Barons right-hander Jim McDonald held Nashville to five hits as a four-run sixth inning aided his cause in Birmingham’s home win over the Vols, 5-2, on August 25, 1949. Centerfielder Norm Koney provided the big blow when he slammed a double with the bases loaded and one out after Ed Lyons had pushed a run across when he doubled to bring in Red Mathis for the first run of the inning.
The win deadlocked the series, 1-1, pulling the Barons to within three games of the Vols with a little over a month to go in the season.
Nashville’s Bobo Holloman worked six innings, allowing nine hits and all five Birmingham runs before being relieved by Hal Kleine, who held the Barons in check for the final two innings. It was Holloman’s fourth time to face the Barons, winning only once on a four-hitter at Sulphur Dell, 3-1.
Nashville had an opportunity to tie the game in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded and one out. A rhubarb ensued when McDonald had to make a play at first on a ball hit by Boguskie, and first base umpire Paul Roy called Boguskie safe. McDonald charged the umpire, who said his foot was off the bag as he took the throw from first baseman Ralph Atkins.
Two Nashville players claimed McDonald hit the umpire with his glove, but the umpires did not toss him from the game. Kleine proceeded to strike out, and Boguskie was forced at second on a fielder’s choice to end the game.
One of Nashville’s hits was a 350-foot home run by Floyd Fogg into the Rickwood Field bleachers with the bases empty in the seventh inning. He hit a long fly ball to the deep leftfield wall and caught for an out, as did Carl Sawatski, whose long fly was hauled in against the fence in right-center.
Koney led the Barons along with two each by Atkins and Mathis, witnessed by 10,123 fans and 9,754 paid.
Barons right-hander Jim McDonald held Nashville to five hits as a four-run sixth inning aided his cause in Birmingham’s home win over the Vols, 5-2.
Centerfielder Norm Koney provided the big blow when he slammed a double with the bases loaded and one out after Ed Lyons had pushed a run across when he doubled to bring in Red Mathis for the first run of the inning.
The win deadlocked the series, 1-1, pulling the Barons to within three games of the Vols.
Nashville’s Bobo Holloman worked six innings, allowing nine hits and all five Birmingham runs before being relieved by Hal Kleine, who held the Barons in check for the final two innings.
Nashville had an opportunity to tie the game in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded and one out. A rhubarb ensued when McDonald had to make a play at first on a ball hit by Boguskie, and first base umpire Paul Roy called Boguskie safe. McDonald charged the umpire, who said his foot was off the bag as he took the throw from first baseman Ralph Atkins.
Two Nashville players claimed McDonald hit the umpire with his glove, but the umpires allowed him to continue in the game. Kleine proceeded to strike out when play resumed, and Boguskie was forced at second on a fielder’s choice to end the game.
One of Nashville’s hits was a 350-foot home run by Floyd Fogg into the Rickwood Field bleachers with the bases empty in the seventh inning. He hit a long fly ball to the deep leftfield wall and caught for an out, as did Carl Sawatski, whose long fly was hauled in against the fence in right-center.
Koney’s three hits led the Barons, along with two each by Atkins and Mathis, witnessed by 9,754 fans. Nashville’s Bob Borkowski got only one hit but continues to lead the league with a .369 average, followed by teammates Sawatski at .359 and Babe Barna at .352, while Koney is fifth with a .341 average.
Sources
Baseball-reference.com
Birmingham Post
Nashville Tennessean
Newspapers.com
Paperofrecord.com
sabr.org
Wright, Marshall D., “The Southern Association in Baseball 1885-1961,” (2002, McFarland)
© 2023 by Skip Nipper. All Rights Reserved.
