Dave Nelson

Born: 6/20/1944 in Fort Sill, OK, USA

Died: 4/23/2018 in Milwaukee, WI, USA

MLB Debut: 1968-04-11 | Final Game: 1977-09-27

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 160 lbs

Full name: David Earl Nelson

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Biography

Dave Nelson, born in 1944, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1968 to 1977. Primarily a position player, Nelson appeared in 813 games throughout his career, showcasing his skills as a versatile athlete. He accumulated 630 hits, including 20 home runs, and drove in 211 RBIs, while maintaining a batting average of .244. Known for his speed on the bases, he recorded 187 stolen bases, demonstrating an ability to disrupt opposing defenses and add an element of excitement to the game. Nelson was selected as an All-Star during his career, a testament to his impact on the field and recognition among his peers. He played during a transformative era in baseball, navigating the transition from the more traditional styles of play into a game increasingly characterized by speed and power. His contributions to the teams he played for were significant, as he not only provided offensive production but also added depth and versatility, qualities that were highly valued during his playing days. Nelson's legacy lies in his ability to influence games with his speed and tenacity, leaving an indelible mark on the teams he represented.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
813	2578	340	630	77	19	20	211	187	220	392	0.244	0.305	0.312	0.618	-4332.5

Career AVG .244 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .305 vs. league average .320 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .312 vs. league average .371 across their career seasons — 15.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.618 vs. league average 0.691 across their career seasons — 10.6% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1968	CLE	AL	88	189	26	44	4	5	0	19	23	17	35	0.233	.236 (-2%)	.298 (-1%)	.340 (-10%)	.638 (-6%)	-198.8
1969	CLE	AL	52	123	11	25	0	0	0	6	4	9	26	0.203	.248 (-18%)	.320 (-19%)	.369 (-45%)	.689 (-33%)	-668.6
1970	WS2	AL	47	107	5	17	1	0	0	4	2	7	24	0.159	.253 (-37%)	.325 (-36%)	.385 (-56%)	.711 (-47%)	-878.2
1971	WS2	AL	85	329	47	92	11	3	5	33	17	23	29	0.280	.249 (+12%)	.316 (+3%)	.365 (+3%)	.682 (+3%)	169.0
1972	TEX	AL	145	499	68	113	16	3	2	28	51	67	81	0.226	.243 (-7%)	.310 (+4%)	.353 (-20%)	.664 (-9%)	-535.5
1973	TEX	AL	142	576	71	165	24	4	7	48	43	34	78	0.286	.256 (+11%)	.325 (avg)	.378 (avg)	.703 (avg)	-104.6
1974	TEX	AL	121	474	71	112	13	1	3	42	25	34	72	0.236	.256 (-8%)	.324 (-10%)	.369 (-22%)	.693 (-17%)	-1454.9
1975	TEX	AL	28	80	9	17	1	0	2	10	6	8	10	0.212	.257 (-17%)	.327 (-12%)	.374 (-20%)	.701 (-16%)	-204.3
1976	KCR	AL	78	153	24	36	4	2	1	17	15	14	26	0.235	.255 (-8%)	.320 (-7%)	.360 (-15%)	.681 (-11%)	-296.1
1977	KCR	AL	27	48	8	9	3	1	0	4	1	7	11	0.188	—	—	—	—	-160.4

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year	Round	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
1976	ALCS	KCA	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	3	0	9	2	0	3
2B	466	411	1016	1151	53	278
3B	203	193	170	371	33	40
OF	17	16	25	0	3	0
SS	14	1	9	13	1	1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1968	CLE	2B	59	53	115	114	3	26
1968	CLE	SS	14	1	9	13	1	1
1969	CLE	2B	33	30	78	94	6	28
1969	CLE	OF	2	0	1	0	0	0
1970	WS2	2B	33	21	64	79	2	19
1971	WS2	2B	1	0	0	1	0	0
1971	WS2	3B	84	80	63	149	14	15
1972	TEX	3B	119	113	107	222	19	25
1972	TEX	OF	15	16	24	0	3	0
1973	TEX	2B	140	137	327	364	11	98
1974	TEX	2B	120	119	295	337	20	74
1975	TEX	2B	23	20	56	60	5	16
1976	KCA	1B	3	0	9	2	0	3
1976	KCA	2B	46	26	70	88	4	14
1977	KCA	2B	11	5	11	14	2	3