Astrodome / Harris County Domed Stadium

[J.R.]

Is there any sentiment to have a baseball game there once more before they gut the place?

[Astros]

In the 1970's the Astrodome hosted NBA games and the court was moved closer to one side of the lower level Field Box seats instead of being in the middle. They eventually used the baseball field configuration (as the lower box seats could rotate to parallel for a gridiron) and ran the basketball court across from third base to first base. This setup was used for the 1989 NBA All-Star Game and they installed a huge bleacher section in the area just behind the infield.

One of the very few sports not to be held in the Astrodome was water sports, although it was tried in the mid-90's. A huge pool was installed on the floor, but the walls started to buckle when they did test runs with jet skis so the event was cancelled.

[Astros]

Is there any sentiment to have a baseball game there once more before they gut the place?

There's been some talk amongst some Houstonians, but it really is not feasible without a big financial investment. The stadium is fine, but they'd have to installed phone lines again, bring the concession stands up to code and clean the Astroturf field, which is still rolled up in a trench under the floor in centerfield. The turf got many stains on it after the Astros left and didn't look as nice (at least when I saw it in 2002 for a HS baseball playoff game).

If any game was to take place there, it probably would have to be a amateur league or minor league game.

The real sentiment has been to preserve the building by way of redevelopment.

[alpineinc]

July 10th, 1969, from Mike McCann's blog of WFAN update fame.







View of the lighting of the animated scoreboard, not lit, waiting to explode in light (did in the 10th with a Jimmy Wynn HR, but not enough)





More...

[alpineinc]

More 7.10.69 - Astros fall to Reds in 10, 5-4.

[Yoda]

Hey Astros, how's that model going?

[Lpeters199]

I think there's a court down there somewhere.

[Astros]

Hey Astros, how's that model going?

I'm posting an updated photo in the model thread I created, but here's something else to enjoy as well.

[Doug C.]

What a great thread. Bringing back lots of memories. I heard the offices in the Dome were shut down recently due to code violations. Is there any update on that? Also, is the Hideout open to the public during the rodeo?

[parlo]

Here is a YouTube clip from Brewster McCloud, a film from 1970.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbVY4IY-XCk

[Tino24]

the one picture of the NCAA the close up makes it look like its in the future. i dont know why

[Astros]

Here are some photos showing an early model, the stadium skeleton, Mickey Mantle signing autographs on 4/9/65, a ticket stub to the first game (exhibition versus the Yankees) and a shot of the game in progress on Opening Night.

[Astros]

What better way to to have a first pitch in the Astrodome than to have America's Astronauts do so? Here they are on April 12, 1965 for the first regular season game that was played against the Phillies.

[Pelt]

That model is pretty sweet.

[Chevy114]

I never realized how high the 3rd base seats were. Cool idea to have an area to walk under!

[Astros]

Here are photos taken from around the same angles looking towards the north. They show the progression of the Astrodome from when it was a hole in the ground, to a construction site, to a finished product and how it stands today. Colt Stadium is the park located in the parking lot.

[NYFan1stYankFan2nd]

Take a look at my markings on the photo below and you'll see how the baseball was laid out. The red Field Level seats would move back into baseball configuration.

So it's pretty e-z to say that Shea and Astrodome were near clones - one simply didn't have a roof!

[Astros]

So it's pretty e-z to say that Shea and Astrodome were near clones - one simply didn't have a roof!

The elevations for the first three seating levels were very similar. The moveable field level seats for both stadiums are also very much alike. Most of the main structure behind the seating areas in the Dome was different because it was designed to support the roof. Another difference was that the playing field sat 25 feet below the street level (one reason why Reliant Stadium looks so much taller than the dome today) and Shea was built at grade level. My understanding was the fact that the land Shea was built on was swamp land and wouldn't be conducive to digging a hole like the did at the dome.

[Anubis2051]

These are from the History Channel show "Life After People". Pretty interesting.

[Astros]

These are from the History Channel show "Life After People". Pretty interesting.

I saw that the other day. The collapse is estimated about 100 years after people are gone. They also said that bats will infest the stadium and eat the Astroturf. I thought that was kind of funny. The turf is rolled away right now in the storage pits under the field.

[Pelt]

They also said that bats will infest the stadium and eat the Astroturf.

Can you imagine the kind of guano that would make?

[Colt Cobra]

All these pictures of the Astrodome bring back some memories, my first trip to the Astrodome was a Monster Truck race when I was a little kid(early 89 IIRC) then went to a Astros game later that year, Always thought the Dome was one of the greatest places to see Monster Trucks indoors, my eyesight was to bad to enjoy baseball live back then, I remember the players all looked like little white and orange blobs.

Astros, you wouldnt happen to have any photos of early Monster Truck events(say 86-92) in the Dome would you?

[Milwaukee County Stadium]

A photo I found that was never posted here of The Astrodome in 1966

[Astros]

A photo I found that was never posted here of The Astrodome in 1966

Note the real grass in the outfield, but the foul territory is Astroturf. They started the 1966 season with turf only on the infield and foul areas. The entire field was turfed by mid season.

BTW- I LOVED that old scoreboard. There was nothing like it and if you never saw it in person you wouldn't really understand. Photos of it during a home run are good to look at, but watching it celebrate a home run in person was really something to see.

The tapered Mezzanine level (orange seats) kind of reminds me of how they did it at the new Yankee Stadium.

[Astros]

All these pictures of the Astrodome bring back some memories, my first trip to the Astrodome was a Monster Truck race when I was a little kid(early 89 IIRC) then went to a Astros game later that year, Always thought the Dome was one of the greatest places to see Monster Trucks indoors, my eyesight was to bad to enjoy baseball live back then, I remember the players all looked like little white and orange blobs.

Astros, you wouldnt happen to have any photos of early Monster Truck events(say 86-92) in the Dome would you?

I have tons of old photos (many of which I took personally) but just need time to scan them. I think there are a few shots of the old "Auto Thrill and Stunt Shows" they used to have in there. I'll take a look.