The Pecan Park Eagle

AL WEISS, SS of the Mets on 4/15/68, made the fatigue error that allowed a ground ball to slip through him with the bases loaded for a 1-0 Astros win in the 24th.

The longest regular season MLB game by innings in Houston history occured at the Astrodome on April 15, 1968. It lasted until the bottom of the 24th. As quoted later by Astros Daily.Com, here’s how writer Vito Stellino of The Sporting News described the final inning for his game retrospective article of April 27, 1968:

“Norm Miller was on his own personal 0-for-14 skid when he greeted Mets reliever Les Rohr with a single to right that started the bottom of the 24th. A balk moved him to second and a grounder by Rusty Staub advanced him to third with only one out. Meanwhile, Jim Wynn and John Bateman received intentional walks to load the bases setting the stage for (Bob) Aspromonte. On a 2-and-1 pitch, Aspro sent a sharp roller to Al Weis at shortstop. Whether it was fatigue or anticipating a double play to get out of the jam, Weis didn’t stay down and the ball rolled between his legs into left field as Miller came across the plate to win the game.” – Vito Stellino, The Sporting News, 4/27/68.

The 1968 Astros’ 1-0 bottom of the 24th win over the Mets game took 6 hours and 6 minutes. The record for longest regulation game by time, however, is that Chicago 7- Milwaukee 6 contest of 5/08/84 that you will also find in the following charting of the longest top games by inning. It lasted 8 hours and 6 minutes before it reached the end.

The 1-0 Astros victory over the Mets on 4/15/68 in 24 innings also zoomed to the top of the list as the longest shutout game ever played in MLB history..

For a complete read of the Stellino TSN article, the box score, and a commentary by Astros historian Bob Hulsey on the Astros-Mets 24 inning game from April 15, 1968, click the following link:

http://www.astrosdaily.com/history/19680415/