Don Wilson (baseball player)

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Donald Edward Wilson, (February 12, 1945-January 5,1975), was a Major League Baseball player for the Houston Astros.

Wilson's professional career began after he graduated from Compton Community College in Compton, California, and was recruited by the Astros in 1966, where he played until 1974. Especially early in his career when he was prone to wildness, Wilson was known as one of the hardest throwers in the National League.

In 1967, Don Wilson pitched a no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves, striking out Hank Aaron for the final out. In 1968, Wilson set the Astros club record for single-game strikeouts with 18 against the Dodgers. In 1969, Wilson and Cincinnati's Jim Maloney recorded back-to-back no-hitters. The feat was only the second in MLB history, the first having been accomplished just the year before by Gaylord Perry and Ray Washburn. That year, the Astros finished .500 (81-81) for the first time in club history, and Wilson struck out 235 batters (his career best in a brief career) in 225 innings in fashioning a 16-12 record. That season, the Astros set what was then a big-league record for strikeouts in a season by a pitching staff. Two other Houston starters, Larry Dierker and Tom Griffin, also struck out at least 200 batters that season, with Dierker's 232 in 305 innings leading the way. The 1971 season saw Wilson make the National League All-Star Team as well as earn Astros MVP honors. Wilson's last game was a two-hit, 5-0 shutout against the Atlanta Braves on September 28, 1974.

On January 5, 1975, Don Wilson died at his Fondren Southwest Houston home he shared with his wife, daughter and son. Wilson was found in the passenger seat of his brown Thunderbird inside the garage with the engine running. The garage was attached to the house, which caused his son, Alex, to die also and his daughter, Denice to be hospitalized in a coma. The official cause of death states Wilson committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Wilson's uniform number was retired by the Astros on April 13, 1975, and a black circular patch with his number 40 in white was worn on the left sleeve of the Astros "rainbow jerseys" the following season.

[edit] See also

• List of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning MLB game
• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

[edit] References

• Don Wilson baseball player statistics provided by baseball-almanac.com
• "Don Wilson: The End Came Too Soon". Christine, Bill. Baseball Digest magazine. April, 1975 (Vol. 34, Issue 4) -- p. 60, 3 pages.
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• BaseballLibrary.com - biography
• The Deadball Era
• Retrosheet