Mountain States League (1948–1954)

Baseball league

This article is about the league that operated from 1948 to 1954. For league that operated from 1911 to 1912, see Mountain States League (1911–12). For the league of a similar name that operated from 1937 to 1942, see Mountain State League.

Mountain States League (1948–1954)Classification| Class D (1948–1953)
Class C (1954)

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Sport| Minor League Baseball
First season| 1948
Ceased| July 20, 1954
President| Virgil Q. Wacks (1948–1954)
No. of teams| 13
Country| United States of America
Most titles| 2
Harlan Smokies
Hazard Bombers
Related
competitions| Mountain States League (1911–12)

The Mountain States League was a Class D and Class C minor league baseball league which operated in the United States from 1948 to 1954. The league was a Class D level league, becoming a Class C league during its final season in 1954. The league disbanded on July 20, 1954. The cities of Harlan, Kentucky, and Morristown, Tennessee, were represented for the full seven–year existence of the circuit.

## History

[edit]

A total of 16 teams competed in the Mountain States League. In 1954, the Morristown Red Sox team disbanded on May 15, and was replaced when the Maryville-Alcoa Twins moved to Morristown on June 19. Both the Morristown Twins and Lexington Colts disbanded on July 7.[1]

Virgil Q. Wacks served as president for the duration of the league.[1]

## Cities represented

[edit]

* Big Stone Gap, VA: Big Stone Gap Rebels 1949–1953
* Harlan, KY: Harlan Smokies 1948–1954
* Hazard, KY: Hazard Bombers 1948–1952
* Jenkins, KY: Jenkins Cavaliers 1948–1951
* Kingsport, TN: Kingsport Cherokees 1953–1954
* Knoxville, TN: Knoxville Smokies 1953
* Lexington, KY: Lexington Colts 1954
* Maryville, TN & Alcoa, TN: Maryville-Alcoa Twins 1953–1954
* Middlesboro, KY: Middlesboro Athletics 1949–1954
* Morristown, TN: Morristown Red Sox 1948–1954; Morristown Twins 1954
* Newport, TN: Newport Canners 1948–1950
* Norton, VA: Norton Braves 1951–1953
* Oak Ridge, TN: Oak Ridge Bombers 1948; Oak Ridge Pioneers 1954
* Pennington Gap, VA: Pennington Gap Miners 1948–1951

## Standings & statistics

[edit]

1948 Mountain States League \- schedule

Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers

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Morristown Red Sox | 70 | 46 | .603 | – | 37,744 | James Grigg
Oak Ridge Bombers /
Hazard Bombers | 65 | 43 | .602 | 4.0 | 22,533 | Hobe Brummitt
Pennington Gap Miners | 59 | 54 | .522 | 9½ | 14,988 | Joe Santomauro / Buford Rhea
Newport Canners | 58 | 59 | .496 | 12½ | 30,054 | Michael Balla / Cy Whaley
Harlan Smokies | 56 | 63 | .471 | 15½ | 46,187 | Bill Sisler /
Frank Wilson / Michael Goda
Jenkins Cavaliers | 35 | 78 | .310 | 33½ | 23,276 | Ray Russell /
Jackson Bell / Brent Mays

Oak Ridge moved to Hazard June 10
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

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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 \- schedule

Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers

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Harlan Smokies | 83 | 41 | .669 | – | 49,615 | George Motto
Morristown Red Sox | 72 | 52 | .581 | 11.0 | 44,362 | James Grigg
Middlesboro Athletics | 69 | 56 | .552 | 14½ | 25,833 | Hobe Brummitt /
Ted Russ / James Burns
Jenkins Cavaliers | 63 | 61 | .508 | 20.0 | 19,654 | Joe Vitter
Pennington Gap Miners | 62 | 63 | .496 | 21½ | 14,820 | Lew Flick / Burgess Wolfenbarger
Newport Canners | 59 | 66 | .472 | 24½ | 14,148 | Cy Whaley
Big Stone Gap Rebels | 55 | 70 | .440 | 28½ | 37,751 | Rudolph Parsons /
Dale Markert / Fred Marsh
Hazard Bombers | 35 | 89 | .282 | 48.0 | 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

