5. Baseball

Nolensville was renowned for its rec-league baseball teams. There was a baseball team every year since 1906 with the exception of the World War II years 1942-44. The current ball field was built in 1937 by the Nolensville Elementary School.

Several local players made the Major Leagues. Johnny Gooch (catcher) played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and won a World Series in 1925, played for the Nolensville team, though he lived in Smyrna.

Tommy Bridges, who pitched in the MLB for Detroit, played at Nolensville, as did Neil Caldwell and Sam Sanford.

The most successful ball player to come out of Nolensville was Jim Turner. Turner began his pro career as a pitcher in the “Kitty League” team in Paris, Tn. He made it into the big leagues in 1937 at the age of 33 with Boston. He led the league in ERA, with 2.38, in that first year. After two years, he moved to Cincinatti, until landing with the New York Yankees in 1942, where he pitched for three seasons until his retirement in 1945. His career record was 69 wins and 60 losses.

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