Cotton Nash Couldn't Go Home

Cotton Nash was a two-sport athlete, playing pro basketball while trying to crack the majors in baseball. He did get a couple of shots at the bigs with the White Sox and Twins, but couldn;t stick despite putting up big power numbers in AAA.

Heading into the 1971 off-season, Nash was looking forward to heading back to Kentucky, where he was based, and was a star basketballer at Kentucky in Lexington. The big fellow is shown to go from the Twins system in 1971 (Portland) to DENVER in 1972, the Rangers' AAA team.

What happened?

Well, Nash WAS traded to Louisville...says the Jan. 25, 1972 issue of the Daily News of Bowling Green, Ky.

"The Minnesota Twins have traded Cotton Nash to the Louisville Colonels in return for Mike Derrick"

Derrick played for the Red Sox in 1970. This transaction is unlisted on both players' records.

So why didn't Nash stay in Louisville for 1972? He didn't make the team out of spring training, was cut, and signed with Denver for 1972, his last pro season.

Derrick (Red Sox hat) taken from Snipview.
Nash (White Sox) from Sabr.org!