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Houston Astros
From BR Bullpen
 Also known as Houston Colt .45's (1962-1964) Franchise Record: (through 2011) 3,999-4,134-3 Post Season Record: 21-35 World Series Titles: 0 National League Pennants: 1 (2005) Playoffs: 9 (1980, 1981, 1986, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005) Ballparks: Astrodome (April 12, 1965-October 9, 1999) (54,816), Minute Maid Park (April 7, 2000-) (40,950) Retired Numbers: 5 (Jeff Bagwell), 7 (Craig Biggio), 24 (Jimmy Wynn), 25 (Jose Cruz), 32 (Jim Umbricht), 33 (Mike Scott), 34 (Nolan Ryan), 40 (Don Wilson), 49 (Larry Dierker) In addition, the number 42 has been retired from all MLB teams in honor of Jackie Robinson. Franchise Players: Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman, Craig Biggio, Jose Cruz, Larry Dierker, Joe Niekro, J.R. Richard, Nolan Ryan, Jimmy Wynn |
[edit] Team History
Created in the 1962 Expansion, the Houston Colt 45's changed their name to the Houston Astros as of the 1965 season, when they moved into the Astrodome. They are the only team to have moved from the National League to the American League, doing so after the 2012 season.
Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell are the franchise's career leaders in virtually every batting statistic. Biggio is the club's leader in games played, runs, hits, and doubles, and Bagwell is tops in home runs and RBI.
After the 2011, the Astros were purchased by a syndicate led by Jim Crane. As part of obtaining approval from fellow Major League Baseball owners for the sale, Crane was forced to accept the move of the team from the National to the American League, to become part of the AL West next to the Texas Rangers. Crane was reportedly offered $70 million in compensation for agreeing to the move, which gave the two leagues an equal number of teams beginning in 2013 and created six five-team divisions, allowing for a more balanced schedule for all teams. The move was not welcomed with enthusiasm by everyone; former Astros star Lance Berkman stated: "I feel basically like the commissioner extorted Jim Crane into moving the Astros." Unfortunately, the team set a franchise record for losses with 107 in its last season in the National League; the previous worst of 106 had come in 2010 and those were the only season with over 100 losses in team history.
When the Astros moved to the American League West in 2013, they assumed a new visual identity, with a modernized version of the cap insigna from the 1960s and 1970s (a capital H over a star) being reintroduced as the team's logo.
[edit] Further Reading
- Michael Shapiro: Bottom of the Ninth: Branch Rickey, Casey Stengel and daring scheme to save baseball from itself, Times Books, Macmillan, New York, NY, 2009.
Source:
- Peter Filichia: Green Cathedrals: The Ultimate Celebrations of All 273 Major League and Negro League Ballparks Past and Present, Addison Wesley Publishing Company (March 1993)
- John Thorn: Total Baseball, Total Sports Publishing, 1989, 1995
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