against the Southern League All-Stars. Nashville won 4–2. The Sounds finished third in their division. Nashville ended its partnership with Detroit after two seasons. Their record with the Tigers was 139–144.
Cincinnati Reds (1987–1992)
The Sounds rejoined the Cincinnati Reds in 1987 as their Triple-A team. This was to try and get more fans. The team had a tough season, finishing last with a 64–76 record. One player, Chris Sabo, was promoted to Cincinnati in 1988. He was named the National League Rookie of the Year.
In 1988, the Sounds had many different managers. Frank Lucchesi took over for the last part of the season. The team finished second with a 73–69 record. Greer Stadium saw a rare event on August 6 and 7, 1988. Nashville and the Indianapolis Indians each pitched a no-hitter on back-to-back nights. First, Indianapolis pitched a no-hitter against the Sounds, but Nashville still won 1–0. The next night, Nashville's Jack Armstrong pitched the third no-hitter in team history. The Sounds won 4–0.
Lucchesi continued to manage in 1989. The team finished third with a 74–72 record. On April 23, 1990, over 14,000 fans watched an exhibition game between Nashville and Cincinnati. The Reds won 3–0.
The Sounds had their best season in the American Association in 1990. They had an 86–61 record under manager Pete Mackanin. They won their division title. They made it to the American Association championship playoffs. But they lost to the Omaha Royals in a close series. Pitcher Chris Hammond won the league's Most Valuable Pitcher Award. Nashville set their all-time attendance record that year with over 605,000 fans. Skeeter Barnes set team career records for games played (514), at bats (1,848), and hits (517).
In 1991, Cincinnati returned for another exhibition game. The game was called early due to rain. The score was tied 2–2. The Sounds finished third in their division with a 65–78 record. From 1988 to 1991, American Association teams played against teams from the Triple-A International League. This was called the Triple-A Alliance. Mackanin was replaced by Dave Miley as manager in 1992. The 1992 Sounds finished fourth with a 67–77 record.
Greer Stadium was getting older compared to newer ballparks. The Reds ended their partnership with the Sounds. Nashville had a 431–436 record in six years with the Reds.
Chicago White Sox (1993–1997)
The Sounds partnered with the Chicago White Sox in 1993. The White Sox wanted their Triple-A team closer to home. The White Sox complained about Greer Stadium's condition. Schmittou tried to get the city to pay for a new stadium, but it didn't happen. He decided to keep the Sounds at Greer but make big improvements. A new guitar-shaped scoreboard was added in 1993.
In their first year with the White Sox, the Sounds won the Eastern Division title. They had an 81–62 record. They played for the American Association championship against the Iowa Cubs. The Sounds fought hard, but lost the final game in extra innings. Nashville's Rick Renick was named the American Association Manager of the Year.
The Sounds shared Greer Stadium with another team, the Nashville Xpress, in 1993 and 1994. This was because the Xpress needed a temporary home. The Xpress played their home games when the Sounds were on the road.
An exhibition game against the White Sox was canceled in 1994 due to wet grounds. The Sounds hosted the 1994 Triple-A All-Star Game at Greer. Over 11,000 people attended. Nashville's Rick Renick managed the American League All-Stars. Sounds players Ray Durham, Drew Denson, Scott Ruffcorn, and Steve Schrenk were All-Stars. The National League All-Stars won 8–5. Durham was named the game's MVP.
The Sounds finished second in 1994 with an 83–61 record. They swept the New Orleans Zephyrs in the first round of the playoffs. But they lost the championship series to the Indianapolis Indians. Scott Ruffcorn was named the Most Valuable Pitcher.
Nashville had a 68–76 record in 1995. Michael Jordan was supposed to play for the Sounds that year. But he decided to quit baseball. The Sounds improved in 1996, finishing third with a 77–67 record. Outfielder Jeff Abbott won the Rookie of the Year Award. Rick Renick won his second Manager of the Year Award.
In 1996, Larry Schmittou sold his share of the Sounds. He felt a new football team, the Tennessee Titans, would take away fans. Chicago businessmen Al Gordon, Mike Murtaugh, and Mike Woleben bought the team.
In 1997, under manager Tom Spencer, Nashville had a 74–68 season. But they finished third and missed the playoffs. Outfielder Magglio Ordóñez was named the Triple-A All-Star Game MVP. He also won the league's Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year Awards. The five-year partnership with the White Sox ended. Nashville had a 390–342 record with them.
