Events in Sport
- 1961-10-10 Expansion draft to stock Houston Astros & NY Mets
- 1964-12-01 After just 3 seasons in MLB the Houston Colt .45s change name of the team to Astros; owners say move signals a step into the future for the franchise and the city of Houston
Baseball Record
1965-04-09 1st baseball game at Houston Astrodome, Astros beat NY Yankees 2-1 in exhibition as Mickey Mantle hits MLB's 1st indoor homerun; US President Lyndon Johnson and wife Lady Bird attend
- 1965-04-12 1st regular season MLB game at Houston Astrodome; visiting Philadelphia Phillies beat Astros 2-0
- 1967-06-18 Houston Astros pitcher Don Wilson no-hits Atlanta Braves, 2-0 at the Astrodome, Houston
Sports History
1968-04-15 Houston Astros beat NY Mets, 1-0, in 24 innings at the Astrodome; starting pitchers Tom Seaver and Don Wilson pitch 10 and 9 innings respectively in game that lasts over 6 hours
- 1969-04-30 Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jim Maloney records his second MLB no-hitter in 10-0 rout of Houston Astros
- 1969-05-01 Houston Astros hurler Don Wilson blanks Reds, 4-0 for second career no-hitter, at Crosley Field in Cincinnati
- 1969-07-30 Astros Denis Menke and Jim Wynn hit grandslams in 9th inn vs Mets
Sports History
1970-06-01 MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn reprimands Houston Astros pitcher Jim Bouton for writing memoir "Ball Four"
- 1971-09-05 Astros pitcher J R Richard debut, strikes out 15 Giants in a 5-3 win
- 1971-09-24 Houston Astros beat San Diego Padres, 2-1, in 21 innings
Sports History
1972-08-26 Leo Durocher replaces Harry Walker as manager of Houston Astros
- 1973-10-01 Future Baseball Hall of Fame player and manager Leo Durocher ends his 45 year career in the sport when he resigns as Houston Astros manager
- 1976-06-08 Houston Astros draft Floyd Bannister #1
Baseball Record
1977-10-02 Dusty Baker hits his 30th homer of the season against Astros' J.R. Richard; Dodgers become the first team in MLB history to have 4 players hit 30 or more HRs; joins Steve Garvey (33), Reggie Smith (32) and Ron Cey (30)
- 1979-04-10 J. R. Richard of the Houston Astros pitches a complete game but sets a MLB record by throwing 6 wild pitches in 2-1 win over the LA Dodgers at the Astrodome
- 1979-05-10 John McMullen becomes CEO of Houston Astros
- 1979-05-16 MLB National League approves sale of Houston Astros by Ford Motors to John J McMullen for $19M
- 1979-08-21 Mets win a protested game against Astros, 5-0
- 1979-09-15 Red Sox Bob Watson is 1st to hit for cycle in AL & NL (Astros)
- 1979-09-29 Astros' J R Richard strikes out NL season righty record of 313
Astros Record Sign
1979-11-19 Astros sign Nolan Ryan, to record 4 year, $4.5 million contract
- 1980-07-04 Nolan Ryan (Houston Astros) fans Reds' Cesar Geronimo to become 4th pitcher to 3,000 MLB strikeouts
- 1980-07-30 Houston Astros pitcher J. R. Richard suffers a stroke and collapses while playing a game of catch before an Astros game, ending his career
- 1980-10-12 MLB National League Championship: Philadelphia Phillies beat Houston Astros, 3 games to 2
- 1980-10-27 MLB Houston Astros owner John McMullen replaces GM Tal Smith with Al Rosen
Don Sutton
1980-12-03 Don Sutton, the winningest pitcher in Los Angeles Dodgers history, signs a 4-year contract with Houston; Astros career shortened by a patellar fracture; returns to Dodgers in 1988 after stints with 3 other MLB clubs
Sports History
1981-04-09 LA Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela's 1st start, beats Astros 2-0
- 1981-05-16 Houston shortstop Craig Reynolds hits 3 triples as Astros beat Chicago Cubs, 6-1
- 1981-06-05 Astro's Nolan Ryan passes Early Wynn as all-time walk leader (1,777)
- 1981-09-25 Nolan Ryan's 5th career no-hitter as Astros beat Dodgers 5-0
- 1982-04-18 Atlanta Braves win record 11th straight opening game (beat Astros)
- 1982-05-13 Chicago Cubs win their 8,000th (beat Astros)
- 1985-07-11 Astros' Nolan Ryan, 1st to strike out 4000 (Mets' Danny Heep)
- 1985-09-15 MLB New York Yankees trade 25-year-old pitching prospect Jim Deshaies to Houston Astros for 40-year-old pitcher Joe Niekro
- 1986-09-03 Houston Astros & Chicago Cubs use MLB record 53 players, including 17 pitchers in a 2-day 18 inning marathon; Astros win 8-7
- 1986-10-02 Astros starter Mike Scott finishes MLB regular season with 306 strikeouts with 8 in a 2-1 win in San Francisco; 3rd NL pitcher to reach 300 in a season
