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Greeneville Burley Cubs

{{Infobox Minor League Baseball

| name = Greeneville Burley Cubs

| firstseason = 1921

| lastseason = 1942

| allyears = {{by|1921}}–{{by|1925}}, {{by|1938}}–{{by|1942}}

| city = Greeneville, Tennessee

| logo =

| caplogo =

| class level = Class D (1921–1925, 1938–1942)

| league = Appalachian League (1921–1925, 1938–1942)

| majorleague = {{plainlist|

}}

| nickname = Greeneville Burley Cubs (1921–1925, 1938–1942)

| ballpark = {{plainlist|

}}

| leaguenum = 1

| leaguechamps = 1938

| pennum = 1

| pennants = 1925

| firsthalfnum = 1

| firsthalfchamps = 1921

}}

The Greeneville Burley Cubs were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Class D Appalachian League from 1921 to 1925 and 1938 to 1942. They were located in Greeneville, Tennessee, and played their home games at Greeneville City Park in their second run and at an unknown ballpark in their first stretch.

The Burly Cubs were affiliated with four Major League Baseball teams over their 10-year run in Greeneville: the Chicago Cubs (1938 and 1940), Cleveland Indians (1939), and Boston Braves (1942). Over all 10 seasons of competition, their all-time regular season win–loss record was 482–486 (.498). They won the Appalachian League pennant in 1925 and the league's playoff championship in 1938.

History

=First stretch (1921–1925)=

The Burley Cubs became the first professional baseball team to hail from Greeneville, Tennessee, when they joined the Appalachian League in 1921.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Greeneville&state=TN&country=US|title=Greeneville, Tennessee Encyclopedia|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}} They opened their inaugural season with a 2–1 road victory over the Johnson City Soldiers on May 12.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52700114/soldiers-lose-to-burly-cubs/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Soldiers Lose to Burly Cubs|work=The Journal and Tribune|location=Knoxville|date=May 13, 1921|page=16}} Greeneville won the first half of the league's split season on the way to compiling a full season record of 58–48 (.547).{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1921|title=1921 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} In the postseason championship playoffs, the Burley Cubs lost to Johnson City, five games to one.

Greeneville ended the 1922 season last of six teams with a record of 50–70 (.417).{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1922|title=1922 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} The 1923 team improved to 51–56 (.477).{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1923|title=1923 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} From 1924 to 1925, the club was managed by former Baltimore Terrapins catcher Harvey Russell.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=russel003har|title=Harvey Russell Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics & History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}} He led the team to a third-place 54–52 (.509) finish in 1924, but they missed the playoffs having not won either half of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1924|title=1924 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} On July 15, 1925, the Bristol State Liners dropped out of the league due to financial difficulties, and the remaining three-team league disbanded the same day.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52700708/app-league/|via=Newspapers.com|title=App League|work=The Knoxville Journal|location=Knoxville|date=July 16, 1925|page=11}} The Burley Cubs lost both games of a doubleheader to the Morristown Roosters, 3–2 and 10–4, on July 15. At the time of the disbandment, Greeneville was in first place with a 28–16 (.636) record, making them the de facto pennant winners.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1925|title=1925 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} Over five years of competition, the team's all-time record was 250–222 (.530).

=Second stretch (1938–1942)=

File:Dale Alexander (R316).jpg (1923–1924, 1942) was a native of Greeneville.]]

The Appalachian League reorganized 12 years later in 1937 without a Greeneville team.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1937|title=1937 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} The Burley Cubs were revived in 1938 as an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-gc11804/y-1938|title=1938 Greeneville Burley Cubs Statistics|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} They won their May 12 Opening Day road game versus the Newport Canners, 9–4.{{cite news|last=Shelton|first=James|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52700114/soldiers-lose-to-burly-cubs/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Greeneville Takes Opening Tilt from Newport 9 to 4|work=The Greeneville Sun|location=Greeneville|date=May 13, 1938|page=6}} They were defeated in the next day's home opener against Newport, 10–3.{{cite news|last=Shelton|first=James|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52701585/newport-defeats-greeneville-to-even/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Newport Defeats Greeneville to Even Series|work=The Greeneville Sun|location=Greeneville|date=May 14, 1938|page=6}} Greeneville ended the season in third place, qualifying for the playoffs, at 60–45 (.571).{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1938|title=1938 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} They won the semifinals, defeating the Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox, two games to none. They then won the Appalachian League championship against the Kingsport Cherokees, 3–1.

