Nashville Sounds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nashville Sounds Founded in 1978 Nashville, Tennessee
Team logo Cap insignia
Class-level
Current	Triple-A (1985–present)
Previous	Double-A (1978–1984)
Minor league affiliations
League	International League (2021–present)
Division	West Division
Previous leagues	Pacific Coast League (1998–2020) American Association (1985–1997) Southern League (1978–1984)
Major league affiliations
Current	Milwaukee Brewers (2021–present)
Previous	Texas Rangers (2019–2020) Oakland Athletics (2015–2018) Milwaukee Brewers (2005–2014) Pittsburgh Pirates (1998–2004) Chicago White Sox (1993–1997) Cincinnati Reds (1987–1992) Detroit Tigers (1985–1986) New York Yankees (1980–1984) Cincinnati Reds (1978–1979)
Minor league titles
League titles (3)	1979 1982 2005
Conference titles (2)	2003 2005
Division titles (11)	1979 1981 1982 1990 1993 2003 2005 2006 2007 2016 2022
Second half titles (6)	1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
Team data
Nickname	Nashville Sounds (1978–present)
Colors	Navy, red, white
Mascot	Booster
Ballpark	First Horizon Park (2015–present)
Previous parks	Herschel Greer Stadium (1978–2014)
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	MFP Baseball / Nashville Sounds Baseball Club
Manager	Rick Sweet
General Manager	Adam English
Media	MiLB.TV and 94.9 FM The Fan

The Nashville Sounds are a professional baseball team in the Minor League Baseball system. They play in the International League and are the top team (Triple-A) for the Milwaukee Brewers. The team is based in Nashville, Tennessee. They got their name from Nashville's strong connection to the music industry, especially the "Nashville sound" style of country music.

The Sounds play their home games at First Horizon Park. This stadium opened in 2015 where the old Sulphur Dell ballpark used to be. Before that, the Sounds played at Herschel Greer Stadium from 1978 to 2014. The Nashville Sounds are the oldest professional sports team still active in Nashville.

The team started in 1978 as a new team in the Double-A Southern League. In their first year, the Sounds had the most fans of any Minor League Baseball team. They continued to draw the biggest crowds in the Southern League for seven years. On the field, they won six division titles in a row from 1979 to 1984. They also won the Southern League championship twice. First in 1979, when they were linked with the Cincinnati Reds. Then again in 1982, when they were linked with the New York Yankees.

In 1985, the Sounds became a Triple-A team in the American Association. This Triple-A team continued the history of the Double-A team. Nashville didn't win the American Association championship very often. They only made it to the postseason three times in 13 years. In 1998, they joined the Pacific Coast League after the American Association closed down. In 23 years in the Pacific Coast League, they reached the postseason five times. They won their only Pacific Coast League championship in 2005. At that time, they were linked with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2021, Minor League Baseball changed how teams were organized. The Sounds moved to the Triple-A East, which became the International League in 2022.

Nashville has been a training team (farm club) for eight different Major League Baseball teams. Many managers and over 1,500 players have been part of the club. As of the end of the 2024 season, their 47th year, the Sounds have played 6,566 regular-season games. Their total record is 3,398 wins, 3,168 losses, and 2 ties. This means they have won about 51.7% of their games.

Team History

Early Baseball in Nashville

The 1901 Nashville Baseball Club of the Southern Association

Nashville has had Minor League Baseball teams since the late 1800s. The city's professional baseball story began in 1884. The Nashville Americans played in the first Southern League from 1885 to 1886. They played at Sulphur Spring Park, later called Athletic Park and Sulphur Dell. This ballpark was home to Nashville's minor league teams until 1963. In 1895, the Nashville Seraphs won the city's first professional championship.

The city's longest-running team was the Nashville Vols. They started in 1901 and played until 1961. The Vols won many championships. The Southern Association league ended after 1961. The Vols played one last season in 1963. Sulphur Dell was torn down in 1969. Nashville did not have a professional baseball team for 14 years after that.

Bringing Baseball Back

Larry Schmittou helped bring professional baseball back to Nashville.