- 1986-10-15 Longest post season game, Mets beat Astros 7-6 in 16 & win NL pennant
- 1986-10-15 MLB National League Championship: New York Mets beat Houston Astros, 4 games to 2
- 1987-09-02 Houston outfielder Kevin Bass becomes 1st NL player to switch hit HRs in a game twice in one season in Astros 10-1 win v Cubs
- 1989-06-03 Houston Astros beat LA Dodgers, 5-4, in 22 innings (7:14:09)
- 1989-08-03 Cincinnati Reds set MLB record for most hits in 1st inning of a game with 16 for 14 runs in an 18-1 rout of Houston Astros
- 1992-07-27 Astros begins 26-game road trip to make room for Republican National Convention
- 1993-03-05 Marlins beat Astros 12-8 in their 1st spring training game
- 1993-09-08 Houston's Darryl Kile throws 3rd no-hitter of season in Astros' 7-1 win over NY Mets
- 1994-07-18 Houston Astros tie NL comeback record, trailing 10-0, beat Cards 15-12
- 1996-09-29 Houston Astro's retire Nolan Ryan's #34
- 1997-07-12 Pittsburgh Pirates duo Francisco Cordova & Ricardo Rincon no-hit Houston Astros, 3-0 in 10 innings at Three Rivers Stadium
Baseball Record
1998-05-06 Kerry Wood strikes out 20 Houston Astros to tie the major league record held by Roger Clemens. He threw a one-hitter and did not walk a batter in his 5th career start.
- 2000-04-07 1st regular season MLB game at Enron Field (now Minute Maid Park) in Houston, Texas; visiting Philadelphia Phillies beat Astros 4-1, Phillies third baseman Scott Rolen hits first homer at new park
Baseball Record
2004-10-02 Jeff Kent becomes all-time home run leader for MLB 2nd basemen when he hits 2 in Astros' 9-3 win v Rockies; 302 overall HR to break Ryne Sandberg's major league record established in 1997
- 2004-10-21 MLB National League Championship: St. Louis Cardinals beat Houston Astros, 4 games to 3
- 2005-10-19 MLB National League Championship: Houston Astros beat St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 2
- 2005-10-25 Then longest Baseball World Series game in time (5 hours, 41 mins) and tied longest in innings (14, tied with Game 2, 1916 WS and Game 1, 2015 WS); Chicago White Sox beat Houston Astros, 7-5 game 3 at Minute Maid Park, Houston
- 2005-10-26 Baseball World Series: Chicago beats Houston, 1-0 in Game 4 at Minute Maid Park to sweep Astros and win White Sox first title in 88 years; MVP: Chicago outfielder Jermaine Dye
- 2007-06-28 Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros becomes the 27th member of the 3000 hit club, going 5 for 5 against the Colorado Rockies
- 2012-06-04 MLB Draft: Puerto Rico Academy & HS shortstop Carlos Correa first pick by Houston Astros
Baseball Record
2012-06-13 San Francisco Giants' Matt Cain pitches first perfect game in the franchise's history against the Houston Astros
- 2013-06-06 MLB Draft: Stanford pitcher Mark Appel first pick by Houston Astros
- 2014-06-05 MLB Draft: Cathedral Catholic HS (CA) pitcher Brady Aiken first pick by Houston Astros
- 2017-11-01 Baseball World Series: Houston Astros win their first ever title; beat LA Dodgers, 5-1 in Game 7 at Dodger Stadium; MVP: Astros outfielder George Springer III
- 2019-09-01 Houston Astros starter Justin Verlander strikes out 14 as he throws his third career no-hitter in a 2-0 decision against the Toronto Blue Jays
- 2019-10-30 Baseball World Series: Washington Nationals beat Houston Astros, 6-2 in Game 7 at Minute Maid Park, Houston to win first title in franchise history; MVP: Washington pitcher Stephen Strasburg
- 2019-11-12 Former Houston Astros MLB pitcher Mike Fiers reveals team secretly “stole signs” via camera from visiting teams 2015-17; comms between opposing pitchers & catchers intercepted and relayed to Astros batters
- 2020-01-13 Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow are fired by team owner Jim Crane for their roles in the sign-stealing scandal after MLB suspends both for one year
- 2020-01-14 Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is fired amid Major League Baseball's investigation into sign-stealing by the Houston Astros; Cora was the Astros' bench coach before moving to Boston
- 2020-01-16 Newly appointed manager Carlos Beltran and New York Mets mutually agree to part ways because of his role in Houston Astros sign stealing scandal; third manager forced out of a job as a result of the allegations
- 2021-11-02 Baseball World Series: Atlanta Braves win 4th title in franchise history; beat Houston Astros, 7-0 in Game 6 at Minute Maid Park, Houston for 4-2 series victory; MVP: Braves outfielder Jorge Soler
