Houston Astros…Chasing That Elusive Series Win
The Houston Astros got their start as the Houston Colt .45s in 1962. Because of repeated failures at convincing the Major League to expand and grant a team to Houston, the would be owners of the Colt .45s got together with others around the country and decided to start their own league. The Continental League never got started but as a result of the threat the National League expanded from eight to ten teams and Houston finally got what they wanted.
As the oldest franchise to stay in their home city without winning a World Series, the Houston Astros have been to the post season ten times in their history. The most recent appearance was in 2005, when the Astros lost their one and only appearance in the World Series.
They have one National League Pennant, four Central Division Titles, two West Division Titles, and two Wild Card Berths. They were in second place in the league in 1994, but a players strike ended that season early, and no awards were given that year.
The original home of the Astros was Colt Stadium, but they only played two seasons there amid the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes, before moving to the newly built Astrodome and changing their name to the Astros. The Astrodome or the “Dome” as it was commonly known served as home field for the team until 1999 and was the first domed stadium in professional sports.
After 1999, the Astros moved once again. For the first couple of years the new stadium was known as Enron Stadium, after the company bought thirty year naming rights. However, because of the scandal Enron was involved in that caused them to go bankrupt, naming rights were bought back for a mere 2.1 million dollars, and the field was known as Astros Field until later that same year when Minute Maid bought naming rights.
Currently, Minute Maid Field is also commonly known by fans as the “Juice Box.” Costing 250 million dollars, the field can seat just under 41,000 fans. It also has a retractable roof that allows fans protection during very hot and humid days, and the ability to enjoy the weather on nice days.
In the community, the Houston Astros are very active in a wide variety of charities and organizations. Not only do they support cancer patients and cancer research, but they also help feed the hungry in their area, and collect baseball paraphernalia from area residents to use for the inner city little league teams who can’t afford new items.
The Astros in Action Foundation supports other organizations in the vicinity that work towards improving the education, health, and literacy in the area, even going so far as to support faith based organizations. They of course also honor the military, hosting special events for soldiers recently returned from combat zones.
Both on the field and off the Houston Astros are a credit to their community. A team anyone would be proud to be a fan of, they offer great entertainment at their games, and after the lights go off and the stands are empty, the team heads out into the community to reach out to even more of their fellow citizens. They may not be the most accomplished team in the world of baseball, but they are well worth the support they work so hard to earn.
