Billy Nicholson was one of the early arrivers to the Hot Stove meeting. I knew the name but didn’t know his current position or history. Turns out he had worked with the Braves for 17 years as a minor league scout, coach, and bullpen catcher. When I got home I looked him up. After playing baseball in Georgia Southwestern he had got into coaching, after taking a year to earn money driving a truck. Catching bullpens at showcases and tryouts, the Braves noticed his selfless attitude and started using him as a birddog, spotting good players in south Georgia and notifying scouts.
Nicholson coached baseball and softball at Centennial High in Roswell, then took over the same duties at the new Johns Creek High. While there the Braves made him assistant coach, first in Rome and later Gwinnett. He coached first base, pitched batting practice, caught in the bullpen, and helped out however possible.
In September 2014 the minor league season had ended. On a Thursday he was preparing to coach his girls softball game when his phone rang. It was Braves GM John Coppalla asking what he was up to, wanting to know if he was free that weekend. The Braves season-ending series was in Philadelphia. Bullpen catcher Alan Butts had surgery and wasn’t on the trip. Copy needed a catcher, and as a treat called Nicholson. Billy was shaking when he called his wife with the news.
After the softball game Billy got a call to arrange the trip. There were several flights, but he took the first one out. He arrived at the hotel carrying his bags. Terry Pendleton saw him and told him to put down his bags, to let a porter take him to the room. Pendleton wanted Billy to ride to the stadium with him, but Nicholson wanted to ride on the team bus – the team didn’t know he would be there. He boarded the first bus and it drove away. Only then did Billy realize it was the pitchers bus. He found his locker in the mostly empty locker room, with his own big league jersey, number 70. Nicholson wanted to introduce himself to Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, whom he’s never met. But Fredi was in his office, busily talking to reporters and coaches.
Then Braves TV host Jenn Hildreath came up, wanting to film a special report about Billy. “Just change into your uniform first” she said, walking a short distance away. Other cameramen and assistants walked in, several female. Billy hesitated to change, but Jenn said it wasn’t something she hadn’t seen before.
The position players arrived. Since Nicholson was in a corner, few spotted him at first. Then Freddie Freeman saw him and hollered “Billy Nick!” The team gathered round, jumping and shouting and welcoming him to the team. Gonzalez stepped out of his office to see what the commotion was about. That’s how Billy met Fredi.
Billy went out to the dugout with Alex Wood, and out on the field to throw. Nicholson remembered something Brian Snitker had told him: “Take time to take it all in. Billy tried to remember that. Eddie Perez came out and said the same thing. Billy exclaimed” Beellie, we’re going to have so much fun! I know a lady, she’ll get us anything you want. Pepsi, fries – you like fries? I’ll have her bring us some fires!”
The visitor’s bullpen in Philly is located above the Phillies bullpen, surrounded by the notoriously hostile fans. Perez warned him not to look. Billy hoped for a complete game, but in the fifth inning the phone rang. Billy strapped on his wear and crouched behind the plate. A fan hollered “look at the old man!” He was 45. Nicholson just hoped he’s be able to catch the first pitch. Later he warmed up closer Craig Kimbrel, who went in and got the save. Eddie said Kimbrel was one save away from winning the Rolaids Relif Man Award.
Billy got back to the hotel. His phone had over 170 messages of encouragement. Saturday bench coach Carlos Tosca invited Nicholson to go to the park early, and walk around the field with him and Fredi. Billy felt great. He hated his wife couldn’t fly up, “but we live on a teacher’s salary, and…”
Sunday Tosca told Billy to stick around the dugout for the first few innings. Then Fredi came over and handed him the lineup cards, telling Nicolson to go out to home plate for the pregame meeting with the umpires. Billy was walking on air. Hot stove friend Marvin Hudson was one of the umpires.
Later he warmed Kimbrel up again, and the closer got the save he needed to win the award. After the game Billy took his time returning to the dugout, trying to soak everything in one last time. Kimbrel was there on the steps waiting for him. Craig held up the ball from the last out, and handed it to Billy. Kimbrel had gotten the ball authenticated. It’s still on Billy’s mantle. In the clubhouse Fredi gathered the team around, and presented the authenticated lineup cards from the game to Billy.
Nicholson flew home on the Braves charter, sitting just behind the coaches in first class. Perez kept telling him “order anything you want. Drinks? Hard liquor? I’m paying for everything.” Perez kept looking back from first class, shaking his finger. Don’t pay! Billy had three beers, plus filet mignon and lobster. The stewardess saw Perez waving his arms and asked Billy what was going on. Billy said Eddie told him he was paying for everything. The stewardess laughed and said “No he isn’t! The team pays for everything!” Perez just laughed and laughed.
In November (2017 or 2018?) new Braves GM AA had let Nicholson go, in a youth movement similar to the two longtime scouts who AA had let go earlier in the day (January 9). Billy addressed this, admitting he had at first been crushed, though he was thankful for the years and memories he’d had. That day he received several calls on consolation, including from young Schuerholz almost in tears, as well as his father. He said Bobby Cox had always said there are no tomorrows are guaranteed in baseball.
The past few summers Billy has helped coached the AFLAC All-America teams. He’s helping to create an alternative to travel ball, the Affordable Baseball League, costing only $250.00. More and more families just can’t take the financial and time commitments necessary for travel ball. Players spend all summer at showcases, playing hundreds of games. High school coaches have to mold them back into team players, focused on going all out for the critical 20 game region schedule. It takes the entire season to do so.
Scouts these days have different challenges than in years past. With the internet everyone knows who the prospects are. Teams need scouts to determine whether a player will sign or not. Getting to know the parents is as needed as knowing the player. Billy has learned that kids playing several sports learn more skills, including interpersonal and mental toughness. They’re more likely to get up quicker after taking a hit.
Nicholson’s Johns Creek Gladiators were involved in a controversial play in their 2017 state playoff game that gained nationwide attention. Playing at Lee County High in south Georgia near Albany with four umpires working their first game together. The second base umpire was from south Georgia, who refereed football games with the father of a Lee County coach. The plate umpire and third base umpire had traveled from other states for the game, and were working on little rest.
Tie game. Bottom of the last inning. Johns Creek batting. Bases loaded. Two out. Full count. With the pitch the three runners took off. The pitch was high and inside – ball four. The batter ran to first base, and the runner on third crossed the plate. Game over.
The teams lined up and were halfway through shaking hands when the second base umpire waved his hands, calling a halt to the celebration. He said the runner on second hadn’t touched third, hadn’t come anywhere near it. The third base umpire though the kid had touch third. Two of the other umpires didn’t think it mattered. Not sure why the second base umpire wasn’t watching the runner from first touch second.
No one knew what to do. The umps gathered in the outfield to talk. Then all four got on their phones and made calls. Nicholson knew not to get thrown out, as it might cause a riot. But the first game had been protested.
Video of the ending couldn’t be admitted. It clearly showed the runner had touched third. The runner, a sophomore, had to be consoled on the way home. A lawyer from New York called, telling them to check the umpire’s guidebook. It’s against the rules for umpires to use electronic devices during a game. All four umpires were suspended for five years.
Johns Creek won the protest and the game three was back on. After some rain Johns Creek traveled back to day after several players graduated (and partied). The Gladiators lost 8-1.
Darn it, I should’ve asked Billy about Bobby Dews.
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