Global InformationNashville Tigers information
| Nashville Tigers | |
|---|---|
| |
 | |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class B (1893–1894) |
| League | Southern League (1893–1894) |
| Minor league titles | |
| Pennants (0) | None |
| Team data | |
| Name | Nashville Tigers (1893–1894) |
| Colors | Black, white (1894) Golden brown, seal brown (1894) Gray, red (1893) |
| Ballpark | Athletic Park (1893–1894) |
| Manager |
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The Nashville Tigers were a minor league baseball team that played in the Class B Southern League from 1893 to 1894. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee, and played their home games at Athletic Park, later known as Sulphur Dell.
Under the management of Ted Sullivan, the Tigers finished the first series of 1893 in last place out of twelve teams. Their play was hampered by a preponderance of injured players, which led to high roster turnover and the frequent substitution of local amateur players to make out a full lineup. Consequently, the once robust attendance at Athletic Park declined as the season progressed, eventually putting the team in such dire financial condition that Sullivan surrendered the franchise to the league. They fared better in the second series and were in eighth place on August 12 when circuit-wide financial problems forced the league to disband.
Reminiscent of the previous year, the 1894 Nashvilles found themselves last out of eight teams just one month into the season. In contrast, manager George Stallings made a series of roster moves that strengthened the team, enabling it to move up to sixth place by the close of the first series on June 27. On that date, the league was reorganized as a four-team circuit since financial problems had forced half of its teams to drop out. The Tigers played the first night game in Nashville some 40 years before the first Major League Baseball game was played at night. On July 7, nine games into the second series, Nashville, sitting atop the standings, disbanded as Stallings and other managers sensed the impending total collapse of the league, which occurred on July 11.
A total of 69 players competed in at least one game for Nashville across both seasons. Of these, 40 also played for major league teams. Among the players who went on to have notable major league careers were Bill Hoffer, Con Lucid, Dusty Miller, John O'Brien, Bill Phillips, and George Stallings.