John W. "Candy" Nelson (March 14, 1849 – September 4, 1910) was a

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

. He played 13 seasons between and for nine teams in three leagues.

Biography

A native of Maine, Nelson entered professional baseball in Brooklyn in 1867. He made his major league debut in the National Association with the

Troy Haymakers The Troy Haymakers were an American professional baseball team. History Established in 1860 as the Union Base Ball Club Lansingburgh, located in neighboring Lansingburgh, New York, the Haymakers participated in the first professional pennant ra ...

in 1872. In 1890, he was the oldest player in the

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

at age 41. A couple of years later, major publications described him as owning a milk route in Brooklyn. On the 1900 U.S. Census, Nelson listed "ball player" for his occupation. He died of heart problems at home in Brooklyn in 1910.

Sources

* Major League Baseball shortstops Brooklyn Eckfords (NABBP) players New York Mutuals (NABBP) players Troy Haymakers players Brooklyn Eckfords players New York Mutuals players Indianapolis Blues players Worcester Ruby Legs players New York Metropolitans players New York Giants (NL) players Brooklyn Gladiators players Troy Trojans players Sportspeople from Brooklyn Baseball players from New York City Sportspeople from Portland, Maine Baseball players from Maine 19th-century baseball players 1849 births 1910 deaths Pittsburgh Allegheny players Rochester (minor league baseball) players Washington Nationals (minor league) players Albany (minor league baseball) players Brooklyn Atlantics (minor league) players New York Metropolitans (minor league) players Albany Governors players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Wilmington Blue Hens players Burials at Cypress Hills Cemetery {{US-baseball-shortstop-stub