The Greenwood Scouts were a minor league baseball team based in Greenwood, Mississippi. From 1910 to 1912, the "Scouts" played as a member of the Class D level Cotton States League, winning the 1910 and 1912 league championships before the league folded.
The Greenwood "Indians' resumed play in 1921 as the champion of the Class D level Mississippi State League. The Indians returned to the reformed Cotton States League in 1922 and won the league championship before folding from the league following the 1923 season.
Both the Greenwood Scouts and Indians teams hosted home minor league teams at Wright Park in Greenwood.
History 1910 to 1912: Two Cotton States League championships Greenwood, Mississippi first hosted minor league baseball in 1910, when the Greenwood "Scouts" became members of the six-team, Class D level Cotton States League. The Cotton States League was reforming after not playing the 1909 season and the Greenwood team was added as a new franchise in the league. The Greenwood Scouts joined with the Hattiesburg Timberjacks, Jackson Tigers, Meridian White Ribbons, Vicksburg Hill Billies and Yazoo City Zoos teams in beginning Cotton States League play on May 2, 1910. In an era where team nicknames were often coined by local newspapers, the 1910 Greenwood team was also known as the "Chauffeurs."
Before a Greenwood game in Jackson, Mississippi in July 1910, a former Cotton States umpire named Hunt was in Jackson. One week earlier, Hunt had been fired by the Cotton States League. Greenwood was in town for a game against the Jackson Tigers and public altercations involving Hunt and several Greenwood players occurred. According to reports, while on the corner of Mill and Capitol Streets, Hunt and Greenwood player Orth Collins (who later managed the team) encountered each other. Collins accused Hunt of betting on games that he had umpired. Hunt then punched Collins, knocking him down. Later, Hunt went to the Lemon Hotel, where the Greenwood players were gathering in the lobby. Greenwood catcher Jack Law and Hunt began fighting in the lobby when Hunt fell over a chair and fell to the floor, with Greenville's Ray Rolling, joining the fight while Law kicked Hunt in the eye. Other Greenville players, including Clyde Frakes, cornered Hunt, who began fight off each, knocking them to the floor with punches. Deputy Sheriff Sanders arrived on the scene and arrested Hunt and six Greenville players. Four players were quickly released, but Hunt, Rolling and Collins were jailed overnight before appearing in court the next day. The three were released from jail after paying court issued fines.
In their first season of play, the Greenwood Scouts won the 1910 Cotton States League championship. In the final standings of the Cotton States League, Greenwood placed first in the six-team league, while playing the season under manager Woody Thornton. With a 71–36 record, Greenwood finished first, ending the season just ½ game ahead the second place Jackson Tigers (71–37) in final standings of the six-team league. The Cotton states League did not have a playoff format in 1910. Greenwood pitcher Robert Lee Vernuelle led the Cotton States League with 24 wins. Greenwood manager Woody Thornton came to the team after playing the previous four seasons with the Mobile Sea Gulls of the Cotton States League and Southern Association.
As defending champions, the Greenwood Scouts team continued play in 1911 Cotton States League. The Scouts finished in fifth place in the final standings of six-team Class D level league. With a 46–68 record, the Scouts placed fifth under returning manager Woody Thornton and Orth Collins, finishing 26½ games behind the first place Vicksburg Hill Billies in the six–team league. No league playoffs were held. After leaving Greenwood, manager Woody Thorton finished the 1911 season with the Jackson Drummers in Cotton States League play.
Left-hander Sherry Smith pitched for Greenwood in 1911 at age 20. Smith has made his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier in the 1911 season and was sent by Pittsburgh to Greenwood. With Greenwood, Smith won each of his first three starts for the Scouts. He had a 9–4 record in mid-August when Pittsburgh wished to promote him, however a leg injury, ended his season before he could depart Greenwood. His major league career spanned from 1911 until 1927. Smith pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Robins and Cleveland Indians in his major league career. He then played and managed in the minor leagues through 1932.
Smith had a notable post season career. In Game 2 of the 1916 World Series, Smith was the losing pitcher loser of one of the longest World Series games ever played. Smith pitched a complete game into the 14th inning for the Brooklyn Robins, dueling with the Boston Red Sox starting pitcher, Babe Ruth. The Red Sox the game by the score of 2–1 with a run with two outs in the 14th inning off of Smith. Babe Ruth also pitched a complete game for Boston in the Red Sox' victory.
In the 1920 World Series, on October 7, 1920, Smith was the winning pitcher for Brooklyn in Game 3 of the series against the Cleveland Indians. Smith threw a complete game, three-hitter in a 2–1 Brooklyn victory. In Game 6, of the 1920 series, Smith lost a 1–0 game to with Cleveland's Duster Mails, with both pitchers throwing complete games. In his 14-season career, Smith compiled a 114–118 record with a 3.32 ERA in 2,052.2 innings pitched.
The 1912 Greenwood Scouts continued play as members of the Cotton States League and won the league championship in a shortened season. On June 5, 1912, Greenwood had compiled a 51–64 record when the league stopped play. Playing the season under returning manager Orth Collings and Martin Dudley, Greenwood finished the season in third place, but the first place Vicksburg Hill Billies and other teams had folded during the season. Greenwood was declared the league champion as Vicksburg, the first half winner, had disbanded and Greenwood led the second half standings.
