1959 Knoxville Smokies Roster
Team Record: 78-62
Finished 1st in the SAL
Manager: Johnny Pesky (78-62)
Affiliation: Detroit Tigers
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Ballpark: Smithson Stadium
Attendance: 108,633, Avg. 1,552
Playoffs - Charleston ChaSox 3 games, Knoxville Smokies 2
The Knoxville Smokies of the South Atlantic League ended the 1959 season with a record of 78 wins and 62 losses, finishing first in the SAL.
The Smokies allowed 550 runs, least in the league. Knoxville tallied 659 runs. Allie Benza paced the team with 14 home runs and drove in 77 runs. Pablo Rivera led batters with significant playing time by connecting at a .292 clip. Jim Proctor topped the squad with 15 wins and a team-best 2.19 ERA, leading pitchers with enough qualifying appearances.
Players from the 1959 Knoxville Smokies who spent time in Major League Baseball during their careers included Bob Dustal, Jack Feller, Larry Foster, Doug Gallagher, Fred Gladding, Howie Koplitz, Frank Kostro, Mickey Lolich, Dick McAuliffe, Tex Nelson, Ron Nischwitz, Jim Proctor, Buck Rodgers and Jake Wood.
Johnny Pesky served as manager.Click on column headings to sort.
| Player | Bats | Throws | Birth Date | Height | Weight | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gene Bacque | R | R | August 12, 1937 | 6'3" | 195 | New Iberia, LA US |
| Richard Beck | R | R | November 21, 1935 | 6'0" | 190 | Lewisburg, PA US |
| Moby Benedict | R | March 29, 1935 | 5'8" | 170 | Detroit, MI US | |
| Allie Benza | R | R | January 8, 1933 | 6'1" | 185 | New York, NY US |
| Jack Bowen | R | R | July 29, 1937 | 6'0" | 185 | Detroit, MI US |
| Ted Brzenk | R | R | October 7, 1937 | 6'0" | 185 | Milwaukee, WI US |
| Richard Day | L | L | October 9, 1937 | 6'0" | 185 | Escanaba, MI US |
| Manuel Diaz | R | R | December 12, 1934 | 5'11" | 180 | Chitre, PA |
| Bob Dustal | R | R | September 28, 1935 | 6'0" | 172 | Sayreville, NJ US |
| Jack Feller | R | R | December 10, 1936 | 5'10" | 185 | Adrian, MI US |
| Blas Fernandez | R | 5'10" | 170 | |||
| Larry Foster | L | R | December 24, 1937 | 6'0" | 185 | Lansing, MI US |
| Doug Gallagher | R | L | February 21, 1940 | 6'3" | 195 | Fremont, OH US |
| Fred Gladding | L | R | June 28, 1936 | 6'1" | 220 | Flat Rock, MI US |
| Arnie Hallgren | R | R | April 12, 1933 | 6'1" | 190 | Windfield, AB CA |
| David Justus | R | R | 5'10" | 170 | ||
| Phillip Kliewer | R | L | 6'3" | 170 | ||
| Howie Koplitz | R | R | May 4, 1938 | 5'10" | 190 | Oshkosh, WI US |
| Frank Kostro | R | R | August 4, 1937 | 6'2" | 190 | Windber, PA US |
| Jerry Kudajeski | L | November 19, 1934 | 6'1" | 205 | ||
| Mickey Lolich | S | L | September 12, 1940 | 6'1" | 170 | Portland, OR US |
| Eugene Luck | R | R | 5'11" | 170 | ||
| Don Lumley | L | L | December 30, 1936 | 5'11" | 185 | Sacramento, CA US |
| Dick McAuliffe | L | R | November 29, 1939 | 5'11" | 176 | Hartford, CT US |
| George McCue | L | L | July 4, 1932 | 5'10" | 160 | |
| Bob McDaniel | R | R | April 5, 1933 | 6'1" | 190 | Fort Worth, TX US |
| Tex Nelson | L | L | August 7, 1936 | 6'3" | 205 | Dallas, TX US |
| Ron Nischwitz | S | L | July 1, 1937 | 6'3" | 205 | Dayton, OH US |
| Jim Proctor | R | R | September 9, 1935 | 6'0" | 165 | Brandywine, MD US |
| Jesse Queen | R | R | June 7, 1937 | 5'9" | 170 | Cuthbert, GA US |
| Pablo Rivera | R | R | 5'10" | 165 | ||
| Buck Rodgers | S | R | August 16, 1938 | 6'2" | 190 | Delaware, OH US |
| J. C. Sells | R | March 30, 1934 | 6'1" | 185 | ||
| Frankie Shell | S | R | July 6, 1933 | 5'11" | 175 | Sage, AR US |
| Max Simmons | R | R | 6'1" | 175 | ||
| Gerald Thomas | R | R | 5'10" | 180 | ||
| Jake Wood | R | R | June 22, 1937 | 6'1" | 163 | Elizabeth, NJ US |
Average attendance is based upon the number of actual home dates where known (most leagues from 1992 and later). Where the number of home dates is not known, the average is calculated using half the team's total games.
