Columbia Mules

• Location: Columbia, TN
• League: Alabama-Tennessee League 1921; Big South League 1996; Heartland League 1997
• Affiliation: none
• Ballpark:

All three professional baseball clubs from Columbia, TN have been called the Columbia Mules. The first played in the 1921 Alabama-Tennessee League and went 42-46. 75 years later, the Mules were in the Big South League and were 39-31. They tied for the second half title and beat the Tennessee Tomahawks 2 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs before being swept in the finals by the Greenville Bluesmen. Led by Manager of the Year Barry Lyons, they were second in the league in attendance (39,229) and featured 3 All-Stars - OF Stanton Cameron (.333, a league-leading 21 HR and 78 RBI) and pitchers John Mitchell (8-3, 3.01, second in the league in ERA) and Charlie Mitchell (3-2, 1.17, a league-leading 12 saves).

In 1997, the Mules moved to the Heartland League and were 38-31 for Steve Howard. In the playoffs, they met up with the Tomahawks (55-15, winners of 33 of their last 34) and stunned them by taking 2 of 3 games. In the finals, they then beat the Anderson Lawmen 3 games to 1 to wrap up the pennant. They drew 22,253 fans, 5th in the HL. Eric Harris (.326) led the league with 28 doubles while John Mitchell went 5-4, 2.27. The club did not return the next year.

Sources: 1997-98 Baseball Almanacs

Year-by-Year Record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1921	42-46	3rd	Red Smith / Compton / ??
1996	40-31	2nd (t)	Barry Lyons	Lost League Finals
1997	38-31	2nd	Steve Howard	League Champs