Larry Schmittou, a college baseball coach, was key to bringing professional baseball back to Nashville. He teamed up with country music stars like Conway Twitty to raise money. They wanted to build a stadium and start a minor league team. The city agreed to let them build a stadium where the old softball fields were. The new stadium, Herschel Greer Stadium, cost $1.5 million. It was named after a famous Nashville businessman.

Schmittou and his team found a partner in the Cincinnati Reds. The new team was accepted into the Southern League. This league was a Double-A classification.

The team was named the Sounds because of the "Nashville sound" in country music. Their first logo showed a baseball player swinging an acoustic guitar instead of a bat. This showed the city's strong music ties.

Southern League Play

Cincinnati Reds (1978–1979)

The Nashville Sounds started playing in 1978 as a new team in the Southern League. They were linked with the Cincinnati Reds. Their first game was on April 15, 1978. They lost that game. They won their first home game on April 26, 1978. It was a 12–4 victory in front of a sold-out crowd at Greer Stadium.

In 1978, Nashville had the most fans in all of Minor League Baseball.

The Sounds were very popular. They led all of Minor League Baseball in attendance in their first year. About 380,000 fans came to Greer Stadium. They continued to lead the Southern League in attendance for all seven years they were members. The team focused on family fun and selling souvenirs. They won awards for their great promotions in 1978, 1980, and 1981.

In 1979, the Sounds won the second-half Western Division title. They beat Memphis to win the division. Then, they won their first Southern League championship. They defeated the Columbus Astros. The Reds later stopped allowing the Sounds to use a special hitter (designated hitter). This made the Sounds look for a new partner for 1980.

New York Yankees (1980–1984)

In 1980, the Sounds became the Double-A team for the New York Yankees. This was the most successful time in the team's history. They had five winning seasons in a row. They also won five second-half Western Division titles in a row.

In 1980, the Sounds had their best record ever (97–46) and set a Southern League attendance record.

In 1980, the Sounds had their best record ever: 97 wins and 46 losses. They set a league attendance record with over 575,000 fans. In 1981, they reached the championship series but lost. In 1982, the Sounds won their second Southern League championship. They beat the Jacksonville Suns. The Sounds made the playoffs in 1983 and 1984 but lost. In 1984, Jim Deshaies pitched the team's first no-hitter. Overall, the Sounds had a great record of 431 wins and 320 losses with the Yankees.

American Association Play

Detroit Tigers (1985–1986)

To get more fans, the Sounds wanted to become a Triple-A team. In 1984, Larry Schmittou bought the Triple-A Evansville Triplets team. He moved them to Nashville for the 1985 season. The Triple-A Sounds continued the history of the Double-A team.

The Sounds started Triple-A play in 1985. They were linked with the Detroit Tigers. Their first Triple-A game was a 3–1 win. After two years, the Sounds ended their partnership with the Tigers. They had a record of 139 wins and 144 losses.

Cincinnati Reds (1987–1992)

Skeeter Barnes played the most games for the Sounds in his career.

The Sounds rejoined the Cincinnati Reds in 1987 as their Triple-A team. This was to help bring more fans to games. In 1990, Nashville set a new attendance record with over 605,000 fans. That year, the team had its most successful season with the Reds. They had 86 wins and 61 losses. They won their division but lost the championship series to the Omaha Royals.

During this time, Skeeter Barnes set team records for games played (514), at bats (1,848), and hits (517). The Reds later ended their partnership with the Sounds. This was because Greer Stadium was getting old.

Chicago White Sox (1993–1997)

The Sounds then partnered with the Chicago White Sox in 1993. The White Sox had some complaints about Greer Stadium. Larry Schmittou made big improvements to the stadium. One major change was adding the famous guitar-shaped scoreboard in 1993.

Greer Stadium's guitar scoreboard was added in 1993.

The Sounds shared Greer Stadium with another team, the Nashville Xpress, in 1993 and 1994. This helped both teams have a place to play. The Sounds made the playoffs in 1993 and 1994 with the White Sox. They won their division in 1993 but lost the championship. In 1994, they reached the finals but lost again. The partnership with the White Sox ended after the 1997 season.

In 1996, Larry Schmittou sold his part of the team. He felt a new football team (the Tennessee Titans) would take away fans.

