The Pecan Park Eagle

April 9, 1965: The Huston Astros defeat the New York Yankees, 2-1, in the first baseball game ever played in the new Harris County Domed Stadium.
~Photo Courtesy of Astros Daily.Com

Where is the love?

Fifty years ago this coming April 9th, the first baseball game was played in the then brand new Harris County Domed Stadium, aka the Astrodome. April 9, 1965 also marked the first time that the newly re-christened, then three-years old MLB franchise took the field indoors in their brand new home as the “Houston Astros”?

We ask again, “Where is the love?”

What plans do the Houston Astros, Harris County, and/or the City of Houston have to honor this historic date and occasion with an appropriate nod of public appreciation for an important date in both our local history – and in the world history of covered architectural venues for the public presentation of certain sporting events that previously – from the beginning of civilized time and their individual sporting game inventions – had to be played – or canceled – at the mercy of nature’s strongest climatic elements?

The fact that little, if anything, has even been whispered about this important upcoming moment this close to April 9th is also surprising in light of the preservation movement that exists to save the Astrodome from demolition by the “bucks-alone-matter” Houston developer crowd that for years already has torn down so much of our local architectural heritage for the construction of parking space and strip centers.

Once more, “Where is the love?”, and just as importantly, “What are the plans in place for a celebration of this internationally important anniversary by the local entities that benefited the most from the creation of the Astrodome in the first place?

The Pecan Park Eagle has no earthly idea at this publication date what any of the “big people” are planning, if anything, and frankly, we are beginning to care less daily about the big entities, and what they do and don’t do, by the moment. Even as I write, it’s brought home to me good and hard that there are simply too many egos piling into this pie to suit my digestion.

Personally, I do hope something worthwhile happens in behalf of the old steel–framed icon of new era stadium construction. Beyond all personal agendas, she’s still special in the hearts of us everyday people.

And what did actually happen on April 9, 1965 at the brand new domed stadium in Houston?

The brand new Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees, 2-1, in a final exhibition game prior to the start of the regular season, but let’s allow historian Bob Hulsey of Astros Daily to give you the best account ever written about that special moment:

http://www.astrosdaily.com/history/19650409/

If you also want to see Mickey Mantle trudging toward home to cap the first home run in the Astrodome that night – or watch Jimmy Wynn of the Astros later racing toward home with the winning run, try this old movie coverage link too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCNfSjG3me0

Now, if you would also like to see the 50th anniversary of the first Astrodome baseball game acknowledged in some appropriate way, please leave your expression of wishes, ideas, or plans for what should happen as a detailed statement in the comment section that follows this column. Don’t send them to us as comments. That will only force us to enter them as comments for you – but without your identification at the top of the post. – Also, be sure to note who you think should be taking the lead in planning this historic recognition of a big moment in Houston history. Unless one or more of the founding entities feels some responsibility for leadership in this matter, this one is tailor-made after a half century for all original factions to simply do nothing and then say “we thought so-and-so was going to do it.”

Thanks, friends!