| 1969 Houston Astros | ||
|---|---|---|
| League | National League | |
| Division | West | |
| Ballpark | Astrodome | |
| City | Houston, Texas | |
| Record | 81–81 (.500) | |
| Divisional place | 5th | |
| Owners | Roy Hofheinz | |
| General managers | Spec Richardson | |
| Managers | Harry Walker | |
| Television | KTRK-TV | |
| Radio | KPRC (AM) (Gene Elston, Loel Passe, Harry Kalas) | |
| ||
The 1969 Houston Astros season was the eighth season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their fifth as the Astros, eighth in the National League (NL), first in the inaugural season of the NL West division, and fifth at The Astrodome. The Astros entered the season with a record of 72–90, in tenth place and 25 games behind the NL pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals.
Don Wilson made his first Opening Day start for the Astros, hosted by the San Diego Padres—who were playing their inaugural game in franchise history as one of four expansion teams in MLB—but were defeated, 2–1.
One day after the Astros were no-hit by Jim Maloney of the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field, Wilson tossed the fourth no-hitter in franchise history on May 1, a 4–0 victory over the Reds. The second of two no-hitters he pitched for the Astros, Wilson also became the first in franchise history to achieve this feat.
In the MLB amateur draft, the Astros' first round selection was pitcher J. R. Richard, at second overall. At the time, Richard became the highest-selected player in the amateur draft for Houston.
Shortstop Denis Menke and pitcher Larry Dierker represented the Astros and played for the National League at the MLB All-Star Game. It was the first career selection for both players.
The Astros concluded the season with an 81–81 record and in fifth place, 12 games behind the NL West-champion Atlanta Braves. This represented the first time in franchise history that Houston finished with a record of .500 or higher.
With Wilson, Dierker, and Tom Griffin all reaching the 200 strikeout threshold, this Astros pitching staff became the second with three to reach the 200-strikeout threshold, following the 1967 Minnesota Twins. Griffin was also named The Sporting News NL Rookie Pitcher of the Year. [a] Astros pitchers threw 1,221 strikeouts, a major league record that lasted until 1996. Right-hander Fred Gladding notched 29 saves to become the second Astros reliever to lead the NL.
On April 8, the expansion team San Diego Padres hosted the Houston Astros, from the prior expansion class of 1962, for the first-ever game in Padres history.
On May 4, first baseman Curt Blefary participated in seven double plays, an MLB record for first basemen in a 9-inning game. [6]
The Astros ventured to Jarry Park Stadium in Canada on May 13 for their first-ever international game to face the Montreal Expos, another expansion club playing out their inaugural season. Infielder Doug Rader knocked 3 runs batted in (RBI) to lead a 10–3 victory for Houston. [7]
On May 27, Don Wilson had tossed a 13-strikeout gem keeping the score tied 2–2 with the Philadelphia Phillies going in the bottom of the ninth inning. Doug Rader proceeded to hit the game-winning grand slam for a 6–2 Houston win. [8] With the game tied 6–6 in the May 28 contest, in the 10th inning, Rader drew the bases-loaded walk to decide a 7–6 victory over the Phillies. This also gave Houston a 10-game winning streak to set a then-franchise record. [9]
On June 5, Joe Morgan's 4-fort-4 day with a home run and four runs scored led a Houston win over the St. Louis Cardinals, 11–6. [10] Astros starter Larry Dierker, on 24-hour leave from duty with the Army on June 8, outdueled Cardinals ace Steve Carlton over 11 innings. Dierker capped off the night by hitting the game-winning run batted in (RBI) for a 2–1 win. [11]
Houston swept a July 30 doubleheader from the New York Mets. In the opener, Denis Menke and Jimmy Wynn both connected for grand slams in the same inning to cap a double-routing of the Mets, 16–3 and 11–5, at Shea Stadium. The double slam was the first to occur in the National League in 79 years. In the nightcap, Dierker took Nolan Ryan deep, and reliever Fred Gladding, mired in a decade-long slump at the plate, laced a bloop single for the only hit in his major league career. [12]
The Astros season from August 26 to October 2 was featured in Jim Bouton's book, Ball Four . [13] On September 19, Bouton struck out Tony Pérez of the Cincinnati Reds and made baseball history. With that strikeout, the pitching staff of the 1969 edition of the Houston Astros broke the then-National League record for most strikeouts in a season with 1,123 strikeouts. [13] The team finished the year with 1,221 strikeouts, which stood as the National League record until 1996, when it was broken by the Atlanta Braves. [14] [15] The Astros were the second team to have three pitchers with 200 strikeouts, with only the 1967 Minnesota Twins having accomplished the feat. Since then, only the 2013 Detroit Tigers have accomplished the feat. [16] The three hurlers who realized the 200-strikeout threshold for the Astros in 1969 included Wilson (235), Dierker (232), and rookie Tom Griffin (200). [17]
