Skip Nipper’s Nashville Baseball Podcast

Pete Weber is not only the radio play-by-play announcer for the Nashville Predators but also has a history in baseball. His story takes us from his hometown of Galesburg, Illinois, to Notre Dame and many stops along the way. Join us in listening to our conversation about his love of sports, his broadcasting career, and the personal stories that make him a beloved personality on the air and, indeed...

As a member of the Tennessee Vols baseball team, R. A. Dickey "had to win at everything," according to teammate Travis Copley. Dickey's long road to success included determination, perserverance, and dedication, and learning a new pitch: the knuckleball. Listen as I tell about this family man's journey through minor and major league baseball, his 2012 National League Cy Young A...

Music and baseball go hand in hand, don't they? From the Jazz age, to Bluegrass, to Country, to an eclectic music scene that now defines Music City, what are the chances those genres paralleled Nashville's growth? Listen to this episode as I tell about band leaders and musicians who not only played music on stage, they played baseball on the field. The excitement of a future major league...

Bobby Durnbaugh, the consummate teammate, was my friend, and I enjoyed our visits and phone conversations. He blessed me by talking so freely about his thoughts on baseball and memories about his experiences. He was a fan-favorite in the cities he played in, but especially at Sulphur Dell in Nashville. I hope you will listen to this episode, a hard one for me, but in memory of the man I knew and l...

Steve Burger's story includes growing up in Donelson, playing Little League, Babe Ruth, and American Legion baseball. As a 1969 graduate of Donelson High School who  excelled in football, basketball, and baseball, he was an All-Nashville player in all three sports. After high school, he attended Vanderbilt University on a football scholarship and played on the baseball team coached by Larry S...

In front of 2,800 fans at Sulphur Dell on September 10, 1940 George Jeffcoat fulfilled a prediction he made to local sportswriter Raymond Johnson, and sets a Southern Association strikeout record in the process. Jeffcoat was one of four brothers to play minor league baseball, and he and his brother Halboth  made it to the major leagues. Listen to this Skip's Corner episode as I tell about the...

On Wednesday, February 5, 1969, just five years before his passing, Tamulis was honored as Old Timer of the year at the annual Nashville Old Timers banquet. In 1942, Tamulis posted an impressive 20–8 record for Nashville in leading the Vols to the Southern Association playoffs championship and Dixie Series title. In this episode I tell about his career with five major league teams, three with Nash...

Nashville's Hadley Park opened on July 4, 1912, and was one of the earliest parks anywhere in the United States to be “set aside for the exclusive use of colored people.” It was home to the Capital City League, where the Black community’s semi-pro stars played games. In this episode, I tell about the home of Negro League stars Clinton “Butch” McCloud, Jim Zapp, and Henry Kimbro! Want to stay...

Gene Paulette held down first base for the Nashville Vols in 1914 and 1915, and when the Browns offered four players in a trade, he became the possession of the St. Louis ball club for the 1916. Two of the players who came to Sulphur Dell helped lead the Vols to the 1916 Southern Association pennant. Paulette did not fare so well, and as a  member of the 1920 Philadelphia Phillies, allegedly threw...

Nashville’s ball club won the first two Southern Association championships in 1901 and 1902, then fell on hard times for the next five seasons, finishing fifth, fifth, seventh, seventh, and eighth. But in 1908, the team returned to its winning ways in a tight pennant race that went down to the final game. Local sportswriter Grantland Rice named that game against New Orleans “The Greatest Game Ever...

“Stars” has a connection to a Negro Leagues team that played in Nashville for a short time years ago. Today, a Major League team by that name has tremendous support from stars in the entertainment and baseball communities in Music City in hopes of professional baseball here at the highest level. There was another opportunity for a Nashville baseball team to be named “Stars” in the not-too-distant...

On January 15, 1959, the Nashville Vols  baseball franchise was sold to a group of local businesspeople, which included county musician Eddy Arnold and politician and Tennessee Secretary of State Joe C. Carr. Known as Vols, Inc., President Herschel Lynn Greer headed the group. It was an attempt to keep professional baseball alive at Sulphur Dell in a time when franchises were failing. In this  epi...

