The Pecan Park Eagle

Here’s the short version: This past weekend, on a visit to my birth hometown of Beeville, Texas, my younger brother, John McCurdy, gave me this copy of “Inside The Astrodome: Eighth Wonder of the World” from 1965.

Whoa!!!

It is an historical  treasure trove of little known facts and some long forgotten and never generally known information about the same iconic structure that now faces a future that hangs in the balance on our community’s ability to justify its continuation in a world that first demands that it be “re-purposed” into some kind of new attractive venue for commercial profit and/or public attraction – and at a price that “someone” is willing to pay and the rest of us are willing to support. Back in 1965, nobody saw this day coming.

Above is a picture from the 260 page program that features (L->R) pitcher Dick “Turk” Farrell, Manager Luman Harris, and pitcher Don Nottebart. Nottebart was in his third and final season with Houston (1963-65) when the club was renamed the “Astros” but the The Pecan Park Eagle did not recognize him until he was identified for us by two readers, saint89brb and Olbermann.  Thanks, friends!

In our third and final glimpse of the day (but with more to come in the near future), that’s handsome third baseman Bob Aspromonte of the newly re-christened in 1965 Houston Astros giving a little batting instruction to Dome guest and first pitch celebrant at a press luncheon, singer Anita Bryant on the receiving end of that instruction. What a teacher young “Aspro” was back in the day. Notice the way Bob uses the left hand to precisely instruct Miss Bryant on the best way she should position her body in preparation for what’s about to come.

Have a nice weekend, everybody! And try to stay dry!