Johnny Neun was the Marc Bombard of his time. OK, maybe that’s overstating it--Bombard’s teams have not had as much success as Neun’s did. Neun managed the International League’s Newark Club in the 1930s and 1940s and that club has been described as a dynasty. Neun did get two chances to manage in the big leagues. The first was a 14-game stint as the interim skipper of the Yankees. The second was a year and a half with the Reds. Overall, he compiled a 123-143 record as a big league manager.

Dave Nilsson caught for the Milwaukee Brewers on and off for eight seasons. Nilsson is known as the first Australian to ever play Major League Baseball. Together with Graeme Lloyd, they formed the first Australian battery in 1993 when Lloyd pitched the 9^th inning of a game with Nilsson catching. Ironically, they gave up six runs in that inning. Nilsson had his best season in 1996 when he hit .331 with 17 home runs and 84 RBI for the Brewers with an OPS of 932. Nilsson decided to play in Japan for the 2000 season. He did this so that he could play on the Australian Olympic team, a privilege no Major League Team would allow him. After sitting out the 2001 and 2002 seasons, he made a very brief comeback with the Red Sox in 2003 before retiring just prior to Spring Training. In eight seasons, Nilsson compiled a .284 batting average with 105 home runs and 470 RBI to go with an OPS of 817.

It was difficult to decide where Nevin would be eligible for this team, as he has played substantial time at catcher, third base and outfield as well. As it turned out, we needed him most at first base. Nevin was the #1 overall pick in the draft out of Cal State-Fullerton in 1992 and great things were expected of him. However, injuries, inconsistency and an inability to play any defensive position very well kept him from reaching star status. He was called a disappointment everywhere he went and was traded for such non-notables as Mike Henneman, Matt Walbeck and Andy Sheets. Finally, he went to San Diego in 1999 and started to realize the potential that many thought he had. He hit 24 home runs in 1999 and followed that up with 31 in 2000 and 41 in 2001. In fact, 2001 was his best season as a pro. He hit .306 and drove in 126 runs, finishing 21^st in the MVP balloting. Nevin has had some recent injury trouble, but is still producing as the starting first baseman for the Padres.

The Dodgers second baseman in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Neal was known as a steady fielder with a little bit of pop in his bat. Neal played his first two seasons in Brooklyn. When the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, they played in the LA Coliseum where the distance down the left-field line was an unremarkable 251 feet. Neal responded by nearly doubling his home run totals in 1958 and keeping up that pace in 1959 as the Dodgers won the World Series over the Chicago White Sox. Neal had a large role in the victory with a .370 batting average, two home runs and six RBI. Neal became one of the inaugural members of the New York Mets in 1962 before fading into obscurity at the age of 32 in 1964.

Graig Nettles would undoubtedly be the cleanup hitter on this squad. The slick-fielding, power-hitting third baseman actually came up as an outfielder with the Twins before becoming a third baseman for the Indians. The Indians eventually traded him to the Yankees and it was in New York that “Puff” became a star. Nettles hit 96 total home runs during the 1976, 1977 and 1978 seasons ad the Yankees went to the World Series in each year. Though he never hit particularly well in the post-season, Nettles made a name for himself in the field in 1978. His four defensive gems in Game Three of the World Series made him a star of the series. After Nettles retired, he was instrumental in the development of the short-lived Senior Baseball League in Florida for players 35 and older. Careerwise, Nettles ended up with a 750 OPS to go along with 390 home runs and 1314 RBI.

This is the first time when someone’s name was the deciding factor in who made the team. Hey, with a name like Skeeter Newsome, how could I leave him off? He was a little guy (5-9, 170), which probably accounted for his nickname, and his real name was Lamar Ashby Newsome…I would have taken Skeeter, too. He was a good fielder with decent range, but had major troubles at the plate. His 597 OPS is perhaps the lowest of anyone I’ve put on any team. I haven’t been able to find much info on Skeeter besides stats and a few minor things, but I’m guessing ole Skeeter was more respected than his numbers might indicate. He was a regular for the A’s, Red Sox and Phillies in the 1930s and 1940s. The Philadelphia A’s nostalgia site had a couple of pictures of him despite the fact that he played only five seasons there, only two as a starter. One Red Sox discussion board referenced that he had been named as the 99^th best player in the history of the Red Sox, just ahead of Bill Buckner. He also received an MVP vote in 1945 after hitting .290 with 30 doubles, by far his best season. Skeeter was also a well-received minor league manager after his playing days were done. I imagine there’s a good story here…I’m determined to figure it out.

