Another Edition of “Baseball’s Forgotten Stars!” Let’s shine the spotlight on Bill “Swish” Nicholson!

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Bill “Swish” Nicholson and 1945 World Series Photo Gallery
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Another Edition of “Baseball’s Forgotten Stars!”

Let’s shine the spotlight on Bill “Swish” Nicholson…and remember the unusual “gift” he received in 1944. 

Swish Nicholson was a fine ball player from the 1930s and ‘40s who has been largely overlooked over the passage of time. In a game played 74 years ago this month, Nicholson was at the receiving end of a highly unusual baseball “gift.” In fact, it’s been given out only six times in all of baseball history. Read on to find out what it was…

A native of Chestertown, Maryland, Bill played 16 years in the majors (1936-1953) for the Athletics (1936), Cubs (1939-1948), and Phillies (1949-1953). Over his career, Swish hit .268, with 235 home runs, 948 RBIs, .365 on-base percentage, and .454 slugging. His career OPS+ of 132 places him well above his major league contemporaries (100 being the major league average).

Since we never saw him play, we can use the Baseball Reference “Similarity Scores” feature to compare him with modern players such as Jayson Werth, Ben Oglivie, Kirk Gibson, and J.D. Drew.

His best season came in 1943, when he hit .309 with a league-leading 29 home runs and 128 RBIs, finishing third in MVP voting. In 1944, he again led the league in home runs (33) and RBIs (122), and also in runs (116), losing the MVP award that year by one vote.

Although Nicholson helped the Cubs to the 1945 pennant, vision problems resulted in a drop in his offensive output, hitting only .243 with 13 home runs and 88 RBI. He batted just .214 with eight RBIs for the Cubs in the 1945 World Series.

At six feet 205 pounds, Nicholson presented an imposing figure, earning the nickname “Swish” because of the powerful cut he took. While standing in the left-handed batters’ box, he took exaggerated practice swings, ending each one with his bat aimed at the pitcher. He held the pose for several seconds, while the fans chanted “Swish.” In spite of his nickname and his reputation for frequently striking out, the most he ever fanned in one year was 91 in 1941, low by today’s standards.

Regarded as one of the toughest players in the league to double up, especially for a power hitter, Nicholson hit into twin-killings only once every 90.7 at-bats. He also became a respected pinch-hitter later in his later years, and finished his career with eight pinch home runs.

So what was the unusual “gift” Nicholson received that’s been given out only six times in baseball history?

On July 23, 1944, the Cubs and Giants met in a double-header at the Polo Grounds. Over the course of the twin bill, Swish had hit four consecutive home runs, with three coming in the second game. In the eighth inning of the nightcap, with the Giants ahead 10-7, Nicholson again came to the plate, this time with the bases loaded.  Giants’ manager Mel Ott had seen enough. Deciding that “discretion is indeed the better part of valor,” he ordered his pitcher, Ewald Pyle, to walk Nicholson intentionally, even though that forced in a run and put the tying run in scoring position!

Unfortunately for Ott and the Giants, the play backfired. The Cubs scored two more in the inning and tied the game at 10-apiece. But the Giants redeemed their manager with two in the bottom of the frame and eventually won, 12-10.

Bill “Swish” Nicholson is one of only six players to receive the “gift” of an intentional pass with the bases loaded. The others are Abner Dalrymple (1881), Nap Lajoie (1901), Del Bissonette (1928), Barry Bonds (1998), and Josh Hamilton (2008).

Gary Livacari

Photo Credits: All from Google search

Information: Excerpts edited from the Bill Nicholson Wikipedia page.

Check out my two books, both now available on Amazon in e-book and paperback:  “Paul Pryor in His Own Words: The Life and TImes of a 20-Year Major League Umpire” and “Memorable World Series Moments.” All profits go to the Illinois Veterans Foundation