Augustana University Athletics

Nelson starred in three sports, earning 11 varsity letters in the immediate pre-World War 11 years. As a transfer student from the University of Minnesota, the Cambridge, Minn. native was ineligible for conference football as a freshman. The next three years he set the league afire and was named All-Conference three times.

He was a starting guard on the Viking basketball team as a freshman and in track was a consistent point-getter in the hurdles, high jump, dashes and as a member of relay teams.

His four touchdowns scored against Huron in 1940 earned him a share of a school record for single game. He captained the 1941 Vikings and his triple threat efforts made him the scourge of the SDIC. In his final year he was the team's scoring leader with 72 points. His efforts may have contributed to Augustana's admittance, the following years, to the North Central Conference.

"Baldy" served with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during World War II, then held teaching-coaching jobs at Tyndall and at Sheldon, Iowa and for a year at Augustana before accepting a job with the Worthington, Minn., public schools where he was the vocational rehabilitation counselor. 

He is responsible for beginning Worthington's Trojan Relays and for inaugurating the Worthington wrestling program.