- 2022-10-23 MLB American League Championship Series: Houston Astros defeat NY Yankees 6-5 in NYC, sweeping series 4-0 to advance to World Series for 4th time in 6 years
- 2022-11-01 MLB World Series: Phillies match 1967 Boston Red Sox record with 5 home runs in 7-0 win over Houston Astros to take 2-1 lead in series at Citizen's Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 2022-11-02 MLB World Series: Houston Astros pitcher Cristian Javier and 3 relievers combine for no-hitter in 5-0 win over Phillies to tie series 2-2 at Citizen's Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the only other Series no-hitter was Don Larsen's perfect game in 1956
- 2022-11-05 MLB World Series: Houston Astros win 2nd title in franchise history; beat Philadelphia Phillies, 4-1 iat Minute Maid Park, Houston for 4-2 series victory; MVP: Astros SS Jeremy Peña, Dusty Baker (73) becomes oldest manager to win championship, Phillies set ignominious record striking out 71 times
- 2023-10-23 MLB American League Championship Series: Texas Rangers defeat Houston Astros 11-4 in Houston, winning series 4-3 to advance to World Series
Birthdays in Sport
- 1933-05-04 J. Fred Duckett, American sports announcer (Houston Astros, Rice University, US Track & Field) and teacher, born in Houston, Texas (d. 2007)
- 1940-07-21 Denis Menke, American baseball infielder (MLB All Star 1969, 70; Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds), born in Bancroft, Iowa (d. 2020)
- 1942-03-12 Jimmy Wynn, American baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 1967, 74, 75; Houston Astros, LA Dodgers), born in Hamilton, Ohio (d. 2020)
- 1942-03-24 Jesús Alou, Dominican MLB baseball outfielder, 1963-79 (World Series 1973, 74 Oakland A's; Houston Astros, and 2 other teams), born in Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic (d. 2023)
- 1943-10-04 Jimy Williams, American MLB baseball infielder (St. Louis Cardinals), coach (World Series Champ - Atlanta, 1995 & Philadelphia, 2008), and manager (Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox (AL Manager of the Year -1999), Houston Astros), born in Santa Maria, California (d. 2024)
- 1944-04-01 Rusty Staub, American baseball utility (6 x MLB All Star; Houston Colt .45s / Astros; Montreal Expos; NY Mets; Detroit Tigers) and broadcaster (Mets games 1986-95), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 2018)
- 1944-11-07 Joe Niekro, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1979; NL wins leader 1979; Houston Astros; World Series 1987; NY Yankees), born in Martins Ferry, Ohio (d. 2006)
- 1945-02-12 Don Wilson, American baseball pitcher (2 x no-hitters 1967, 69; MLB All Star 1971; Houston Astros), born in Monroe, Louisiana (d. 1975)
- 1946-04-09 Nate Colbert, American baseball first baseman (MLB All Star 1971, 72, 73; San Diego Padres, Houston Astros), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2023)
- 1946-04-10 Bob Watson, American baseball utility (MLB All Star 1973, 75; Houston Astros) and sports executive (GM NY Yankees, World Series 1996), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2020)
- 1946-09-08 Ken Forsch, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1970-1986, 2X All-Star (Houston Astros, California Angels), born in Sacramento, California
- 1946-12-15 Art Howe, American baseball infielder (Houston Astros) and manager (Houston Astros, Oakland A's, NY Mets), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- 1947-08-08 José Cruz, Puerto Rican-American baseball left fielder (St Louis Cards, Houston Astros), born in Arroyo, Puerto Rico
- 1947-08-27 Ed Herrmann, American baseball catcher (MLB All Star 1974 Chicago White Sox; caught Larry Dierker no-hitter 1975 Houston Astros), born in San Diego, California (d. 2013)
- 1949-04-30 Phil Garner, American baseball player and manager (Astros), born in Jefferson City, Tennessee
- 1949-06-15 Dusty Baker, American baseball manager (World Series 2022 Houston Astros; SF Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals; NL Manager of Year 1993, 97, 2000) and outfielder (MLB All Star 1981, 82; LA Dodgers), born in Riverside, California
Bob Forsch (1950-2011)
1950-01-13 American MLB baseball pitcher, 1974-1989 (St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros), born in Sacramento, California
