Gilbert Tigers Pitcher Gabe Nelson Draws Family Inspiration From Hall of Famer, Bob Feller

The second cousin (once removed) of the legendary Cleveland Indians hurler is making a name for himself in hopes of capturing an IHSAA State Baseball Championship in Iowa

Member of the Gilbert baseball team Gabe Nelson shows former MLB player Bob Feller memorabilia at the Gilbert Baseball Field earlier this spring in Gilbert, Iowa. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When the Gilbert Tigers open the 2025 Iowa High School Athletic Association 3A State Baseball Tournament bracket by hosting Winterset on Friday at GIlbert High School, Gabe Nelson will try to achieve a postseason feat not even the legendary Bob Feller could accomplish during his time at Van Meter High School: winning a state baseball title. 

Nelson would know. 

He tends to be well-versed about the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame pitcher who tossed five no-hitters in high school and joined the club at 17-years-old by making his MLB debut on July 19, 1936 in relief against the Washington Senators. Three weeks later, Feller struck out 17 batters on his way to tying the single game strikeout record for the Indians. 

Family Roots Run Deep In Iowa

Nelson knows those kinds of tidbits and more about “The Heater from Van Meter”. He knows about the four years of service in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a Chief Petty Officer, the three no hitters and 12 one-hitters, and the 8-time All-Star selections. There are the multiple strikeout records and Feller’s World Series outing in 1948. How about the time the Office of the Commissioner showcased “Bullet Bob’s” fastball against a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to see which one was faster. Classic. This isn’t merely baseball trivia or the latest round of Jeopardy! about one of the greatest pitchers of all-time. 

This is family history. This is a family legacy.  Willard Smith – Nelson's great-grandfather – was a first cousin to Feller, making Nelson a second cousin of Feller’s once removed. 

Despite never meeting Feller who passed away in 2010, Gabe has drawn inspiration from Feller as the son of Jeff and Amie Nelson. Whereas the fiery Feller relied on his overpowering fastball as a right-hander, the left-handed Nelson prefers his change-up to keep hitters guessing. But there’s something else. Something about their eyes that the two share in common. That look led Feller to Cooperstown. For Nelson and the Gilbert Tigers, the focus is set solely on state with Class 3A and Class 4A first round games beginning on Friday, July 11. That’s when eight teams from each classification will advance to the 2025 IHSAA State Baseball Tournament currently scheduled for July 21 through July 25 in Carroll (1A, 2A) and Sioux City (3A, 4A).

Date unknown; Cleveland, OH, USA; Bob Feller and his father. Mandatory Credit: Des Moines Register-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images / Des Moines Register-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn images

Postseason Dreams And College Aspirations

Next line of business. Surprising teams in Iowa’s 3A Substate 7 play. 

That starts with Winterset (13-16) on their home field. Since June, the two teams have split their series 4-4 in the Raccoon River Conference including a 10-0 victory by Gilbert (14-15) in their last contest. 

Entering his Senior year for the Tigers, Nelson has emerged as an admirable student-athlete and pitcher thanks to previously playing for summer travel teams over the years like the 3T’s Bats, Iowa Sticks, and the Ames Storm. Hard work pays off, yet it’s his family lineage and affinity for Feller’s greatest that fuels Gabe’s fire to succeed in hopes of one day playing college baseball. That’s the goal. It’s also in line with how Gilbert Athletics strives to shape young athletes who embody the characteristics of integrity, respect, responsibility, servant leadership, and sportsmanship. By overcoming challenges and taking pride in tradition, Nelson is a chip off of the old “Rapid Robert”. 

Family Business: Gabe Nelson takes a piece of Bob Feller with him wherever he goes in life. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Always Looking Up To Bob Feller

Upon retiring from baseball, Feller himself served as the first president of the Major League Baseball Players Association where he advocated for players' rights and solidified his place in baseball history. Today, the commemorated statue outside of Progressive Field in Cleveland stands in his honor and the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award that was established in 2013, still recognizes those individuals that demonstrate the same dedicated approach to service as Feller did during his lifetime. 

Bob Feller may not have won a state title back in Iowa, but that doesn’t mean Gabe Nelson can’t help Gilbert write a championship chapter in his book of family history.

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