Russ Nixon
Encyclopedia
Russell Eugene Nixon is a former catcher
, coach
and manager
in American
Major League Baseball
. A veteran of 55 years in professional baseball, Nixon has managed at virtually every level of the sport, from the lowest minor league
to MLB assignments with the Cincinnati Reds
and Atlanta Braves
. In the spring of 2008
, Nixon, 73, was named a roving instructor in the Texas Rangers
' farm system by its new club president, Nolan Ryan
.
Nixon graduated from Western Hills High School
in Cincinnati, Ohio
, and also attended the University of Cincinnati
. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed, and stood 6'1" (185 cm) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg) in his playing days (1953–68). Nixon and his twin brother, Roy, an infielder
, each signed with the Cleveland Indians
in 1953. Although Roy never played Major League Baseball, retiring after five minor league
seasons, Russ Nixon fashioned a 12-year MLB career with the Indians (1957–60), Boston Red Sox
(1960–65; 1968) and Minnesota Twins
(1966–67). In his best season, , Nixon caught 101 games for Cleveland and batted
.301. Overall, he appeared in 906 games over all or parts of 12 seasons, and batted .268. He holds the record for most games played without ever stealing a base.
His managing career began in the Cincinnati Reds farm system in 1970 and in 1976
he was promoted to a coaching position with the defending World Series
champion Reds, under Baseball Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson
. In Nixon's first season, Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine" dynasty reached its pinnacle with a second consecutive world championship, dispatching the New York Yankees
in a four-game sweep in the 1976 World Series
. However, the Reds' period in the sun began to dim with the advent of baseball free agency
. Anderson was fired after the 1978
season, and Nixon remained on the Reds' staff under the new manager, John McNamara
, from 1979
on.
After compiling the best overall record in the National League
West Division during the strike-affected split season of 1981
, the Reds unexpectedly unraveled in 1982
, plummeting into the basement. McNamara was fired July 21 and Nixon took his place. The team lost 101 games, and won only 27 of the 70 contests Nixon managed. When the Reds finished last again in 1983
, Nixon was fired. He then coached for the Montreal Expos
(1984–85) before signing as a coach with the Braves. Nixon worked for an old Cleveland teammate, Chuck Tanner
, in 1986-87 before his appointment as pilot of the Greenville Braves
, the club's AA Southern League
affiliate, for 1988.
Despite the progress made by new general manager
Bobby Cox
in rebuilding their farm system, at the NL level Atlanta was in free fall, and by 1988
, Tanner could not rouse them from their doldrums. When the Braves dropped 27 of their first 39 games, Nixon was recalled from Greenville to succeed Tanner May 23, but the team continued to lose. The 1988
Braves finished 54-106, the team's worst season since its struggles in Boston during the Great Depression
. In 1989
and 1990
, they continued to flounder, losing 97 games each season despite breaking in talented young pitchers such as Tom Glavine
, John Smoltz
and Steve Avery
. On June 22, 1990, Nixon was finally fired and Cox, a former Atlanta manager, came down from the front office to succeed him. Although Nixon's final major league managing record was a poor 231-347 (.400), he has remained in the game since as a minor-league manager and instructor. At age 70, he spent the 2005
season as manager of the Greeneville Astros
, rookie-level Appalachian League
affiliate of the Houston Astros
, and spent 2006
-07
as a roving instructor in the Houston farm system.
Nixon's daughter was once a contestant on the show "Greed
," hosted by Chuck Woolery
.
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. A veteran of 55 years in professional baseball, Nixon has managed at virtually every level of the sport, from the lowest minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
to MLB assignments with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. In the spring of 2008
2008 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* Regular Season Champions* World Series Champions – Philadelphia Phillies** American League Champions – Tampa Bay Rays** National League Champions – Philadelphia Phillies* Postseason – October 1 to October 29...
, Nixon, 73, was named a roving instructor in the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
' farm system by its new club president, Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
.
Nixon graduated from Western Hills High School
Western Hills High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Western Hills High School is a high school located in the Western Hills area of Cincinnati, Ohio. It is part of the Cincinnati Public Schools district. The school was the location used to film Airborne, a movie filmed in the Cincinnati area....
in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, and also attended the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed, and stood 6'1" (185 cm) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg) in his playing days (1953–68). Nixon and his twin brother, Roy, an infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
, each signed with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in 1953. Although Roy never played Major League Baseball, retiring after five minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
seasons, Russ Nixon fashioned a 12-year MLB career with the Indians (1957–60), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1960–65; 1968) and Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(1966–67). In his best season, , Nixon caught 101 games for Cleveland and batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.301. Overall, he appeared in 906 games over all or parts of 12 seasons, and batted .268. He holds the record for most games played without ever stealing a base.
His managing career began in the Cincinnati Reds farm system in 1970 and in 1976
1976 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees ; Johnny Bench, MVP*All-Star Game, July 13 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 7-1; George Foster, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Naranjeros de Hermosillo...
he was promoted to a coaching position with the defending World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
champion Reds, under Baseball Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
. In Nixon's first season, Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine" dynasty reached its pinnacle with a second consecutive world championship, dispatching the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in a four-game sweep in the 1976 World Series
1976 World Series
The 1976 World Series matched the defending champion Cincinnati Reds of the National League against the New York Yankees of the American League, with the Reds sweeping the Series to repeat. The Reds became the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason. The Reds are also the last National...