Additionally, Dierker became Houston's first-ever 20-game winner to lead the club's first regular-season record as high as .500, hence, at the time a club-record 81 wins. [18]
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | 93 | 69 | .574 | — | 50–31 | 43–38 |
| San Francisco Giants | 90 | 72 | .556 | 3 | 52–29 | 38–43 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 89 | 73 | .549 | 4 | 50–31 | 39–42 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 85 | 77 | .525 | 8 | 50–31 | 35–46 |
| Houston Astros | 81 | 81 | .500 | 12 | 52–29 | 29–52 |
| San Diego Padres | 52 | 110 | .321 | 41 | 28–53 | 24–57 |
Sources: | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | ATL | CHC | CIN | HOU | LAD | MTL | NYM | PHI | PIT | SD | SF | STL | |||||
| Atlanta | — | 3–9 | 12–6 | 15–3 | 9–9 | 8–4 | 4–8 | 6–6 | 8–4 | 13–5 | 9–9 | 6–6 | |||||
| Chicago | 9–3 | — | 6–6–1 | 8–4 | 6–6 | 10–8 | 8–10 | 12–6 | 7–11 | 11–1 | 6–6 | 9–9 | |||||
| Cincinnati | 6–12 | 6–6–1 | — | 9–9 | 10–8 | 8–4 | 6–6 | 10–2 | 5–7 | 11–7 | 10–8 | 8–4 | |||||
| Houston | 3–15 | 4–8 | 9–9 | — | 6–12 | 11–1 | 10–2 | 8–4 | 3–9 | 10–8 | 10–8 | 7–5 | |||||
| Los Angeles | 9–9 | 6–6 | 8–10 | 12–6 | — | 10–2 | 4–8 | 8–4 | 8–4 | 12–6 | 5–13 | 3–9 | |||||
| Montreal | 4–8 | 8–10 | 4–8 | 1–11 | 2–10 | — | 5–13 | 11–7 | 5–13 | 4–8 | 1–11 | 7–11 | |||||
| New York | 8–4 | 10–8 | 6–6 | 2–10 | 8–4 | 13–5 | — | 12–6 | 10–8 | 11–1 | 8–4 | 12–6 | |||||
| Philadelphia | 6-6 | 6–12 | 2–10 | 4–8 | 4–8 | 7–11 | 6–12 | — | 10–8 | 8–4 | 3–9 | 7–11 | |||||
| Pittsburgh | 4–8 | 11–7 | 7–5 | 9–3 | 4–8 | 13–5 | 8–10 | 8–10 | — | 10–2 | 5–7 | 9–9 | |||||
| San Diego | 5–13 | 1–11 | 7–11 | 8–10 | 6–12 | 8–4 | 1–11 | 4–8 | 2–10 | — | 6–12 | 4–8 | |||||
| San Francisco | 9–9 | 6–6 | 8–10 | 8–10 | 13–5 | 11–1 | 4–8 | 9–3 | 7–5 | 12–6 | — | 3–9 | |||||
| St. Louis | 6–6 | 9–9 | 4–8 | 5–7 | 9–3 | 11–7 | 6–12 | 11–7 | 9–9 | 8–4 | 9–3 | — | |||||
| 1969 Houston Astros | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
| Catchers Infielders
| Outfielders
Other batters | Manager
Coaches
| ||||||
| = Indicates team leader |
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Johnny Edwards | 151 | 496 | 115 | .232 | 6 | 50 |
| 1B | Curt Blefary | 155 | 542 | 137 | .253 | 12 | 67 |
| 2B | Joe Morgan | 147 | 535 | 126 | .236 | 15 | 43 |
| SS | Denis Menke | 154 | 553 | 149 | .269 | 10 | 90 |
| 3B | Doug Rader | 155 | 569 | 140 | .246 | 11 | 83 |
| LF | Jesús Alou | 115 | 452 | 112 | .248 | 5 | 34 |
| CF | Jim Wynn | 149 | 495 | 133 | .269 | 33 | 87 |
| RF | Norm Miller | 119 | 409 | 108 | .264 | 4 | 50 |
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marty Martínez | 78 | 198 | 61 | .308 | 0 | 15 |
| Gary Geiger | 93 | 125 | 28 | .224 | 0 | 16 |
| Sandy Valdespino | 41 | 119 | 29 | .244 | 0 | 12 |
| Julio Gotay | 46 | 81 | 21 | .259 | 0 | 9 |
| Tommy Davis | 24 | 79 | 19 | .241 | 1 | 9 |
| Leon McFadden | 44 | 74 | 13 | .176 | 0 | 3 |
| Héctor Torres | 34 | 69 | 11 | .159 | 1 | 8 |
| Don Bryant | 31 | 59 | 11 | .186 | 1 | 6 |
| Bob Watson | 20 | 40 | 11 | .275 | 0 | 3 |
| Keith Lampard | 9 | 12 | 3 | .250 | 1 | 2 |
| César Gerónimo | 28 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 0 | 0 |
| John Mayberry | 5 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
| = Indicates league leader |
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larry Dierker | 39 | 305.1 | 20 | 13 | 2.33 | 232 |
| Denny Lemaster | 38 | 244.2 | 13 | 17 | 3.16 | 173 |
| Don Wilson | 34 | 225.0 | 16 | 12 | 4.00 | 235 |
| Tom Griffin | 31 | 188.1 | 11 | 10 | 3.54 | 200 |
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Ray | 40 | 115.0 | 8 | 2 | 3.91 | 115 |
| Wade Blasingame | 26 | 52.0 | 0 | 5 | 5.37 | 33 |
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Gladding | 57 | 4 | 8 | 29 | 4.21 | 40 |
| Jack Billingham | 52 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 4.25 | 71 |
| Dooley Womack | 30 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3.51 | 32 |
| Skip Guinn | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6.67 | 33 |
| Jim Bouton | 16 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4.11 | 32 |
| Danny Coombs | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.75 | 3 |
| Dan Schneider | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13.50 | 3 |
| Bob Watkins | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.17 | 11 |
| Bill Henry | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 2 |
| Ron Willis | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 2 |
| Scipio Spinks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 4 |
| Marty Martínez | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.50 | 0 |
Savannah affiliation shared with Washington Senators
