One of fast pitch’s all-time best shortstops, Nolan Whitlock came through in the clutch time and time again for the Clearwater, FL Bombers between 1953-1959. Who can forget the pair of homers he hit off Hall of Famer Harvey Sterkel in the 1954 national for a 7-6 victory. Then, in 1956, his two homers in the finals beat the Raybestos Cardinals. But perhaps his greatest clutch performance came in 1957, when his two-run homer off Hall of Famer Roy Stephenson in the top of the 15th gave Herb Dudley and the Bombers a 2-0 win. In the finals, as Sterkel and Dudley battled, Whitlock made three outstanding defensive plays. Whitlock played in six national championships and was a member of three national championship teams, all with Clearwater, in 1954, 1956 and 1957. From 1954-1957, he was named an All-American and batted .318 in the 1955 national and .333 in 1956. Whitlock retired as an active player in 1961.
