Hector Harold "Skinny" Brown was a knuckleballer who had spent 12 seasons in the American League with the White Sox, Red Sox, Orioles and Yankees before being purchased by Houston GM Paul Richards at the end of the 1962 season. As a Colt .45, he posted an 8-26 record with a 3.62 ERA during two seasons. His team highlight might be winning the first Sunday night game in National League history when he took over for Turk Farrell and blanked the Giants on June 9, 1963.

Overall, he posted an 85-92 mark with a 3.81 ERA over 14 big league seasons.

Brown passed away at the age of 91 in his hometown of Greensboro, NC, on December 17, 2015.