Pacific Coast League Play

Pittsburgh Pirates (1998–2004)

The American Association league closed down in 1997. The Sounds then joined the Pacific Coast League (PCL) in 1998. They also changed their team colors and logos. The new logo was an eighth note with a baseball.

The Sounds became the top team for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team usually finished in third or fourth place in their division. In 2003, they had a winning season and made the playoffs for the first time in the PCL. They won their conference but lost the league finals. Also in 2003, John Wasdin pitched the first perfect game in Sounds history.

Several team records were set with the Pirates. Chad Hermansen set records for runs, home runs, and runs batted in. The Pirates ended their partnership after 2004. They wanted a newer stadium for their Triple-A team.

Milwaukee Brewers (2005–2014)

The Sounds partnered with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2005. The Brewers hoped Nashville would soon get a new stadium. The team also got a new logo. It showed a baseball player hitting a ball towards the Nashville skyline. The partnership started well. In 2005, the team won their division. They then won the conference title. Finally, they swept the Tacoma Rainiers to win the Pacific Coast League championship. This was Nashville's first Triple-A championship.

In 2006, the Sounds played a very long 24-inning game. It lasted over eight hours! They won their division again in 2006. In 2007, Manny Parra pitched the team's second perfect game. The Sounds won their division for the third year in a row. But they lost in the conference series. For the next seven years, the Sounds did not make the playoffs. The 2013 team had their lowest win record ever.

The Sounds played their last game at Herschel Greer Stadium on August 27, 2014.

The Sounds had planned to leave Greer Stadium for a new ballpark. But the plan fell through. In 2008, the team was sold to a new group of investors. They made improvements to Greer Stadium while still looking for a new place. In 2014, a plan was made to build a new downtown ballpark. The Sounds played their last game at Greer Stadium on August 27, 2014. It was a sellout crowd of over 11,000 fans. The Sounds ended their partnership with the Brewers after 2014.

Oakland Athletics (2015–2018)

The Sounds played their first game at First Horizon Park on April 17, 2015.

Nashville partnered with the Oakland Athletics in 2015. The Sounds also got new logos. These logos included guitars, guitar picks, and neon signs. They showed Nashville's "Music City" nickname. The team first tried new colors but went back to red and black.

The 2015 season was the first time the Sounds played at the new First Horizon Park. It cost $91 million and is in downtown Nashville. In the first game there, the Sounds won 3–2 in extra innings. Over 10,000 people came to watch. In 2016, the Sounds made the playoffs for the first time since 2007. They had the best record in their league. But they lost in the conference series. The Sounds decided not to renew their contract with the Athletics after the 2018 season.

Texas Rangers (2019–2020)

Tim Dillard set several pitching records for the Sounds.

Nashville became the Triple-A team for the Texas Rangers in 2019. The team also got new colors and logos again. They went back to navy blue, red, and white. The new logo had an "N" shaped like a guitar's F-hole.

Pitcher Tim Dillard returned to the team in 2019. He set new team records for games pitched, strikeouts, wins, and innings pitched. The 2019 season was the only year the Sounds played with the Rangers. The 2020 season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After 2020, Major League Baseball changed how Minor League Baseball worked. The Rangers moved their Triple-A team closer to them.

Triple-A East / International League Play

Milwaukee Brewers (2021–present)

The Sounds partnered with the Milwaukee Brewers again in 2021. They signed a 10-year agreement. The Brewers liked First Horizon Park's facilities and easy travel. The Pacific Coast League closed down. The Sounds were placed in the Triple-A East.

The Sounds celebrating their first win in the International League on April 5, 2022.

The 2021 season started later because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were no playoffs that year. In 2022, the Triple-A East became the International League (IL). The Sounds won their first game in the renamed league. Under manager Rick Sweet, the 2022 Sounds won the Western Division title. They had the best record in the league. But they lost the championship game to the Durham Bulls. Rick 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 IL started a split-season format for playoffs. The Sounds had a good record but didn't win either half. Robert Gasser won the International League Pitcher of the Year Award. In 2024, Chad Patrick also won the IL Pitcher of the Year Award.

