1969 Houston Astros season

MLB yearly infobox alt‎
name = Houston Astros
season = 1968
misc =

current league = National League
y1 = 1962
division = Western Division
y2 = 1969
Uniform
ballpark = The Astrodome
y4 = 1965
city = Houston, Texas
y5 = 1962
owners = Roy Hofheinz
general managers = Spec Richardson
managers =Harry Walker
television = KTRK-TV
radio = KPRC (AM)
(Gene Elston, Loel Passe, Harry Kalas)|The Houston Astros' 1969 season involved the Astros finishing in fifth place the National League West with a record of 81-81, twelve games behind the Atlanta Braves. It was also the first time in their history that the Astros did not finish below .500. The Astros season from August 26 to October 2 was featured in Jim Bouton’s book, Ball Four. Ball Four, 20th Anniversary Edition, pp. 324-396, Jim Bouton, Edited by Leonard Schecter, Wiley Publishing Inc., 1990, ISBN 0-02-030665-2]

Offseason

*October 14, 1968: Nate Colbert was drafted by the San Diego Padres from the Houston Astros as the 18th pick in the 1968 expansion draft. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/colbena01.shtml Nate Colbert Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*December 2, 1968: Bo Belinsky was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals from the Houston Astros in the 1968 rule 5 draft. [ http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/belinbo01.shtml ]
*December 4, 1968: Curt Blefary was traded by the Baltimore Orioles with John Mason (minors) to the Houston Astros for Mike Cuellar, Enzo Hernandez, and Elijah Johnson (minors). [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/blefacu01.shtml Curt Blefary Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*January 22, 1969: Jesus Alou was traded by the Montreal Expos with Donn Clendenon to the Houston Astros for Rusty Staub. Donn Clendenon refused to report to his new team on April 8, 1969. The Montreal Expos sent Jack Billingham (April 8, 1969), Skip Guinn (April 8, 1969), and $100,000 (April 8, 1969) to the Houston Astros to complete the trade. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/a/alouje01.shtml Jesus Alou Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]

Regular season

* On May 4, Curt Blefary participated on seven double plays at first base.
*On September 19, Jim Bouton struck out Tony Perez of the Cincinnati Reds and made baseball history. With that strikeout, the 1969 edition of the Houston Astros broke the National League record for most strikeouts in a season with 1,123 strikeouts.

Notable transactions

* June 5, 1969: J.R. Richard was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 1st round (2nd pick) of the 1969 amateur draft. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/richaj.01.shtml J.R. Richard Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
* August 24, 1969: Jim Bouton was traded by the Seattle Pilots to the Houston Astros for Dooley Womack and Roric Harrison.

tandings

First San Diego Padres Game

* On April 8, the Astros played against the San Diego Padres. It was the first ever game in Padres history.

corecard

April 8, San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California