50 Fun Facts About Houston Astros

What was the Houston franchise called when it entered the National League in 1962?

The Colt .45s name came from a fan-naming contest won by William Irving Neder; the Colt .45 revolver was billed as 'the gun that won the West'.

Which other expansion team joined the National League alongside Houston in 1962?

The two clubs took turns picking unprotected players in an expansion draft after the 1961 season.

What did the team's new name, adopted for 1965, reflect?

The Astros name reflected Houston's role in the space program as home of NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center; the change was announced in December 1964.

What was the Astrodome nicknamed when it opened in 1965?

The Astrodome was billed as 'The Eighth Wonder of the World'; it opened in April 1965 as the Harris County Domed Stadium, the first domed major-league ballpark.

Why was AstroTurf invented for the Astrodome in 1966?

Grass would not grow after the roof panels were painted to cut the glare that had fielders losing pop flies, so Monsanto's AstroTurf was installed in 1966.

Which legendary pitcher threw the Astrodome's first test pitches to see how breaking balls behaved indoors?

He was 58 at the time; the stadium's official opening day came two months later, April 9, 1965.

How many innings did the Astros' famous 1968 marathon against the Mets last?

The game went 24 innings and six hours before Norm Miller scored the only run on a grounder through Al Weis's legs in the bottom of the 24th.

Which Astros pitcher threw the Astrodome's first no-hitter in 1967 and another in 1969?

Don Wilson no-hit the Braves on June 18, 1967, the Astrodome's first no-hitter; he died in January 1975 at 29 and his number 40 was retired that April.

Which Hall of Fame second baseman did the Astros send to Cincinnati in the lopsided 1971 'Big Trade'?

Joe Morgan went to Cincinnati with Denis Menke, Jack Billingham, César Gerónimo and Ed Armbrister for Lee May, Tommy Helms and Jimmy Stewart in November 1971.

What did the Astros' famous 1975 home-and-road uniforms feature from the chest down?

Yellow, orange and red stripes covered the jersey from the chest down, a look nicknamed the 'rainbow' that was meant to suggest a rocket's fiery trail; it debuted in 1975.

Which Alvin, Texas native did the Astros sign to baseball's first seven-figure annual contract?

Nolan Ryan signed with Houston in November 1979 for roughly $1 million a year; he threw his fifth career no-hitter as an Astro in 1981 and led the majors with a 1.69 ERA.

Which Astros pitcher clinched the 1986 NL West with a no-hitter?

Mike Scott no-hit the San Francisco Giants 2-0 on September 25, 1986 to clinch the NL West, and won that year's National League Cy Young Award.

Whose 18th-inning home run won Game 4 of the 2005 NLDS for the Astros?

Chris Burke homered off Joey Devine in the 18th inning on October 9, 2005, ending a 7-6 Astros win over the Braves in the series' deciding game.

Which two Hall of Famers led the 'Killer B's' of the 1990s and 2000s?

Bagwell and Biggio anchored the Killer B's; Derek Bell and Sean Berry rounded out the original 1990s quartet, and Lance Berkman joined the club later.

Which team originally drafted Jeff Bagwell before trading him to Houston in 1990?

The Boston Red Sox dealt him for reliever Larry Andersen on August 30, 1990; Bagwell won Rookie of the Year in 1991 and the MVP three years later.

In which year did Jeff Bagwell win the National League MVP award?

Bagwell was the unanimous NL MVP in 1994, hitting .368 with 39 homers in a season the players' strike ended in August; he had just broken his hand.

Craig Biggio is the only player to be an All-Star and win a Silver Slugger at which two positions?

Catcher and second base were his positions: Biggio won a Silver Slugger as a catcher in 1989 and made the 1991 All-Star team there before moving to second base in 1992.

How many hits did Craig Biggio collect on the night he reached 3,000?

He needed three and got five, becoming the 27th player to reach the mark — all with one team.

Biggio's career total of 285 in which category trails only Hughie Jennings in MLB history?

Times hit by pitch: Biggio's 285 sit two behind Hughie Jennings's 287 career plunkings; his single-season high was 34 in 1997.

What was the Astros' downtown ballpark called when it opened in 2000?

After the energy company's collapse the name went to Minute Maid in 2002, and it was renamed Daikin Park in 2025.

What was the quirky feature named for Tal Smith that was removed from the ballpark after 2016?

A center-field incline with a flagpole in play, Tal's Hill sloped up to the 436-foot wall; it was removed after the 2016 season and the fence came in to 409 feet.

Which pitcher won a record seventh Cy Young Award with the Astros in 2004?

Roger Clemens won his seventh Cy Young Award at 42 in 2004, going 18-4; a year later he led the majors with a 1.87 ERA.

Who swept the Astros in their first World Series appearance in 2005?

The Chicago White Sox swept the 2005 Series for their first title since 1917; MLB overruled Houston and ordered the Minute Maid Park roof open for Game 3.

Which businessman bought the Astros in 2011?

Jim Crane's roughly $610 million purchase was approved in November 2011; agreeing to move the club to the American League was a condition, and MLB knocked about $70 million off the price.

In which season did the Astros begin play in the American League West?

The Astros moved to the AL West for 2013, opening against Texas on March 31, after 51 National League seasons in the West and then the Central division.

What is the name of the Astros' lime-green, antennae-wearing mascot?

