Dyersburg Deers

{{Infobox Minor League Baseball

| name = Dyersburg Deers

| firstseason = 1923

| lastseason = 1925

| city = Dyersburg, Tennessee

| logo =

| caplogo =

| class level = Class D (1923–1925)

| league = {{plainlist|

Tri-State League (1925)
Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (1923–1924)

}}

| majorleague = Unaffiliated (1923–1925)

| nickname={{plainlist|

Dyersburg Deers (1925)
Dyersburg Forked Deers (1923–1924)

}}

| ballpark = Scot's Field (1923–1925)

| leaguenum = 2

| leaguechamps = {{hlist|1923|1924}}

| firsthalfnum = 2

| firsthalfchamps = {{hlist|1923|1924}}

}}

The Dyersburg Deers were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Dyersburg, Tennessee, from 1923 to 1925. They were members of the Class D Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (KITTY League) from 1923 to 1924 during which time they were known as the Dyersburg Forked Dears. They played as simply the Dyersburg Deers in the Class D Tri-State League in 1925. Their home games were played at Scot's Field.

Over three seasons of competition, Dyersburg accumulated a regular season record of 170–141 (.547). They won the KITTY League championship in both 1923 and 1924. Their postseason record was 8–2 (.800).

History

The Dyersburg Forked Deers began competition in 1923 as members of the Class D Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-dd11336/y-1923|title=1923 Dyersburg Forked Deers Roster|work=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 25, 2020}} Their scheduled season opener on May 15 was rained out. They won the next day's game against the Fulton Railroaders, 3–2 in 10 innings, at Scot's Field before a home audience of around 1,200 people.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52110583/10-innings-at-dyers/|via=Newspapers.com|title=10 Innings at Dyers|work=The Paducah Sun-Democrat|location=Paducah|date=May 17, 1923|page=8}} On August 24, June Greene pitched a 10–0 no-hitter against Fulton in the second game of a doubleheader.{{cite web |url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AscmKoVLYjYPdE9MLXIzNVo4VnRFc2lpaW4yUF91aFE&authkey=CL_3m-cC&authkey=CL_3m-cC#gid=0 |title=Minor League No-Hitters |last=McGill |first=Chuck |website=Baseball-Reference |publisher=Sports Reference |accessdate=May 25, 2020}} The Forked Dears won the first half of the league's split season, qualifying for the championship playoffs.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-KITL/y-1923|title=1923 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Standings|work=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 25, 2020}} They then defeated the Mayfield Pantmakers to win the KITTY League championship, four games to two.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52111746/dyersburg-crowned-league-champion-after/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Dyersburg Crowned League Champion After Winning Series from Mayfield|work=News-Democrat|location=Paducah|date=September 12, 1923|page=6}} Their season record was 51–47 (.520).

The Forked Deers repeated as first half champions in 1924.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52113534/parisians-shut-out-by-league-leading/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Parisians Shut Out By League Leading Deers|work=The Paducah Sun-Democrat|location=Paducah|date=July 11, 1923|page=5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-KITL/y-1924|title=1924 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Standings|work=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 25, 2020}} They won a second KITTY League championship by sweeping the Paris Parisians in four games in the best-of-seven championship series.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52112808/deers-win-title-of-kitty-loop-from-paris/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Deers Win Title of Kitty Loop from Paris|work=The Courier-Journal|location=Louisville|date=September 17, 1924|page=9}} They accumulated a 60–48 (.556) record during the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-KITL/y-1924|title=1924 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Standings|work=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 25, 2020}}

The KITTY League failed to reorganize for the 1925 season,{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52113149/kitty-league-lost-to-fans-for-1925/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Kitty League Lost to Fans for 1925 Season|work=The Courier-Journal|location=Louisville|date=February 10, 1925|page=11}} so Dyersburg joined the Class D Tri-State League.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-TRIS4/y-1925|title=1925 Tri-State League Standings|work=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 25, 2020}} They also shortened their name to simply the Dyersburg Deers.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52114752/mayfield-yanks-to-play-deers/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Mayfield Yanks to Play Deers|work=News-Democrat|location=Paducah|date=June 3, 1925|page=6}} On August 17, William Cason no-hit the Blytheville Tigers in a 4–0 home win. The Deers compiled a season record of 59–46 (.562) but failed to win either half of the season.