After leaving Greenwood, player/manager Orth Collins joined the Meridian Mets for the remainder of the season in what was his final professional season at age 32.
Manager Martin Dudley came to Greenwood to replace Collins, having started the 1912 season with the Yazoo City Zoos. A catcher, the managerial position with the Scouts was Dudley's first season as a manager. Dudley managed the Thomasville Hornets of the Empire State League in 1913.
At age 20, Pol Perritt played for the Scouts in 1912 in his first professional season, splitting the season between the Vicksburg Hill Billies and Greenwood. Between the two teams, Perritt compiled an overall 18–18 record for the season. Perritt had been released by Vicksburg in April, 1912 and was quickly picked up by Greenwood, whom he had pitched against with Vicksburg, catching the attention of Greenwood management.Perritt and Hooks Canned,” Vicksburg Evening Post, April 26, 1912: 3 On May 20, 1912, Perritt pitched both games of a doubleheader against Vicksburg, winning one game and losing one.Double Bill Split on Greenwood Lot,” New Orleans Times-Democrat, May 21, 1912: 10 Following the Cotton League season, Perritt was purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals in September 1912. Cardinals scout Bill Armour had signed Perritt and brought Perritt with him on his return to St. Louis. Finishing the season with St. Louis, Perritt compiled a 1–1 record with a 3.19 ERA in six games in the closing weeks of the National League season. Perritt pitched ten major league seasons compiling a 92–78 record with a 2.89 ERA in 256 career major league games. Perritt's major league career ended after he had a financial dispute with the Detroit Tigers. A native of Arcadia, Louisiana, Perritt forged a successful career in the oil business in Louisiana and had encouraged his teammates to join him in the industry while still a player. In 1934, Perritt was injured when shot by a business associate during a fist fight that required police intervention.“Two Oil Men Face Charges as Sequel to Fight at Hotel,” Shreveport Journal, August 28, 1934: 1, 8.
The Greenwood franchise did not continue play in the 1913 Cotton States League, as Greenwood was replaced in the league by the Selma Cloverleafs franchise. The Cotton States League continued play for just the 1913 season before disbanding due to the onset of World War I.
1921: Mississippi State League championship In 1921, Greenwood, Mississippi resumed hosting minor league play when the Greenwood "Indians" became charter members of the four-team class D level Mississippi State League. Greenwood joined with the Clarksdale Cubs, Jackson Red Sox and Meridian Mets teams in beginning Mississippi State League play on April 25, 1921.
The Greenwood Indians won the Mississippi State League championship. The championship was won in a season that saw Greenwood end the regular season in second place in the overall league standings and win a pennant in the split season schedule. With a record of 59–49, the Indians finished 6½ games behind the first place Clarksdale Cubs in the overall standings. In the split season schedule, Clarksdale won the second half pennant after Greenwood had won the first half pennant, setting up the playoff between the two teams. Charles Bell managed Greenwood in 1921. In the playoff between the two split season champions, Greenwood defeated Clarksdale 5 games to 0 to win the Mississippi State League championship. During the league playoffs, Red Lucas threw a no-hitter in a shutout win for Greenwood over Clarksdale and their pitcher Earl Webb. Player/manager Charles Bell hit .328 on the season, playing in 100 games for the Indians. John Kane, who split the season between Greenwood and the Meridian Mets won the Cotton States League batting title, hitting .355. Greenwood pitcher Hugh Boyd compiled an 11–5 record to lead the league in winning percentage.
A member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, Hughie Critz played for the Greenwood Indians in 1921 in his first professional season. A native of Starkville, Mississippi, Critz had attended college in Starkville at Mississippi A&M, today's Mississippi State University. His father, Professor Colonel Hugh Critz Sr., was a respected teacher at the college and was appointed president of Mississippi A&M in 1930. After the 1922 season Greenwood sold Critz contract to the Memphis Chickasaws for $2,000 and Critz agreed to the transaction after receiving half of the transaction price.
In the 1921 season, Critz batted .299 for Greenwood, playing in 101 games for the Indians at age 20. Critz made his major league debut with the 1924 Cincinnati Reds, a rookie season in which he hit .322 in 104 games with the Reds. Critz played in the World Series in 1933, as the starting second baseman with the champion New York Giants. Retiring on September 27, 1935, Critz ended his 12-season major league career, with a batting average of .268 with 38 home runs and 531 RBIs, playing in 1478 games. Critz had 97 career stolen bases, 832 runs scored, 195 doubles and 95 triples, with 1591 total hits in 5930 at bats. Defensively, Critz recorded a .974 fielding percentage while playing second base.
After his retirement from baseball, Critz returned to the area and resided on his 1,000-acre plantation located outside Greenwood, Mississippi. His former New York Giants manager Bill Terry wanted Critz to manage the Greenwood Giants, a Cotton States League team owned by Terry, but he turned down the managerial offer. Instead, Crits opened Hugh Critz Motor Co., a Ford-Lincoln dealership in Greenwood. In 1962, Critz died in Greenwood, Mississippi at the age 79.