Otis Nixon
Encyclopedia
Otis Junior Nixon, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball
player. He was a center fielder
and switch-hitter who played from 1983 to 1999. He has also played for the United States cricket team
.
with 67 & in the International League
with 94), runs scored (1980 in the South Atlantic League with 124 & 1983 in the International League with 129, hits (162 in 1983 in the International League), at bats (557 in 1983 in the International League) and walks (57 in 1979 in the Appalachian League
, 113 in 1980 in the South Atlantic League and 110 in 1981 in the Southern League). He started out as an infielder but was switched to outfield in 1983 due to his superior speed and his penchant for making errors (56 in 127 games in 1981 at shortstop for the Nashville Sounds).
Nixon shares the single game stolen base Major League record with 6 on June 16, 1991. He also holds the Atlanta Braves
single season record for stolen bases with 72 in 1991. In 1982, Nixon stole 107 bases in a combined season between the AA level Nashville Sounds
and the AAA level Columbus Clippers
.
In 17 seasons Nixon played with the New York Yankees
(1983), Cleveland Indians
(1984–87), Montreal Expos
(1988–90), Atlanta Braves
(1991–93, 1999), Boston Red Sox
(1994), Texas Rangers
(1995), Toronto Blue Jays
(1996–97), Los Angeles Dodgers
(1997) and Minnesota Twins
(1998).
Nixon battled a cocaine habit for much of his career. He was arrested on drug charges in 1987 while a member of the Cleveland Indians organization. Nixon failed a drug test in September 1991 and was suspended for 60 days, which caused Nixon to miss the 1991 World Series
.
On July 25, 1992, Otis made a catch over the wall to rob Andy Van Slyke
of a home run that was replayed constantly on the sports news television shows. Nixon made the final out of the 1992 World Series
attempting to bunt for a base hit with a runner on 3rd and 2 out in extra innings of Game 6. Nixon had successfully bunted for base hits many times for the Braves in 1991-1992, but this time it didn't work. It was the only World Series in history to end on a bunt. On his previous at-bat, Nixon had singled home the tying run (swinging, not bunting) with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th to send Game 6 to extra innings.
In the 1999 National League Championship Series
, 40-year-old Nixon made one of the key plays to save the series for the Braves. After the Braves had blown 5-0 and 7-3 leads in Game 6 and trailed 8-7 in the 8th inning, Nixon pinch ran at 1st base with 1 out and changed the momentum of the game and the series by stealing second and going to third when the throw went into center field. Nixon went on to score the tying run, and the Braves eventually won the game in extra innings.
Nixon was a career .270 hitter with 11 home run
s, 318 RBI
, 878 runs, 1379 hits, 142 doubles
, 27 triples
, and 620 stolen base
s in 1709 games.
Nixon's younger brother, Donell Nixon
, also played in the Major Leagues from 1987 through 1990 for the Seattle Mariners
, the San Francisco Giants
and Baltimore Orioles
.
In an interview on February 11, 2010 on Hardcore Sports Radio on Sirius
, Nixon discussed how he overcame his demons and conquered his drug and alcohol addiction.
Otis also recently married Gospel artist Candi Staton
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player. He was a center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
and switch-hitter who played from 1983 to 1999. He has also played for the United States cricket team
United States cricket team
The United States national cricket team is the team that represents the United States of America in international cricket matches. The team became an associate member of the International Cricket Council in 1965...
.
Career
In the minor leagues, Nixon led the league twice in stolen bases ( in the South Atlantic LeagueSouth Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
with 67 & in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
with 94), runs scored (1980 in the South Atlantic League with 124 & 1983 in the International League with 129, hits (162 in 1983 in the International League), at bats (557 in 1983 in the International League) and walks (57 in 1979 in the Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
, 113 in 1980 in the South Atlantic League and 110 in 1981 in the Southern League). He started out as an infielder but was switched to outfield in 1983 due to his superior speed and his penchant for making errors (56 in 127 games in 1981 at shortstop for the Nashville Sounds).
Nixon shares the single game stolen base Major League record with 6 on June 16, 1991. He also holds the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
single season record for stolen bases with 72 in 1991. In 1982, Nixon stole 107 bases in a combined season between the AA level Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
and the AAA level Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
.
In 17 seasons Nixon played with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(1983), Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1984–87), Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(1988–90), Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1991–93, 1999), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1994), Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(1995), Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
(1996–97), Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(1997) and Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(1998).
Nixon battled a cocaine habit for much of his career. He was arrested on drug charges in 1987 while a member of the Cleveland Indians organization. Nixon failed a drug test in September 1991 and was suspended for 60 days, which caused Nixon to miss the 1991 World Series
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
.
On July 25, 1992, Otis made a catch over the wall to rob Andy Van Slyke
Andy Van Slyke
Andrew James Van Slyke is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and former first base coach for the Detroit Tigers.-Career:...
of a home run that was replayed constantly on the sports news television shows. Nixon made the final out of the 1992 World Series
1992 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 17, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaBraves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine's post-season career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS...
attempting to bunt for a base hit with a runner on 3rd and 2 out in extra innings of Game 6. Nixon had successfully bunted for base hits many times for the Braves in 1991-1992, but this time it didn't work. It was the only World Series in history to end on a bunt. On his previous at-bat, Nixon had singled home the tying run (swinging, not bunting) with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th to send Game 6 to extra innings.
In the 1999 National League Championship Series
1999 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 12, 1999 at Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Braves began their eighth consecutive NLCS with a 4–2 victory over the Mets, defeating a team they left for dead two weeks earlier...
, 40-year-old Nixon made one of the key plays to save the series for the Braves. After the Braves had blown 5-0 and 7-3 leads in Game 6 and trailed 8-7 in the 8th inning, Nixon pinch ran at 1st base with 1 out and changed the momentum of the game and the series by stealing second and going to third when the throw went into center field. Nixon went on to score the tying run, and the Braves eventually won the game in extra innings.
Nixon was a career .270 hitter with 11 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 318 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, 878 runs, 1379 hits, 142 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 27 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and 620 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in 1709 games.
Nixon's younger brother, Donell Nixon
Donell Nixon
Robert Donell Nixon is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of four seasons in the majors, from until , playing all three outfield positions, most often in center field....
, also played in the Major Leagues from 1987 through 1990 for the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
Post-career
Nixon today runs On-Track Ministries (http://www.otisnixon.com/). He is working towards obtaining his Master's Degree in Divinity.In an interview on February 11, 2010 on Hardcore Sports Radio on Sirius
Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
, Nixon discussed how he overcame his demons and conquered his drug and alcohol addiction.
Otis also recently married Gospel artist Candi Staton
Candi Staton
Candi Staton is an American soul and gospel singer, best known for her 1970 remake of Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" and her 1976 disco hit "Young Hearts Run Free". In 2007, Staton was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame.-Early years:...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base records
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
Sources
- The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia – Gary Gillette, Peter Gammons, Pete Palmer. Publisher: Sterling Publishing, 2005. Format: Paperback, 1824pp. Language: English. ISBN 1-4027-4771-3
- Baseball Library article