2⁄3 innings. He spent part of 1928 and all of 1929 in the minor leagues with the Montreal Royals of the top-level International League.
Then, in October 1929, he was selected in the Rule 5 draft by the tail-ending Philadelphia Phillies. The 1930 campaign would be Nichols' only full year in Major League Baseball, and it was an historic season for his ball club. The 1930 Phillies batted .315 as a team; they featured two batters who hit over .380—Hall of Famer Chuck Klein (.386) and Lefty O'Doul (.383)—and scored 944 runs. But their pitching staff allowed 1,199 runs of their own, and posted a horrendous 6.71 earned run average. [2] The Phillies finished 52–102 and dead last in the National League.
Nichols worked in 26 games for the 1930 Phillies, and compiled a 1–2 won–lost record with a 6.79 earned run average. He made the only five starts of his big-league career, and on June 17 recorded his only complete game and only victory in a major league uniform, defeating the Pirates 5–4 at the Baker Bowl, going all ten innings on the mound. [3]
The following year saw Nichols appear mostly for the St. Paul Saints of the American Association, although he was treated roughly in three July games during another trial with the 1931 Phillies. In 1932, Nichols got into the last 11 games of his pro career, all as a relief pitcher for the Phillies. He dropped two more decisions, but earned his only MLB save (not then an official statistic) on April 25 against the Boston Braves. [4] His final professional game came in a Philadelphia uniform on May 29; he was the losing pitcher in relief in a contest against the Giants.
All told, Nichols posted a 1–8 won–lost record as a big-leaguer, with a 7.19 career earned run average. He allowed 167 hits and 56 bases on balls, with 33 strikeouts, in 1222⁄3 innings pitched. However, his son, Chet Jr. (1931–1995), would enjoy a degree of success during his nine-season MLB pitching career (1951, 1954–1956, and 1960–1964), winning 34 games and, as a rookie, becoming the 1951 earned run average champion of the National League.
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References
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
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| Chet Nichols | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born:July 2, 1897 Woonsocket, Rhode Island | |
| Died: July 11, 1982 (aged 85) Pawtucket, Rhode Island | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 30, 1926, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 29, 1932, for the Philadelphia Phillies |