- 1950-03-07 J.R. Richard, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1980; NL ERA leader 1979; NL strikeout leader 1978, 79; Houston Astros), born in Vienna, Louisiana (d. 2021)
- 1951-02-25 César Cedeño, Dominican baseball center fielder (Houston Astros) and four-time All-Star player, born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- 1952-12-21 Joaquín Andújar, Dominican baseball pitcher (4 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1982; Gold Glove Award 1984; Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals), born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic (d. 2015)
- 1952-12-27 Craig Reynolds, American baseball shortstop who was MLB All Star 1978, 79; Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, born in Houston, Texas
- 1952-12-28 Ray Knight, American baseball 3rd baseman (MLB All-Star 1980, 82; World Series MVP 1986 NY Mets; Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros), born in Albany, Georgia
- 1955-04-26 Mike Scott, American baseball pitcher (NL Cy Young Award & NLCS MVP 1986, NL wins leader 1989; 3 × MLB All-Star Houston Astros), born in Santa Monica, California
- 1957-06-24 Doug Jones, American baseball relief pitcher (5 x MLB All Star; Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies), born in Covina, California (d. 2021)
- 1962-09-03 Dave Clark, American MLB baseball outfielder, 1986-98 (Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates, and 5 other teams), manager (Houston Astros, 2009), and coach (Houston, Detroit Tigers), born in Tupelo, Mississippi
- 1963-03-10 John Cangelosi, American MLB outfielder (Houston Astros), born in Brooklyn, New York
- 1963-04-21 Ken Caminiti, MLB third baseman, 1987-2001, (Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, and 3 other teams; NL MVP- 1996), born in Hanford, California (d. 2004)
- 1965-01-02 Greg Swindell, American baseball pitcher (World Series 2001; MLB All Star 1989; Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks), born in Fort Worth, Texas
- 1965-08-16 Xavier Hernandez, Port Arthur TX, pitcher (Houston Astros)
- 1965-12-14 Craig Biggio, American Baseball HOF infielder (7 × MLB All-Star; 4 × Gold Glove Award; 5 × Silver Slugger Award; Houston Astros), born in Smithtown, New York
- 1966-02-21 Chris Donnels, American baseball infielder (Houston Astros), born in Angeles, California
- 1966-03-22 Sean Berry, American infielder (Houston Astros), born in Santa Monica, California
- 1966-06-05 Bill Spiers, American infielder (Houston Astros), born in Orangeburg, South Carolina
- 1966-08-12 Dean Hartgraves, American baseball pitcher (Houston Astros), born in Bakersfield, California
- 1966-09-23 Pete Harnisch, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1991 Houston Astros; Baltimore Orioles, NY Mets, Cincinnati Reds), born in Commack, New York
- 1967-07-11 Donne Wall, Potosi MO, pitcher (Houston Astros)
- 1967-09-03 Luis Gonzalez, American baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 1999, 2001-03, 05; World Series 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks; Houston Astros), born in Tampa, Florida
- 1967-10-14 Dave Hajek, infielder (Houston Astros), born in Roseville, California
- 1968-01-24 Ross Powell, American baseball pitcher (Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan (d. 2017)
- 1968-03-26 Shane Reynolds, American baseball pitcher who was a MLB All Star 2000; Houston Astros), born in Bastrop, Louisiana
- 1968-04-24 Todd Jones, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star & AL saves leader 2000; Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers), born in Marietta, Georgia
- 1968-05-27 Jeff Bagwell, American Baseball Hall of Fame infielder (MLB All-Star 1994, 96, 97, 99; NL MVP 1994; Gold Glove Award 1994; Houston Astros), born in Boston, Massachusetts
- 1968-12-02 Darryl Kile, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1993, 97, 2000; no-hitter 1993; Houston Astros), born in Garden Grove, California (d. 2002)
- 1968-12-29 James Mouton, American baseball outfielder (Houston Astros), born in Denver, Colorado
- 1969-01-06 Alvin Morman, American baseball pitcher (Houston Astros), born in Rockingam, North Carolina
- 1969-01-07 Chris Hatcher, American baseball outfielder (Houston Astros), born in Kinston, North Carolina
- 1969-01-09 Domingo Jean, Dominican-American baseball pitcher (Houston Astros), born in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
