Harlan Smokies history
The Harlan Smokies won the 1950 Mountain States League championship with a record of 81-44. Harlan defeated Big Stone Gap 3-1 in the playoffs, then swept Middlesboro 3-0 in the championship game. Rex Carr was the manager of the Smokies. It was the second straight league title for the Smokies.
June 21, 2020
From Baseball Reference:
Year | Team | League | W | L | Attend | Avg. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1965 | Harlan Red Sox | Appalachian League | 33 | 37 | 23,190 | 663 | Roster | Stats |
1963 | Harlan Yankees | Appalachian League | 28 | 39 | 13,134 | 392 | Roster | Stats |
1962 | Harlan Smokies | Appalachian League | 25 | 45 | 16,056 | 459 | Roster | Stats |
1961 | Harlan Smokies | Appalachian League | 35 | 34 | 19,466 | 564 | Roster | Stats |
1954 | Harlan Smokies | Mountain States League | 39 | 33 | 10,000 | 278 | Roster | Stats |
1953 | Harlan Smokies | Mountain States League | 53 | 72 | 20,630 | 330 | Roster | Stats |
1952 | Harlan Smokies | Mountain States League | 73 | 45 | 32,579 | 552 | Roster | Stats |
1951 | Harlan Smokies | Mountain States League | 82 | 43 | 35,657 | 571 | Roster | Stats |
1950 | Harlan Smokies | Mountain States League | 81 | 44 | 41,707 | 667 | Roster | Stats |
1949 | Harlan Smokies | Mountain States League | 83 | 41 | 49,615 | 800 | Roster | Stats |
1948 | Harlan Smokies | Mountain States League | 56 | 63 | 46,187 | 776 | Roster | Stats |
Teams and Statistics
1948-1954
1948 Mountain States League
President: Virgil Q. Wacks
Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Morristown Red Sox | 70 | 46 | .603 | – | 37,744 | James Grigg |
Oak Ridge / Hazard Bombers# | 65 | 43 | .602 | 4 | 22,533 | Hobe Brummitt |
Pennington Gap Miners | 59 | 54 | .522 | 9.5 | 14,988 | Joe Santomauro / Buford Rhea |
Newport Canners | 58 | 59 | .496 | 12.5 | 30,054 | Michael Balla / Cy Whaley |
Harlan Smokies | 56 | 63 | .471 | 15.5 | 46,187 | Bill Sisler / Frank Wilson (minors) / Goda |
Jenkins Cavaliers | 35 | 78 | .310 | 33.5 | 23,276 | Ray Russell / Jackson Bell / Mays |
# Oak Ridge moved to Hazard June 10, first home game June 12.
Playoffs: Morristown 3 games, Newport 2; Hazard 3 games, Pennington Gap 0.
Finals: Morristown 3 games, Hazard 2.
Player Statistics
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cy Whaley | Newport | BA | .382 | Mike Clark | Newport | W | 20 | |
Eduardo DeHogues | Morristown | Runs | 109 | Dennis Reeder | Oak Ridge/Hazard | SO | 196 | |
Eduardo DeHogues | Morristown | Hits | 145 | Dennis Reeder | Oak Ridge/Hazard | ERA | 2.20 | |
Jacob Stirn | Morristown | RBI | 101 | Dennis Reeder | Oak Ridge/Hazard | PCT | .773 17-5 | |
Jacob Stirn | Morristown | HR | 12 | |||||
Eduardo DeHogues | Morristown | HR | 12 |
1949 Mountain States League
President: Virgil Q. Wacks
Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Harlan Smokies | 83 | 41 | .669 | – | 49,615 | George Motto |
Morristown Red Sox | 72 | 52 | .581 | 11 | 44,362 | James Grigg |
Middlesboro Athletics | 69 | 56 | .552 | 14.5 | 25,833 | Hobe Brummitt / Ted Russ / James Burns |
Jenkins Cavaliers | 63 | 61 | .508 | 20 | 19,654 | Joe Vitter |
Pennington Gap Miners | 62 | 63 | .496 | 21.5 | 14,820 | Lew Flick / Burgess Wolfenbarger |
Newport Canners | 59 | 66 | .472 | 24.5 | 14,148 | Cy Whaley |
Big Stone Gap Rebels | 55 | 70 | .440 | 28.5 | 37,751 | Rudolph Parsons / Dale Markert / Fred Marsh |
Hazard Bombers | 35 | 89 | .282 | 48 | 23,543 | Fred Marsh / George Mitrus / Hobe Brummitt |
Playoffs: Harlan 3 games, Middlesboro 1; Morristown 3 games, Jenkins 2.
