{{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox Minor League Baseball | name = Clarksville Volunteers | firstseason = 1910 | lastseason = 1916 | allyears = {{baseball year|1910}}–{{baseball year|1914}}, {{baseball year|1916}} | city = Clarksville, Tennessee | logo = | caplogo = | class level = Class D (1910–1914, 1916) | league = Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (1910–1914, 1916) | majorleague = Unaffiliated (1910–1914, 1916) | nickname= {{plainlist| *'''Clarksville Volunteers''' (1916) *Clarksville Boosters (1913–1914) *Clarksville Rebels (1912) *Clarksville Billies (1911) *'''Clarksville Volunteers''' (1910) }} | ballpark = League Park (1910–1914, 1916) | pennum = 1 | pennants = 1912 | leaguenum = 0 | leaguechamps = None | firsthalfnum = 1 | firsthalfchamps = 1916 }} The '''Clarksville Volunteers''' were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Class D Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (KITTY League) from 1910 to 1915 and in 1916. They were located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and played their home games at League Park. The team operated under various names over their six-year run: the Volunteers in their first and last years (1910 and 1916), the '''Clarksville Billies''' (1911), '''Clarksville Rebels''' (1912), and '''Clarksville Boosters''' (1913–1914). They won the KITTY League pennant in 1912.

==History== Clarksville, Tennessee, had been previously represented in the Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League by the Clarksville Villagers in 1903 and the Clarksville Grays in 1904.<ref name=BRcity>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Clarksville&state=TN&country=US|title=Clarksville, Tennessee Encyclopedia|website=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=May 25, 2020}}</ref> The city returned to professional baseball and the KITTY League in 1910 with the Clarksville Volunteers, which played at League Park.<ref name=SC1910team>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-cv10928/y-1910|title=1910 Clarksville Volunteers Roster|work=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref>

The Volunteers lost their 1910 season opener on the road to the Vincennes Alices, 2–0, on May 26.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52198549/vincennes-shuts-out-clarksville/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Vincennes Shuts Out Clarksville|work=News-Democrat|location=Paducah|date=May 27, 1910|page=6}}</ref> They won their first game on May 28 at Vincennes, 2–1.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52198804/alices-win-three-straights/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Alices Win Three Straights|work=The Leaf-Chronicle|location=Clarksville|date=May 30, 1910|page=1}}</ref> Clarksville's pitchers tossed three no-hitters in 1910. The first occurred on August 6, when Monte Prieste no-hit Vincennes in a 2–1 home win in the first game of a seven-inning doubleheader.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52199259/win-two-out-of-three/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Win Two Out of Three|work=The Leaf-Chronicle|location=Clarksville|date=August 8, 1910|page=5}}</ref> Prieste pitched a second no-hitter on September 5 on the road against Vincennes in the second game of a doubleheader, winning 3–0 in seven innings.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52199447/won-double-header-from-vincennes/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Won Double-Header from Vincennes|work=The Leaf-Chronicle|location=Clarksville|date=September 6, 1910|page=5}}</ref> The third came again in the second game of doubleheader on September 20 when Ewing Harris tossed five no-hit innings at home against the McLeansboro Miners. The game was called so the Miners could catch their train.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52199727/moguls-win-second-place/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Moguls Win Second Place|work=Hopkinsville Kentuckian|location=Hopkinsville |date=September 22, 1910|page=8}}</ref> The Volunteers finished the season in second place with a 55–60 (.478) record but failed to win either half of the split season and qualify for the playoffs.<ref name=SC1910league>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-KITL/y-1910|title=1910 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Standings|website=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref>

The 1911 Clarksville team, known as the Billies, placed last of eight KITTY League teams at 51–71 (.418).<ref name=SC1911league>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-KITL/y-1911|title=1911 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Standings|website=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref> On June 27 of that season, Applegate pitched a no-hitter against the Fulton Colonels.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52510433/pitches-no-hit-no-run-game/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Pitches No-Hit No-Run Game|work=Nashville Banner|location=Nashville|date=June 28, 1911|page=4}}</ref> The 1912 Clarksville Rebels won the KITTY League pennant with a first-place 68–29 (.701) record.<ref name=LO9-5-12>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52510611/minor-leaguers-to-battle-for-title/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Minor Leaguers to Battle For Title|work=The Courier-Journal|location=Louisville|date=September 5, 1912|page=8}}</ref><ref name=SC1912league>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-KITL/y-1912|title=1912 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Standings|website=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref> The Rebels then met the Frankfort Lawmakers, champions of the Blue Grass League, in what was billed as the championship title of Class D.<ref name=LO9-5-12/> Frankfort won the series.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52510578/frankfort-won-the-championship/|via=Newspapers.com|title=Frankfort Won the Championship|work=The Nashville Tennessean|location=Nashville|date=September 8, 1912|page=8}}</ref>