The tall marquee that called attention to Nashville's famous ball field stood over the entrance to Sulphur Dell. It was quaint, colorful, and quirky, and was historic in what it represented in days gone by. One aspect of the ballpark was historic, too: the Negro bleachers. In the days of segregation it was an aspect of an unfair time in the history of Nashville and as times began to change, t...

Clyde Shropshire was a notable attorney in Nashville, and held prominent positions on the board of several businesses. A staunch supporter of suffrage, prohibition, and tax equalization, he served as Speaker of the House between 1917-1919. He also was major stockholder and president of the Nashville Baseball Club beginning in 1914. As voting rights for women gained steam in 1915, Shropshire showed...

Nashville has become known for its hot chicken recipes, served at well-known restaurants in the area. The Nashville Sounds even changed the name of the ball club for a series, becoming the “Hot Chickens” for a marketing promotion. One hundred years ago, a hot chicken first came to town by the name of Nelson “Chicken” Hawks to play in the outfield and first base for the Nashville Vols. Listen to hi...

Nashville manager Larry Gilbert took a chance on a pitcher with a sour reputation, Cletus "Boots" Poffenberger, and for one season he was magnificent on the mound. It ended with a poor decision made in 1941 after being unhittable the previous season. In his book Boots Poffenberger: Hurler, Hero, Hell-Raiser (2014, Summer Game Books), Austin Gisriel has written a book about the personal a...

Jerry Bell's major league debut took place on September 6, 1971, as the 23-year-old faced the Kansas City Royals. Jerry allowed one hit, walked two, and gave up an earned run in 1/1/3 innings.  His baseball story began with his father, Nashville amateur star Blackie Bell, and continues to this day with his own influence on young players. This interview was taken in 2020, but it is appropriate...

With a voice like  Mississippi River steamboat, umpire Harry Samuel Johnson had a reputation that earned the trust of managers and players. The son of a saloon owner, his work ethic and fairness gained him that respect because he also knew how to handle himself on the field. He published a book about his his time calling games and included interpretations of rules and his experiences on the baseba...

Ed Dundon grew up at the Ohio Institute for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb in Columbus, Ohio,  the first residential secondary school in the United States to incorporate a baseball program. He became a pitcher, and at 6’0″ tall and weighing 170, began a baseball career. First, he played at the major league level with Columbus in the American Association for two years beginning in 1883. Three y...

Tommy Brown's  1956 season in Nashville was a special one, but his claim as the youngest major league player to hit a home run will always be the special accolade he will hang his cap on. It was a shot heard 'round Brooklyn, and placed Brown in the annals of baseball lore. In this episode, I tell how he got his nickname, about his special feat at Ebbets Field, and his success in Nashvill...

Bill Rodda was a favorite of six Nashville managers during the 1930’s, and was a hero of Sulphur Dell fans. He was a threat at the plate, batting over .300 during his Nashville career, and is the Vols all-time career hits leader. When his family came to Nashville recently, proud moments evoked memories of their beloved patriarch. Listen to Rodda’s life in baseball in this episode! Want to stay in...

J. L. Wilkinson, owner of the Kansas City Monarchs, conceived an idea for a portable lighting system so his Negro League team could play games at night. First used by his ball club in a game in Enid, Oklahoma, on April 28, 1930, and on May 13 and 14 he brought his team and lighting system to play the Nashville Elite Giants at Tom Wilson Park. Listen to this podcast episode about one of the earlies...

In part two of my sit-down interview with Larry Schmittou, he talks about bringing in a new Double-A franchise, the Nashville Xpress, his effort to bring Major League Baseball to Nashville in 1993, and leaving baseball and to find success in the bowling business. It has been a remarkable career, from his influence on players while coaching amateur and college baseball to becoming a minor league an...

One of the most admired people in Nashville baseball history is Larry Schmittou. His vision for minor league baseball in Music City  came to fruition not only here, but in other cities. He showed all of Minor League baseball how to promote, sell advertising and tickets, and send kids home with pennants, caps, and backpacks with Nashville Sounds logos printed on them. Major League Baseball teams to...

A baseball was found in the 19th century at the site of the Battle of Shiloh, often known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, in 1862 in Shiloh, Tenn., at the site of one of the Civil War's bloodiest battles. Nearly 10,700 Confederate soldiers and more than 13,000 Union soldiers died in the battle, fought April 6–7, 1862. Could it have come from Nashville? Listen to this episode to learn abou...