Finals: Harlan 3 games, Morristown 2.
Player Statistics
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kelly Lunn | Pennington Gap | BA | .358 | Frank C. Wilson | Harlan | W | 27 | |
Robert Grose | Pennington Gap | Runs | 127 | Frank C. Wilson | Harlan | SO | 176 | |
Kelly Lunn | Pennington Gap | Hits | 179 | Frank C. Wilson | Harlan | ERA | 2.77 | |
Kelly Lunn | Pennington Gap | RBI | 126 | Frank C. Wilson | Harlan | PCT | .771 27-8 | |
Jack Hall | Jenkins | HR | 18 |
1950 Mountain States League
President: Virgil Q. Wacks
Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Harlan Smokies | 81 | 44 | .648 | – | 41,707 | Rex Carr |
Hazard Bombers | 76 | 49 | .608 | 5 | 55,184 | Max Macon |
Big Stone Gap Rebels | 75 | 51 | .595 | 6.5 | 38,878 | Jack Rothrock |
Middlesboro Athletics | 59 | 67 | .468 | 22.5 | 20,248 | James Burns |
Jenkins Cavaliers | 58 | 66 | .468 | 22.5 | 13,880 | Bob Bowman / Stewart / Scopetone |
Morristown Red Sox | 56 | 67 | .455 | 24 | 30,448 | Fred Hartman / Pinky Doyle |
Newport Canners | 51 | 74 | .408 | 30 | 20,920 | Robert Mitchell / Matthew Zidich |
Pennington Gap Miners | 44 | 82 | .349 | 37.5 | 11,164 | Lew Flick / Brelich / Pankovits |
Playoffs: Harlan 3 games, Big Stone Gap 1; Middlesboro 3 games, Hazard 0.
Finals: Harlan 3 games, Middlesboro 0.
Player Statistics
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Max Macon | Hazard | BA | .392 | Nick Bunato | Middlesboro | W | 22 | |
Joseph Christian | Harlan | Runs | 127 | Nick Bunato | Middlesboro | SO | 132 | |
Joseph Christian | Harlan | Hits | 173 | Michael Hudak | Big Stone Gap | ERA | 2.89 | |
Joe Riola | Morristown | RBI | 130 | Michael Hudak | Big Stone Gap | PCT | .875 21-3 | |
Joseph Christian | Harlan | HR | 27 |
1951 Mountain States League
President: Virgil Q. Wacks
Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hazard Bombers | 93 | 33 | .738 | – | 35,129 | Max Macon |
Morristown Red Sox | 86 | 39 | .688 | 6.5 | 22,184 | James Burns |
Harlan Smokies | 82 | 43 | .656 | 10.5 | 35,657 | Bones Sanders / John Streza |
Middlesboro Athletics | 59 | 66 | .472 | 33.5 | 19,228 | Ted Russ / George Kennis |
Pennington Gap Miners | 54 | 71 | .432 | 38.5 | 14,994 | Vince Pankovits |
Norton Braves | 53 | 72 | .424 | 39.5 | 12,314 | Bob Bowman / George Sifft / George Motto |
Big Stone Gap Rebels | 49 | 75 | .395 | 43 | 13,737 | Ham Schulte / Lew Flick |
Jenkins Cavaliers | 24 | 101 | .192 | 68.5 | 12,250 | James Grigg / Tom McBride |
Playoffs: Hazard 3 games, Harlan 0; Morristown 3 games, Middlesboro 0.
