page_title: Nashville Americans
section_title: The 1886 season
hierarchical_section_title: Nashville Americans / History / The 1886 season
caption_attribution_description: English: A photograph depicting the Nashville Base Ball Club, circa 1880s. The team is believed to be the 1886 Nashville Americans, that played in the original Southern League, due to the presence of Norm Baker (far left in suit), Walt Goldsby (seated, center-front), and Mike Smith (second from the right on the ground).
context_page_description: The Nashville Americans were a minor league baseball team that played in the Class B Southern League from 1885 to 1886. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee, and played their home games at Sulphur Spring Park, later known as Sulphur Dell.
  The team was formed on October 6, 1884, as Nashville's first professional baseball team. They played several exhibition games against major league teams that fall at the Nashville Fairgrounds as the they sought admission to the Union Association, one of three major leagues at the time. Instead, they were selected as charter members of the Southern League for the next season.
  The 1885 Americans were managed at different times by local player Will Bryan, second baseman Nate Kellogg, and local businessman John R. Mayberry. They played well throughout the season and compiled a 62–39 record, placing third. They spent the majority of the season in either second or third place. Led by left fielder Walt Goldsby, the 1886 team played well but finished in a distant third place with a record of 46–38.
context_section_description: Nashville's Southern League championship season of 1886 was to begin on April 15 at Augusta. The Opening Day roster consisted of pitchers Norm Baker, Tod Brynan, Ed Dundon, and Mike Smith; catchers Billy Earle, George McVey, and Al Schellhase; first baseman Billy O'Brien; second baseman Henry Bittman; third baseman James Hillery; shortstop Ollie Beard; left fielder/manager Walt Goldsby; center fielder Lefty Marr; and right fielder Len Sowders.
  Nashville lost the season opener, 6–3. Following another loss the next day, the team won its first game of 1886 on April 17 against Augusta. They opened the scoring in the second inning and held the lead for the duration of the game. The winning run in the 13–6 victory was scored in the fifth inning when O'Brien drove in Sowders from second base. They completed the first road trip with a 7–8 (.467) record and returned home in fifth place.
  Prior to the Sulphur Spring Park home opener on May 8, the Nashvilles and Augustas were paraded from the Maxwell House Hotel through the streets of Nashville to the ballpark. In the 8–0 shutout win, Baker limited the first-place Browns to a single hit while walking one and striking out 12 batters. Catcher Tony Hellman of the 1885 team was reacquired and joined the club on May 15. Brynan was released on May 21, and McVey was released on May 23. By the end of May, Nashville was fluttering between second and third place at 17–15 (.531).
  The Nashvilles continued to improve, playing far better than in their opening Southern trip, and moved into a first-place tie with Atlanta on June 7. They took sole possession of the lead on June 9 with a 3–2 win over Memphis and an Atlanta loss to Chattanooga. Following several rain-outs and games prevented by poor field conditions at home, Nashville dropped to second place on June 18 with a loss to Chattanooga and an Atlanta win over Memphis. Earle was released to Memphis on June 11 in exchange for catcher Charlie Krehmeyer who made his Nashville debut on June 18. By July 3, despite several losses and more rain outs, the team remained in second place at 28–21 (.571). Pitcher Billy Taylor of the 1885 team joined on July 5 in a 13–3 defeat of Memphis.
  Much like the last campaign, the Southern League would not complete this season intact. On July 7, Augusta forfeited its franchise to the league. Chattanooga, last in the standings, voluntarily dropped out on July 10 to provide the circuit with an even number of teams. On July 11, an off day before the resumption of the league's adjusted schedule, Nashville stood in fourth place at 30–24 (.556); their degrading play and earlier misfortunes with the weather was taking its toll. Poor hitting and injuries incurred by pitchers Baker and Smith were contributing factors to lackluster performance throughout the month. On July 30, Goldsby released Krehmeyer and Smith.
  On August 8, with about one month left in the season, Nashville's pennant hopes were all but faded as they stood in an ever-distant third place, 11 games back, at 36–33 (.522). Amateur pitcher Arthur Saunders joined the team on August 12 to makeup for the dismissal of Taylor on August 7. The Nashvilles defeated the Louisville Colonels, 6–3, in an exhibition game at Sulphur Spring Park on August 17. As the season drew to a close, Baker was given his release so he could sign on with another league on September 1. Nashville played its final game on September 4, losing 10–9 at home against Savannah. After the game, players were paid and the team disbanded. Their final record for the 1886 season was 46–38 (.547), a third-place finish 14 games behind the pennant-winning Atlantas. Marr, mirroring Sowders' feat from the previous season, was the league's batting champion with a .327 average. The Daily American presented him with a medal in recognition of his feat.
  Nashville had an average daily attendance of 1,200 people in their second season. Low patronage at the Olympic Theater resulted in a discontinuance of game reporting on July 13. While games and descriptions were liberally patronized in the early goings, attendance
caption: The 1886 Nashville Americans
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