Class of 2006
Melvin Mel Nee
In 1942, Mel Nee, a 19 year old Centerville native, attend a Pittsburgh Pirate tryout camp and was signed to a Pirate minor league contract. He pitched only two innings before his contract was sold to Kingsport, Tennessee . Mel went won 7 and lost 7 that season. He was in the Army the next two year.
Nee retum in 1946 to Kingsport in a class D league and he won 14 and lost 14. ln 1947, Mel had one of his best season pitching for Miami in a class B league. Not only did he have 20 victories, but he pitched a perfect game. In a game against the Miami Beach Flamingos not a single batter reached base.
At this time Mel's spirits were high and his arm was strong. He moved up the ladder to AA Birmingham, but was sent down to A ball at Scranton in the Pennsylvania League. While playing for the Scranton Miners in June, 1948, Mel, now 26 years-old, got a chance to pitch against the Boston Red Sox in an exhibition game
The Red Sox lineup against Scranton would be the same as it had been, and would be, for a few more years: Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, Ted Williams, Vem Stephens, Bobby Doerr ...and pitching ace Maurice McDermott would start. That night, before over 12,000, the kid from Centerville cut down the famed Sox, 3-2, on seven hits, handcuffing the legendary Williams and knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th with a single.
One of Nee's teammates and good friend was Jimmy Piersall. Nee recalls that he was just as crazy in Scranton as he would be in many years with the Red Sox.
The next day Nee learned that he was being sent back to Miami. Mel said that he could never explain the reason except that he was a fan favorite there. So the Centerville fireballer went down to class A instead a step up toward the majors. In pro ball he reached AA three times, but saw little action.
He pitched five scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers in spring training in 1950, but went back to A ball for the season. He pitched a no-hitter in Canada , but lost the game. His big chance had been after the heroic victory in Scranton , but he later learned the deal had been signed before he went out to the field that night.
He ended his 10 years in pro ball with a record of 98 and 82. He then played local baseball, at first base, no longer pitching, and in 1956 was the second leading hitter in the Pen·Mar league, hitting .416 for Centerville. He said that he pinch-hit a lot in pro ball. He umpired in the Cumberland area for 30 years and he also scouted for the Washington Senators and the Texas Rangers from 1968 to 1980. He retired from baseball in 1992.
Mel said that his wife, Doris, who is deceased, traveled with him most of the time while he was in pro ball and they had three sons.
"I always thought I was good enough for the majors," he said. But Miami never gave him a chance. Miami drew good crowds to see him pitch. "l was a crowd-pleaser, " He recalls, he pitched three scoreless innings in the league's all-star game in Havana, but hurt his arm pitching 18 innings in four days in a tight pennant race, and was never the same.
But, he adds, "l love every bit of it. l 'd do it again."
In 1942, Mel Nee, a 19 year old Centerville native, attend a Pittsburgh Pirate tryout camp and was signed to a Pirate minor league contract. He pitched only two innings before his contract was sold to Kingsport, Tennessee . Mel went won 7 and lost 7 that season. He was in the Army the next two year.
Nee retum in 1946 to Kingsport in a class D league and he won 14 and lost 14. ln 1947, Mel had one of his best season pitching for Miami in a class B league. Not only did he have 20 victories, but he pitched a perfect game. In a game against the Miami Beach Flamingos not a single batter reached base.
At this time Mel's spirits were high and his arm was strong. He moved up the ladder to AA Birmingham, but was sent down to A ball at Scranton in the Pennsylvania League. While playing for the Scranton Miners in June, 1948, Mel, now 26 years-old, got a chance to pitch against the Boston Red Sox in an exhibition game
The Red Sox lineup against Scranton would be the same as it had been, and would be, for a few more years: Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, Ted Williams, Vem Stephens, Bobby Doerr ...and pitching ace Maurice McDermott would start. That night, before over 12,000, the kid from Centerville cut down the famed Sox, 3-2, on seven hits, handcuffing the legendary Williams and knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th with a single.
One of Nee's teammates and good friend was Jimmy Piersall. Nee recalls that he was just as crazy in Scranton as he would be in many years with the Red Sox.
The next day Nee learned that he was being sent back to Miami. Mel said that he could never explain the reason except that he was a fan favorite there. So the Centerville fireballer went down to class A instead a step up toward the majors. In pro ball he reached AA three times, but saw little action.
He pitched five scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers in spring training in 1950, but went back to A ball for the season. He pitched a no-hitter in Canada , but lost the game. His big chance had been after the heroic victory in Scranton , but he later learned the deal had been signed before he went out to the field that night.
He ended his 10 years in pro ball with a record of 98 and 82. He then played local baseball, at first base, no longer pitching, and in 1956 was the second leading hitter in the Pen·Mar league, hitting .416 for Centerville. He said that he pinch-hit a lot in pro ball. He umpired in the Cumberland area for 30 years and he also scouted for the Washington Senators and the Texas Rangers from 1968 to 1980. He retired from baseball in 1992.
Mel said that his wife, Doris, who is deceased, traveled with him most of the time while he was in pro ball and they had three sons.
"I always thought I was good enough for the majors," he said. But Miami never gave him a chance. Miami drew good crowds to see him pitch. "l was a crowd-pleaser, " He recalls, he pitched three scoreless innings in the league's all-star game in Havana, but hurt his arm pitching 18 innings in four days in a tight pennant race, and was never the same.
But, he adds, "l love every bit of it. l 'd do it again."