Pacific Coast League Years
Pittsburgh Pirates (1998–2004)
The American Association league ended in 1997. The Sounds joined the Pacific Coast League (PCL). They also got a new major league partner, the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates wanted a team in a warmer climate. The Sounds also got a new logo and colors. The old red, white, and blue colors were changed to red, black, white, and silver. The new logo was an eighth note with a baseball.
Nashville lost their first PCL game on April 7, 1998. They won their first PCL game on April 13. The Sounds, led by manager Trent Jewett, finished last in their division in 1998. The team played an exhibition game against Pittsburgh on June 3, 1999. The Pirates won 16–15 in a high-scoring game. The Sounds set a team record by winning 15 games in a row in June 1999. This record was tied later in 2018 and 2021. Jewett's 1999 team improved, with an 80–60 record. But they finished second and missed the playoffs.
Richie Hebner became manager in 2000. Nashville finished last with a 63–79 record. Former Sounds player Marty Brown became manager in 2001. On June 30, Tike Redman became the first Sound to hit for the cycle. Redman also set a team record with 32 triples. The 2001 Sounds had a 64–77 record. The 2002 team had a 72–71 record but finished third. Chad Hermansen holds team career records for runs (303), home runs (92), and RBIs (286).
Pitcher John Wasdin pitched the first perfect game in Sounds history on April 7, 2003. He struck out 15 batters in the 4–0 win. This was only the second nine-inning perfect game in PCL history. Trent Jewett returned as manager that year. The team had an 81–62 record. They won their division title and made the playoffs. Nashville won their conference series. But they lost the league championship series to the Sacramento River Cats.
On May 21, 2004, catcher J. R. House became the second Sound to hit for the cycle. The team finished last in 2004 with a 63–79 record. Jason Bay played a few games for Nashville before going to the major leagues. He became the second former Sound to win a major league Rookie of the Year Award. Closer Mark Corey saved 46 games, a team record. The Pirates ended their partnership with the Sounds after 2004. Nashville had a 493–508 record with the Pirates.
Milwaukee Brewers (2005–2014)
The Sounds partnered with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2005. The Brewers hoped Nashville would get a new stadium soon. Nashville also got a new oval-shaped logo. It showed a baseball player hitting a ball toward the Nashville skyline.
The 2005 team, managed by Frank Kremblas, won their division. Their record was 75–69. Nashville beat the Oklahoma RedHawks in the conference series. Then, they swept the Tacoma Rainiers to win the 2005 Pacific Coast League championship! Outfielder Nelson Cruz hit a three-run home run in extra innings to win the final game. This was Nashville's first Triple-A championship.
On May 5–6, 2006, the Sounds played a 24-inning game against the New Orleans Zephyrs. It lasted over eight hours. This was the longest game in PCL history. On July 15, three Sounds pitchers combined for the team's fifth no-hitter. The Sounds won 2–0. Nashville finished tied for first place with a 76–68 record. They won the division title. But they lost to the Round Rock Express in the conference championship.
The 2007 team included future star Ryan Braun. He made his major league debut in May and was named National League Rookie of the Year. On June 25, Manny Parra pitched the team's second perfect game. This was the third nine-inning perfect game in PCL history. The team won their division for the third year in a row. They had the best record in the league, 89–55. But they lost to New Orleans in the conference series. Nashville-native pitcher R. A. Dickey won the PCL Pitcher of the Year Award.
In 2008, a game between the Sounds and Iowa Cubs was played with no fans allowed. This was because of massive flooding in Des Moines. The Sounds finished fourth with a 59–81 record.
The Sounds had planned to build a new ballpark in the mid-2000s. But the project was stopped. In 2008, the team was sold to a New York-based group of investors. They made improvements to Greer Stadium. They also kept looking for a way to build a new downtown ballpark.
Don Money managed the 2009 Sounds to a 75–69 record. They improved in 2010 but finished last. Caleb Gindl became the third Sound to hit for the cycle on July 10, 2011. The 2012 Sounds finished second. Nashville had their worst record in 2013, 57–87. But Johnny Hellweg won the PCL Pitcher of the Year Award.
