#16 Scott Nielsen

Position: Right Hand Pitcher Height: 6-1 Weight: 185 Roster Years: 1977-1978 | 1981-1983 Hometown: Tacoma, WA Mission: Buenos Aires North, Argentina Last School: Pierce High School

1994 Hall of Fame Inductee

Whenever BYU pitcher "Hooter" Nielsen took the mound, it seemed the Cougars won.

The pinnacle for Scott Nielsen while he was at BYU was his NCAA record of 26 consecutive victories. The record, established with a complete game shutout (10-0) over Utah in 1983, still stands. That nine-inning performance was his 24th straight win and helped him earn ESPN Vitalis Player of the Week.

That same year the 6-1 right-hander from Tacoma, Washington, began his pro career as a fourth-round draft pick with the Seattle Mariners. He was traded to the New York Yankees in 1985, where he pitched a complete-game shutout against the Minnesota Twins. Scott also played for the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets.

He was the 1988 Topps Minor League Player of the Year and played in the AAA All-Star Game. In 1992 he was selected to the Columbus Clippers Hall of Fame.

There was little fanfare when Scott began playing baseball at BYU in 1977, and he interrupted his collegiate career to serve an LDS mission to Argentina. When he returned, he burst onto the scene - his cap pulled down to his eyebrows - and posted an 11-0 record as a junior. That year he was voted Second-Team All-America by the College Baseball Coaches Association.

As a senior Scott was again selected as an All-American and was the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He also earned All-District Team honors for the second year in a row and was a unanimous First-Team All-Wac selection.

His senior year ended with a loss when the number one-ranked Cougars fell to Fresno State in the NCAA West Regionals at Tempe, Arizona; he finished the season with a 14-1 record. His career record at BYU was 27-3.

Scott graduated from BYU in 1984 in accounting. He has been a member of the board of trustees for the Law-Related Education Project of Utah, chairman of the United Way Campaign, and a sponsor of hospice services for infants and the elderly through the Major League Baseball Alumni Association.

Personal

• Born in Salt Lake City
• Turned down an offer to play quarterback at the U.S. Air Force Academy
• Served an LDS church mission to Argentina, Buenos Aires North from 1979-80
• Married to Pam Gerzeli
• B.S. in accounting from BYU in 1984

Career Highlights

• Ended his career at BYU with a record of 27-3
• Set an NCAA record with 26 consecutive victories, surpassing the record of 23 by South Carolina's Earl Bass (1974-1975) 1983
• Third Team All-America by the American Association of Baseball Coaches 1983
• Unanimous First Team All-WAC 1983
• Set school career record with a .963 won-lost percentage his senior year
• All-District Nine 1982-83
• Third Team All-America by Worth/Baseball Coaches 1982

Before BYU

• Prepped at Pierce High School in Tacoma, Washington

After BYU

• Began his pro career as a fourth-round draft pick with the Seattle Mariners in 1983
• Was traded to the New York Yankees in 1985
• Also played of the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets 
• Retired from major league baseball in 1990

Post BYU Honors and Societies

• Pitched a complete-game shutout against the Minnesota Twins in 1985
• Was the 1988 Topps Minor League Player of the Year
• Played in the AAA All-Star Game in 1988
• Was selected to the Columbus Clippers Hall of Fame in 1992
• Has been a member of the board of trustees for the Law-Related Education Project of Utah, chairman of the United Way Campaign and a sponsor of hospice services for infants and elderly through the Major League Baseball Alumni Association
• Inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 1994

Stats

Year     ERA  W-L APP  GS  CG  SV    IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO
1977    8.20  1-2   5   3   1   -  18.2  26  24  17  15  14
1978    7.00  1-0   1   1   1   -   9.0  10   8   7   9   7
1982    2.45 11-0  15  12   9   - 103.0  99  42  28  32  56
1983    4.01 14-1  16  16   9   - 112.1 122  68  50  40  83