Gene Nelson

Wayland Eugene Nelson

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 174 lb.
• High School Pasco High School (Dade City)
• Debut May 4, 1981
• Final Game September 29, 1993
• Born December 3, 1960 in Tampa, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Although Gene Nelson was mostly a reliever over his 12-year career, he did pitch one two-hitter on June 7, 1982 as a member of the Seattle Mariners against the Texas Rangers. He didn't walk anyone and struck out 5 in the game. The Mariners won 6-0. The only 2 hits were singles by Buddy Bell and Dave Hostetler.

He won 2 games in the 1989 ALCS and was a member of the World Champion 1989 Oakland Athletics.

He first came up to the majors with the New York Yankees early in the 1981 season after an outstanding year with the Class A Fort Lauderdale Yankees of the Florida State League in 1980, when he was 20-3, 1.97. The Yankees thought they had a future star on their hands and the New York media hyped him like only they can, but it died down quickly when he failed to set the American League on fire immediately, going 3-1 but with an ERA of 4.18 in his first 8 games. He lost a good chunk of the season to the 1981 strike and just before 1982, he was was traded to the Mariners as part of the deal for P Shane Rawley. He went 6-9, 4.62 in 22 games for the Mariners that season, and while he failed to become a superstar, he was a serviceable pitcher for 13 seasons. In 1983, with the Mariners, he was one of three unrelated players with the last name Nelson, alongside OF Ricky Nelson and C Jamie Nelson.

He recorded a stolen base as a pinch runner on July 3, 1988, the first primary pitcher to record a stolen base in the American League since Blue Moon Odom in 1973.

Notable Achievement

• Won a World Series with the Oakland Athletics in 1989