Professional career George Nicol (baseball)

1 professional career

1.1 st. louis browns (1890)
1.2 chicago colts (1891)
1.3 minor league sojourn
1.4 pittsburgh pirates , louisville colonels (1894)
1.5 minors

professional career
st. louis browns (1890)

nicol signed st. louis browns near end of 1890 season, though had no prior experience in minor league baseball. team in desperate need players; situation microcosm of american association (aa) had few players major league experience begin with. league s precarious situation not helped fact had compete both well-established national league (nl) , newly formed yet highly popular players league. although latter league lasted 1 season, able outdraw both aa , nl in terms of attendance. put dent in fortunes of american association, teams consequently struggled pay players salaries , thus, had utilize amateur, semi-professional or minor league players.

nicol made major league debut browns on september 23, 1890, starting game against philadelphia athletics resulted in 21–2 win. did not allow single hit athletics through 7 innings, after game called off due darkness. although game considered no-hitter, rule change made mlb s committee on statistical accuracy in 1991 redefined definition of no-hitter; no-hit game had span minimum of 9 innings. result, nicol s debut 1 of fifty no-hitters deleted official record books.

three days after debut, nicol faced athletics again in second major league start. followed dazzling debut solid performance, giving 1 hit—a single—in 7–3 win ended after 5 innings. subsequent starts disappointing, notably 10–3 loss against toledo maumees, inability hold baserunners first exposed. finished season win–loss record of 2–1, 4.76 earned run average (era), had 16 strikeouts walked 19 in 3 games started. after contract expired @ end of season, no major league team signed nicol, began 1891 season davenport pilgrims, minor league baseball team competed in illinois–iowa league.

chicago colts (1891)

nicol s tenure pilgrims successful, albeit brief. compiled 15–8 record 1.36 era in 23 games started , threw 5 shutouts. demonstrated himself best pitcher in league holding opposing teams 3 hits or less in 4 separate games. pitching performances caught eye of chicago colts manager cap anson, offered him $225 month contract. nicol agreed deal, subsequently wanted renege, citing change of heart. however, forced accept offer when colts threatened blacklist him. pilgrims, struggling financially, received $300 colts ace , folded after left team.

nicol arrived in chicago on july 20 , penciled in start on consecutive days against charles radbourn , cy young. though performed poorly in both games, colts still managed win. shelled in third inning cincinnati reds , on next day, gave 7 runs cleveland spiders in 2 innings. because of these starts, did not appear in game until august 14, when used in relief face brooklyn dodgers. control issues flared , had trouble holding dodgers baserunners. released 1 week later, having walked 10 batters in 11 innings pitched colts. ended season playing marinette of wisconsin state league.

minor league sojourn

after 1891, nicol went illinois–iowa league , joined rockford hustlers. pitched throughout 1892 season—though record 16–16, had 1.47 era, 230 strikeouts in 288 innings pitched , pitched 5 shutouts. limited opponents 2 hits in 5 different complete games , threw one-hitter. league, however, struggling financially , after end of league s postseason, request release granted.

at start of 1893, nicol signed los angeles angels of california league. new rule introduced stipulating pitcher s mound 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 m) away home plate. increase of 5 feet in distance gave batters greater advantage. despite this, nicol noted ability adapt new rule better other pitchers in league. evident able garner 15–8 record , 0.86 era in 188 ⁄3 innings pitched. control suffered, however, struck out 64 batters , walked 125, contributing 1.66 whip season. in june, there speculation players have salaries cut in order sustain league, allegedly on verge of collapsing. several weeks after 2 of teammates departed, nicol himself left team, joining 2 in eastern league erie blackbirds. continued stellar pitching performances 13–9 record , 1.80 era in 200 innings, while reducing number of walks issued 89.

pittsburgh pirates , louisville colonels (1894)

nicol signed pittsburgh pirates @ start of 1894 season. stint team dismal, posted 3–4 record 6.22 era, while control , strikeout ability continued diminish, evident 39 walks issued against mere 13 strikeouts in 9 games pitched. on august 13, traded louisville colonels in exchange jock menefee , $1000.

in first game colonels, nicol battered opposing team, giving 19 hits , 15 earned runs in complete game. made 1 more start team , finished 13.76 era on 17 innings pitched. because of pitching struggles, changed positions , played 26 games in outfield during time organization, making 43 putouts, 2 assists , committed 9 errors, resulting in .791 fielding percentage. overall statistics year mixed. pitching record 3–5 8.24 era, 17 strikeouts , 55 walks issued on 63 ⁄3 innings pitched. however, offensive numbers impressive, posted batting average of .351 , amassed 47 hits, 7 doubles, 4 triples, 22 runs batted in , .463 slugging percentage in 141 plate appearances, while striking out 5 times. @ conclusion of season, released colonels.

back minors

nicol returned minor league baseball, joining indianapolis hoosiers of western league. after spending 1 month team, moved within league milwaukee brewers, played 5 seasons , utilized exclusively outfielder 1896 onwards. in 1896, @ centre of controversy when philadelphia phillies drafted him , promised brewers return him should not in need of services. however, instantly outrighted detroit tigers, phillies president acknowledging assisting , collaborating tigers, had requested transaction. case went arbitral tribunal, ruled in favour of brewers.

in 1900, nicol joined wilkes-barre coal barons of atlantic league. league disbanded in june of year, whereupon joined detroit tigers, part of american league. released @ end of season, having batted .258 in 73 games. returned now-expanded illinois–indiana–iowa league in 1904 , played there 2 seasons. career after 1906 unclear, although society american baseball research writes signed wisconsin state league team based in freeport, illinois , played them remainder of year before retiring professional baseball.