John W. "Candy" Nelson (March 14, 1849 – September 4, 1910) was an American professional baseball shortstop. He played 13 seasons between 1872 and 1890 for nine teams in three leagues.
Biography A native of Maine, Nelson entered professional baseball in Brooklyn in 1867. He made his major-league debut in the National Association with the Troy Haymakers in 1872.
In 1890, he was the oldest player in the American Association at age 41. A couple of years later, major publications described him as owning a milk route in Brooklyn. On the 1900 U.S. Census, Nelson listed "ball player" for his occupation. He died of heart problems at home in Brooklyn in 1910.
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