Astrodome
From SoSH
| Location: | Houston, Texas |
| Opened: | April 12, 1965 |
| Owner: | Harris County, Texas |
| Surface: | AstroTurf |
| Architect: | Hermon Lloyd & W.B. Morgan and Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson |
| Current Capacity: | 54,816 (baseball configuration) |
| Build Cost: | $35,000,000 |
| Tenants: | Houston Oilers (AFL/NFL) (1968-1997) Houston Astros (MLB) (1965-1999) Houston Cougars (NCAA) (1965-1997) Houston Gamblers (USFL) (1984-1985) Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (1966-2003) Houston Energy (WPFL) (2002-2006) Houston Texans (WFL) (1974) Houston Hurricane (NASL) (1978-1980) Bluebonnet Bowl (NCAA) (1968-1984, 1987) Houston Bowl (NCAA) (2000-2001) 1971 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament |
Contents |
Stadium History
The first expansion in MLB history brought a baseball franchise to Texas for the first time. The Houston Colt .45's played their first three seasons in Colt Stadium while awaiting the completion of the Astrodome just to the south. The Astrodome was baseball's first enclosed park, offering fans and players alike a more comfortable experience during hot Texan summers. The newly-renamed Houston Astros moved in and remained in the park fom 1965 to 1999.
The surface in the Astrodome was initially composed of Bermuda grass, while the dome itself was made of semitransparent Lucite. Players complained about the roof's glare making it difficult to track fly balls, and so it was painted black. The problem was that this killed the grass. The Astros played most of the 1965 season on dead grass and dirt that was painted green. In 1966, ChemGrass (better known as AstroTurf), an artificial playing surface, was brought to the Astrodome. There was only enough at first to cover the infield; the outfield was made of painted dirt until after the 1966 All-Star break.
The Astrodome began showing its age in the 1990s. The Houston Oilers left for Tennessee when they were not granted a new stadium. The Astros threatened to leave Houston as well if they did not receive a new ballpark, which they did in time for the 2000 season (Enron Field, now known as Minute Maid Park). The Astrodome still stands today, but it holds no major events. It may be renovated into a luxury hotel in 2009.
Trivia
- Site of the 1968 and 1986 MLB All-Star Games
- Site of the 1989 NBA All-Star Game
- Hosted evacuees from New Orleans in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
- On April 28, 1965, New York Mets announcer Lindsey Nelson broadcast a game from a gondola suspended from the apex of the dome.
Field Dimensions
| Left Field | Left Center | Center Field | Right Center | Right Field |
| 325' | 375' | 406' | 375' | 325' |
Wall Height
| Left Field | Center Field | Right Field |
| 10' | 10' | 10' |
External Links