- 1970-05-23 Ricky Gutierrez, infielder (Houston Astros), born in Miami, Florida
- 1971-03-05 Brian Hunter, American MLB baseball outfielder, 1994-2003, AL stolen base leader (99) - 1997 (Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, and 4 other teams), born in Portland, Oregon
- 1971-07-25 Billy Wagner, American MLB pitcher (Houston Astros), born in Tannersville, Virginia
- 1972-09-09 Mike Hampton, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1999, 2001; Gold Glove Award 2003; 5 × Silver Slugger Award; NL wins leader 1999; Houston Astros), born in Brooksville, Florida
- 1975-06-27 Daryle Ward, American baseball player (Houston Astros), born in Lynwood, California
- 1977-08-29 Roy Oswalt, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 2005–07; NLCS MVP 2005; NL wins leader 2004; combined no-hitter 2003; Houston Astros), born in Weir, Mississippi
- 1983-02-20 Justin Verlander, American baseball player (Houston Astros), born in Manakin-Sabot, Virginia
José Altuve (33 years old)
1990-05-06 Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman (Houston Astros), born in Maracay, Venezuela
- 1994-03-30 Alex Bregman, American MLB player (Houston Astros), born in Albuquerque, New Mexico
- 1997-09-22 Jeremy Peña, Dominican-American baseball shortstop (World Series MVP; ALCS MVP; Gold Glove Award 2022; Houston Astros), born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Deaths in Sport
- 1975-01-05 Don Wilson, American baseball pitcher (2 x no-hitters 1967, 69; MLB All Star 1971; Houston Astros), dies of carbon monoxide poisoning at 29
- 2002-06-22 Darryl Kile, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1993, 97, 2000; no-hitter 1993; Houston Astros), dies of coronary disease at 33
- 2004-10-10 Ken Caminiti, MLB third baseman, 1987-2001, (Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, and 3 other teams; NL MVP- 1996), dies of a drug overdose at 41
- 2006-10-27 Joe Niekro, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1979; NL wins leader 1979; Houston Astros; World Series 1987; NY Yankees), dies from a brain aneurysm at 61
- 2007-06-25 J. Fred Duckett, American sports announcer (Houston Astros, Rice University, US Track & Field) and teacher, dies from leukemia at 74
Bob Forsch (1950-2011)
2011-11-03 American MLB baseball pitcher, 1974-1989 (St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros), dies of a thoracic aortic aneurysm at 61
- 2013-12-22 Ed Herrmann, American baseball catcher (MLB All Star 1974 Chicago White Sox; caught Larry Dierker no-hitter 1975 Houston Astros), dies from prostate cancer at 67
- 2015-09-08 Joaquín Andújar, Dominican baseball pitcher (4 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1982; Gold Glove Award 1984; Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals), dies at 62
- 2018-03-29 Rusty Staub, American baseball utility (6 x MLB All Star; Houston Colt .45s / Astros; Montreal Expos; NY Mets; Detroit Tigers) and broadcaster (Mets games 1986-95), dies from multiple organ failure at 73
- 2020-03-26 Jimmy Wynn, American baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 1967, 74, 75; Houston Colt 45s/Astros, LA Dodgers), dies at 78
- 2020-05-14 Bob Watson, American baseball utility (MLB All Star 1973, 75; Houston Astros) and sports executive (GM NY Yankees, World Series 1996), dies from kidney disease at 74
- 2020-12-01 Denis Menke, American baseball infielder (MLB All Star 1969, 70; Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds), dies at 80
- 2021-08-04 J.R. Richard, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1980; NL ERA leader 1979; NL strikeout leader 1978, 79; Houston Astros), dies at 71 [1]
- 2021-11-22 Doug Jones, American baseball relief pitcher (5 x MLB All Star; Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies), dies from COVID-19 at 64
- 2023-01-05 Nate Colbert, American baseball first baseman (MLB All Star 1971, 72, 73; San Diego Padres, Houston Astros), dies at 76
- 2023-03-10 Jesús Alou, Dominican MLB baseball outfielder, 1963-79 (World Series 1973, 74 Oakland A's; Houston Astros, and 2 other teams), dies at 80
- 2024-01-26 Jimy Williams, American MLB baseball infielder (St. Louis Cardinals), coach (World Series Champ - Atlanta, 1995 & Philadelphia, 2008), and manager (Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox (AL Manager of the Year -1999), Houston Astros), dies at 80