On September 5, 1913, Charles Humphrey tossed a seven-inning no-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader against the Hopkinsville Hoppers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5PREAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RrcMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4372%2C1126063|via=Google News|title=Joe Humphrey in Rarest Form|work=Daily Kentucky New Era|location=Hopkinsville|date=September 6, 1913|page=6}}</ref> The 1913 Volunteers narrowly missed the pennant with a second-place finish at 78–47 (.624), just one game behind the champion Paducah Chiefs.<ref name=SC1913league>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-KITL/y-1913|title=1913 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Standings|website=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref> On July 4, 1914, Goldkamp no-hit Hopkinsville, 6–0.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qoIhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7YsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4849%2C1139545|via=Google News|title=Owensboro to Play Tomorrow|work=Daily Kentucky New Era|location=Hopkinsville|date=July 6, 1914|page=48}}</ref> The Clarksville Boosters ended the season fifth out of six teams at 22–39 (.361).<ref name=SC1914league>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-KITL/y-1914|title=1914 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Standings|website=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref> The KITTY League was nonoperational in 1915,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-KITL|title=Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Yearly Standings|website=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref> but it and the Volunteers returned in 1916.<ref name=SC1916league>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-KITL/y-1916|title=1916 Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Standings|website=Stats Crew|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref> Clarksville won the first half of the season.<ref name=SC1916league/> The Volunteers won both games of a doubleheader against Hopkinsville, 2–0 and 3–0, on August 7, the last day of play before the league folded.<ref name=Bn8-8-16>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52513356/kitty-league-season-over/|via=Newspapers.com|title=KITTY League Season Over|work=Nashville Banner|location=Nashville|date=August 8, 1916|page=11}}</ref> Clarksville posted a season record of 50–24 (.676).<ref name=SC1916league/> Over six years of competition, Clarksville's record was 324–270 (.545).

The city of Clarksville did not field another professional baseball team until the Clarksville Owls joined the KITTY League in 1946.<ref name=BRcity/>

==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"| 1910 | 55–60 | .478 | {{sort|02.0|2nd}} | {{sort|07.5|{{frac|7|1|2}}}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | — | <ref name=SC1910league/> |- !scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1911 | 51–71 | .418 | {{sort|08.0|8th}} | {{sort|26.0|26}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | — | <ref name=SC1911league/> |- !scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1912 | 68–29 | .701 | {{sort|01.0|1st}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | '' Won KITTY League pennant''<ref name=LO9-5-12/> | <ref name=SC1912league/> |- !scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1913 | 78–47 | .624 | {{sort|02.0|2nd}} | {{sort|01.0|1}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | — | <ref name=SC1913league/> |- !scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1914 | 22–39 | .361 | {{sort|05.0|5th}} | {{sort|24.0|24}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | — | <ref name=SC1914league/> |- !scope="row" style="text-align:center"| 1916 | 50–24 | .676 | {{sort|01.0|1st}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | {{sort|00.0|—}} | ''Won first half title''<br />No playoffs held<ref name=SC1916league/> | <ref name=SC1916league/> |- class="sortbottom" !scope="row" style="text-align:center"|'''Totals''' ! 324–270 ! .545 ! — ! — ! — ! — ! — ! — |}

==Notable players== Two players also played in at league one game in Major League Baseball during their careers. These players and their seasons with Clarksville were:

*Bill Keen (1910)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=keen--002wil|title=Bill Keen Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref> *Mark Stewart (1910)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=stewar002mar|title=Bill Keen Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Clarksville&state=TN&country=US Statistics from ''Baseball-Reference''] *[https://www.statscrew.com/sports/places/m-4189155 Statistics from ''Stats Crew'']

Category:1910 establishments in Tennessee Category:1916 disestablishments in Tennessee Category:Baseball teams established in 1910 Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1916 Category:Defunct baseball teams in Tennessee Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams Category:Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League Category:Professional baseball teams in Tennessee Volunteers