Career
In the minor leagues, Nixon led the league twice in stolen bases (1980 in the South Atlantic League with 67 & 1983 in the International League with 94), runs scored (1980 in the South Atlantic League with 124 & 1983 in the International League with 129, hits (162 in 1983 in the International League), at bats (557 in 1983 in the International League) and walks (57 in 1979 in the Appalachian League, 113 in 1980 in the South Atlantic League and 110 in 1981 in the Southern League). He started out as an infielder but was switched to outfield in 1983 due to his superior speed and his penchant for making errors (56 in 127 games in 1981 at shortstop for the Nashville Sounds).
Nixon shares the single game stolen base Major League record with 6 on June 16, 1991. He also holds the Atlanta Braves single season record for stolen bases with 72 in 1991. In 1982, Nixon stole 107 bases in a combined season between the AA level Nashville Sounds and the AAA level Columbus Clippers.
In 17 seasons Nixon played with the New York Yankees (1983), Cleveland Indians (1984–87), Montreal Expos (1988–90), Atlanta Braves (1991–93, 1999), Boston Red Sox (1994), Texas Rangers (1995), Toronto Blue Jays (1996–97), Los Angeles Dodgers (1997) and Minnesota Twins (1998).
Nixon battled a cocaine habit for much of his career. He was arrested on drug charges in 1987 while a member of the Cleveland Indians organization. Nixon failed a drug test in September 1991 and was suspended for 60 days, which caused Nixon to miss the 1991 World Series.
On July 25, 1992, Nixon made a catch over the wall to rob Andy Van Slyke of a home run that was replayed constantly on the sports news television shows. Nixon made the final out of the 1992 World Series attempting to bunt for a base hit with a runner on 3rd and 2 out in extra innings of Game 6. Nixon had successfully bunted for base hits many times for the Braves in 1991-1992, but this time it didn't work. It was the only World Series in history to end on a bunt. On his previous at-bat, Nixon had singled home the tying run (swinging, not bunting) with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th to send Game 6 to extra innings.
In the 1999 National League Championship Series, 40-year-old Nixon made one of the key plays to save the series for the Braves. After the Braves had blown 5-0 and 7-3 leads in Game 6 and trailed 8-7 in the 8th inning, Nixon pinch ran at 1st base with 1 out and changed the momentum of the game and the series by stealing second and going to third when the throw went into center field. Nixon went on to score the tying run, and the Braves eventually won the game in extra innings.
Nixon was a career .270 hitter with 11 home runs, 318 RBI, 878 runs, 1379 hits, 142 doubles, 27 triples, and 620 stolen bases in 1709 games.
Nixon's younger brother, Donell Nixon, also played in the Major Leagues from 1987 through 1990 for the Seattle Mariners, the San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles.
Read more about this topic: Otis Nixon
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