Nicholas John Crosby was born on 21 August 1883. He attended SACS and played provincial rugby for Transvaal on test debut.

"Nic"was the son of William Edward Crosby and Anna Maria Crosby and the brother of Percy Oswald Crosby, William Gordon Crosby and Christopher Fischer Crosby. Crosby also had five half brothers and three half sisters. He was married to Nicki Crosby and had one son, Theodore Crosby. Nic played in both the winning test matches of the 1910 British tour in Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively. Nic was one of six Transvaal players to play in the first test including Cliff Riordan, Henry Walker, Dougie Morkel, Dirkie de Villiers, Cocky Hahn and Crosby. Crosby was dropped for the second test, ironicly the only loss for the Springboks and recalled for the last test match at Newlands where the Springboks clinched the series. In the last test at of the series at Newlands their were only two provinces in the make up of the Springbok team. Ten from Western Province and five from Tranvaal, including Crosby. This game would be Nic Crosby's last test for South Africa.

Nic Crosby died on 14 July 1938, aged 54.