Dave Nilsson
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| Dave Nilsson | ||
|---|---|---|
| Catcher | ||
| Born: December 14, 1969 | ||
| Batted: Left | Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | ||
| May 18, 1992 for the Milwaukee Brewers |
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| Final game | ||
| October 3, 1999 for the Milwaukee Brewers |
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| Career statistics | ||
| Home Runs | 105 | |
| RBIs | 470 | |
| Batting Average | .284 | |
| Teams | ||
| Career highlights and awards | ||
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| Medal record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Competitor for  Australia |
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| Men's Baseball | |||
| Olympic Games | |||
| Silver | Athens 2004 | Team Competition | |
David ("Dave") Wayne Nilsson (born December 14, 1969 in Brisbane, Australia) is a former Australian baseball player who played as catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1992 to 1999. Arguably the most successful Aussie in major league history, he was an all-star in 1999, and ended his career on October 3, 1999 with 837 games played, 789 hits, 105 home runs and a .284 career batting average.
Nilsson became a free agent in the offseason following that year but opted not to sign with any MLB teams because of his desire to play for Australia in the 2000 Olympics. He was widely applauded for this move as he was turning down big money to represent his country, something very rarely seen in baseball. Before leaving the US he had been Australia's second highest earning sportsmen behind Greg Norman, according to the Business Review Weekly.
Before this time he played for the Brisbane Bandits and Melbourne Reds in the now-defunct Australian Baseball League. He later left the US to return to Australia. He is currently the hitting coach for the Aiken Foxhounds. He went on to also represent Australia in the 2004 Olympics where they won a historic silver medal, and also represented his country in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.
Nilsson represented Australia at the Olympics in 2000 and 2004, and has been involved in the strategic direction of the sport in Australia. He had been owner of the International Baseball League of Australia before it went bankrupt but is now part of a group looking at re-starting the league in the near future following dwindling support of the game in Australia[citation needed].
[edit] Trivia
- On April 13, 1994, Nilsson and Graeme Lloyd formed the first all-Australian battery in an MLB game.
- On May 19, 1996, Nilsson becomes the first Milwaukee Brewer to hit two home runs in the same inning (the 6th, vs. Minnesota Twins, in a 12-1 victory)
Played briefly for the Chunichi Dragons, Nagoya, Japan.
As a teen played for the Wilston Grange Gorillas Baseball Club (now defuncted), where he and is family were great advocates for establishing the sport in Australia. (Information supplied by Wilston Grange Gorillas team mate "The Fly").
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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