[tedzan]

Simon Nicholls was a very devoted family man, who so loved his Maryland farm, that when Connie Mack scouted him from the Maryland
Agricultural College (now Univ of Maryland), Simon would commute to Philadelphia. Nicholls' life story is the "stuff" that used to inspire
some great true life Hollywood BB movies.
Connie Mack acquired Nicholls at the end of the 1906 season. Simon was an average hitter, but an excellent shortstop. One of Nicholls'
best days at bat was on Opening Day of Shibe Park on April 12, 1909. He got a Double, 2 Singles, and a Walk. He scored 4 Runs to win
the 1st game at the A's new Stadium....in front of an unprecedented 35,000 fans.

In December 1909 Connie Mack traded Nicholls to Cleveland. This trade really upset Nicholls since it took away from his family and farm.
So, after 3 games with Cleveland, Nicholls retired. That season he connected with Jack Dunn, Manager of Baltimore (Eastern League),
who was impressed with Nicholls' play and made him field captain in 1911. Unfortunately, Nicholls contracted typhoid fever and died at
the young age of 28 on Mar 12, 1911.

Nicholls 350 Series card (batting) was actually designed as a 350/460 Series Subject. This we know since it has an American Beauty 350
back (without a Frame). However, it is an anamoly in the T206 set since his Batting pose was never printed with any 460 series backs.
Perhaps, this was due to his Major League career ending in early 1910.


TED Z