A Six-Gun Salute: An Illustrated History of the Houston Colt .45S, 1962-1964

Rating:
Summary: A real winner
Review: An excellent and detailed history of the Colts and their origins in the planned Continental League, the National League expansion of 1961-62, and their colorful early days until they became the Astros. Lots of great photos of players, now-defunct ballparks, and memorabilia, and the real inside story of the name changes from Colts to Colt .45s to Astros. A winner all around.

Rating:
Summary: When Baseball Came to Houston
Review: as someone who grew up in Houston and recalls the Buffs, as well as the emegence of 'major' league baseball in Houston, this book re-kindles numerous lost memories. In addition, the "inside" information on Houston's acquisistion of the frnachise is enlightening and entertaining. For someone with an interest in Houston baseball, this book is obviously a must. Easy to read, with a wealth of information, fun to look through as well as a good read, what else is there?

Rating:
Summary: Hot Times In Houston
Review: I grew up and still reside in the Bayou City. I was born in 1967, two years after the Colt .45's moved from Colt Stadium into the Astrodome and changed their name to the Astros.


Even as a young child I remember having an almost mystical interest in the Colt .45's. It was a marvel to me that they could actually play basball outside in the summers in Houston. I clearly remember my little leauge days in Houston thinking about the heat and humidity and the glare of the sun.

There was never an abundance of information on the Colt .45's or pictures of the old stadium unless you heard it about it from older Houstonians or former players that still called Houston home. This book is truly the Bible of Houston baseball. It is comparitive to the Old Testament's GENISIS. I swear if you curl up on a lazy afternoon and let your mind flow with the book you will feel as though you have travelled back into yester-year and you are there at Colt Stadium, mosquitos, humidity and all.

Sadly baseball in Houston now is a joke. The Astros are the epitome of over-paid, grossly under achieving, lazy athletes. I grew up with the Dome and I would have glady gone to Colt Stadium to root on a near last place team. AT LEAST THEY TRIED AND MADE AN EFFORT. The new ballpark downtown I have nicknamed "The Coffin". With it's retractable roof "The Coffin" is either opened or closed depending on what day you drive by. Most every player inside the place is alrady dead or just going through the motions.

This book celebrates the effort, the entertainment and the energy that once exsisted in Astros history but no longer does. This is the written account of the genisis of major leauge baseball in Houston. It also includes INCREDIBLE photographs in color and black and white.

This book is NOT to be missed ! Read it !


Rating:
Summary: Sweet and well done
Review: I stumbled on this book at a bookstore in upstate NY, a far cry from the Houston area. As a baseball fan, it caught my eye although I had very little knowledge of Houston's MLB origins. What sold me-- at least during that quick perusal in the bookstore -- was its treatment of how Houston and NY both came into the league at the same time. After reading it, though, I'm astounded at the history and story of baseball's first major-league team in the south. The no-hitters, the futility, the tear-jerker about Jim Umbricht .... this story reeks of everything that baseball is -- good things, such as colorful characters, true fans, baseball as a game first and business second, and tragedy as well -- the real "Love of the Game" story, not that Kevin Costner tripe. Whether you know anything about Houston, the Colt 45s, or Texas, do yourself a favor and read this book. Heck, it's a human story, not just a sports story. The younger fan may not "get it," but those of us who grew up with those hot summer nights listening to baseball on transistor radios -- no matter were you lived of what team you claimed -- will enjoy the trip back.

Rating:
Summary: Sweet and well done
Review: I stumbled on this book at a bookstore in upstate NY, a far cry from the Houston area. As a baseball fan, it caught my eye although I had very little knowledge of Houston's MLB origins. What sold me-- at least during that quick perusal in the bookstore -- was its treatment of how Houston and NY both came into the league at the same time. After reading it, though, I'm astounded at the history and story of baseball's first major-league team in the south. The no-hitters, the futility, the tear-jerker about Jim Umbricht .... this story reeks of everything that baseball is -- good things, such as colorful characters, true fans, baseball as a game first and business second, and tragedy as well -- the real "Love of the Game" story, not that Kevin Costner tripe. Whether you know anything about Houston, the Colt 45s, or Texas, do yourself a favor and read this book. Heck, it's a human story, not just a sports story. The younger fan may not "get it," but those of us who grew up with those hot summer nights listening to baseball on transistor radios -- no matter were you lived of what team you claimed -- will enjoy the trip back.

Rating:
Summary: When Baseball Came to Houston
Review: Texas coastal heat, tropical humidity and giant mosquitoes; those are my memories of Colt Stadium. But I also remember the excitement of going to a real major league game in Houston. This book brings back all those memories and tells things I never knew about the screwball cast of characters who made up the team and the giant personalities who labored to bring big league baseball to Houston. The Colt .45s included major talent such as Joe Morgan, Rusty Staub, Jim Wynn and Larry Dierker. But they also had "colorful" players such as Richard "Turk" Farrell. A must for any collector of Texana, baseball or Houston history.