- Bill Nicholson (baseball)
Infobox MLB retired
name=Bill Nicholson
position=Outfielder
bats=Left
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date|1914|12|11
city-state|Chestertown|Maryland
deathdate=death date and age|1996|3|8|1914|12|11
city-state|Chestertown|Maryland
debutdate=June 13
debutyear=by|1936
debutteam=Philadelphia Athletics
finaldate=September 19
finalyear=by|1953
finalteam=Philadelphia Phillies
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.268
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=235
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=948
teams=
* Philadelphia Athletics (by|1936)
*Chicago Cubs (by|1939-by|1948)
*Philadelphia Phillies (by|1949-by|1953)
highlights=
* 5x All-Star selection (1940, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1945)William Beck (Bill) Nicholson (
December 11 ,1914 -March 8 ,1996 ) was aright fielder inMajor League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1936),Chicago Cubs (1939-1948) andPhiladelphia Phillies (1949-1953). A native ofChestertown, Maryland , where he attendedWashington College , he batted left handed and threw right handed.In by|1944, Nicholson received an
intentional walk with the bases loaded. He is listed as one of only six players in major league history to do it. The others areAbner Dalrymple (1881),Nap Lajoie (1901),Del Bissonette (1928),Barry Bonds (1998) andJosh Hamilton (2008).Career
In a 16-year career, Nicholson posted a .268
batting average with 235home run s and 948 RBI in 1677 games.Nicknamed "Swish" because of his mighty swing, which often missed the ball, Nicholson twice led the
National League in home runs and RBI. He played briefly in theAmerican League for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1936, then spent two years in the minors before joining the Chicago Cubs in 1939. Nicholson became a regular with the Cubs in 1940. His most productive season came in 1943, when he hit .309 with a league-leading 29 home runs and 128 RBI. He finished 3rd in the NL MVP Award vote behindStan Musial andWalker Cooper .In 1944, Nicholson slipped to .287, but he again led the NL in home runs (33), RBI (122) and runs (116). In the same season, after hitting four consecutive homers in a July 23 doubleheader at the
Polo Grounds , he came to bat with the bases loaded in the seventh inning of the second game, and was intentionally walked. Obviously, that forced in a run, but the Cubs couldn't score again and the Giants won the game, 12-10. This time, he lost the MVP honors by one vote toMarty Marion .Although Nicholson helped the Cubs to the 1945 pennant, his failing eyesight resulted in a slip in production. He hit only .243 with 13 home runs and 88 RBI in the regular season, and batted just .214 with eight RBI in Chicago's seven-game loss to the
Detroit Tigers in the World Series.In 1949, Nicholson was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he became a part-time player and frequent
pinch-hitter . The next season, after he became weak and lost weight, was disclosed that Nicholson was diabetic. He was unable to play in the World Series with his "Whiz Kids" teammates against the Yankees. Well respected as one of the toughest men to double up, Nicholson hit intodouble play s only once every 90.7 at-bats. He finished his career in 1953 with eight pinch homers.Bill Nicholson died in
Chestertown, Maryland , at age of 81.Highlights
*5-time All-Star (1940-41, 1943-45)
*Twice led NL in home runs (1943-44)
*Twice led NL in RBI (1943-44)
*Led NL in runs (1944)
*One of five NL right fielders to register 11total chances in a game (1945). The others areHarry Schafer (1877),Greasy Neale (1920),Casey Stengel (1920) andBake McBride (1978). The major league record is held byTony Armas , who handled 12 chances in an AL game (1982).ee also
*
Top 500 home run hitters of all time
*List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
*List of Major League Baseball home run champions
*List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
*Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game External links
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/N/Nicholson_Bill.stm Baseball Library] - profile and chronology
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/n/nichobi01.shtml Baseball Reference] - statistics and analysis
* [http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-3274-5 "Swish" Nicholson - A Biography of Wartime Baseball’s Leading Slugger] - biography
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