Season Records

Team Rivals

The Nashville Sounds' main rivals are the teams from Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis is about 200 miles southwest of Nashville. Teams from both cities have played in the same leagues since the late 1800s. The rivalry began for the Sounds in 1978. That's when they and the Memphis Chicks joined the Southern League. They played each other in the division finals for three years in a row.

The rivalry stopped when Nashville moved to a different league in 1985. But it started again in 1998. That's when both the Sounds and the Memphis Redbirds joined the Pacific Coast League. They have been division rivals ever since. As of 2024, the Sounds have won more games against the Redbirds. They have a record of 231 wins and 197 losses in 428 games.

Home Ballparks

Herschel Greer Stadium (1978–2014)

Herschel Greer Stadium

The Sounds first played at Herschel Greer Stadium from 1978 to 2014. The stadium was torn down in 2019. It was located near Fort Negley, a Civil War site. The stadium grew over time, holding up to 18,000 fans. In its last season, it seated 10,300 people. The biggest crowd ever was 22,315 fans in 1982. Greer Stadium's most famous part was its giant guitar-shaped scoreboard. It was 115.6 feet tall and added in 1993.

Over time, Greer Stadium became older compared to newer ballparks. The team tried to get a new stadium built for many years. But they couldn't agree on how to pay for it. Many upgrades were made to keep Greer working. A deal for a new ballpark was finally made in 2013. The Sounds played their last game at Greer on August 27, 2014.

First Horizon Park (2015–present)

First Horizon Park

The Sounds' current home is First Horizon Park. It opened in 2015 and was called First Tennessee Park until 2019. The park is in downtown Nashville. It can seat 8,500 people, but can hold up to 10,000 with extra areas. The record for attendance was 12,409 people in 2022. The stadium has wide walkways with clear views of the field. Its design mixes music and baseball themes.

One of First Horizon Park's most famous features is its guitar-shaped scoreboard. It is 142 feet tall and 55 feet wide. It can show colorful graphics, videos, and player stats. Other cool features include The Band Box, an outdoor restaurant. There's also The Country Club at The Band Box, a 9-hole miniature golf course. Since 2016, there's a "Country Legends Race" during games. People dressed as country stars like Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton race around the field.

Team Uniforms

The Sounds have used three main color schemes and five main logos since 1978. Their first colors were red, white, and blue. These showed Nashville's country music style. In the late 1990s, they switched to red, black, and white for a more modern look. In 2015, they added more music-themed elements. In 2019, they updated their look again. They mixed their original style with musical images.

Past Uniforms (1978–2018)

Past Nashville Sounds uniforms

1978–1986

1987–1998

1999–2002

2003–2005

2006–2012

2013–2014

2015–2018

From 1978 to 1986, the team wore white, gray, or colored pullover jerseys. They had red, white, and blue stripes. "Sounds" was written across the chest in a music note-like style. The team cap was blue with a red brim and a white "N" shaped like a music note.

From 1987 to 1998, they wore white or gray button-up jerseys. "Sounds" or "Nashville" was on the chest. They also had a blue mesh jersey. A new all-blue cap with the "Slugger" logo was added.

From 1998 to 1999, the team switched to red and black colors. Jerseys had black pinstripes. A new music note logo was on the sleeve. Caps were black with a circular music note logo.

From 2003 to 2005, jerseys were solid colors. "Sounds" was in red script on the chest. They also had a sleeveless red jersey. Caps were black with a red and white music note logo.

From 2006 to 2012, the jerseys were vest-like, worn over black T-shirts. A Milwaukee Brewers logo was added to the shoulder. New red alternate jerseys were introduced.

From 2013 to 2014, jerseys were made of mesh material. They had black sections and piping. The Brewers logo was on the sleeve.

From 2015 to 2018, home jerseys were white with red piping. "Sounds" was on the chest in letters that looked like guitar sound holes. The cap was black with a red "N" guitar pick logo. Alternate black and red jerseys were also worn.

Current Uniforms (2019–present)

Current Nashville Sounds uniforms

Since 2019, home jerseys are white with "NASH" in navy blue on the chest. They have thin navy and red stripes on the sleeves. These stripes look like guitar strings. The home cap is navy with a red "N" shaped like a guitar's F-hole.