Before the 2014 season, a plan was made to build a new ballpark for 2015. On August 27, 2014, the Sounds played their final game at Greer. Over 11,000 fans came to watch. The team finished second with a 76–67 record. Pitcher Jimmy Nelson was named PCL Pitcher of the Year. The Sounds ended their partnership with the Brewers. This was their longest partnership in team history. They had a 732–721 record with the Brewers.
Oakland Athletics (2015–2018)
Nashville partnered with the Oakland Athletics in 2015. The Sounds also got new logos. They included guitars, guitar picks, and neon signs to show Nashville's "Music City" nickname. The team kept the "Sounds" name. They chose new colors: Broadway Burnt Orange, Sunburst Tan, Neon Orange, and Cash Black. But fans didn't like them. So, the team went back to red and black, with platinum silver. The new main logo was a red "N" on a silver guitar pick.
The 2015 season was the first time the Sounds played at the new First Horizon Park. It cost $91 million. It's located where the old Sulphur Dell ballpark used to be. The Sounds won their first home game there on April 17, 3–2 in extra innings. Over 10,000 people came. Max Muncy hit a double to win the game. Under manager Steve Scarsone, Nashville finished third with a 66–78 record.
In 2016, Scarsone led the Sounds to the best record in the league, 83–59. They won their division title and made the playoffs. But they lost to the Oklahoma City Dodgers in a close series. Scarsone won the PCL Manager of the Year Award.
On June 7, 2017, four Sounds pitchers combined for the team's seventh no-hitter. The Sounds won 4–0. At the 2017 Triple-A All-Star Game, Renato Núñez hit a three-run home run to help his team win. Joey Wendle set a team record with 102 doubles. Nashville finished second in 2017 with a 68–71 record. The 2018 team tied the team record with a 15-game winning streak. The Sounds finished second again with a 72–68 record.
Nashville ended their partnership with Oakland after 2018. They had a 291–279 record with the Athletics.
Texas Rangers (2019–2020)
Nashville became the Triple-A team for the Texas Rangers in 2019. The Sounds chose the Rangers because they were popular in the area. The team also got new colors and logos again. The new colors were navy blue, red, and white. The main logo had a navy "N" shaped like a guitar's F-hole. The Sounds also started playing as the Vihuelas de Nashville for some games. This was part of a program to connect with Hispanic communities. A vihuela is a type of Mexican guitar.
The Sounds hosted the Rangers for an exhibition game on March 24, 2019. Nashville won 4–3. Over 11,000 people attended. Nashville finished third with a 66–72 record under manager Jason Wood. Pitcher Tim Dillard returned to the team in 2019. He set team career records for games pitched (242) and strikeouts (437). He also added to his records for wins (48) and innings pitched (710).
The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Major League Baseball took control of Minor League Baseball after 2020. They changed team partnerships. The Texas Rangers moved their Triple-A team back to Round Rock. The Sounds had a 66–72 record with the Rangers.
Triple-A East / International League
Milwaukee Brewers (2021–present)
The Sounds became the Triple-A team for the Milwaukee Brewers again in 2021. They signed a 10-year agreement. The Brewers liked First Horizon Park's facilities and easy travel to Nashville. The Pacific Coast League ended. The Sounds were placed in the Triple-A East league.
The 2021 season started later due to COVID-19. Nashville began playing on May 4. They won 15 games in a row from May 18 to June 3. This tied the team record set in 1999 and 2018. Under manager Rick Sweet, Nashville finished fourth with a 63–56 record. There were no playoffs that year.
In 2022, the Triple-A East league was renamed the International League. Nashville won their first game in the renamed league on April 5. The ballpark's single-game attendance record was set on July 16, 2022. Over 12,400 people watched a game against Memphis. Sweet led the 2022 Sounds to win their division. They had the best record in the league, 91–58. But they lost the single playoff game for the International League championship. Sweet won the International League Manager of the Year Award. The team also won the Minor League Baseball Organization of the Year Award.
In 2023, the league used a split-season format. Nashville missed the first-half title. They had the best second-half record in their division. But they finished third in the league overall. The team's total record was 83–65. Robert Gasser won the International League Pitcher of the Year Award. He led the league in strikeouts.
The Sounds have a 237–179 record in their current partnership with the Brewers. Overall, the Sounds have played 45 seasons. Their all-time record is 3,369 wins, 3,144 losses, and 2 ties.
See also
- History of professional baseball in Nashville, Tennessee
