Chattanooga Lookouts legends Joe Engel, Sal Rende set for Southern League Hall of Fame induction

February 13, 2019 at 7:32 p.m. | Updated February 14, 2019 at 7:58 p.m.

by David Paschall

From left to right, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Mitchell, Joe Engel and Babe Ruth stand together in this undated photo.
From left to right, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Mitchell, Joe Engel and Babe Ruth stand together in this undated photo.

Two legendary Chattanooga Lookouts figures, Joe Engel and Sal Rende, are among the Southern League Hall of Fame's four-member class for 2019.

Rende spent parts of the 1978 through 1982 seasons with the Lookouts and was Chattanooga's manager in 1987. He set a league record during the 1978 season by recording the most putouts (1,292) for a first baseman, and he came back in 1979 to post a .322 batting average. In 540 career games with the Lookouts, Rende amassed 87 home runs and 328 RBIs.

photo From left to right, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Mitchell, Joe Engel and Babe Ruth stand together in this undated photo.
Engel is entering the Southern League Hall of Fame via the special consideration ballot and is being recognized for his tenure as Lookouts president. A former scout and promoter, Engel was named Minor League Baseball's "King of Baseball" in 1960. He died in Chattanooga in 1969 at the age of 76.
photo Joe Engel, right, the namesake of Engel Stadium, stands with an unidentified man in front of Engel's homing pigeon house in this undated photo.

Already representing the Lookouts in the Southern League Hall of Fame, which inducted its inaugural class in 2014, are former owner Frank Burke (2014 inductee), former pitcher Trevor Hoffman (2015), former third baseman Harmon Killebrew (2015), former manager Razor Shines (2015) and current broadcaster Larry Ward (2016).

The newest inductees will be recognized in June prior to the Southern League All-Star Game in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Rounding out this year's class are former Knoxville/Tennessee pitcher Roy Halladay and former Jacksonville outfielder Larry Walker. Halladay, who died in a November 2017 plane crash off the Florida coast, was a two-time Cy Young Award winner and last month was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in the majors.

Walker was a 1987 Southern League All-Star and went on to become a five-time MLB All-Star, and he was named National League MVP with the Colorado Rockies in 1997, when he hit .366 with 49 home runs.

Listening plans

The Lookouts have announced their games this year will be on 98.1 WLND-FM. Ward will be serving as Chattanooga's broadcaster for a 32nd consecutive season.

Chattanooga's regular-season opener is April 4 against the Montgomery Biscuits at AT&T Field.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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