Razor Shines Inducted into Southern League Hall of Fame
Jackson, Tenn. - Razor Shines, who spent three years with the Memphis Chicks in the early 80s, was inducted into the Southern League Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Shines was part of a 12-member class, the second-ever in the Southern League Hall of Fame.
Shines had 311 hits, 52 doubles, eight triples, 46 home runs and 171 in three years with the Chicks. He played at least 109 games for the team in each season from 1981 to 1983.
The infielder was named to the Southern League Post-Season All-Star team in 1983 after a season in which he hit .286 with 20 home runs, 27 doubles, 63 RBIs and a .521 slugging percentage. He only struck out 59 times while drawing 55 walks that season.
Shines made his major league debut later that season, appearing as a pinch runner for the Expos on September 9. He played in parts of four seasons with Montreal as a player.
The Durham, North Carolina native was taken in the 18th round of the 1978 draft by the Montreal Expos out of high school. He made it Memphis in 1981 after three years in the minors.
The Chicks, who predated the Generals, played in the Southern League as a Double-A team from 1978 to 1997 before moving to Jackson as the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. Shines played for the Chicks while they were an Expos affiliate.
Shines has gone onto a successful coaching career at both the major and minor league levels. He has managed for three years in the Southern League, most recently leading the Chattanooga Lookouts to a North Division pennant last year. He spent 2004 and 2005 at the helm of the Birmingham Barons, taking home Southern League Manager of the Year honors after winning 82 games.
He has also spent three seasons as a base coach at the major league level. He served as the third-base coach for the Chicago White Sox in 2007 and the first-base coach for the New York Mets in 2009 and 2010.
Shines becomes the second member of the Memphis Chicks to earn an induction into the Southern League Hall of Fame, after Bo Jackson became the Jackson franchise's inaugural inductee last year.
The 2015 class includes a total of 12 members. One inductee was selected from each of the Southern League's member clubs or its clubs from prior franchise history. According to League Hall of Fame rules, a tie between two nominees from one franchise results in the election of both as was the case with Birmingham this year. An additional member was selected from the Special Consideration Ballot, which includes nominees from the original Southern League (1885-1899) and Southern Association (1901-1961). The entire list can be seen below.
2015 Southern League Hall of Fame Class
- Biloxi: Scott Brosius (Huntsville Stars, 1989-90)
- Birmingham: Frank Thomas (Birmingham Barons, 1990) and Rollie Fingers (Birmingham A's, 1967-68)
- Chattanooga: Trevor Hoffman (Chattanooga Lookouts, 1991-92)
- Jackson: Razor Shines (Memphis Chicks, 1981-83; Birmingham MGR, 2004-05; Chattanooga MGR 2014)
- Jacksonville: Randy Johnson (Jacksonville Expos, 1987)
- Mississippi: Chipper Jones (Greenville Braves, 1992)
- Mobile: Turner Ward (Mobile BayBears, 2011-12)
- Montgomery: Lou Whitaker (Montgomery Rebels, 1977)
- Pensacola: Jason Kendall (Carolina Mudcats)
- Tennessee: Carlos Delgado (Knoxville Smokies, 1993)
- Special Consideration Ballot: Harmon Killebrew (Chattanooga Lookouts, 1957-58)
Jackson's first home game of 2015 is April 15 against the Mississippi Braves. That contest kicks off a ten-game home stand at The Ballpark at Jackson. Season Ticket Packages, Flex Packs and Pyro Packs are available by calling the Generals at (731) 988.5299 or online at jacksongeneralsbaseball.com.