Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The team is in the Central Division of the National League. more...

Home
All Star Game
Anaheim Angels
Arizona Diamondbacks
Atlanta Braves
Autographs-Original
Baltimore Orioles
Baseball & Softball Items
Boston Red Sox
Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Indians
Colorado Rockies
Defunct Teams
Detroit Tigers
Florida Marlins
Houston Astros
Bobbleheads
Caps, Hats
Jackets
Jerseys
Other Items
Photos, Prints
Shirts
Kansas City Royals
Los Angeles Dodgers
Milwaukee Brewers
Minnesota Twins
Minors
Montreal Expos
Negro Leagues
New York Mets
New York Yankees
Oakland Athletics
Other
Other MLB Items
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
Playoffs
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
Seattle Mariners
St. Louis Cardinals
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Texas Rangers
Toronto Blue Jays
Washington Nationals
World Series

Franchise history

Beginnings: The 1960s

Subsequent to the Giants and Dodgers leaving for California, an abortive attempt was made to start a third major league. It was to be called the Continental League. Though the league never got off the ground, it nonetheless established the demand for major league baseball in other markets.

The driving force behind the effort to obtain a franchise for Houston was oilman Craig F. Cullinan, Jr. who had been involved with the Continental League and who was chairman of the Houston Sports Association executive committee, a syndicate of local businessmen dedicated to bringing a pro baseball team to southeastern Texas. Cullinan's group consisted of George Kirksey, Judge Roy Hofheinz, Robert E. "Bob" Smith, and Kenneth S. "Bud" Adams. On October 17, 1960, Houston was awarded a franchise in the ten-team National League. The team was to be named the Houston Colt .45s with Craig F. Cullinan, Jr. the team's first president.

In addition to the Houston Colt .45s, the New York Mets would also join the NL in 1962, a year after the 1961 expansion of the American League, which resulted in new AL teams in Los Angeles (Los Angeles Angels) and Washington, D.C. (a new Washington Senators franchise to replace the team that had left D.C. to become the Minnesota Twins the same year).

The "Colts" began play on April 10 1962, defeating the Chicago Cubs 11-2, and for the next three years, the team would play in Colt Stadium.

On Sunday, September 29, 1963, the final day of the regular season, Colt 45's outfielder John Paciorek would have a career day, going 3-for-3 with 3 RBIs, 2 walks and 4 runs scored as the team beat the Mets 13-4. Because of chronic injuries, the game would mark Paciorek's only major league appearance. Through 2006, Paciorek still holds the record of having a perfect 1.000 average with the most at-bats. September 29, 1963 would also mark the last major league game for the winning pitcher of that game, Astros pitcher Jim Umbricht. Stricken with cancer, Umbricht would pass away on April 8, 1964. His number 32 was the first jersey number retired by the Astros.

Ken Johnson becomes the first major leaguer to lose a nine-inning no-hitter on April 23 with a 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

The franchise's first decade displayed some great hitters (for example, Joe Morgan, Jimmy Wynn) and many great pitchers (for example, Bob Bruce, Ken Johnson, Mike Cuellar, Don Wilson, Larry Dierker, Dave Giusti, and Denny LeMaster.)

Read more at Wikipedia.org