Finals: Hazard 3 games, Morristown 0.
Player Statistics
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Orville Kitts | Morristown | BA | .424 | Dan Hayling | Hazard | W | 24 | |
Max Macon | Hazard | Runs | 139 | Johnny Podres | Hazard | SO | 228 | |
Len Feriancek | Pennington Gap | Hits | 216 | Johnny Podres | Hazard | ERA | 1.67 | |
Max Macon | Hazard | RBI | 148 | Johnny Podres | Hazard | PCT | .875 21-3 | |
Bill Halstead | Pennington Gap | HR | 34 |
1952 Mountain States League
President: Virgil Q. Wacks
Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hazard Bombers | 87 | 32 | .731 | – | 14,600 | Mervin Dornburg |
Harlan Smokies | 73 | 45 | .619 | 13.5 | 32,579 | Rex Carr |
Morristown Red Sox | 61 | 58 | .513 | 26 | 10,597 | James Burns |
Big Stone Gap Rebels | 57 | 60 | .487 | 29 | 11,161 | Len Cross |
Middlesboro Athletics | 47 | 72 | .395 | 40 | 15,364 | Leon Culberson / Red Goff / Joe McManus |
Norton Braves | 30 | 88 | .254 | 56.5 | 10,025 | George Motto / Bill Fitchko / Mark Muslin |
Playoffs: Morristown 3 games, Hazard 1; Harlan 3 games, Big Stone Gap 2.
Finals: Harlan 3 games, Morristown 0.
Player Statistics
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Orville Kitts | Morristown | BA | .372 | Michael DelPiano | Harlan | W | 22 | |
Ken Johnson | Hazard | Runs | 146 | Michael DelPiano | Harlan | SO | 144 | |
Len Cross | Big Stone Gap | Hits | 138 | Rafael Codinachs | Middlesboro | ERA | 2.78 | |
Joe McManus | Middlesboro | Hits | 138 | McKinley Mosley | Hazard | PCT | 1.000 10-0 | |
Len Cross | Big Stone Gap | RBI | 125 | Ken Johnson | Hazard | BB | 197 | |
Len Cross | Big Stone Gap | HR | 40 |
1953 Mountain States League
President: Virgil Q. Wacks
Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maryville-Alcoa Twins | 78 | 46 | .629 | – | 25,000 | Jim Poole |
Knoxville Smokies | 70 | 55 | .560 | 8.5 | 36,255 | Vince Pankovits |
Kingsport Cherokees | 69 | 56 | .552 | 9.5 | 46,717 | Muscle Shoals |
Morristown Red Sox | 64 | 62 | .508 | 15 | 37,384 | Napoleon Reyes |
Norton Braves | 63 | 63 | .500 | 16 | 21,873 | Walt Dixon |
Big Stone Gap Rebels | 55 | 70 | .440 | 23.5 | 8,230 | Kelly Lunn |
Harlan Smokies | 53 | 72 | .424 | 25.5 | 20,630 | Cliff Melton / Barry Cox / James Grigg |
Middlesboro Athletics | 48 | 76 | .387 | 30 | 12,600 | Julian Morgan / Ben Pardue |
Playoffs: Maryville-Alcoa 3 games, Kingsport 2; Knoxville 3 games, Morristown 1.
Finals: Knoxville 3 games, Maryville-Alcoa 1.