Road gray jerseys have red piping. They have a red and white "N" icon on the left side. The road cap is gray with a red bill.

There is a navy blue alternate jersey with "Nashville" in a special F-hole style font. Another red alternate jersey is a v-neck pullover. It has "Sounds" on the chest in navy.

For Thursday home games, the team wears special "throwback" uniforms. These look like the original 1978 Sounds jerseys. They are white v-necks with red, white, and blue stripes. They have the old "Slugger" logo.

For Saturday games, they wear a white v-neck pullover. It says "Hit City" on the chest. It also shows the Nashville skyline and the guitar scoreboard.

Radio and Television

Sounds games have been broadcast on radio since 1978. Many announcers have called the games. Jeff Hem has been the main broadcaster since 2012.

All Sounds games, home and away, are broadcast on 94.9 FM The Fan. You can also listen online through the team's website. Games can be watched on MiLB.TV, which is a subscription service.

Team Mascots

Booster, the team mascot

The Nashville Sounds' mascot is a red rooster named Booster. He has yellow legs and a beak. He wears the team's jerseys with the number zero. Booster first appeared on April 17, 2015. His name means "boosting" team spirit. His look is a nod to Nashville hot chicken.

The first Sounds mascot was Homer Horsehide in 1978. He looked like a human with a baseball for a head. He wore the team's uniform. Homer was the mascot until at least 1982. From 1995 to 1996, the mascot was a green dinosaur named Champ.

From 1997 to 2014, the mascot was a cougar named Ozzie. He was first brown, then yellow. Ozzie wore the team's uniform but no hat. He retired when the Sounds left Greer Stadium in 2014.

Team Achievements

Awards and Honors

Jimmy Nelson won the PCL Pitcher of the Year Award in 2014.

Many players have won awards for their great play with the Sounds. Three players have won Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards: Steve Balboni (1980), Brian Dayett (1982), and Magglio Ordóñez (1997). Eleven players have won Pitcher of the Year awards. These include Bruce Berenyi (1978), Andy McGaffigan (1980), R. A. Dickey (2007), Jimmy Nelson (2014), Robert Gasser (2023), and Chad Patrick (2024).

Five managers have been named Manager of the Year. These are Stump Merrill (1980), Rick Renick (1993 and 1996), Frank Kremblas (2007), Steve Scarsone (2016), and Rick Sweet (2022).

Many players have been chosen for midseason and postseason All-Star teams.

Retired Numbers

The Sounds have honored three players by retiring their uniform numbers. This means no other player on the team will wear that number. The number 42 was also retired across all professional baseball in 1997. This was to honor Jackie Robinson, who broke barriers in baseball. The retired numbers are shown at First Horizon Park.

Retired numbers

Skeeter Barnes	Tim Dillard	Don Mattingly	Jackie Robinson
OF / 3B / 1B 1979, 1988–1990 Retired 1991	P 2007–2014, 2019 Retired July 29, 2022	1B / OF 1981 Retired August 12, 1999	Retired throughout professional baseball on April 15, 1997

Hall of Famers

Four former Sounds players have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Trevor Hoffman, a great pitcher, played for Nashville in 1992. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018. Other Hall of Famers like Barry Larkin and Tim Raines also played a few games for Nashville. Hoyt Wilhelm, a pitching coach for the Sounds, was inducted in 1985.

Larry Schmittou, who helped start the Sounds, was inducted into the Southern League Hall of Fame in 2016.

Team Managers

Rick Sweet, the Sounds' manager, won the 2022 International League Manager of the Year Award.

Over 46 seasons, 29 different managers have led the Nashville Sounds. Three managers have led the team to win a league championship. George Scherger (1979) and Johnny Oates (1982) won the Southern League championship. Frank Kremblas (2005) won the Pacific Coast League championship.

Rick Sweet has been the Sounds' manager since 2021. He also managed the team in 2014. He is the longest-serving manager in team history. He has managed the team for 706 games. Stump Merrill has the highest winning percentage for managers who led the team for a full season or more.

See also

• Nashville Sounds Opening Day starting pitchers
• Nashville Sounds owners and executives
• History of professional baseball in Nashville, Tennessee