Melvin Mel Nee
In 1942, Mel Nee, a 19 year old Centerville native, attend a Pittsburgh Pirate tryout camp and was signed to a Pirate minor league contract. He pitched only two innings before his contract was sold to Kingsport, Tennessee . Mel went won 7 and lost 7 that season. He was in the Army the next two year.
Nee retum in 1946 to Kingsport in a class D league and he won 14 and lost 14. ln 1947, Mel had one of his best season pitching for Miami in a class B league. Not only did he have 20 victories, but he pitched a perfect game. In a game against the Miami Beach Flamingos not a single batter reached base.
At this time Mel's spirits were high and his arm was strong. He moved up the ladder to AA Birmingham, but was sent down to A ball at Scranton in the Pennsylvania League. While playing for the Scranton Miners in June, 1948, Mel, now 26 years-old, got a chance to pitch against the Boston Red Sox in an exhibition game
The Red Sox lineup against Scranton would be the same as it had been, and would be, for a few more years: Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, Ted Williams, Vem Stephens, Bobby Doerr ...and pitching ace Maurice McDermott would start. That night, before over 12,000, the kid from Centerville cut down the famed Sox, 3-2, on seven hits, handcuffing the legendary Williams and knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th with a single.
One of Nee's teammates and good friend was Jimmy Piersall. Nee recalls that he was just as crazy in Scranton as he would be in many years with the Red Sox.
The next day Nee learned that he was being sent back to Miami. Mel said that he could never explain the reason except that he was a fan favorite there. So the Centerville fireballer went down to class A instead a step up toward the majors. In pro ball he reached AA three times, but saw little action.
He pitched five scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers in spring training in 1950, but went back to A ball for the season. He pitched a no-hitter in Canada , but lost the game. His big chance had been after the heroic victory in Scranton , but he later learned the deal had been signed before he went out to the field that night.
He ended his 10 years in pro ball with a record of 98 and 82. He then played local baseball, at first base, no longer pitching, and in 1956 was the second leading hitter in the Pen·Mar league, hitting .416 for Centerville. He said that he pinch-hit a lot in pro ball. He umpired in the Cumberland area for 30 years and he also scouted for the Washington Senators and the Texas Rangers from 1968 to 1980. He retired from baseball in 1992.
Mel said that his wife, Doris, who is deceased, traveled with him most of the time while he was in pro ball and they had three sons.
"I always thought I was good enough for the majors," he said. But Miami never gave him a chance. Miami drew good crowds to see him pitch. "l was a crowd-pleaser, " He recalls, he pitched three scoreless innings in the league's all-star game in Havana, but hurt his arm pitching 18 innings in four days in a tight pennant race, and was never the same.
But, he adds, "l love every bit of it. l 'd do it again."
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In 1942, Mel Nee, a 19 year old Centerville native, attend a Pittsburgh Pirate tryout camp and was signed to a Pirate minor league contract. He pitched only two innings before his contract was sold to Kingsport, Tennessee . Mel went won 7 and lost 7 that season. He was in the Army the next two year.
Nee retum in 1946 to Kingsport in a class D league and he won 14 and lost 14. ln 1947, Mel had one of his best season pitching for Miami in a class B league. Not only did he have 20 victories, but he pitched a perfect game. In a game against the Miami Beach Flamingos not a single batter reached base.
At this time Mel's spirits were high and his arm was strong. He moved up the ladder to AA Birmingham, but was sent down to A ball at Scranton in the Pennsylvania League. While playing for the Scranton Miners in June, 1948, Mel, now 26 years-old, got a chance to pitch against the Boston Red Sox in an exhibition game
The Red Sox lineup against Scranton would be the same as it had been, and would be, for a few more years: Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, Ted Williams, Vem Stephens, Bobby Doerr ...and pitching ace Maurice McDermott would start. That night, before over 12,000, the kid from Centerville cut down the famed Sox, 3-2, on seven hits, handcuffing the legendary Williams and knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th with a single.
One of Nee's teammates and good friend was Jimmy Piersall. Nee recalls that he was just as crazy in Scranton as he would be in many years with the Red Sox.
The next day Nee learned that he was being sent back to Miami. Mel said that he could never explain the reason except that he was a fan favorite there. So the Centerville fireballer went down to class A instead a step up toward the majors. In pro ball he reached AA three times, but saw little action.
He pitched five scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers in spring training in 1950, but went back to A ball for the season. He pitched a no-hitter in Canada , but lost the game. His big chance had been after the heroic victory in Scranton , but he later learned the deal had been signed before he went out to the field that night.
He ended his 10 years in pro ball with a record of 98 and 82. He then played local baseball, at first base, no longer pitching, and in 1956 was the second leading hitter in the Pen·Mar league, hitting .416 for Centerville. He said that he pinch-hit a lot in pro ball. He umpired in the Cumberland area for 30 years and he also scouted for the Washington Senators and the Texas Rangers from 1968 to 1980. He retired from baseball in 1992.
Mel said that his wife, Doris, who is deceased, traveled with him most of the time while he was in pro ball and they had three sons.
"I always thought I was good enough for the majors," he said. But Miami never gave him a chance. Miami drew good crowds to see him pitch. "l was a crowd-pleaser, " He recalls, he pitched three scoreless innings in the league's all-star game in Havana, but hurt his arm pitching 18 innings in four days in a tight pennant race, and was never the same.
But, he adds, "l love every bit of it. l 'd do it again."
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Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania