Born in Port Arthur, grew up just across the Neches.
Cesar Cedeño pajamas for Christmas
around age 6 (#28 on the leg!).
First game was the 1981 home opener (raised the division banner).
Over the course of my childhood every trip to Houston blew my mind. When we would get to the top of the 610 bridge over the port I’d start searching for the dome.
Probably went to less than 10 games over my childhood so it was radio, box scores/game summaries in the paper then HSE (heaven).
Great story, Matt.
My dad was born and raised in Port Arthur. AFiBD. He was a super all-around athlete at TJ.
Steve, I bet some parents of those boys that enjoyed a real home cooked meal were thankful for you and your family! Great story!
We moved to Houston in 1973 when I was 7, so I switched from the Phillies over to the Good Guys. Then we moved back to Philly a few years later so I switched again. A couple of years after that we moved back to Houston and I sort of had co-favorite teams. After the Phils won the series in 1980 I moved over to the Astros full time.
Sometime in 1964, before my fifth birthday, The whole family went out to Colt Stadium to see a game. My cousin, who was around the same age, was with us. We could hear the P.A. announce the line-ups as we were outside the stadium in the parking lot. Nellie Fox was announced and my cousin and I started laughing hysterically. To us, Nellie Fox was a cartoon character’s name, like Daffy Duck. My uncle explained that “Nellie” was the man’s first name and “Fox” was his last. Somehow, to my cousin and me, the idea of a man with a cartoon character’s name was exactly as funny as a cartoon character actually playing and the laughing continued for some time.
So, I became an Astro fan by switching over from the Colt .45s.
One of my early and much-valued baseball cards was a Johnny Temple All Star card from (maybe) the 1957 set. I was fascinated with the idea of expansion, so the Colt 45’s got my attention. When I moved to Texas in 1963, it was a natural to make them “my team”.
I live in Jackson, MS. From 1975 to 1990 our local AA Texas League was the New York Mets affiliate. So I was a Mets fan in 1986. When the Mets left the Astros moved into Jackson in 1991 and I became an Astros fan. Saw Bagwell rehab, Abreu, Wagner, Hildalgo, Berkman – lots of good players from 1997-2001 playoff runs. When the Astros moved to Round Rock following the 1999 season I thought we would never have affiliated baseball again so I stuck with the Astros and have been with them ever since (we now have Braves AA affiliate). Been lots of fun.
I was born and raised in Katy, and baseball was my favorite sport. My parents took me to games at the Dome when I was a kid, and I was instantly hooked. I remember being so excited in 1998 when the Astros traded for Randy Johnson at the 11th hour, and my dad took me out of school early so we could go to game 1 of the Padres series. From there, my fandom just continued to grow.
I was born and raised in Commerce (NE Texas) My Dad was a Cardinals fan and he and my Mom let me pretend to go to the dentist (Missing school) two different afternoons for game 1 and 2 of the '68 World Series (Detroit-St Louis) By Spring of 1969 I was listening to Astros weekend spring training games on KRLD Dallas and I was hooked on the Astros. That was such a special year for me. They started out 4 and 20, but began a remarkable turnaround on May 1st with Don Wilson’s no hitter. (The night after Cincinnati’s Jim Maloney’s no hitter) The Astros were only a couple of games out of first place (Everyone but the Padres was in a jumble at the top) in mid September before running into a buzz saw in Atlanta. I have lived and died with this team ever since. Jim Sheridan, I first went to spring training in Cocoa while I was in college in 1980 so our paths likely crossed. I loved that old place. Anyway, some of my favorite in person memories were Larry Dierker getting the winning hit in the 11th inning against the Cardinals on June 8th of 1969 with a complete game. The sweep of the Mets in July 86 that started the march to the playoffs. The final day of the 1999 season and the Dome’s goodbye. And of course every year since.
I have been in North Carolina the past ten years and love seeing our minor league teams here.
My influence eventually made my late father an Astros fan. So many incredible times of watching games together. I lost both my parents in the same year of 2010. But, they live on in my great memories of them, especially those wonderful trips as a family going to the Dome every year.
I don’t post much, but love reading everyone’s takes! Great topic!
My family also moved to Houston in ‘73 (from Florida, so no home team), when I was nine. My first memories of the Astros were of J.R. Richard on TV during the years when he was still bouncing back and forth from the minors. I loved that his slider was faster than a lot of other pitchers’ fastballs, and that his 100mph fastball and reputation for wildness made hitters just a little jittery. Then a friend’s dad took us to the Astrodome, probably when I was in 4th or 5th grade, to see a game and I thought the snorting bull and shower cartoons on the scoreboard were the funniest things ever. I still remember where I was when we heard that J. R. had collapsed and still hope that there is a multiverse where he didn’t stroke and the 'Stros beat the Phillies in 1980.
I was a casual fan until I spent some time in AL cities (Red Sox and Orioles) where I learned more about the game and got a look at a different level of fandom (both good and bad). Houston remained my hometown and the Astros my home team during those educational and post graduate training tours of duty in the NE, though. I don’t remember how I stumbled upon the previous incarnation of OWA, but it was soon after I had moved back to Houston in 1999. I have so appreciated the opportunity to lurk here and learn more about the game, and to share in the memories, joys, and frustrations of Astros fandom.
