Obituary: Nellie Briles

Obituary: Nelson Kelly 'Nellie' Briles / Former Pirates pitcher and front-office official
Monday, February 14, 2005
By Nate Guidry, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Nelson Kelley "Nellie" Briles, a former Pirates pitcher who hurled a brilliant two-hit shutout against the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth game of the 1971 World Series, died yesterday of an apparent heart attack.

Mr. Briles, who was 61, was playing golf in an annual Pirates alumni event in Orlando, Fla., when he passed out. Among the golfers playing behind Mr. Briles were Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski, who was visibly upset when Mr. Briles collapsed.

"Obviously it's a big loss to the Pirate family," Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy said. "Nellie was just a valuable part of our organization."

Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield said he spoke to manager Lloyd McClendon, former manager Jim Leyland and many other people in the organization to let them know what had happened.

"Everybody had such good things to say about him," Littlefield said. "He was a class guy. A real Pirate through and through."

"I'm just stunned," said Steve Blass, broadcaster and Mr. Briles' former teammate. "It blindsided me. I was just with him at the Fantasy Camp [in Bradenton, Fla., Jan. 23-30]. He ran that camp as well as it can be run. I had no awareness of any heart problem history. He was tireless."

Mr. Briles, who worked in the Pirates organization for more than 24 years, most recently as vice president of corporate projects, grew up in Chico, Calif. At Chico High School, he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. During his senior year, he averaged 40.5 yards per punt and was named to the all-league football team.

After graduating, Mr. Briles attended Chico State College and Santa Clara University and in 1963, signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. He spent only one year in the minors.

In 1967, Mr. Briles led the league with a .737 win-loss percentage. He went 14-5 that season with a 2.43 ERA in 49 games.

In January 1971, Mr. Briles was obtained by the Pirates from St. Louis.

Mr. Briles was a valuable addition to the Pirates as a spot starter and reliever. He posted a 7-2 record in a starting capacity. He was inserted into the starting lineup in late August and won three of four decisions, including two shutouts.

A leg injury kept Mr. Briles idled during the championship series against the San Francisco Giants, but he bounced back in the fifth game of the World Series to pitch a two-hit shutout over the Orioles.

"As a teammate, he was terrific," said Blass. "We got him from the Cardinals [who won the World Series in 1967 and 1968], so he had been down road with championship teams. The postseason experience he brought to us was tremendous."

In 1973, Mr. Briles was traded to Kansas City and later to Texas and Baltimore.

After his retirement he returned to Pittsburgh and in 1979, served as a television broadcaster.

In May 1986, Mr. Briles joined the Pirates' front office as director of corporate sales. He also
directed the club's annual Fantasy Camp and was the founder and president of the Pirates Alumni Association and president of the Pirates Speaker's Bureau.

Sally O'Leary, editor of The Black and Gold, the Pirates alumni magazine, said she and Mr. Briles worked together closely over the years.

"We formed the newsletter in 1987, the year the Pirates turned 100 years old. He will be missed," she said.

Mr. Briles was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Western Chapter, in 1992, and the Pennsylvania State Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

"He wasn't a homegrown Pirate, but he became part of the Pirate fabric," said Blass. "He spoke everywhere. He was tireless with the alumni. He was an absolute plus to the organization and the city whenever he represented the Pittsburgh Pirates."

McClatchy said that Mr. Briles "was very dedicated to the organization and the Pirate family. He just loved working for the Pirates." He kept alumni involved, he said.

"Our alumni association is regarded [by other major league teams] as one of the best -- if not the best -- in baseball. But beyond that Nellie was a great guy. His loss will be felt by all of us."
His easygoing personality was mentioned over and over by those who knew him.

"He was a cheerful and as pleasant a man as I've ever know," said Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown. "He was the perfect ambassador for the club. The thing that most impressed me about him was how comfortable he was under any circumstance. He really was a pleasant, pleasant guy. It's really a shame. It's a terrible loss for the club."
Mr. Briles, of Greensburg, is survived by his wife, Ginger, a son, David, and three daughters, Christina, Kelley and Sarah.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete last night.

(Nate Guidry can be reached at nguidry@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3865.)