Nashville/Henderson Centennials

The Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition for which the Centennials were named

The Centennials wore blue uniforms with maroon trim.^[1]

The Nashville/Henderson Centennials were a minor league baseball team that played in the Class C Central League in 1897. They were first located in Nashville, Tennessee, and played their home games at Athletic Park. Financial problems forced the team to leave Nashville and relocate to Henderson, Indiana, for the final six weeks of the season. The Centennials were named for the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition held that year in Nashville in celebration of Tennessee's centennial as a U.S. state, which had occurred a year earlier, in 1896.

Team history

Financial instability prevented the Nashville Seraphs, Nashville's previous minor league baseball team, from returning to play after their 1895 championship season. On January 18, 1897, the Nashville Centennials were formed as a charter member of the Class C Central League.^[1] The team was named for the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition held that year in Nashville in celebration of Tennessee's centennial as a U.S. state, which had occurred a year earlier, in 1896.^[2] Joining the Centennials in the six-team league were the Cairo Egyptians, Evansville Brewers, Paducah Little Colonels, Terre Haute Hottentots, and Washington Browns.^[3] The Centennials played their home games at Athletic Park, which would later come to be known as Sulphur Dell.

William "Billy" Works, who was selected to be the Central League's Vice-President,^[1] was also a former outfielder for the 1894 Nashville Blues and was chosen as the Centennial's player-manager.^[2] It was Works, along with help from former manager George Stallings, who sought to place a Nashville team in either the Central League or a proposed Interstate League.^[1]

The first game of the season took place on April 28 at Nashville's Athletic Park. The Centennials lost to the Evansville Brewers, 3–2, in front of a crowd of approximately 500 spectators.^[1]

Due to insufficient financial backing, the team left the league after playing its final home game in Nashville on June 3.^[4] The Terre Haute Hottentots won the game 15–2 when the game was called in the eighth inning so the visiting team could catch a train to their next city.^[4] As of their last game in Nashville, the Centennials were in second place with an 18–14 (.563) record.^[4] The team then traveled to play a road series against the Cairo Egyptians and Paducah Little Colonels.^[1][5] The Central League granted Nashville five days to reconsider and obtain financing which would allow them to remain in the league until the close of the season.^[5] In the meantime, Decatur, Illinois, and Owensboro, Kentucky, sought to obtain the Nashville franchise.^[5] However, the team was transferred to Henderson, Indiana, an unincorporated area near Rushville, Indiana, one week later.^[1]

The Central League disbanded on July 20 after the Washington Browns left the circuit and other clubs decided to follow suit due to severe financial problems throughout the league. As of July 19, the final day of play, the Nashville/Henderson team was in first place with a 39–29 (.574) record, making them the de facto league champions.^[6] The city of Nashville was left without a professional baseball team until the Nashville Vols franchise was formed as a charter member of the Southern Association in 1901.^[2]

Roster

Pat Dillard later played for the 1900 St. Louis Cardinals

Of the twenty-four men who played for the Centennials, three also played for major league teams during their careers.^[3]

Notes

• ^P Players are listed at known positions based on 1897 news reports.^[4][7]

References