1963 Houston Colt .45s season
Encyclopedia
The Houston Colt .45s
' 1963 season
was a season in American baseball. The team finished ninth in the National League
with a record of 66-96, 33 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
made his major league debut in 1963 with Houston, replacing Al Helfer
and working alongside Gene Elston
and Loel Passe.
On May 17, Don Nottebart
pitched the first no-hitter for an expansion team
when Houston defeated Philadelphia
by a score of 4-1.
Positional abbreviations: C = Catcher; 1B = First base; 2B = Second base; 3B = Third base; SS = Shortstop; LF = Left field; CF = Center field; RF = Right field
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
' 1963 season
1963 Major League Baseball season
The World Series winners were the Los Angeles Dodgers, who swept the New York Yankees in four straight games. The Dodgers' stellar pitching staff, anchored by left-hander Sandy Koufax and right-hander Don Drysdale, was so dominant that the vaunted Yankees, despite the presence of sluggers such as...
was a season in American baseball. The team finished ninth in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
with a record of 66-96, 33 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers
1963 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers were led by pitcher Sandy Koufax, who won both the Cy Young Award and the Most Valuable Player Award. The team went 99–63 to win the National League title by six games over the runner-up St...
.
Offseason
- November 1, 1962: Joe MorganJoe MorganJoe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
was signed as an amateur free agent by the Colt .45s. - November 26, 1962: Conrad CardinalConrad CardinalConrad Seth Cardinal is a former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in six games in Major League Baseball for the Houston Colt .45s in 1963, including one start against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which resulted in his one career decision, a loss.-External links:...
was drafted by the Colt .45s from the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in the 1962 first-year draft. - November 26, 1962: Ellis BurtonEllis BurtonEllis Narrington Burton is a retired American professional baseball player, an outfielder who played in 215 games over parts of five seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1958 and 1960, the Cleveland Indians in 1963, and the Chicago Cubs from 1963 to 1965...
was drafted by the Colt .45s from the Milwaukee BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in the 1962 rule 5 draftRule 5 draftThe Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. - November 26, 1962: Don TaussigDon TaussigDonald Franklin Taussig is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of three seasons in the majors: for the San Francisco Giants, for the St. Louis Cardinals, and for the Houston Colt .45s.-Sources:...
was drafted from the Colt .45s by the Milwaukee BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in the 1962 minor league draft. - November 30, 1962: Joey AmalfitanoJoey AmalfitanoJohn Joseph Amalfitano is a former utility infielder, manager and coach in Major League Baseball . He played a combined ten seasons with the New York/San Francisco Giants , Houston Colt .45s and Chicago Cubs . He managed the Cubs from 1979 to 1981...
was traded by the Colt .45s to the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
for Manny MotaManny MotaManuel Rafael Mota Geronimo, more commonly known as Manny Mota was a Major League Baseball Outfielder for the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Expos and most notably the Los Angeles Dodgers, best known for his pinch hitting abilities...
and Dick LeMayDick LeMayRichard Paul LeMay is a retired American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, LeMay appeared in parts of three Major League Baseball seasons , but had a long career in minor league baseball....
. - November 30, 1962: Norm LarkerNorm LarkerNorman Howard John Larker was a first baseman/outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1958 through 1963. Listed at 6' 0", 185 lbs., Larker batted and threw left-handed. He was born in Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania.Larker played in the minor leagues even before 1950...
was traded by the Colt .45s to the Milwaukee BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for Jim BolgerJim Bolger (baseball)James Cyril Bolger is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Although Bolger played for the Reds, Indians, and Athletics, Bolger had over two-thirds of his major league playing time with the Chicago Cubs. In 1957 Bolger achieved his career-high batting average of .275, in 273 at...
, Don NottebartDon NottebartDonald Edward Nottebart was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for five teams from 1960 to 1969. Primarily a reliever, he spent the 1963 to 1965 seasons as a starter with the Houston Colt .45s/Astros, and threw the first no-hitter in franchise history in 1963...
, and Connie GrobConnie GrobConrad George Grob was an American professional baseball player in the 1950s and 1960s. A right-handed pitcher, he spent one full season — — in Major League Baseball as a member of the Washington Senators...
. - March 28, 1963: Hal HaydelHal HaydelHal Haydel is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Haydel signed with the Milwaukee Braves as a free agent in 1962. Later that year, he was drafted in the First-Year Player Draft by the Houston Colt .45s. The following year, he was traded along with Dick LeMay and Merritt Ranew to the Chicago...
, Dick LeMayDick LeMayRichard Paul LeMay is a retired American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, LeMay appeared in parts of three Major League Baseball seasons , but had a long career in minor league baseball....
and Merritt RanewMerritt RanewMerritt Thomas Ranew was an American professional baseball catcher.Ranew was born in Albany, Georgia. He was selected in the 1961 MLB Expansion Draft by the Houston Colt .45s from the Milwaukee Braves. Ranew played for the Colt .45s , Chicago Cubs , Milwaukee Braves , California Angels , and the...
were traded by the Colt .45s to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Dave GerardDave GerardDave Gerard was a prolific magazine humor cartoonist from the 1940s through the 1960s, most notably for Collier's Weekly, Country Gentleman, and The Saturday Evening Post....
and Danny Murphy.
