Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team from Nashville, Tennessee.[1] They play at the Triple-A (AAA) level, the most difficult level before Major League Baseball, against other baseball teams in the Triple-A East (a group of 20 baseball teams at the same level).[1] The Sounds are partnered with the Milwaukee Brewers, a Major League Baseball team. When a player shows that he plays well at this level, he may be moved up to play for the Brewers.
| Nashville Sounds | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1978 |
| League | Triple-A East |
| Ballpark | First Horizon Park |
| Based in | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Team colors | Navy, red, white |
| Championships |
|
| Website | www |
The team is named "Sounds" because Nashville, the city where the team plays, is famous for making country music.
The Sounds played at a stadium called Herschel Greer Stadium from 1978 to 2014. In 2015, the Sounds began to play at a new stadium called First Horizon Park.
History
The Sounds started playing baseball in 1978 in the Southern League, which is at the Double-A (AA) level, two levels before Major League Baseball.[1] They were partnered with the Cincinnati Reds (1978–1979) and New York Yankees (1980–1984).[2][3] The Sounds won the championship of the Southern League in 1979 and 1982.[4]
In 1985, the Sounds began to play at the Triple-A level in a league called the American Association.[1] While playing in this league, they were partnered with the Detroit Tigers (1985–1986),[5] Cincinnati Reds (1987–1992),[2] and Chicago White Sox (1993–1997).[6]
The American Association ended after the 1997 season, so the Sounds started playing in the Pacific Coast League in 1998.[1] They were partners with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1998–2004),[7] Milwaukee Brewers (2005–2014),[8] Oakland Athletics (2015–2018),[9] and Texas Rangers (2019–2020).[10] The Sounds won the championship of the Pacific Coast League in 2005.[11]
Major League Baseball reorganized Minor League Baseball before the 2021 season.[12] The Pacific Coast League was ended, and the Sounds began playing in the Triple-A East in 2021.[12] They also became partners with the Milwaukee Brewers.[12]
Ballparks
The Sounds' first ballpark was Herschel Greer Stadium. They played baseball games there from 1978 to 2014.[13] There were many changes to the ballpark after it was completed in 1978.[14] It had seats for 10,300 spectators.[15] Its best known feature was its giant 115.6 foot (35.2 m) scoreboard which was behind the left field wall and shaped like a guitar.[16] After the construction of new and luxurious minor league ballparks in the 1990s, Greer had fallen below standards set for Triple-A stadiums by professional baseball.[17] Therefore, there were several repairs and upgrades made to meet Triple-A standards until a new stadium could be built.[18] Greer Stadium was demolished in 2019.[19]
In 2014, the Sounds and the city of Nashville agreed on a plan to build a new baseball stadium for the team. The Sounds began playing baseball at the new stadium, called First Horizon Park, in 2015.[13] It has space for 10,000 spectators.[20] There are 8,500 seats, and there is a spot of grass where 1,500 others can sit.[20] It also has a guitar-shaped scoreboard.[20]
The field and seats at Herschel Greer Stadium
A game being played at First Horizon Park
First Horizon Park also has a scoreboard shaped like a guitar.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Nashville, Tennessee Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Cincinnati Reds Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ "New York Yankees Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ "Southern League Past Champions". Southern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ "Detroit Tigers Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ "Chicago White Sox Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ "Pittsburgh Pirates Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ "Milwaukee Brewers Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ "Oakland Athletics Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ "Texas Rangers Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ↑ "Pacific Coast League Champions". Pacific Coast League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Nashville Sounds Team History". Nashville Sounds. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ↑ Ryan, Abner (August 17, 2010). "Nashville's Loss Could Be RedHawks' Gain". The Oklahoman. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ↑ Ammenheuser, David (February 9, 2014). "Sounds Expect Big Crowds After Move". The Tennessean (Nashville): 12A. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31050359/sounds_expect_big_crowds_after_move/.
- ↑ Straughn, Katie (June 20, 2014). 7 Facts About Greer Stadium's Original Guitar Scoreboard. Nashville. http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/baseball/2014/06/20/facts-about-greer-stadiums-guitar-scoreboard/11084843/. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
- ↑ Woody, Larry (1996). Schmittou: A Grand Slam in Baseball, Business, and Life. Nashville: Eggmann Publishing Company. p. 127. ISBN 1-886371-33-4.
- ↑ Naujeck, Jeannie (March 22, 2009). "Sounds' New Ownership Hopes Renovations Will Spark Interest". Nashville Business Journal. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ↑ Lombard, Cherish (April 1, 2019). "Greer Stadium Demolition Could Take up to 6 Months, Officials Say". WRKN. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Reichard, Kevin (April 20, 2015). "First Tennessee Park / Nashville Sounds". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved April 20, 2015.