Mountain States League (1948–1954)

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

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

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

1948 Mountain States League - schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Attend	Managers
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	9.5	14,988	Joe Santomauro / Buford Rhea
Newport Canners	58	59	.496	12.5	30,054	Michael Balla / Cy Whaley
Harlan Smokies	56	63	.471	15.5	46,187	Bill Sisler / Frank Wilson / Michael Goda
Jenkins Cavaliers	35	78	.310	33.5	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
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
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	14.5	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	21.5	14,820	Lew Flick / Burgess Wolfenbarger
Newport Canners	59	66	.472	24.5	14,148	Cy Whaley
Big Stone Gap Rebels	55	70	.440	28.5	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
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
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	6.5	38,878	Jack Rothrock
Middlesboro Athletics	59	67	.468	22.5	20,248	James Burns
Jenkins Cavaliers	58	66	.468	22.5	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	37.5	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
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
Hazard Bombers	93	33	.738	–	35,129	Max Macon
Morristown Red Sox	86	39	.688	6.5	22,184	James Burns
Harlan Smokies	82	43	.656	10.5	35,657	Bones Sanders / John Streza
Middlesboro Athletics	59	66	.472	33.5	19,228	Ted Russ / George Kennis
Pennington Gap Miners	54	71	.432	38.5	14,994	Vince Pankovits
Norton Braves	53	72	.424	39.5	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	68.5	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
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
Hazard Bombers	87	32	.731	–	14,600	Mervin Dornburg
Harlan Smokies	73	45	.619	13.5	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	56.5	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
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
Maryville-Alcoa Twins	78	46	.629	–	25,000	Jim Poole
Knoxville Smokies	70	55	.560	8.5	36,255	Vince Pankovits
Kingsport Cherokees	69	56	.552	9.5	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	23.5	8,230	Kelly Lunn
Harlan Smokies	53	72	.424	25.5	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
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
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	6.5	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
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

"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.

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

[encyc-1] Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.

[1]