Regular season
Broadcaster Harry KalasHarry Kalas
Harry Norbert Kalas was an American sportscaster, best known for his Ford C. Frick Award-winning role as lead play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies...
made his major league debut in 1963 with Houston, replacing Al Helfer
Al Helfer
George Alvin Helfer was an American radio sportscaster.Nicknamed "Mr. Radio Baseball", Helfer worked six World Series, ten All-Star Games, and regular season broadcasts for several teams and the Mutual network...
and working alongside Gene Elston
Gene Elston
Gene Elston is a former Major League Baseball broadcaster, primarily with the Houston Astros.-Early life and career:A native of Fort Dodge, Iowa. Elston's first job in announcing was high school basketball in 1941. From there he progressed to minor league baseball starting in 1946...
and Loel Passe.
On May 17, Don Nottebart
Don Nottebart
Donald Edward Nottebart was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for five teams from 1960 to 1969. Primarily a reliever, he spent the 1963 to 1965 seasons as a starter with the Houston Colt .45s/Astros, and threw the first no-hitter in franchise history in 1963...
pitched the first no-hitter for an expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
when Houston defeated Philadelphia
1963 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies season was the 81st in franchise history. The 87-75 Phillies finished the season in fourth place in the National League, 12 games behind the NL and World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.- Offseason :...
by a score of 4-1.
Notable transactions
- April 2, 1963: Ellis Burton was purchased from the Colt .45s by the Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. - April 4, 1963: Manny MotaManny MotaManuel Rafael Mota Geronimo, more commonly known as Manny Mota was a Major League Baseball Outfielder for the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Expos and most notably the Los Angeles Dodgers, best known for his pinch hitting abilities...
was traded by the Colt .45s to the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
for Howie GossHowie GossHoward Wayne Goss was an American professional baseball player who appeared in two seasons in the Major Leagues as an outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Colt .45s ....
and cash.
Roster
| 1963 Houston Colt .45s | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers | Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders | Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen basesPositional abbreviations: C = Catcher; 1B = First base; 2B = Second base; 3B = Third base; SS = Shortstop; LF = Left field; CF = Center field; RF = Right field
| Pos | Player | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | Avg. | HR | RBI | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 128 | 404 | 23 | 85 | 8 | 6 | .210 | 10 | 59 | 0 | |
| 1B | 150 | 513 | 43 | 115 | 17 | 4 | .224 | 6 | 45 | 0 | |
| 2B | 102 | 228 | 31 | 42 | 10 | 3 | .184 | 2 | 5 | 4 | |
| 3B | 136 | 468 | 42 | 100 | 9 | 5 | .214 | 8 | 49 | 3 | |
| SS | 147 | 469 | 31 | 93 | 13 | 1 | .198 | 1 | 19 | 3 | |
| LF | 120 | 430 | 52 | 121 | 25 | 4 | .281 | 4 | 27 | 5 | |
| CF | 133 | 411 | 37 | 86 | 18 | 2 | .209 | 9 | 44 | 4 | |
| RF | 150 | 528 | 49 | 134 | 19 | 5 | .209 | 7 | 47 | 3 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases| Player | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | Avg. | HR | RBI | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 250 | 31 | 61 | 10 | 5 | .244 | 4 | 27 | 4 | |
| 55 | 158 | 9 | 35 | 3 | 0 | .222 | 4 | 19 | 0 | |
| 39 | 90 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 0 | .122 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| 34 | 55 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 0 | .200 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 31 | 58 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 0 | .241 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 8 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | .240 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .286 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts| Player | G | GS | IP | W | L | ERA | R | ER | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 32 | 224 | 11 | 17 | 2.65 | 86 | 66 | 50 | 148 | |
| 34 | 26 | 202.1 | 14 | 13 | 3.02 | 76 | 68 | 35 | 141 | |
| 31 | 27 | 193 | 11 | 8 | 3.17 | 80 | 68 | 39 | 118 | |
| 30 | 25 | 170.1 | 5 | 9 | 3.59 | 73 | 68 | 60 | 123 | |
| 26 | 20 | 141.1 | 5 | 11 | 3.31 | 54 | 52 | 60 | 68 | |
| 1 | 1 | 2.2 | 0 | 1 | 16.88 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts| Player | G | GS | IP | W | L | SV | ERA | R | ER | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 14 | 97.2 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 4.98 | 61 | 54 | 49 | 58 | |
| 6 | 1 | 13.1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.08 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 7 | |
| 5 | 2 | 12.2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7.11 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 11 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | SV | ERA | R | ER | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 114 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 1.97 | 29 | 25 | 42 | 94 | |
| 13 | 14.2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6.14 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 6 | |
| 1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27.00 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Awards and honors
All-Star Game1963 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1963 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 31st playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held in Cleveland, Ohio, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, home of the American...
- Hal WoodeshickHal WoodeshickHarold Joseph Woodeshick was an American left-handed pitcher who spent eleven seasons in Major League Baseball with the Detroit Tigers , Cleveland Indians , both Washington Senators , Houston Colt .45s/Astros and St. Louis Cardinals...
, reserve