Don Nottebart

Nottebart in 1961

Pitcher

Born: January 23, 1936
West Newton, Massachusetts

Died: October 4, 2007 (aged 71)
Cypress, Texas

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

MLB debut

July 1, 1960, for the Milwaukee Braves

Last MLB appearance

September 6, 1969, for the Chicago Cubs

MLB statistics

Win–loss record

36–51

Earned run average

3.65

Strikeouts

525

Teams

Career highlights and awards

Threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 17, 1963
Gave up Willie Mays' 500th home run
Had a 1.93 ERA in 47 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 1967
1956 MVP of the Three-I League – Evansville Braves

Donald Edward Nottebart (January 23, 1936 – October 4, 2007) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for five teams from 1960 to 1969. He pitched the first no-hitter in Houston Colt .45s/Astros history in 1963.

Nottebart was born in West Newton, Massachusetts, the second child of Fred and Otta Alice Nottebart. He was a three-sport star at Lexington High School (Massachusetts), graduating in 1954. In 1955 he married high school sweetheart Joanne Wilson—they would eventually have four children. He was signed as an amateur free agent by the Milwaukee Braves in 1954.

He made his major league debut at age 24 on July 1, 1960 in an 8-7 Braves road loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Nottebart started but had a rough debut, walking the first hitter he faced, Julián Javier, pitching six innings and allowing six earned runs, nine hits and eight walks; however, he was not credited with the loss.

After three years with the Braves, Nottebart was traded to the Astros. He threw a 4–1 no-hitter for the Astros against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 17, 1963, despite giving up an unearned run. Don Demeter reached base on an error by shortstop J. C. Hartman and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Phillies third baseman Don Hoak. His catcher was John Bateman.

That year was the best of his career to date, as he posted a record of 11-8 with a 3.17 earned run average in 31 games (of which he started 27, completing nine). Also in 1963, Nottebart was one of several of baseball players mentioned in a Peanuts comic strip. When Lucy gets a hold of a bubble-gum card of Charlie Brown's (fictional) idol Joe Shlabotnik, he offers to trade dozens of cards, including Nottebart's, for Shlabotnik's, but she refuses.

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Wikipedia