Dave Adlesh – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Dave Adlesh is one of those baseball stories you might miss if you’re not looking—a young talent who tried to make it from high school stardom to the tough world of Major League Baseball. Born in Long Beach, California, in 1943, Adlesh drew the eyes of pro scouts while starring at St. Anthony High School. Eventually, the Houston Colt .45s handed him a pretty sizable signing bonus.

Adlesh played six seasons in the major leagues from 1963 to 1968, working as a backup catcher for both the Houston Colt .45s and, after 1965, the Houston Astros. His .168 career batting average with one home run and 11 RBIs in 106 games doesn’t really tell the whole story. People in the game valued him more for his defense and his arm behind the plate than for his bat.

His journey from a rookie with promise to a retired player at just 25 says a lot about how hard pro baseball was in the 1960s. Adlesh bounced between the big leagues and minor league teams, competing with a deep pool of young catchers. That was the reality for players at his position back then.

Early Life and Education

David George Adlesh was born on July 15, 1943, in Long Beach, California. His parents were Francis and Hessie Mae Adlesh.

He grew up in the coastal city, attending St. Anthony Catholic High School. There, he started building his baseball skills and graduated in 1962.

Family Background

Dave Adlesh came from a working-class family in Long Beach. His father, Francis—everyone called him Frank—was a steady presence in his life.

His mom, Hessie Mae, helped raise Dave in their Long Beach home. Together, they gave Dave a stable foundation and encouraged his love for baseball.

The Adlesh family stayed in Long Beach through Dave’s childhood. The city itself offered lots of chances for kids to get into sports.

Francis and Hessie Mae supported Dave’s baseball dreams from the start. They never held him back from chasing the big leagues.

St. Anthony High School Baseball

Dave went to St. Anthony Catholic High School in Long Beach and played catcher for the baseball team. The school gave him the kind of competition he needed to grow as a player.

He graduated from St. Anthony High School in 1962 at 19. His play there put him on the radar for pro scouts.

The coaches at St. Anthony saw his potential as a catcher. The school’s baseball program was known for developing good players.

St. Anthony gave Dave a strong foundation for his future in baseball. The athletic program there really helped shape his game.

Growing Up in Long Beach

Long Beach, with its warm California weather, let Dave play baseball all year. The city’s youth leagues were active and competitive.

He spent his childhood and teen years in this coastal community. Long Beach was packed with kids who dreamed of playing pro sports.

The city’s baseball scene helped Dave become a better player. He got to face off against other talented kids in local leagues.

Growing up in Long Beach set Dave up for pro baseball. The city’s strong baseball tradition gave him tough competition early on.

Major League Baseball Career

Dave Adlesh played his entire six-year MLB career with Houston, from 1963 to 1968. He served as a backup catcher as the team changed from the Colt .45s to the Astros, showing off his defensive skills in 106 games.

Signing with the Colt .45s

The Houston Colt .45s signed David George Adlesh as a catcher before the 1963 season. He’d just finished up at St. Anthony Catholic High School in Long Beach.

Adlesh made his big league debut on May 12, 1963, at only 19. He was one of the youngest guys on the team. The Colt .45s had a few teenagers, like John Paciorek and Sonny Jackson, who were just 18.

He only played six games that first season, with eight at-bats and no hits. Offense wasn’t there, but the team liked his defense.

In 1964, Adlesh played three games and got his first two big league hits in ten at-bats, hitting .200 for the year.

Houston Astros Era

When the team became the Houston Astros in 1965, Adlesh stuck with them. He played the most in 1965, getting into 15 games and collecting five hits in 34 at-bats for a .147 average.

He didn’t see much action in 1966. Just three games and six at-bats, and his bat stayed quiet.

1967 was his busiest season, with 39 games played. Adlesh hit .181, had 17 hits in 94 at-bats, and even knocked his only MLB home run. He drove in four runs that year.

In 1968, he played 40 games, hit .183, and finished with 19 hits in 104 at-bats. His last game came on September 28, 1968, against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Role as Catcher

Adlesh mostly worked as a backup catcher. He got behind the plate for Houston in 156 games over six seasons. Defense was his real strength.

People knew him for his throwing accuracy. Adlesh posted a .992 career fielding percentage. He caught 38 runners stealing and only allowed 16 successful steals. His arm was a real asset.

The numbers back up his defensive reputation. He made just four errors in 483 chances. He handled 453 putouts and 26 assists.

His career batting average ended up at .168, with 43 hits in 256 at-bats. He drove in 11 runs and scored nine. Even though his offense was limited, his defense kept him in the majors for six years.

Notable Achievements and Highlights

Dave Adlesh’s career had some memorable moments. His biggest claim to fame? He caught Don Wilson’s first no-hitter in 1967. Houston recognized his defense early on and valued what he brought behind the plate.

Don Wilson’s No-Hitter

On June 18, 1967, Adlesh caught Don Wilson’s first career no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves. The Astros won 2-0 at the Astrodome.

Wilson would throw another no-hitter later, but this first one was special. Adlesh showed he could handle top-tier pitching at the big league level.

