Kid Nichols facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kid Nichols |
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Nichols in 1904
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: September 14, 1869 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
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| Died: April 11, 1953 (aged 83) Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 23, 1890, for the Boston Beaneaters | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 18, 1906, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 362–208 | ||
| Earned run average | 2.96 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,881 | ||
| Managerial record | 80–88 | ||
| Winning % | .476 | ||
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As player
As manager
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1949 | ||
| Election Method | Old-Timers Committee | ||
Charles Augustus "Kid" Nichols (born September 14, 1869 – died April 11, 1953) was an amazing American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. He played for the Boston Beaneaters, St. Louis Cardinals, and Philadelphia Phillies from 1890 to 1906. He was known for being a switch hitter (meaning he could bat from both sides) but always threw the ball with his right hand. Nichols was about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 175 pounds. He is a famous member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Nichols started his baseball journey in the minor leagues. He played for three different teams before joining the Boston Beaneaters in 1889. After playing for 12 seasons with the Beaneaters, he took a short break from the major leagues. He then played for the St. Louis Cardinals and later finished his career with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1906. He is especially famous for being the youngest pitcher ever to win 300 games in his career.
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Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Nichols was born on September 14, 1869, in Madison, Wisconsin. His parents were Robert and Christina Nichols. His father owned a grocery store and worked as a butcher.
When Nichols was a child, his family moved to Kansas City, Missouri. While his brothers and sisters helped out in the family butcher shop, young Nichols spent his time chasing his dream of playing baseball.
Kid Nichols's Amazing Baseball Career
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Before he even turned 18, Nichols began his minor league career. In 1887, he played for the Kansas City Cowboys. He had a great start with 18 wins and 12 losses that season. He continued to play well in 1888 and 1889, winning many games. In 1889, he had an incredible record of 39 wins and only 8 losses for the Omaha Omahogs.
Joining the Boston Beaneaters
In September 1889, Nichols signed with the Boston Beaneaters and made his big league debut in 1890. Because he looked so young and wasn't very big, his teammates and fans started calling him "Kid." This nickname stuck with him for his entire career!
In his first major league season, Nichols had 27 wins and 19 losses. He also had a low earned run average (ERA) of 2.23 and struck out 222 batters. This was just the beginning of an amazing streak. He went on to have 10 seasons in a row where he won 20 games or more!
A Star Pitcher
Nichols had an incredible seven seasons where he won 30 games or more. His best year was 1892, when he won 35 games! The Beaneaters were a very strong team during his time there. They finished in first place five times between 1891 and 1898. In 1892 and 1898, the team won 102 games, which was a record for the team for many years.
Moving On and Retirement
In 1900, Nichols had his first season with more losses than wins, going 13–16. The next year, he improved to 19–16. After the 1901 season, Nichols decided to buy a share in a minor league team in Kansas City, the Kansas City Blue Stockings. He left the Beaneaters to manage and pitch for this team. He won 48 games there in 1902 and 1903.
After two years away from the major leagues, Nichols returned in 1904. He joined the St. Louis Cardinals and once again won 20 games, making it his 11th and final time reaching that milestone. In 1905, the Philadelphia Phillies picked him up, and he finished his career with them in 1906. His last game was on May 18, 1906.
Kid Nichols retired with an amazing 362 wins and 208 losses. He also had 1,881 strikeouts and a 2.96 ERA. His 362 wins are the seventh highest total in major league history! He was also the youngest pitcher to reach 300 wins, doing it when he was just 30 years old.
Later Life and Hall of Fame
After his baseball career, Nichols tried out the movie business. He worked with another famous baseball player, Joe Tinker, to distribute movies to theaters. Nichols was also a very good bowler. He opened several bowling alleys in the Kansas City area. He even won Kansas City's top bowling championship when he was 64 years old!
In 1949, Kid Nichols was honored by being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was very proud of two things: being chosen for the Hall of Fame and the fact that he was never taken out of a game for another pitcher to finish.
Nichols passed away on April 11, 1953, at the age of 83.
Quotes
Kid Nichols was very proud of pitching complete games. He once said, "I take pride in two things. My election to baseball's Hall of Fame and the fact I never was removed from a game for a relief hurler."
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career shutout leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
