# 1921 Vanderbilt Commodores baseball team

The 1921 Vanderbilt Commodores baseball team represented the Vanderbilt Commodores of Vanderbilt University in the 1921 NCAA baseball season, winning the SIAA championship. By May 29, the team had hit over .225 for the season, garnering 27 home runs, 17 triples, 26 doubles, 107 singles, and a total of 138 hits for 326 bases with 54 stolen bases.
The Commodores were coached by Byrd Douglas, Vanderbilt alumnus, once a star catcher of the Princeton baseball team. The yearbook claimed the season's success was "due almost entirely to one man", namely Douglas.
The 1921 Vanderbilt Commodores football team also won an SIAA title. Frank Godchaux, Doc Kuhn, Tot McCullough, Jess Neely, and Tom Ryan were also members of the football team.

## Regular season

Vanderbilt's yearbook The Commodore states that in a 1921 game against Southwestern Presbyterian University, the team achieved a world record in scoring 13 runs in one inning, after two men were out. The Tennessean recalls the event: "Neely singled as did Kuhn; Neil fanned but Thomas got his third straight hit and both tallied. Big Tot got hit by a pitched ball and Smith was safe on a fielder's choice with one out. Woodruf flied out to right. Tyner slammed one to center which Jetty juggled and everybody advanced a pair of sacks. Ryan was safe on another error and two runs came over. Neely beat out his second hit of the inning and Kuhn walked. Neil walked. Thomas was safe on an error and Big Tot McCullough picked one over the right field fence, clearing the sacks--but oh, what's the use? Why continue?" Joe Smith hit a grand slam as well, and Manning Brown got a homer.
In the game against Camp Benning (GA), Neill netted a home run with a fly ball to left field, which bounced off the outfielder's knee for a home run.
The Kentucky game on May 17 and the Princeton game both went into extra innings.
From June 6 to June 15 the Commodores had an Eastern trip carrying them through Kentucky, West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Kuhn starred in the 3 to 2 loss to Princeton.

## Schedule and results

Legend :
| | Vanderbilt win |
| | Vanderbilt loss |
| Bold | Vanderbilt team member |
1921 Vanderbilt Commodores baseball game log :
Exhibition Games :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record |
| | Nashville Vols | Nashville, TN | L 3–7 | 0–0 |
| March 25 | Nashville Vols | Nashville, TN | L 4–11 | 0–0 |
| April 1 | Boston Red Sox | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | L 1–9 | 0–0 |
Regular season :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Overall record | SIAA record |
| April 2 | Indiana | Dudley Field (Nashville, TN) | W 2–0 | Slim Embry | Walker | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| | Mississippi | | W 2–0 | | | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| April 11 | Southwestern Presbyterian | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 19–2 | | | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| | Southwestern Presbyterian | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 13–4 | | | 4–0 | 1–0 |
| April 18 | Tennessee | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | L 2–11 | Lefty Bishop | Tom Ryan | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| April 19 | Tennessee | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 4–3 | Slim Embry | Cantwell | 5–1 | 2–1 |
| April 20 | Tennessee | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 3–2 | | Lefty Bishop | 6–1 | 3–1 |
| April 21 | Mercer | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 5–3 | Boots Richardson | Bob Sawin | 7–1 | 4–1 |
| April 23 | Mercer | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | L 2–5 | Tige Stone | Slim Embry | 7–2 | 4–2 |
| April 27 | Georgia | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 7–4 | Tot McCullough | | 8–2 | 5–2 |
| April 28 | Georgia | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 6–2 | Slim Embry | Cliff Pantone | 9–2 | 6–2 |
| April 29 | at Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | W 6–2 | Slim Embry | Lefty Bishop | 10–2 | 7–2 |
| April 30 | at Tennessee | Waite Field • Knoxville, TN | L 2–7 | Cantwell | Tom Ryan | 10–3 | 7–3 |
| May 4 | at Kentucky | Stoll Field • Lexington, KY | W 9–4 | Slim Embry | Cooper | 11–3 | 8–3 |
| May 7 | Howard | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 16–1 | | | 12–3 | 9–3 |
| | Howard | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 13–1 | | | 13–3 | 10–3 |
| May 13 | Centre | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 7–0 | | | 14–3 | 11–3 |
| May 14 | Centre | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 12–8 | | | 15–3 | 12–3 |
| May 16 | Kentucky | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 18–3 | | | 16–3 | 13–3 |
| May 17 | Kentucky | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 6–5 | | | 17–3 | 14–3 |
| May 19 | Camp Benning (GA) | Curry Field • Nashville, TN | W 5–3 | Slim Embry | "Dirty" Jones | 18–3 | 14–3 |
| June 7 | at Centre | Cheek Field • Danville, KY | L 3–7 | Tommy Moran | Slim Embry | 18–4 | 14–4 |
| June 11 | at Princeton | University Field • Princeton, NJ | L 2–3 | Thomas | Slim Embry | 18–5 | 14–4 |
| | at Washington & Lee | Lexington, VA | W 2–1 | | | 19–5 | 14–4 |
| June 14 | at Washington & Lee | Lexington, VA | W 13–4 | Tot McCullough | | W 20–5 | 14–4 |

## Roster
### Coaches

| Name | Position |
| Byrd Douglas | Head Coach |
| Strat Foster | Manager |

### Players

| Name | Position |
| A. Bell | 2B |
| Bell | 3B |
| B. Brown | OF |
| Manning Brown | OF |
| Buckner | C |
| Coston | RHP |
| Slim Embry | RHP |
| Frank Godchaux | C |
| Joe Hatcher | C |
| Hawkins | C |
| Hi Hightower | C |
| Huckaby | OF |
| Doc Kuhn | SS |
| Lewis | 2B |
| Bunny Luton | OF |
| Tot McCullough | 1B/OF/LHP |
| McDonald | OF |
| McDonnell | SS |
| McGinnis | OF |
| Bob McNeilly | RHP |
| Jess Neely | OF |
| Scotty Neill | SS/2B/INF |
| Boots Richardson | LHP |
| Riley | RHP |
| Rudolph | RHP |
| Tom Ryan | RHP |
| Sherrod | RHP |
| Joe Smith | OF |
| Paul Stumb | RHP |
| Julian Thomas | 1B |
| Mims Tyner | C |
| Williams | OF |
| Fish Wilson | 2B/INF |
| Wooden | 3B |
| Tobe Woodruf | 3B |

## Statistical leaders

| Wins | |
| Slim Embry | 9 |
| Boots Richardson | 5 |
| Tot McCullough | 4 |
| Home Runs | |
| Scotty Neill | 13 |

## Postseason awards and honors

Shortstop Doc Kuhn and outfielders Manning Brown and Tot McCullough made All-Southern.