Candy Nelson
Born: 3/14/1849 in Portland, ME, USA
Died: 9/4/1910 in Brooklyn, NY, USA
MLB Debut: 1872-06-11 | Final Game: 1890-08-25
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'6" | Weight: 145 lbs
Full name: John W. Nelson
Biography
Candy Nelson, born in 1849, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball during the late 19th century. His career spanned from 1872 until his retirement on August 25, 1890. Nelson played a total of 817 games, accumulating 833 hits and achieving a batting average of .253. Known for his speed on the bases, he recorded 68 stolen bases, showcasing his ability to impact the game both offensively and defensively. Throughout his career, he contributed 208 RBIs and hit 3 home runs, making him a reliable player during an era when offensive production was evolving.
Nelson's playing style reflected the transitional nature of baseball during the post-Civil War period, as the sport began to gain popularity and evolve from its origins. His contributions on the field came during a time when players were still adapting to the modern game, and his ability to steal bases and get on base was a valuable asset to his teams. While he may not have been a household name, Candy Nelson's impact on the game and his role as a player in the burgeoning era of professional baseball remains a notable part of the sport's rich history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 817 | 3294 | 648 | 833 | 93 | 27 | 3 | 208 | 68 | 352 | 45 | 0.253 | 0.330 | 0.300 | 0.630 | 2368.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 | BR1 | 18 | 76 | 12 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.250 | -66.6 | |
| 1872 | TRO | 4 | 20 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.350 | -66.6 | |
| 1873 | NY2 | 36 | 168 | 28 | 55 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0.327 | 141.7 | |
| 1874 | NY2 | 65 | 297 | 55 | 73 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 31 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 0.246 | -308.4 | |
| 1875 | NY2 | 70 | 276 | 28 | 55 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0.199 | -731.4 | |
| 1878 | IN1 | NL | 19 | 84 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 0.131 | -506.8 |
| 1879 | TRN | NL | 28 | 106 | 17 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0.264 | 197.5 |
| 1881 | WOR | NL | 24 | 103 | 13 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0.282 | 46.8 |
| 1883 | NY4 | AA | 97 | 417 | 75 | 127 | 19 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0.305 | 1269.9 |
| 1884 | NY4 | AA | 111 | 432 | 114 | 110 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 0 | 0.255 | 1621.4 |
| 1885 | NY4 | AA | 107 | 420 | 98 | 107 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 30 | 0 | 61 | 0 | 0.255 | 982.3 |
| 1886 | NY4 | AA | 109 | 413 | 89 | 93 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 64 | 0 | 0.225 | -193.7 |
| 1887 | NY1 | NL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1887 | NY4 | AA | 68 | 257 | 61 | 63 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 29 | 48 | 11 | 0.245 | 0.0 |
| 1890 | BR4 | AA | 60 | 223 | 44 | 56 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 35 | 0 | 0.251 | -64.2 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.100 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884 | WS | NY4 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.100 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2B | 137 | 58 | 303 | 320 | 113 | 29 |
| 3B | 35 | 3 | 53 | 70 | 36 | 1 |
| C | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 100 | 9 | 175 | 16 | 24 | 8 |
| SS | 560 | 15 | 668 | 1680 | 346 | 134 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1872 | BR1 | 2B | 8 | 7 | 13 | 23 | 7 | 3 |
| 1872 | BR1 | 3B | 4 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 1872 | BR1 | OF | 8 | 6 | 19 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 1872 | TRO | SS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1872 | TRO | OF | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1873 | NY2 | C | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1873 | NY2 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1873 | NY2 | 2B | 27 | 0 | 58 | 53 | 17 | 4 |
| 1873 | NY2 | 3B | 6 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 0 |
| 1873 | NY2 | OF | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1874 | NY2 | 2B | 51 | 51 | 115 | 105 | 47 | 8 |
| 1874 | NY2 | SS | 14 | 14 | 17 | 37 | 16 | 3 |
| 1874 | NY2 | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1875 | NY2 | 2B | 49 | 0 | 109 | 139 | 42 | 14 |
| 1875 | NY2 | 3B | 23 | 0 | 41 | 50 | 22 | 1 |
| 1875 | NY2 | SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1875 | NY2 | OF | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1878 | IN1 | SS | 19 | 0 | 19 | 50 | 13 | 1 |
| 1879 | TRN | SS | 24 | 0 | 37 | 89 | 25 | 8 |
| 1879 | TRN | OF | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1881 | WOR | SS | 24 | 0 | 20 | 94 | 13 | 6 |
| 1883 | NY4 | SS | 97 | 0 | 98 | 232 | 47 | 18 |
| 1884 | NY4 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1884 | NY4 | SS | 110 | 0 | 113 | 292 | 56 | 16 |
| 1885 | NY4 | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1885 | NY4 | SS | 107 | 0 | 153 | 370 | 63 | 33 |
| 1886 | NY4 | SS | 73 | 0 | 103 | 216 | 54 | 17 |
| 1886 | NY4 | OF | 36 | 0 | 56 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 1887 | NY1 | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1887 | NY4 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1887 | NY4 | SS | 32 | 0 | 46 | 100 | 17 | 12 |
| 1887 | NY4 | OF | 37 | 0 | 74 | 11 | 10 | 6 |
| 1890 | BR4 | SS | 57 | 0 | 60 | 198 | 40 | 20 |
| 1890 | BR4 | OF | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1 |
| First Base | 1 |
| Second Base | 136 |
| Third Base | 34 |
| Shortstop | 560 |
| Left Field | 5 |
| Center Field | 41 |
| Right Field | 54 |