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The Nashville Vols were a Minor League Baseball franchise that played in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1901 to 1963; the team was inactive in 1962 due to declining attendance and the Southern Association ceasing operations after 1961. After 62 seasons of play, 1,215 players had competed in at least one game for the Vols. Of those players, 546 also played in at least one game for a Major League Baseball team. Fourteen players also served in the position of manager concurrent with their on-field playing.
The Nashville Baseball Club was formed as a charter member of the newly organized Class B Southern Association in 1901. The team did not receive their official moniker, the Nashville Volunteers, until 1908. However, the team was, and is, commonly referred to as the Vols. Their last season in the Southern Association was 1961. After sitting out the 1962 season, the Vols returned for a final season as a part of the South Atlantic League in 1963. Over their 62-year existence, the Vols competed at four class levels: Class B (1901), Class A (1902–1935), Class A1 (1936–1945), and Double-A (1946–1961, 1963). They served as a farm club for eight major league teams.
Today, all minor league teams are affiliated with a Major League Baseball team. The purpose of a minor league club is to develop players for the major league team. However, it wasn't until the 1930s that Nashville entered into such major league affiliations on a consistent basis. Nashville was affiliated with eight major league teams throughout its existence: the Cleveland Indians (1908), Chicago White Sox (1920), New York Giants (1934–1935 and 1952–1954), Cincinnati Reds (1936–1937 and 1955–1960), Brooklyn Dodgers (1938–1940), Chicago Cubs (1943–1951), Minnesota Twins (1961), and Los Angeles Angels (1963).
Two members of the Vols were later honored by being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Outfielder Kiki Cuyler, who played for the Vols in 1923, was enshrined in 1968. Pitcher Waite Hoyt, who played for the Vols in 1918, was enshrined in 1969. Twenty-three of the team's players distinguished themselves by winning a Major League Baseball award or being named to a major league All-Star team. Jake Daubert and Bucky Walters have each won Most Valuable Player Awards. Dusty Rhodes won the Babe Ruth Award. Johnny Edwards won a Gold Glove Award. Twenty-one alumni were selected to play in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game