Tex Nelson
Encyclopedia
Robert Sidney Nelson was an American
outfielder
in Major League Baseball
. Listed at 6' 3" (1.91 m), 205 lb. (93 kg), he batted and threw left-handed.
Born in Dallas, Texas
, Nelson was signed by the Baltimore Orioles
to a bonus contract in and, because of the bonus rules then in force, was forced to spend his first professional season on the Orioles' major league roster. From 1955 through 1957 he appeared in only 64 games because of his limited experience, and never fulfilled his potential.
Nelson was a natural athlete and member of the State Champion Adamson High School baseball team, where he had been known as the "Babe Ruth
of Texas." One time Dizzy Dean
visited one of their games and thrilled Nelson by telling him, Son, I ain't NEVER seen a baseball hit that hard or that far!
He joined the Orioles directly after graduating from Adamson High School in 1955, where he got his nickname ″Tex″ from his roommate, Brooks Robinson
. He was with the organization for nine years until injuries forced his retirement. Although Nelson connected for 29 and 21 home runs in his later minor league baseball
career, both times in the Class B Northwest League
, he never hit a homer in the majors.
Altogether, Nelson played in 79 games for the Orioles between 1955 and 1957, collecting 25 hits
in 122 at-bats for a .205 average, including two doubles
and two triples
, while driving in
11 runs and scoring
11 times.
Following his major league stint, Nelson played in the minors through the 1961 season. He returned to Dallas and went to work for ETMF/ABF trucking industry, where he retired after 30 years. He also enjoyed being a troop scout master for
the boy scouts and singing with the Champion Award-Winning 160 voice barbershop chorus, The Vocal Majority.
Nelson died in Dallas, Texas, at the age of 74.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in Major League Baseball
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...
. Listed at 6' 3" (1.91 m), 205 lb. (93 kg), he batted and threw left-handed.
Born in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Nelson was signed by the 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...
to a bonus contract in and, because of the bonus rules then in force, was forced to spend his first professional season on the Orioles' major league roster. From 1955 through 1957 he appeared in only 64 games because of his limited experience, and never fulfilled his potential.
Nelson was a natural athlete and member of the State Champion Adamson High School baseball team, where he had been known as the "Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
of Texas." One time Dizzy Dean
Dizzy Dean
Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953....
visited one of their games and thrilled Nelson by telling him, Son, I ain't NEVER seen a baseball hit that hard or that far!
He joined the Orioles directly after graduating from Adamson High School in 1955, where he got his nickname ″Tex″ from his roommate, Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
. He was with the organization for nine years until injuries forced his retirement. Although Nelson connected for 29 and 21 home runs in his later minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
career, both times in the Class B Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
, he never hit a homer in the majors.
Altogether, Nelson played in 79 games for the Orioles between 1955 and 1957, collecting 25 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 122 at-bats for a .205 average, including two 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....
and two 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....
, while driving in
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...
11 runs and scoring
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
11 times.
Following his major league stint, Nelson played in the minors through the 1961 season. He returned to Dallas and went to work for ETMF/ABF trucking industry, where he retired after 30 years. He also enjoyed being a troop scout master for
the boy scouts and singing with the Champion Award-Winning 160 voice barbershop chorus, The Vocal Majority.
Nelson died in Dallas, Texas, at the age of 74.