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Merkle923 · 12-27-2016, 07:46 PM

More from the Dexter files.

Charles "Cotton" Nash had the extraordinary misfortune to not live up to his advanced billing in two pro sports. And for our purposes, he's also a tough color photo in each.

Nash was a three-time all-America at Kentucky and the 14th pick of the 1964 NBA draft by the Lakers. He was unhappy with his lack of playing time, was released, drifted to the Warriors, only got into 20 games with then, and did not play pro basketball again until the debut of the ABA in 1967. Even back in Kentucky he would appear in just 39 games.

His simultaneous baseball career followed a similar pattern. He produced 78 homers in his first 306 minor league games and was enough of a prospect for the White Sox to trade veteran first baseman Bill Skowron to the Angels for him in May, 1967. But he would get only 19 plate appearances and just three hits - all singles - in three quick trials with the '67 White Sox and '69 and '70 Twins.

In fact, his MLB highlight was defensive. He went in for Ken Boyer at first base in the ninth inning of Joe Horlen's no-hitter in September 1967, made the three final putouts, and possibly saving Horlen's spot in history by stretching out his 6'5" frame to take a throw from second baseman Wayne Causey to just nip the hitter Jerry Lumpe.

Nash later said he believed his lack of success in the NBA and the AL could be attributed to trying to play both sports at once. In any event, here's the Dexter image of him taken in camp with the '66 Angels.

12-27-2016, 07:46 PM	#29774
Merkle923 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,209	Cotton Nash 1967 More from the Dexter files. Charles "Cotton" Nash had the extraordinary misfortune to not live up to his advanced billing in two pro sports. And for our purposes, he's also a tough color photo in each. Nash was a three-time all-America at Kentucky and the 14th pick of the 1964 NBA draft by the Lakers. He was unhappy with his lack of playing time, was released, drifted to the Warriors, only got into 20 games with then, and did not play pro basketball again until the debut of the ABA in 1967. Even back in Kentucky he would appear in just 39 games. His simultaneous baseball career followed a similar pattern. He produced 78 homers in his first 306 minor league games and was enough of a prospect for the White Sox to trade veteran first baseman Bill Skowron to the Angels for him in May, 1967. But he would get only 19 plate appearances and just three hits - all singles - in three quick trials with the '67 White Sox and '69 and '70 Twins. In fact, his MLB highlight was defensive. He went in for Ken Boyer at first base in the ninth inning of Joe Horlen's no-hitter in September 1967, made the three final putouts, and possibly saving Horlen's spot in history by stretching out his 6'5" frame to take a throw from second baseman Wayne Causey to just nip the hitter Jerry Lumpe. Nash later said he believed his lack of success in the NBA and the AL could be attributed to trying to play both sports at once. In any event, here's the Dexter image of him taken in camp with the '66 Angels. Last edited by Merkle923; 08-04-2017 at 01:49 AM.