#4 Dave Nilsson
What ever happened to Dave Nilsson?
I got this card signed through the mail in 1992 or 1993. This was one of my first Rated Rookie cards that I had got signed.
The reason I asked "what ever happened to Dave Nilsson" is because after looking at his career stats, it looks like he fell off the face of the Earth. His last season in the Majors was 1999. That year, he had career highs in home runs (21) and average (.309). Plus, that was the one year that he made the All-Star team. He apparently became a free agent after that season.
Well, according to Wikipedia, he quit playing professional ball so that he could play for Australia in the 2000 Olympics. He also helped Australia to a silver medal in the 2004 games and he played for their 2006 WBC team. It takes a lot of guts to quit playing in a league that pays extremely good money to represent your country in a week-long tournament. I wonder if he'll be playing in the WBC this year. He'll be 39 years old.
I chased Nilsson unsuccessfully for several years, never getting his autograph. I believe he had an unsuccessful comeback attempt a few years back.
ReplyDeleteYeah, in 2004, he palyed in a few games with the Richmond Braves, but didn't do all that well.
ReplyDeleteI love this one. Dave hit the first ever homerun at the Ballpark in Arlington when it opened in 1994. I was there...and saw Will The Thrill hit the first homer by a Ranger.
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