Don Nottebart ... Now, This Is An Obit With Some Ooomph!

While we have, from time-to-time, had some Garlic fun with obituaries of the rich-and-famous (and some not so rich-and-famous), but this obit is impressive.

No Kiwanis Club mentions ...No tales of his upstanding community service ... World War II stories ... Special causes ...

Don Nottebart was a baseball player and he had one major (and one minor) kick-ass accomplishments;

He threw the first no-hitter in the Houston Astrodome (playing for the forerunner of the Astros, the Colt 45's)

He also served up Willie Mays' 500th homerun

Now, how cool is that ... First no-hitter in the Astrodome ...

As the obit in today's Boston Globe (yes, between the Red Sox winning the World Series and the Patriots thumping the Washington Redskins, it's a wonder they printed any other news) offered;

"Nottebart, pitching to Covington. He has pitched a no-hit ballgame through eight-and-two-third innings. If he can dispose of Covington, he will go into the mythical hall of fame. But he's facing a tough one here: Covington. He is hitting .360, a left-handed batter. One strike. Bateman flashes out the sign, now. Outfield deep around the right side. Here's the pitch by Nottebart. There's a fly ball to left. Spangler racing hard, he's gonna get it. He's got it! And Nottebart has pitched a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies!''

Only a limited number of guys can claim suiting up for the Houston Colt 45's, and even smaller number who have thrown no-hitters and no one else who gave the Say Hey Kid the pitch for No. 500.

Like I said, major kick-ass stuff ...

Links

Don Nottebart Hurls First Colt No-Hitter

Wife Cheered, Mauch Jeered Nottebart Gem

Don Nottebart Baseball Stats

Nottebart, Houston franchise's first no-hit pitcher, dies; Area resident, who made history in '63 as a Colt .45, succumbs at 71