Dyersburg did not field another team in 1926.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/sports/places/m-4189566|title=Sports in Dyersburg, Tennessee|work=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 25, 2020}} Over three years of competition the team accumulated a record of 170–141 (.547).

Season-by-season results

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
rowspan="2" scope="col"\|Season !colspan="4" scope="col"\|Regular season !colspan="3" scope="col"\|Postseason !rowspan="2" class="unsortable" scope="col"\|{{Abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
scope="col"\|Record !scope="col"\|Win % !scope="col"\|Finish !scope="col"\|{{Abbr\|GB\|Games behind}} !scope="col"\|Record !scope="col"\|Win % !class="unsortable" rowspan="2" scope="col"\|Result
scope="row" style="text-align:center"\| 1923 \| 51–47 \| .520 \| {{sort\|03.0\|3rd}} \| {{sort\|06.0\|6}} \| 4–2 \| .667 \| Won first half title Won KITTY League championship vs. Mayfield Pantmakers, 4–2 \|
scope="row" style="text-align:center"\| 1924 \| 60–48 \| .556 \| {{sort\|01.0\|1st}} \| {{sort\|00.0\|—}} \| 4–0 \| 1.000 \| Won first half title Won KITTY League championship vs. Paris Parisians, 4–0 \|
scope="row" style="text-align:center"\| 1925 \| 59–46 \| .562 \| {{sort\|03.0\|3rd}} \| {{sort\|07.5\|{{frac\|7\|1\|2}}}} \| {{sort\|00.0\|—}} \| {{sort\|00.0\|—}} \| — \|
class="sortbottom" !scope="row" style="text-align:center"\|Totals ! 170–141 ! .547 ! {{sort\|00.0\|—}} ! {{sort\|00.0\|—}} ! 8–2 ! .800 ! {{sort\|00.0\|—}} ! {{sort\|00.0\|—}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"

rowspan="2" scope="col"|Season

!colspan="4" scope="col"|Regular season

!colspan="3" scope="col"|Postseason

!rowspan="2" class="unsortable" scope="col"|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="col"|Record

!scope="col"|Win %

!scope="col"|Finish

!scope="col"|{{Abbr|GB|Games behind}}

!scope="col"|Record

!scope="col"|Win %

!class="unsortable" rowspan="2" scope="col"|Result

scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1923

| 51–47

| .520

| {{sort|03.0|3rd}}

| {{sort|06.0|6}}

| 4–2

| .667

| Won first half title
Won KITTY League championship vs. Mayfield Pantmakers, 4–2

scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1924

| 60–48

| .556

| {{sort|01.0|1st}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| 4–0

| 1.000

| Won first half title
Won KITTY League championship vs. Paris Parisians, 4–0

scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1925

| 59–46

| .562

| {{sort|03.0|3rd}}

| {{sort|07.5|{{frac|7|1|2}}}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| —

class="sortbottom"

!scope="row" style="text-align:center"|Totals

! 170–141

! .547

! {{sort|00.0|—}}

! 8–2

! .800

! {{sort|00.0|—}}

Notable players

Three players also played in at league one game in Major League Baseball during their careers. These players and their seasons with Dyersburg were:

June Greene (1924–1925){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=greene001jul|title=June Greene Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=May 25, 2020}}
Phil Hensiek (1925){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hensie001phi|title=Phil Hensiek Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=May 25, 2020}}
Jack Knight (1925){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=knight001elm|title=Jack Knight Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=May 25, 2020}}

References

External links

[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Dyersburg&state=TN&country=US Statistics from Baseball-Reference]
[https://www.statscrew.com/sports/places/m-4189566 Statistics from Stats Crew]

Category:1923 establishments in Tennessee

Category:1925 disestablishments in Tennessee

Category:Baseball teams established in 1923

Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1925

Category:Defunct baseball teams in Tennessee

Category:Defunct Tri-State League teams

Category:Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League

Category:Professional baseball teams in Tennessee