Denny Lemaster, who played for three Major League teams including the Houston Astros, passed away last month at the age of 85. The news was announced by a funeral home in Georgia.
Lemaster joined the Astros in 1968 after a standout All-Star season with the Atlanta Braves in 1967. He was traded to Houston along with Denis Menke in exchange for infielders Sonny Jackson and Chuck Harrison.
Known as a reliable workhorse before his time in Houston, Lemaster lived up to that reputation during his first two years with the Astros. He had a 10-15 record in 1968 and a 13-17 record in 1969, pitching nearly 475 innings over those two seasons.
In 1970, the Astros used him as a part-time starter, where he went 7-12 in 39 games (21 starts). The following year, in 1971, he had an 0-2 record in 42 games, all as a reliever.
After leaving Houston following the 1972 season, Lemaster played one final year in the Majors with the Montreal Expos, finishing with a 2-0 record in 13 relief appearances before retiring.
Lemaster began his MLB career with the Milwaukee Braves in 1962, spending his first six seasons with the team. His most notable season came in 1964 when he posted a 17-11 record with a 4.15 ERA in 39 games (35 starts).
During his All-Star season of 1967, Lemaster posted a 9-9 record with a 3.34 ERA across 31 starts.
Over his career, he accumulated a record of 90-105 with a 3.58 ERA in 357 games (249 starts), striking out 1,305 batters and issuing 600 walks. While with Houston, he went 30-46 with a 3.40 ERA in 152 games (90 starts), with 450 strikeouts and 231 walks.
Lemaster also achieved two one-hitters with the Braves and set a career high with 14 strikeouts in a game in 1966.
Born in Corona, California, in 1939, he was signed by Milwaukee to a $70,000 bonus contract after graduating from Oxnard High School. He spent nearly five years in the Braves’ minor league system before making his MLB debut in 1962 against the defending NL champion Cincinnati Reds.
After retiring, Lemaster became a custom home contractor, with two of his homes featured in Better Homes & Gardens. He and his family settled in Atlanta, where he and his wife, Mildred, raised four children and had nine grandchildren. Additionally, Lemaster was a fishing guide, raised Doberman pinschers, and carved decorative duck decoys that sold for up to $1,500 and were showcased in international competitions.