We moved to the SF Bay Area for about fifteen years ago, but my wife and kids are all native Houstonians. So, even if we are here for good, the Astros is still my team.
Hmm… Finally figured out how to access my account again. Wasn’t a priority. just enjoyed to read. I am an original Yankees fan. Wonderful history and know so much of it growing up. So little as a kid Mantle was at the end of his career. Loved him. Mantle was my man. The team was always competitive, but never won. Astros frustration to a tee! When around 13 or so, 13 1/2 behind in the division and my uncle, a Phillies fan and they were in first, joked with me about look at your team. I said watch, they will come back. Sure enough God and the baseball God’s were on my side. They did and I saw my team play in there first world series, I think two years in a row with the manager that steibrenner hired and fired. Watching the picture of nettles on tv verticle to the ground make a catch was absolutely awesome at 3rd. Still love the team, but not the team of today or in the many recent years past. In fact way before I was born, Dad drove up in front of whitey Ford’s limo. Security came out of car. He said he only wanted an autograph for his son. (oldest son) Whitey stepped out and told the security guards to stand down and gave my dad the autograph. Dads like Dementia joe now and as a great man is way worse, but similar. Called home earlier and older brother said he was at home watching dad. Our wood shop has an original signed paul waner bat if I got the name right signed. Not sure who he is, a lot of baseball history at home. Most nice things my parents have are off the walls and boxed up. Dementia sucks. But God is good. On…So we move from the Netherlands to Houston. (I thought tumbleweeds and desert) 1980. Dad loving baseball took us to me and my brother to our first game at the Dome. (a rat hole now, needs to be torn down, worked at city hall contract during Katrina) That year sparked my interest in the players that wore those god awful uniforms! At least in the 70’s. Being a baseball fan, I started watching guys started to love. Never hated the team, just thought looked like clowns. Then as I progressed through college in Nac. Followed minors to see where we might go. I was lost forever to be an Astros fan. (didn’t matter much about the Yankees, they had destroyed themselves in my eyes under Steinbrener. You play the game, you don’t buy the game. Been on many boards as a top Astros poster a long time in the past. We all get older, but not that old. Watched trades of anderson for bagwell. what a steal! heard of bad trades in my time and before. Staub morgan that were disastors. But when the seasons and team are low, you follow the minors. Because there is always hope. And as I said, you can’t buy a team, and if it is with too much money making it uncompetitive, makes it kind of suck. This is my team and watch my old team, who I still love, just not any of the current teams in the last twenty years. Its a history love. I know how to hurt as a kid. On a side note. Dad took Mom to womacks restaurant, took us, my brother and I later, where when he took my mom, he said this is one of Nolan Ryans favorite restaurants. He was there and got his autograph. Was in NJ at the beach house when Enron opened, Flew to Houston stayed with a high school buddy. Because of a board. One girl said I have seasoning opening tickets, got to ski, offered to me. My friend I stayed with english originally had no idea, like watching rugby. LOL. Saw the first and third game at Enron. Kick em all you want, there is nothing dumber than a successful biusiness man expanding into crap they don’t know. Look across from galleria, never filled. Any whoo, long story short. I am an Astros fan and I am here to stay through thick and thin. I am also very damn proud of the pain and suffering i have gone through to get here. What the hell is a 7th inning game and a man on second shit?
Your name & post are a sight for sore eyes, Bruce. Now that you’re here, keep posting.
Sorry about your Dad having dementia. Can’t imagine! Praying for you guys.
PS: Revisited one of your old posts…
Agree w/ Waldo: great to see you posting!
I’ve always been an AL fan, so when I moved to Texas in the 80’s, it was either root for the Rangers (yuck) or remain a Twins fan. Which was OK until the disintegration of that team after the '91 World Series win.
Until the Astros switched leagues, I had a considerable baseball drought. Glad to be out of it!
Though it would be nice to have a team with a real manager. Not a fan of Crusty Dusty Baker at all!
Wait, this is an Astros fan site? I was here for the latest on Palace.
First…welcome. Secondly, as much as I hated that Twins team, the 91 World Series was a fantastic series. One of the best ever. Not 2017, of course, but damn good.
Thanks! That was back when they had day games in the WS. I burned vacation days to go home and watch.
That game 7 with Jack Morris and John Smoltz has to be the greatest ever.
Tom Kelly wanted to take Jack out after the ninth, but Jack wasn’t having it. Probably a good thing Larkin drove in the winning run in the B10 or there would’ve probably been a fistfight in the dugout!
As long as someone would have punched Kent Hrbek in the dick, it would have all been good.
Hrbek was simply living by the adage; “if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying hard enough.” As an Astros fan, you oughta be able to relate to that.
The only guy on that '91 Twins team I didn’t like was AJ AlphabetSoup. He was an asshole then and he still is.
Might not have been the best thing to say here. I’m just sayin’.
The choice here is yours, Jim. You can either embrace the suck and learn to shrug it off or you will find that the rest if eternity isn’t much fun.
Those other teams fans who are booing the Stros are only pissed off because their guys didn’t think of it first.
But whatever you choose doesn’t affect my right to say any damn thing I want. Don’t hurt yourself crawling down off that high horse you rode in on.