Nellie King
Encyclopedia
Nelson Joseph "Nellie" King (March 15, 1928 – August 11, 2010) was an American professional baseball
pitcher
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
, and later a member of the Pirates' radio announcing team with Bob Prince
.
from 1954 through 1957 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finished his career with a 7-5 record and appeared in 95 games, all but four in relief. He was originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals
as an amateur free agent in 1946, however he was traded to the Pirates in 1948 in an unknown transaction.
and Latrobe
, both small cities outside of Pittsburgh. He was hired as the third member of the Pirates broadcasting team for the 1967 season, joining Bob Prince
and Jim Woods
. He replaced Don Hoak
who had moved back onto the field as a major league coach. Woods left the Pirates after the 1969 season and was replaced by Gene Osborn
. When Osborn was fired after one year, the Pirates went with a two-man team, Prince and King.
The broadcasting duo remained in place way until 1975, when Prince and King were told their contracts would not be renewed. Prince had issues with management at KDKA
, which held the broadcast rights. King was swept out in the station's desire to start with a completely new team. The Pirates offered King a job heading the team's speakers bureau, but he declined. He was hired as sports information director at Duquesne University
, and started a career that lasted more than 20 years at the university. He also served as color commentator on Duquesne basketball broadcasts and coached the golf team from 1988 until 2004.
King continued to do freelance broadcasting work and was employed by various radio stations, including KDKA, WWSW, WEEP, WTAE, and WEDO. He also served as color analyst on radio broadcasts of Carnegie–Mellon football.
He returned to the Pirates' broadcast booth as a guest commentator for a game in the final season at Three Rivers Stadium
on October 1, 2000. In 2009, he published a book titled Happiness Is Like A Cur Dog: The Thirty-Year Journey of a Major League Baseball Pitcher and Broadcaster. On August 11, 2010 King died after a battle with Parkinson's disease
.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, and later a member of the Pirates' radio announcing team with Bob Prince
Bob Prince
Robert Ferris Prince was an American radio and television sportscaster and commentator best known for his 28-year stint as the voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball club, with whom he earned the nickname “The Gunner” and became a cultural icon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Prince was...
.
Baseball career
King played in the National LeagueNational 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...
from 1954 through 1957 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finished his career with a 7-5 record and appeared in 95 games, all but four in relief. He was originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
as an amateur free agent in 1946, however he was traded to the Pirates in 1948 in an unknown transaction.
Broadcasting career
After selling municipal bonds following his retirement from baseball, King moved into sports broadcasting in 1959 for radio stations in GreensburgGreensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
and Latrobe
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
, both small cities outside of Pittsburgh. He was hired as the third member of the Pirates broadcasting team for the 1967 season, joining Bob Prince
Bob Prince
Robert Ferris Prince was an American radio and television sportscaster and commentator best known for his 28-year stint as the voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball club, with whom he earned the nickname “The Gunner” and became a cultural icon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Prince was...
and Jim Woods
Jim Woods
James M. Woods was an American sportscaster, best known for his play-by-play work on Major League Baseball broadcasts.-Early life:...
. He replaced Don Hoak
Don Hoak
Donald Albert Hoak was a Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "Tiger," Hoak was a third baseman who played ten seasons in the Majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers , Chicago Cubs , Cincinnati Reds , Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies...
who had moved back onto the field as a major league coach. Woods left the Pirates after the 1969 season and was replaced by Gene Osborn
Gene Osborn
Gene Osborn was a radio and television broadcaster in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, known primarily as a color commentator for several major league baseball teams....
. When Osborn was fired after one year, the Pirates went with a two-man team, Prince and King.
The broadcasting duo remained in place way until 1975, when Prince and King were told their contracts would not be renewed. Prince had issues with management at KDKA
KDKA (AM)
KDKA is a radio station licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Created by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation on November 2, 1920, it is one of the world's first modern radio stations , a distinction that has also been challenged by other stations, although it has claimed to be the first in...
, which held the broadcast rights. King was swept out in the station's desire to start with a completely new team. The Pirates offered King a job heading the team's speakers bureau, but he declined. He was hired as sports information director at Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
, and started a career that lasted more than 20 years at the university. He also served as color commentator on Duquesne basketball broadcasts and coached the golf team from 1988 until 2004.
King continued to do freelance broadcasting work and was employed by various radio stations, including KDKA, WWSW, WEEP, WTAE, and WEDO. He also served as color analyst on radio broadcasts of Carnegie–Mellon football.
He returned to the Pirates' broadcast booth as a guest commentator for a game in the final season at Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...
on October 1, 2000. In 2009, he published a book titled Happiness Is Like A Cur Dog: The Thirty-Year Journey of a Major League Baseball Pitcher and Broadcaster. On August 11, 2010 King died after a battle with Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.