Ken Nash
Kenneth Leland Nash was an American baseball player, politician, and judge. He was a Major League Baseball infielder who played for two seasons. He split time as a shortstop, third baseman, and second baseman. He was elected to the Massachusetts [House of Representatives] during his playing career and eventually left baseball to focus on politics and pursue a legal career. He spent 52 years as a Massachusetts District Court judge, retiring in 1970 at the age of 82.
Playing career
Nash played shortstop and pitched for Weymouth High School and was captain of the 1906 team. After graduating, he went into the insurance business in Boston, but eventually returned to Weymouth for postgraduate work. He played four seasons for the Brown Bears baseball team and was the team captain in 1912, his senior season.Nash played 11 games for the Cleveland Naps in 1912. He appeared in one game under the name "Costello". According to Nash's brother, after an argument with an umpire, Cleveland manager Harry Davis instructed Nash to pinch hit and "tell your name is Costello". Consequently, for over 40 years a player named "Costello" was listed in the official baseball records as having played one game for Cleveland in 1912; this was finally corrected in 1958, with the game being credited to Nash.
Nash played for Toledo Mud Hens and Waterbury, Connecticut, [minor league baseball|Waterbury Contenders] in 1914. His contract was purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals that fall. However, Nash was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives that November and could not report to the Cardinals until the end of the 1914 Massachusetts legislature. He appeared in 24 games for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1914. He played for the Montreal Royals in 1915 and signed with the Brooklyn Tip-Tops of the Federal League for the 1916, but the league folded before he could play for the team. He instead played for the St. Paul Saints that year before leaving professional baseball for law and politics. During the 1920s he played for Salem, Massachusetts-based semiprofessional team that included Jack Barry, Chick Davies, and Chick Gagnon.