Rocky Nelson ranks eighth in Cuban League history with 44 career home runs

Nov. 18: On this day in 1924, Cuban League star and former major leaguer Rocky Nelson was born in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, Nelson played six seasons for Almendares between 1952-59.

According to Who's Who in Cuban Baseball, 1878-1961, Nelson ranks eighth in Cuban League history with 44 career home runs and is tied for the most RBI in a single Cuban League season (57 in 1954-55). That same season, he led the league with 13 home runs.

In the 1953-53 season, Nelson (shown in this Sporting News archive photo that was up for auction by Lexibell Vintage Photos on eBay recently) was up fled the Cuban League in hitting with a .352 batting average.

In the majors, Nelson played for the Cardinals, Pirates, White Sox, St. Louis Browns and Indians during nine seasons between 1949-61,