Career
Bob"s son Jay Nilsson began his minor league career in 2006. Bob Nilsson was the first Australian of the modern era to sign a professional contract with a MLB team, inking a deal with the Cincinnati Reds in 1978. He never made it to the United States minor leagues, though.
When the Australian Baseball League was founded in 1989–1990, Bob was one of the early stars.
He hit.315/.351/.575 for the Gold Coast Dolphins while going 3–4 with 2 saves and a 1.11 European Research Area. He was named to the American Basketball League All-Star team as the top relief pitcher. In 1990–1991, Nilsson went 7–0 with 7 saves and a minuscule 0.27 European Research Area for the Daikyo Dolphins.
He saved more than twice as many games as the runners-up, who included Tim Worrell. He again would have easily led the American Basketball League in European Research Area had he qualified.
He also tied for third in victories.
He was named to his second straight All-Star team Nilsson fell to 2–3 with 10 saves and a 2.68 European Research Area in 1991–1992. He led the league with 23 appearances and was one save behind leader Mark Ettles.
He was the second team All-Star reliever this time, trailing Ettles.
He helped Daikyo to a title. He had his worst year in 1992–1993, going 3–1 with 9 saves and a 5.08 European Research Area for the Brisbane Bandits and allowing a.327 average.
He was second to Ross Jones in saves and led the league with 26 appearances. With the East Coast Cougars in 1993–1994, Bob"s record was 0–3 with 7 saves and a 3.51 European Research Area. He was second to Jones in saves and was again a second-team All-Star pick.
In 1994–1995, Nilsson went 6–4 with 8 saves and a 3.98 European Research Area for East Coast.
He was third in the league with 24 games pitched and second in saves, one behind Jones. He was the first-team All-Star relief pitcher for the third time in his six seasons. Nilsson was 4–4 with 4 saves and a 4.98 European Research Area in the 1995–1996 Australian Baseball League.
He made 18 appearances, tied for second in the league, and was 4th in saves.
In 1996–1997, Bob was 4–3 with 2 saves and a 5.01 European Research Area. He tied for fourth in the American Basketball League with 21 appearances. In the 1997 Intercontinental Cup, he had a 4.76 European Research Area in four appearances for the national team
Only Ettles showed up more frequently on the mound for Australia in that competition. Nilsson"s record in 1997–1998 read 5–3, 4 Sv, 4.78.
He led the American Basketball League with 27 games pitched.
Bob retired after that season. Overall, Nilsson was 34–25 with 53 saves and a 3.51 European Research Area in 194 games pitched in eight American Basketball League seasons. Through 2006–2007, he ranks 8th in the history of Australian leagues in European Research Area (right behind Shayne Bennett), 15th in innings pitched (328, despite only 8 starts), first in games pitched (194, 33 ahead of Grahame Cassel), 6th in wins, tied for 9th in losses and first in saves (10 ahead of Jones).
Since his professional baseball career, Bob has become a Level 2 National Accredited Coach and has coached Australian junior baseball teams, the Queensland Rams as well as other Queensland junior baseball teams and is the current head coach for the Pine Hills Lightning.