Prentice "Pidge "Browne, who played for the Houston Buffs teams that won the 1956 and 1957 Dixie Series titles and was a member of the original Houston Colt .45s, died Tuesday. He was 68.

   Browne , a longtime farmhand in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, spent only one year of his 14 professional seasons in the major leagues. He hit .210 in 65 games with the Colt .45s in 1962, their first season in the National League.

   Browne won the Texas League's Most Valuable Player award in 1955, hitting 33 homers with the Shreveport Sports team that won the league championship. One homer, according to league historians, was measured at more than 500 feet.

   In 1956,Browne hit .328 with 29 homers and 105 RBIs for the Houston Buffs team that won the Texas League title and beat Atlanta for the Dixie Series championship. He had 80 RBIs for the 1957 Dixie Series champions.

   Browne, a Navy veteran, worked in the freight business after leaving baseball.

   Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Earthman Resthaven Chapel, Mark Behring officiating. Burial will be at Earthman Resthaven Cemetery.

   Survivors include his wife, Joan Browne, a daughter, Patricia Ann Horner, his mother, Sarah Huyghue, a sister, Jane MacPherson, and four grandchildren.