Ralph Joseph "Rube" Novotney (August 5, 1924 – July 16, 1987) was an American professional baseball player, a catcher who appeared in 22 Major League games for the Chicago Cubs. The native of Streator, Illinois, stood tall and weighed and attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Novotney's partial season with the 1949 Cubs included two standout back-to-back games against the New York Giants at Wrigley Field. On June 25, Novotney singled twice in three at bats, driving in three runs and providing the margin in a 4–1 Cub victory. The following day, he was a perfect three-for-three off the Giants' Dave Koslo, but New York prevailed, 6–2. In his MLB career, Novotney made 18 total hits (including two doubles and one triple) in 67 at-bats. References External links 1924 births 1987 deaths Baseball players from Illinois Chicago Cubs players Lockport White Sox players Los Angeles Angels (minor league) players Major League Baseball catchers Nashville Vols players People from Streator, Illinois Portsmouth Cubs players Shelby Cubs players Tulsa Oilers (baseball) players Sportspeople from Redondo Beach, California