That no-hitter is still a highlight in Astros history. Adlesh’s work behind the plate helped Wilson finish nine innings without a hit.

Defensive Skills and Throwing Accuracy

The Houston Colt .45s liked Adlesh’s defense so much that they brought him up to the majors soon after signing him in 1962. He debuted on May 12, 1963, at 19.

His defense was always his best asset. The team moved him up quickly, trusting his catching more than his bat.

Adlesh threw right-handed and had solid mechanics. His reputation for defense kept him around for six seasons, even though his offense never really came around.

Career Milestones

Adlesh played his whole MLB career with Houston, from 1963 to 1968. He stayed with the team through their name change from Colt .45s to Astros.

His stats: .168 batting average, one home run, 11 RBIs in 106 games, and 43 career hits. He struck out 80 times.

Career Summary:

• Years Active: 1963-1968
• Teams: Houston Colt .45s/Astros
• Games Played: 106
• Batting Average: .168
• Home Runs: 1
• RBIs: 11

Adlesh split his time between the majors and minors from 1963 to 1966. His last MLB game was September 28, 1968, against the team he started with.

Minor League Experience

Dave Adlesh spent a lot of his pro career sharpening his game in the minors. He played with several teams, but the San Antonio Bullets in the Texas League played a big part in his development.

San Antonio Bullets Tenure

David George Adlesh played for the San Antonio Bullets during his minor league days from 1963 to 1970. The Bullets were one of the teams where he worked on his catching and got more playing time.

In San Antonio, Adlesh tried to improve his offense while keeping up his defense. The Texas League gave him the reps he needed to get better.

His time with the Bullets set him up for call-ups to the Houston Colt .45s and later the Astros. Houston liked his defense enough to move him through their system pretty fast.

Performance in the Texas League

Adlesh’s minor league stats showed steady improvement. He hit .226 with 52 home runs and 192 RBIs in 482 minor league games.

For a catcher, those power numbers weren’t bad. The 52 homers proved he could contribute at the plate while handling pitchers.

He played for a bunch of minor league teams—Durham Bulls, Amarillo Sonics, Oklahoma City 89ers, Hawaii Islanders, and Richmond Braves. That gave him experience with different styles and competition.

The Texas League was key for his growth as a pro. His performance there helped him earn his shots at the big leagues.

Retirement and Later Years

Dave Adlesh finished his pro baseball career in 1968 after six seasons with the Houston organization. After leaving Major League Baseball, he moved on to life outside the game and settled back in California until he passed away in 2016.

Transition Out of Professional Baseball

Dave Adlesh played his last MLB game on September 28, 1968, facing the St. Louis Cardinals at 25. He went 3-for-3 that day, closing out his six-year run with Houston.

He never really locked down a starting spot. His .168 average, one homer, and 11 RBIs in 106 games reflect that. He mostly backed up guys like John Bateman and Ron Brand.

Adlesh left baseball when Houston started moving away from their group of young catchers. The team once saw him as part of a promising bunch—including Jerry Grote and John Bateman—but only Grote really made it big after heading to the Mets.

Life After MLB

After retiring, David George Adlesh went back to California. He’d grown up in Long Beach and played high school ball at St. Anthony before signing with Houston.

Adlesh chose a quiet life, staying away from baseball in any official way. While some ex-players coach or go into media, he just stepped away.

He died on February 15, 2016, at 72, in California. That was nearly 48 years after his last big league game. Not much is known about his post-baseball life—he seemed to prefer it that way.

Legacy and Remembrance

Dave Adlesh’s legacy lives on in Baseball Almanac records and at his final resting place, Forest Lawn Memorial Park. People remember him for his stats and his memorial in California.

Recognition in Baseball Almanac

Baseball Almanac keeps detailed records of Dave Adlesh’s six-year run in the Major Leagues. You can find his full stats from 1963 to 1968, all with the Houston Colt .45s and Astros.

Tom Meigs, the author of Baseball in Long Beach, gave a nod to Adlesh’s role. He pointed out that Adlesh “appeared behind the plate for Houston in 156 games during six seasons with the club and was known for his throwing accuracy.”

The Baseball Almanac lists important facts about David George Adlesh:

• Birth: July 15, 1943 in Long Beach, California
• MLB debut: May 12, 1963 at age 19
• Career stats: .168 batting average, 43 hits, 11 RBIs
• Position: Catcher (right-handed thrower and batter)

So, if anyone wants to look up Adlesh’s career, the Almanac makes it easy for fans and researchers to find his story even decades later.

Memorial and Cemetery Details

Dave Adlesh died on February 15, 2016, in Long Beach, California, at age 72. His family laid him to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cypress, California.

This cemetery sits in the same region where Dave grew up and went to St. Anthony Catholic High School. He was born to Hessie Mae and Francis Adlesh, and honestly, he never really drifted far from his Long Beach roots.

His memorial marks the close of a journey that started when he was just a teenage baseball prospect. Forest Lawn Memorial Park stands as a lasting tribute to his Major League Baseball career, and, well, his life in Southern California.

Fans and family can visit his burial site to remember what he brought to Houston baseball back in the 1960s.