In 1939, the team became an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-gc11804/y-1939|title=1939 Greeneville Burley Cubs Statistics|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} They qualified for the playoffs again with a fourth-place 65–54 (.546) finish,{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1939|title=1939 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} but were eliminated by Elizabethton in the first round, 2–1. The 1940 club, which had re-affiliated with the Chicago Cubs,{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=fe8b2fe2|title=1940 Greeneville Burley Cubs|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports-Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}} qualified for the league's expanded playoffs with a fifth-place mark at 55–63 (.466).{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1940|title=1940 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} They defeated Newport, 2–1, to advance to the semifinals, where they lost to the Johnson City Cardinals, 2–1. An unaffiliated 1941 team placed fifth, missing a contracted version of the playoffs, at 43–75 (.364).{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1941|title=1941 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

The Burly Cubs affiliated with the Boston Braves for 1942 and were managed by ex-major leaguer Dale Alexander.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=1a52ec43|title=1942 Greeneville Burley Cubs|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports-Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}} On June 15, standing last of six teams, Greeneville surrendered its franchise to the Appalachian League.{{cite news|last=Shelton|first=James|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52702337/cubs-surrender-franchise-in-appalachian/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Cubs Surrender Franchise In Appalachian League|work=The Greeneville Sun|location=Greeneville|date=June 15, 1942|page=1}} Their 9–27 (.250) record hampered attendance, resulting in financial problems for owner Carl Lyerly.{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-APPY1/y-1942|title=1942 Appalachian League Standings|work=Stats Crew|access-date=June 3, 2020}} They dropped their final two games to Elizabethton, a June 12 home doubleheader, 5–0 and 9–4.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52702611/minner-wins-pair-for-sox/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Minner Wins Pair For Sox|work=Johnson City Chronicle|location=Johnson City|date=June 13, 1942|page=3}} Over their second five-year run, the team accumulated a record of 232–264 (.468). Combining all 10 years of competition, their all-time record was 482–486 (.498).

Greeneville did not return to professional baseball until the Greeneville Astros began competition in the Appalachian League in 2004.

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" scope="col"|MLB affiliate

!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"| 1921

| 58–48

| .547

| {{sort|02.1|2nd (tie)}}

| {{sort|04.5|{{frac|4|1|2}}}}

| 1–5

| .167

| Won first half title
Lost Appalachian League championship vs. Johnson City Soldiers, 5–1

| —

|

scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1922

| 51–56

| .477

| {{sort|04.0|4th}}

| {{sort|16.5|{{frac|16|1|2}}}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| —

| —

|

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

| 59–50

| .541

| {{sort|02.0|2nd}}

| {{sort|01.5|{{frac|1|1|2}}}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| —

| —

|

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

| 54–52

| .509

| {{sort|03.0|3rd}}

| {{sort|11.0|11}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| —

| —

|

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

| 28–16

| .623

| {{sort|01.0|1st}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| Won Appalachian League pennant

| —

|

scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1938

| 60–45

| .571

| {{sort|03.0|3rd}}

| {{sort|07.0|7}}

| 5–1

| .833

| Won semifinals vs. Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox, 2–0
Won Appalachian League championship vs. Kingsport Cherokees, 3–1

| Chicago Cubs

|

scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1939

| 65–54

| .546

| {{sort|04.0|4th}}

| {{sort|06.0|6}}

| 1–2

| .333

| Lost semifinals vs. Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox, 2–1

| Cleveland Indians

|

scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1940

| 55–63

| .466

| {{sort|05.0|5th}}

| {{sort|29.5|{{frac|29|1|2}}}}

| 3–3

| .500

| Won quarterfinals vs. Newport Canners, 2–1
Lost semifinals vs. Johnson City Cardinals, 2–1

| Chicago Cubs

|

scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1941

| 43–75

| .364

| {{sort|05.0|5th}}

| {{sort|30.0|30}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| —

| —

|

scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1942

| 9–27

| .250

| {{Abbr|DNF|Did not finish}}

| {{Abbr|DNF|Did not finish}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| {{sort|00.0|—}}

| —

| Boston Braves

|

class="sortbottom"

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

! 482–486

! .498

! —

! —

! 10–11

! .476

! —

! —

! —

Notable players

Nine Burley Cubs also played in at least one game in Major League Baseball during their careers. These players and their season with Greeneville were:

  • Dale Alexander (1923–1924, 1942){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=alexan001dav|title=Dale Alexander Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}}
  • Bob Brady (1941){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=brady-002rob|title=Bob Brady Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}}
  • Jim Brillheart (1921){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=brillh001jam|title=Jim Brillheart Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}}
  • Buddy Crump (1923){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=crump-001art|title=Buddy Crump Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}}
  • Cookie Cuccurullo (1939){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=cuccur001art|title=Cookie Cuccurullo Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=May 13, 2017}}
  • Abie Hood (1923){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hood--001abi|title=Abie Hood Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}}
  • John O'Neil (1939){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=oneil-002joh|title=John O'Neil Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}}
  • Merle Settlemire (1924){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=settle001edg|title=Merle Settlemire Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}}
  • Frank Watt (1924){{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=alexan001dav|title=Frank Watt Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Greeneville&state=TN&country=US Statistics from Baseball-Reference]
  • [https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/t-gc11804 Statistics from Stats Crew]

Category:1921 establishments in Tennessee

Category:1942 disestablishments in Tennessee

Category:Baseball teams established in 1921

Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1942

Category:Defunct Appalachian League teams

Category:Defunct baseball teams in Tennessee

Category:Greeneville, Tennessee

Category:Professional baseball teams in Tennessee