Bill Nicholson was known as “Swish” because of the force of his swings. Known for his gargantuan power, Nicholson hit home runs farther than most players in his day. One home run in Wrigley Field narrowly missed the scoreboard and only Roberto Clemente has ever hit it as far in Wrigley Field. In 1944, he homered in four consecutive at-bats in a doubleheader, prompting New York Giants manager Mel Ott to walk him with the bases loaded when he came up the fifth time. Swish was a fan favorite in Chicago and these fans were outraged when he was traded to the Phillies in 1949. However, Nicholson’s production and health tailed off and it was soon discovered that he had diabetes. He played five seasons with the Phillies, mostly as a pinch hitter, before retiring in 1953. Overall, Nicholson hit 235 home runs with 948 RBI and an OPS of 830.

Bob Nieman was an outfielder for seven different teams through the 1950s and early 1960s. He is most famous for being the first of only two players in the history of baseball to homer in the first two at-bats of his career. Nieman was a good all-around hitter, but did not play the field very well. Consequently, despite his hitting, he did not play regularly as often as he should have. He was having one of his best seasons for the Orioles in 1958 when he was hit by a line drive while standing on third base, slowing him down for the rest of the season. Overall, Nieman ended up with a .295 batting average, an 847 OPS, 125 home runs and 544 RBI.

Bill North was, and perhaps still is, an underrated player. North was exactly the player that the Phillies could use today. An outstanding center fielder with great range, he was also an excellent leadoff hitter. Despite a lifetime batting average of .261, he knew how to draw a walk and achieved a lifetime on-base percentage of .365. While he never had much power, he used his speed on the basepaths after he got to first base. He led the league in steals twice and finished second two other times. He also finished in the top ten in runs scored twice as well. Overall, North stole 395 bases and scored 640 runs in basically a nine-year career.

Kid Nichols was a victim of chronology and this explains why he is not as highly regarded as some of his contemporaries such as Cy Young, Pete Alexander and Christy Mathewson. Baseball became immensely popular from 1905 to 1910, just as Nichols was winding down (1906 saw his last game). From 1890 to 1905, Nichols was perhaps the best pitcher in the game. He won 26 or more games during each of his first nine seasons and had an ERA less than three in all but three of these seasons. Known for throwing almost nothing but fastballs, he was in the top ten in strikeouts twelve times. He was a decent player-manager for the Cardinals late in his career, but was fired after an unusual dispute with the owner in 1905. In those days, it was common for one or two of the visiting players to watch the gates and count the crowd as they came in. This was done to ensure they were not cheated by the home team on attendance money. Stanley Robinson, the Cardinal’s owner told Nichols it was his turn to watch the gate. Nichols told Robinson that he shouldn’t have to do it, being that he managed the team and was actually pitching that day. An argument ensued and Nichols was fired on the spot. Kid Nichols ended his career with a 361-208 record, 1868 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.95. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1949.

Although Hal Newhouser is a Hall of Famer and won two consecutive MVP Awards, his record is often not respected because his best seasons came during World War II when many of the best players were serving in the armed forces. Newhouser was not able to serve because of a congenital heart condition and went 29-9 in 1944 and 25-9 in 1945, winning the MVP during both seasons. He just missed a third MVP in 1946 when he went 26-9, but finished second to Ted Williams, who along with most of his colleagues, had returned from the war. Shoulder trouble limited his success after 1950 and he faded into obscurity by 1955. In the end, Newhouser had a 207-150 record with a 3.06 ERA and 1796 strikeouts. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1992.

A 32^nd round pick by the Texas Rangers, Robb Nen became one of the premier closers in baseball. Known as a rocket-armed reliever, Texas nevertheless traded him to Florida in 1992 for Chris Carpenter as part of the expansion draft. Nen became the Marlin’s closer by the end of 1993 and was an integral part of Florida’s 1997 World Series Championship. Unfortunately for Marlins fans, he was also part of the fire sale that came about directly after the World Series and was traded to the Giants for basically nothing. Nen was the Giants closer for five more seasons and ended up compiling 314 saves for his career. Nen has not pitched since 2002 after tearing 75% of his rotator cuff and it is unclear whether his career is over. He hopes to pitch in 2005.