The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after spending their first 51 seasons in the National League (NL).
Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1998 to 2017 for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers. A right-handed thrower and switch hitter, Beltrán stands 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighs 215 pounds (98 kg).
Craig Alan Biggio is an American former second baseman, outfielder and catcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career from 1988 through 2007 for the Houston Astros. A seven-time National League (NL) All-Star often regarded as the greatest all-around player in Astros history, he is the only player ever to be named an All-Star and to be awarded Silver Slugger Award at both catcher and second base. With longtime teammates Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman, he formed the core of the "Killer B's" who led Houston to six playoff appearances from 1997 to 2005, culminating in the franchise's first World Series appearance in 2005. At the end of his career, he ranked sixth in NL history in games played (2,850), fifth in at bats (10,876), 21st in hits (3,060), and seventh in runs scored (1,844). His 668 career doubles ranked sixth in major league history, and are the second-most ever by a right-handed hitter; his 56 doubles in 1999 were the most in the major leagues in 63 years.
The 2005 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2005 season. The 101st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Chicago White Sox and the National League (NL) champion Houston Astros. The White Sox swept the Astros in four games, winning their third World Series championship and their first in 88 years. The series was played between October 22–26, 2005.
Kenneth Lofton is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. Lofton was a six-time All-Star (1994–1999), four-time Gold Glove Award winner (1993–1996), and at retirement, was ranked 15th among all-time stolen base leaders with 622. During his career, he played for the Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers.
César Cedeño Encarnación is a Dominican former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from 1970 to 1986, most prominently as a member of the Houston Astros where he helped the franchise win its first-ever National League Western Division title and postseason berth in 1980.
David Earle Lopes is an American former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted and threw right-handed. He played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros; he managed the Milwaukee Brewers.
Morgan Paul Ensberg is an American former infielder in Major League Baseball. Ensberg bats and throws right-handed. He was previously a member of the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, and New York Yankees. From 2011-12 he was the co-host of MLB Roundtrip on SiriusXM's MLB Network Radio. As of 2019, Ensberg is the manager of the Montgomery Biscuits in the Southern League.
Philip Mason Garner is an American former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as an infielder with the Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants from 1973 to 1988. With the Pirates, he won the 1979 World Series over the Baltimore Orioles. He was manager of the Astros from July 14, 2004 to August 27, 2007, leading Houston to a World Series appearance in 2005.
Cameron Keith Maybin is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current broadcaster. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Florida / Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. He was the tenth overall pick in the 2005 MLB draft by the Tigers and debuted with them in 2007. With the Astros, he won the 2017 World Series.
The London Tigers were a professional Double-A Minor League Baseball team that played in the Eastern League from 1989 to 1993. They played at Labatt Memorial Park in London, Ontario, and were affiliated with the Detroit Tigers. At the time it was the only EL and Double A franchise in Canada.
Michael Ray Bourn is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Baltimore Orioles between 2006 and 2016. He also played internationally for the United States national baseball team.
Brian Lee Hunter is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball. At 6'4" and around 180 lbs, he was known for stealing over 70 bases in 1997.
The 1976 Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The Reds entered the season as the reigning world champions. The Reds dominated the league all season and won their second consecutive National League West title with a record of 102–60, finishing ten games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the best record in baseball, they went on to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1976 National League Championship Series in three straight games to reach the World Series. They proceeded to win the title in four straight games over the New York Yankees. They were the third and most recent National League team to achieve this distinction, and the first since the 1921–22 New York Giants. The Reds drew 2,629,708 fans to their home games at Riverfront Stadium, an all-time franchise attendance record. As mentioned above, the Reds swept through the entire postseason with their sweeps of the Phillies and Yankees, achieving a record of 7-0. As of 2022, the Reds are the only team in baseball history to sweep through an entire postseason in the divisional era.
The 1909 Detroit Tigers won the American League pennant with a record of 98–54, but lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1909 World Series, 4 games to 3. The season was their 9th since they were charter members of the American League in 1901. It was the third consecutive season in which they won the pennant but lost the World Series. Center fielder Ty Cobb won the Triple Crown and pitcher George Mullin led the league in wins (29) and winning percentage (.784).
The 2005 Houston Astros season was the 44th season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in Houston, Texas. They qualified for the postseason for the second consecutive season and it was the sixth time they had done so in a span of nine seasons. Expectations had been raised since the Astros had come one win away from a pennant the previous year. However, they got to a sluggish 15–30 start. They then went on to win 74 of the next 117 games to claim the wild card playoff spot, and would go on to win the National League pennant to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history, which gave them the privilege of hosting the first World Series game in the state of Texas. However, they were swept by the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. It was longtime Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell's final season and first World Series appearance.
The 1911 Detroit Tigers had a record of 89–65 and finished in second place in the American League, 131⁄2 games behind the Philadelphia Athletics. They outscored their opponents 831–776, and drew 484,988 fans to Bennett Park.
The Baseball City Royals were a farm team for the Kansas City Royals from 1988 to 1992, after moving from Fort Myers, Florida, where they were known as the Fort Myers Royals.
José Carlos Altuve is a Venezuelan professional baseball second baseman for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Astros signed Altuve as an amateur free agent in 2007, and he made his major league debut in 2011. A right-handed batter and thrower, as of 2017 he was the shortest active MLB player, at 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m). His listed weight is 165 pounds (75 kg). From 2014 to 2017, Altuve recorded at least 200 hits each season and led the American League (AL) in the category. He won three batting championships in that span.
The Williamsport Red Sox were a minor league baseball team, based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The team began in 1964 as the Williamsport Mets a class-AA affiliate of the New York Mets, in the Eastern League, from 1964 through 1967. The club played all of its games at Williamsport's Bowman Stadium. Among the future major leaguers who played for the Williamsport Mets are: Jerry Koosman, Ken Boswell, Kevin Collins, Nolan Ryan and Jim Bethke.
