Nelson Mathews
Born: 7/21/1941 in Columbia, IL, USA
MLB Debut: 1960-09-09 | Final Game: 1965-07-18
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 195 lbs
Full name: Nelson Elmer Mathews
Biography
Nelson Mathews was a professional baseball player born in 1941, who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1960 until his retirement in 1965. A versatile position player, Mathews played a total of 306 games during his career, amassing 218 hits and 22 home runs. He contributed 98 RBIs to his teams and finished his career with a batting average of .223, showcasing his role as a reliable, if not prolific, offensive contributor in an era characterized by a transition in hitting styles and strategies.
Mathews demonstrated speed on the bases as well, recording 8 stolen bases over the course of his career. His playing years coincided with a transformative period in baseball, as the sport was moving away from the deadball era and beginning to embrace a more power-oriented game. While Mathews may not have reached the heights of some of his contemporaries, his dedication and contributions to the teams he played for helped to shape the competitive landscape of Major League Baseball during the early 1960s.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 306 | 978 | 93 | 218 | 39 | 14 | 22 | 98 | 8 | 88 | 248 | 0.223 | 0.288 | 0.359 | 0.647 | -1040.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | CHC | NL | 3 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1961 | CHC | NL | 3 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.111 | 0.0 |
| 1962 | CHC | NL | 15 | 49 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 0.306 | 181.4 |
| 1963 | CHC | NL | 61 | 155 | 12 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 16 | 48 | 0.155 | -656.0 |
| 1964 | KC1 | AL | 157 | 573 | 58 | 137 | 27 | 5 | 14 | 60 | 2 | 43 | 143 | 0.239 | -423.6 |
| 1965 | KC1 | AL | 67 | 184 | 17 | 39 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 24 | 49 | 0.212 | -142.5 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 275 | 255 | 613 | 7 | 18 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | CHN | OF | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961 | CHN | OF | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1962 | CHN | OF | 14 | 14 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1963 | CHN | OF | 46 | 40 | 91 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1964 | KC1 | OF | 154 | 150 | 384 | 5 | 13 | 2 |
| 1965 | KC1 | OF | 57 | 47 | 103 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 25 |
| Center Field | 241 |
| Right Field | 11 |