Orbit debuted in 1990, was replaced by Junction Jack after 1999 and returned in November 2012 ahead of the move to the American League.

What kind of animal was Junction Jack, the mascot introduced for the 2000 move downtown?

A rabbit: Junction Jack was a jackrabbit in railway-engineer overalls, matching the new ballpark's train theme, and served as mascot from 2000 through 2012.

In which country was Jose Altuve born?

Altuve was born in Maracay, Venezuela in 1990 and signed with Houston as an amateur free agent in 2007 for a $15,000 bonus; he debuted in July 2011.

In which year was Altuve named American League MVP?

Altuve won the award in 2017, leading the majors with a .346 average and reaching 200 hits for the fourth straight season as Houston won 101 games.

How did Altuve end the 2019 ALCS against the Yankees?

A walk-off home run off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning of Game 6 sent Houston to its third World Series, which it lost to Washington.

Which Cy Young winner, acquired by the Astros at the 2017 waiver deadline, won all five regular-season starts?

Justin Verlander arrived from Detroit minutes before the August 31 waiver deadline, went 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA in September and was named ALCS MVP.

Whom did the Astros beat to win their first World Series in 2017?

Houston beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the deciding game at Dodger Stadium on November 1, weeks after Hurricane Harvey; the team wore 'Houston Strong' patches.

What did the Astros bang to signal pitches during the sign-stealing scheme?

A trash can in the dugout tunnel was banged to signal off-speed pitches during the title season; MLB's January 2020 report led to one-year suspensions for manager A.J. Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow.

What was the maximum fine MLB imposed on the Astros for the sign-stealing scandal?

The $5 million fine was the maximum allowed under the MLB constitution; Houston also forfeited its first- and second-round draft picks in both 2020 and 2021.

Whom did the Astros hire in January 2020 to replace A.J. Hinch as manager?

Dusty Baker, then 70, was hired on January 29, 2020; he won his first World Series as a manager with Houston in 2022, at age 73.

What did the Astros do in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series that had never been done in postseason history?

Throw a combined no-hitter: Cristian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly blanked the Phillies 5-0 on November 2, 2022, the second World Series no-hitter after Don Larsen's 1956 perfect game.

Which rookie shortstop was named 2022 World Series MVP?

Jeremy Peña hit .400 in the Series and became the first rookie position player to win the award; he was also the 2022 ALCS MVP and a Gold Glove winner.

How many consecutive ALCS did the Astros reach in the streak that ended in 2023?

Seven consecutive ALCS trips, ending with a loss to Texas in 2023, brought four American League pennants and two World Series championships.

Which distinction do the Astros hold as the only MLB team to achieve?

Winning pennants in both leagues is unique to Houston: its only National League flag came in 2005, and it added four American League pennants after switching leagues.

What is the Astros' rivalry with the Texas Rangers known as?

The Lone Star Series began as interleague play in 2001, with a Silver Boot trophy going to the season's winner; the two clubs became division rivals when Houston joined the American League.

Which Astros manager made history in 2024 by earning his first career managerial win with a no-hitter?

Joe Espada's first win, on April 1, 2024, came on Ronel Blanco's no-hitter against Toronto after an 0-4 start; he had been named the club's manager in November 2023.

Which number have the Astros not reissued since 2002 in memory of pitcher Darryl Kile?

Kile wore 57 for Houston from 1991 to 1997 and died of a heart condition in June 2002 as a Cardinal at 33; the club's Darryl Kile Good Guy Award honors him.

Which player scored the very first run in franchise history in April 1962?

Bob Aspromonte came home on an Al Spangler triple in the first inning as Houston beat the Cubs 11-2 on April 10, 1962 and went on to sweep the season-opening series.

Which NFL team shared the Astrodome with the Astros from 1968 to 1996?

The Houston Oilers played in the Astrodome from 1968 until owner Bud Adams moved them to Tennessee after the 1996 season; they became the Titans in 1999.

The Astros' downtown ballpark was built on the grounds of which former railway landmark?

Union Station, Houston's 1911 railway terminal, was folded into the ballpark as its main entrance; a replica vintage locomotive runs along the left-field wall and whistles after home runs.

Which Temple, Texas grocery-distribution magnate bought the Astros in 1992?

Drayton McLane, head of the Temple-based McLane Company grocery distributor, completed his purchase of the club in late 1992; his tenure ran through the 2005 pennant and ended with the 2011 sale.

Which Astros pitcher set an MLB record in 2015 by going 15-0 at home?

Dallas Keuchel went 15-0 at Minute Maid Park in 2015, led the American League with 20 wins and took the Cy Young Award as Houston returned to the postseason.

Who managed the Astros to the 1980 NL West title, the franchise's first postseason berth?

Bill Virdon managed Houston from 1975 to 1982 and took the 1980 team to its first postseason, where it lost the NLCS to Philadelphia in the deciding fifth game.

Houston's would-be owners first tried to land a team by helping form which rival circuit?

The threat pushed the National and American Leagues to expand from eight teams to ten, which is how Houston got its franchise.

The team's first retired number, 32, honored which relief pitcher who died of cancer in 1964?

Jim Umbricht went 4-0 in 1962 and 4-3 in 1963 out of the bullpen, died of melanoma on April 8, 1964 at 33, and his 32 was retired in 1965.