Rocky Nelson

Who was Rocky Nelson?

Glenn Richard "Rocky" Nelson was a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, Brooklyn Dodgers and Cleveland Indians.

A native of Portsmouth, Ohio, Nelson batted and threw left-handed. Despite pre-1959 stints with five major league clubs, Nelson failed to stick with a major league team for half a season. Reggie Otero, manager of the Havana Sugar Kings, saw Nelson clobber major league pitchers while playing winter baseball in Cuba. It was Otero’s view that Nelson needed a major league manager that would show patience toward him.

He was regarded as one of the best sluggers to ever play in the International League. As a rookie in 1948, he helped the Rochester Red Wings qualify for the Governors' Cup playoffs. From 1953 to 1955, while playing for the Montreal Royals, Nelson led the International League once in batting average, twice in home runs, and twice in RBIs. He would win his first Triple Crown in 1955 and was the International League Most Valuable Player Award winner in 1953 and 1955. His performances were a topic of conversation among many managers of the time.