Ed Nottle
Encyclopedia
Edward William Nottle nicknamed "Singing Ed" because of his avocation
as a singer, is a former minor league baseball
relief pitcher
and manager
.
He has led teams in the Oakland Athletics
and Boston Red Sox
organizations, and managed the independent Brockton Rox
. Most recently, he managed the independent Ottawa Rapidz of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball
.
. Following a stellar season at Pensacola; Ed began a 10-year run with the Chicago White Sox
organization. In 1963, he was assigned to the White Sox major league roster but never played due to an arm injury. He finished his playing career in 1970.
In 1972, Nottle received his first coaching job and became a manager in 1978 when the Athletics hired him to managed a Northwest League
team. In 1981 while managing the Athletics Triple A team in Tacoma
, his team reached the Pacific Coast League
finals and Nottle was named Minor League Manager-of-the-Year by Baseball America
. During the 1983 season, he served as a coach
on the Oakland A's major league staff. Within the same year Nottle showcased one his singing talent by recording an album "To Baseball with Love" on his private label Nott's Landing Records.
In 1985, Nottle moved on to the Boston Red Sox organization and managed their Double A affiliate, the New Britain Red Sox, for one season and their Triple A team, the Pawtucket Red Sox
, for 4½ years. Nottle led New Britain to the playoffs once and twice took Pawtucket to the postseason. He was named International League
Manager of the Year in 1987 and managed the American League
affiliates in the inaugural Triple A All-Star Classic in Buffalo
in 1988.
Nottle managed the inaugural season with the Sioux City Explorers
of the Northern League in 1993 and stayed with them through the 2000 season. In his eight seasons, he amassed a regular season record of 343 wins and 318 losses and made the playoffs in 1994 and 1999. Nottle managed the Duluth-Superior Dukes for one season before moving on to the Brockton Rox of the then-Northern League East in 2002. With the Rox, he compiled a 187-175 record and won a championship in 2003. For the 2006 season, Nottle returned to his old post as the Explorer's manager in their inaugural year in the American Association.
Nottle returned to the former Northeast/now Can-Am League in 2008 as he became the first manager of the expansion Ottawa Rapidz, but after a very poor start to the season, followed by a hot streak that came when Nottle left the team briefly to visit his sick wife, the team's management fired him on July 31, 2008.
In 2010, in Ed's 50th year in professional baseball he served as pitching & 3rd base coach on, Chris Carminucci's staff with, the Brockton Rox of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. Nottle helped guide the Rox to the 2nd best overall record in the league, and another playoff appearance.
"Singin Ed", as they call him, is famous for his charitable work both in the U.S. and Canada. He's raised over several million dollars for various charities (mainly focused on Children).
There is talk of a movie of Ed Nottle's life, called the "26th Man"...Word was it was supposed to be in production in late 2007, but the financial capital never materialized to finance the project. The screenplay is ready to go, and waiting for a new production company to come in for the movie.
Avocation
An avocation is an activity that one engages in as a hobby outside one's main occupation. There are many examples of people whose professions were the ways that they made their livings, but for whom their activities outside of their workplaces were their true passions in life...
as a singer, is a former minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
.
He has led teams in the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
organizations, and managed the independent Brockton Rox
Brockton Rox
The Brockton Rox were a professional baseball team based in Brockton, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Rox were a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From the 2002 season to 2011, the Rox played their home...
. Most recently, he managed the independent Ottawa Rapidz of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball
Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball
The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, based in Durham, North Carolina, is a professional, independent baseball league located in the Northeastern United States and the Canadian province of Quebec. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is...
.
Background
Nottle signed his first professional contract in 1959 when he signed with a team in Pensacola, FloridaPensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
. Following a stellar season at Pensacola; Ed began a 10-year run with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
organization. In 1963, he was assigned to the White Sox major league roster but never played due to an arm injury. He finished his playing career in 1970.
In 1972, Nottle received his first coaching job and became a manager in 1978 when the Athletics hired him to managed a Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
team. In 1981 while managing the Athletics Triple A team in Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, his team reached the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
finals and Nottle was named Minor League Manager-of-the-Year by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
. During the 1983 season, he served as a coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
on the Oakland A's major league staff. Within the same year Nottle showcased one his singing talent by recording an album "To Baseball with Love" on his private label Nott's Landing Records.
In 1985, Nottle moved on to the Boston Red Sox organization and managed their Double A affiliate, the New Britain Red Sox, for one season and their Triple A team, the Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
, for 4½ years. Nottle led New Britain to the playoffs once and twice took Pawtucket to the postseason. He was named International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
Manager of the Year in 1987 and managed the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
affiliates in the inaugural Triple A All-Star Classic in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in 1988.
Nottle managed the inaugural season with the Sioux City Explorers
Sioux City Explorers
The Sioux City Explorers are a professional baseball team based in Sioux City, Iowa, in the United States. The Explorers are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.They were originally to be...
of the Northern League in 1993 and stayed with them through the 2000 season. In his eight seasons, he amassed a regular season record of 343 wins and 318 losses and made the playoffs in 1994 and 1999. Nottle managed the Duluth-Superior Dukes for one season before moving on to the Brockton Rox of the then-Northern League East in 2002. With the Rox, he compiled a 187-175 record and won a championship in 2003. For the 2006 season, Nottle returned to his old post as the Explorer's manager in their inaugural year in the American Association.
Nottle returned to the former Northeast/now Can-Am League in 2008 as he became the first manager of the expansion Ottawa Rapidz, but after a very poor start to the season, followed by a hot streak that came when Nottle left the team briefly to visit his sick wife, the team's management fired him on July 31, 2008.
In 2010, in Ed's 50th year in professional baseball he served as pitching & 3rd base coach on, Chris Carminucci's staff with, the Brockton Rox of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. Nottle helped guide the Rox to the 2nd best overall record in the league, and another playoff appearance.
"Singin Ed", as they call him, is famous for his charitable work both in the U.S. and Canada. He's raised over several million dollars for various charities (mainly focused on Children).
There is talk of a movie of Ed Nottle's life, called the "26th Man"...Word was it was supposed to be in production in late 2007, but the financial capital never materialized to finance the project. The screenplay is ready to go, and waiting for a new production company to come in for the movie.