. However, the Reds' period in the sun began to dim with the advent of baseball free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. Anderson was fired after the 1978
1978 in baseball
-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Indios de Mayagüez *College World Series: USC*Japan Series: Yakult Swallows over Hankyu Braves *Little League World Series: Pin-Kuang, Pin-Tung, Taiwan-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player...
season, and Nixon remained on the Reds' staff under the new manager, John McNamara
John McNamara (baseball)
John Francis McNamara is a former manager and coach in Major League Baseball. He managed six major league teams, directing the 1986 Boston Red Sox to the American League pennant, only to experience an excruciating defeat in that season's World Series at the hands of the New York Mets.-Playing,...
, from 1979
1979 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles ; Willie Stargell, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None.*National League Championship Series MVP: Willie Stargell...
on.
After compiling the best overall record in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
West Division during the strike-affected split season of 1981
1981 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees ; Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, and Steve Yeager, co-MVPsNOTE: Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half...
, the Reds unexpectedly unraveled in 1982
1982 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series Champion: St. Louis Cardinals*World Series MVP: Darrell Porter**American League Championship Series MVP: Fred Lynn**National League Championship Series MVP: Darrell Porter...
, plummeting into the basement. McNamara was fired July 21 and Nixon took his place. The team lost 101 games, and won only 27 of the 70 contests Nixon managed. When the Reds finished last again in 1983
1983 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Philadelphia Phillies ; Rick Dempsey, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Mike Boddicker*National League Championship Series MVP: Gary Matthews...
, Nixon was fired. He then coached for the Montreal Expos
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
(1984–85) before signing as a coach with the Braves. Nixon worked for an old Cleveland teammate, Chuck Tanner
Chuck Tanner
Charles William "Chuck" Tanner was a left fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He was known for his unwavering confidence and infectious optimism. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates to a World Series championship in 1979...
, in 1986-87 before his appointment as pilot of the Greenville Braves
Greenville Braves
The Greenville Braves were an American minor league baseball franchise, based in Greenville, South Carolina, that served as the Class AA farm team of the Atlanta Braves between 1984 and 2004...
, the club's AA Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
affiliate, for 1988.
Despite the progress made by new general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
Bobby Cox
Bobby Cox
Robert Joseph "Bobby" Cox is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. He first led the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1981, and then managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985. He later rejoined the Braves in 1985 as a general manager...
in rebuilding their farm system, at the NL level Atlanta was in free fall, and by 1988
1988 in baseball
See also: 1988 Major League Baseball season-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Athletics ; Orel Hershiser, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Dennis Eckersley...
, Tanner could not rouse them from their doldrums. When the Braves dropped 27 of their first 39 games, Nixon was recalled from Greenville to succeed Tanner May 23, but the team continued to lose. The 1988
1988 in baseball
See also: 1988 Major League Baseball season-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Athletics ; Orel Hershiser, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Dennis Eckersley...
Braves finished 54-106, the team's worst season since its struggles in Boston during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. In 1989
1989 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Oakland Athletics over San Francisco Giants ; Dave Stewart, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Rickey Henderson*National League Championship Series MVP: Will Clark...
and 1990
1990 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics ; José Rijo, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series co-MVPs: Rob Dibble and Randy Myers...
, they continued to flounder, losing 97 games each season despite breaking in talented young pitchers such as Tom Glavine
Tom Glavine
Thomas Michael Glavine is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.With 164 victories during the 1990s, Glavine was the second winningest pitcher in the National League, second only to teammate Greg Maddux's 176...
, John Smoltz
John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996...
and Steve Avery
Steve Avery
Steven Thomas Avery is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was a young star with the Atlanta Braves in the early 1990s.-Young Gun:...
. On June 22, 1990, Nixon was finally fired and Cox, a former Atlanta manager, came down from the front office to succeed him. Although Nixon's final major league managing record was a poor 231-347 (.400), he has remained in the game since as a minor-league manager and instructor. At age 70, he spent the 2005
2005 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series.*2005 also marked the inaugural season of the Washington Nationals, who relocated from Montreal and were formerly known as the Expos....
season as manager of the Greeneville Astros
Greeneville Astros
The Greeneville Astros are a minor league baseball team of the Appalachian League, and a Rookie-level affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Greeneville, Tennessee, and play their home games at Pioneer Park on the campus of Tusculum College....
, rookie-level Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
affiliate of the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, and spent 2006
2006 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ...
-07
2007 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion – [Boston Red Sox]*Postseason – October 2 to October 28Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
as a roving instructor in the Houston farm system.
Nixon's daughter was once a contestant on the show "Greed
Greed (game show)
Greed is an American television game show that aired on Fox from November 4, 1999 until July 14, 2000. The game consisted of a team of contestants who answered a series of multiple-choice questions for a potential prize of up to $2 million...
," hosted by Chuck Woolery
Chuck Woolery
Charles Herbert "Chuck" Woolery is an American game show host. He has had long-running tenures hosting several different game shows. He was the original host of Wheel of Fortune from 1975–81, the original incarnation of Love Connection from 1983–94, and Scrabble from 1984–90...
.