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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 \- schedule

Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers

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Harlan Smokies | 81 | 44 | .648 | – | 41,707 | Rex Carr
Hazard Bombers | 76 | 49 | .608 | 5.0 | 55,184 | Max Macon
Big Stone Gap Rebels | 75 | 51 | .595 | 6½ | 38,878 | Jack Rothrock
Middlesboro Athletics | 59 | 67 | .468 | 22½ | 20,248 | James Burns
Jenkins Cavaliers | 58 | 66 | .468 | 22½ | 13,880 | Bob Bowman /
Wayne Stewart / Bill Scopetone
Morristown Red Sox | 56 | 67 | .455 | 24.0 | 30,448 | Fred Hartman / Pinky Doyle
Newport Canners | 51 | 74 | .408 | 30.0 | 20,920 | Robert Mitchell / Matthew Zidich
Pennington Gap Miners | 44 | 82 | .349 | 37½ | 11,164 | Lew Flick /
Michael Brelich / Vince 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

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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 \- schedule

Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers

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Hazard Bombers | 93 | 33 | .738 | – | 35,129 | Max Macon
Morristown Red Sox | 86 | 39 | .688 | 6½ | 22,184 | James Burns
Harlan Smokies | 82 | 43 | .656 | 10½ | 35,657 | Bones Sanders / John Streza
Middlesboro Athletics | 59 | 66 | .472 | 33½ | 19,228 | Ted Russ / George Kennis
Pennington Gap Miners | 54 | 71 | .432 | 38½ | 14,994 | Vince Pankovits
Norton Braves | 53 | 72 | .424 | 39½ | 12,314 | Bob Bowman /
George Sifft / George Motto
Big Stone Gap Rebels | 49 | 75 | .395 | 43.0 | 13,737 | Ham Schulte / Lew Flick
Jenkins Cavaliers | 24 | 101 | .192 | 68½ | 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

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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 \- schedule

Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers

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Hazard Bombers | 87 | 32 | .731 | – | 14,600 | Mervin Dornburg
Harlan Smokies | 73 | 45 | .619 | 13½ | 32,579 | Rex Carr
Morristown Red Sox | 61 | 58 | .513 | 26.0 | 10,597 | James Burns
Big Stone Gap Rebels | 57 | 60 | .487 | 29.0 | 11,161 | Len Cross
Middlesboro Athletics | 47 | 72 | .395 | 40.0 | 15,364 | Leon Culberson /
Red Goff / Joe McManus
Norton Braves | 30 | 88 | .254 | 56½ | 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

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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 \- schedule

Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers

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Maryville-Alcoa Twins | 78 | 46 | .629 | – | 25,000 | Jim Poole
Knoxville Smokies | 70 | 55 | .560 | 8½ | 36,255 | Vince Pankovits
Kingsport Cherokees | 69 | 56 | .552 | 9½ | 46,717 | Muscle Shoals
Morristown Red Sox | 64 | 62 | .508 | 15.0 | 37,384 | Napoleon Reyes
Norton Braves | 63 | 63 | .500 | 16.0 | 21,873 | Walt Dixon
Big Stone Gap Rebels | 55 | 70 | .440 | 23½ | 8,230 | Kelly Lunn
Harlan Smokies | 53 | 72 | .424 | 25½ | 20,630 | Cliff Melton /
Barry Cox / James Grigg
Middlesboro Athletics | 48 | 76 | .387 | 30.0 | 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

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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 \- schedule

Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers

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Middlesboro Athletics | 48 | 34 | .585 | – | 9,031 | Walt Dixon
Harlan Smokies | 39 | 33 | .542 | 4.0 | 10,000 | Bill Steinecke
Kingsport Cherokees | 41 | 40 | .506 | 6½ | 33,000 | Muscle Shoals
Oak Ridge Pioneers | 35 | 43 | .449 | 11.0 | 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 Twins /
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

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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

[1]

## References

[edit]

* "Mountain States League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
* Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, eds., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007.

1. ^ a b c Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.

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