Player Statistics
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Muscle Shoals | Kingsport | BA | .427 | Jim Tugerson | Knoxville | W | 29 | |
Hugh Hamil | Maryville-Alcoa | Runs | 165 | Jim Tugerson | Knoxville | SO | 286 | |
Walt Dixon | Norton | Hits | 197 | Raymond Johnston | Maryville-Alcoa | ERA | 1.90 | |
Willie Kirkland | Maryville-Alcoa | RBI | 164 | Ned Jilton | Kingsport | PCT | .864 19-3 | |
Walt Dixon | Norton | HR | 37 |
1954 Mountain States League
President: Virgil Q. Wacks
Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Middlesboro Athletics | 48 | 34 | .585 | – | 9,031 | Walt Dixon |
Harlan Smokies | 39 | 33 | .542 | 4 | 10,000 | Bill Steinecke |
Kingsport Cherokees | 41 | 40 | .506 | 6.5 | 33,000 | Muscle Shoals |
Oak Ridge Pioneers | 35 | 43 | .449 | 11 | 18,286 | Bert Niehoff |
Morristown Red Sox # | 7 | 7 | .500 | NA | NA | Napoleon Reyes |
Lexington Colts ### | 30 | 36 | .455 | NA | 4,000 | Zeke Bonura |
Maryville-Alcoa ## / Morristown Twins | 29 | 36 | .446 | NA | 9,559 | Tuck McWilliams |
# Morristown disbanded May 15.
## Maryville-Alcoa moved to Morristown June 19, then disbanded July 7.
### Lexington disbanded July 20.
The league disbanded July 20.
Player Statistics
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ray Adams | Oak Ridge | BA | .352 | Norman Hughes | Harlan | W | 16 | |
Aldo Salvent | Kingsport | Runs | 84 | Norman Hughes | Harlan | SO | 85 | |
Ray Adams | Oak Ridge | Hits | 112 | Raymond Johnston | Oak Ridge | ERA | 2.28 | |
Walt Dixon | Middlesboro | RBI | 80 | Don Vaughn | Maryville-Alcoa/Morristown | PCT | .917 11-1 | |
Muscle Shoals | Kingsport | HR | 18 |
League Records 1948-1954
Batting | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | |
Gorge Kennis | Morristown | GA | 126 | 50 | Clifton Patrick | Harlan | GA | 126 | 53 | |
Muscle Shoals | Kingsport | BA | .427 | 53 | Lew Flick | Big Stone | AB | 526 | 51 | |
Hugh Hamil | Maryville-Alcoa | Runs | 165 | 53 | Len Feriancek | Pennington | Hits | 216 | 51 | |
Willie Kirkland | Maryville | RBI | 164 | 53 | Max Macon | Hazard | 2B | 54 | 51 | |
Willie Kirkland | Maryville | 3B | 24 | 53 | Len Cross | Big Stone | HR | 40 | 52 | |
Walt Dixon | Norton | Ebh | 79 | 53 | Willie Kirkland | Maryville | Ebh | 79 | 53 | |
Walt Dixon | Norton | TB | 357 | 53 | Earl Motsinger | Big Stone | HS | 22 | 51 | |
Ceferino Sanabria | Newport | Sac | 23 | 50 | Carl Lucas | Kingsport | SB | 76 | 53 | |
Ken Johnson | Hazard | BB | 197 | 52 | Armenio Badea | Kingsport | SO | 145 | 53 |
Pitching | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | |
James Mays | Jenkins | GA | 47 | 49 | Jim Tugerson | Knoxville | CG | 35 | 53 | |
Jim Tugerson | Knoxville | W | 29 | 53 | John Perechinsky | Jenkins | L | 21 | 51 | |
Mike Hudak | Big Stone | Pct | .905,19-2 | 50 | Johnny Podres | Hazard | ERA | 1.67 | 51 | |
Jim Tugerson | Knoxville | IP | 330 | 53 | Dan Hayling | Hazard | WS | 19 | 51 | |
Michael Del Piano | Harlan | ShO | 5 | 52 | Jim Tugerson | Knoxville | ShO | 5 | 53 | |
Eric Doughtie | Norton | BB | 178 | 53 | Jim Tugerson | Knoxville | SO | 286 | 53 |

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