|
Astrodome Historical Analysis
Astrodome. A name derived from its astronomical size? The astronomical vision? Imagine four-thousand seven hundred ninety-six (4,796) clear plastic panels allowing for direct sunlight (for grass to grow), air conditioning kept at a comfy 72°, restaurants, and fabric seats and you have a handful of the amazing items brought together in 1965. The brainchild of team owner Judge Roy Hofheinz, who lived in a luxurious apartment inside the Astrodome, was aptly refferred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World."
|
|
"As a teenager living in Houston, my friend and I periodically sneaked in to the Astrodome while it was under construction, giving us a true sneak preview of baseball's first futuristic ballpark. When the Dome was completed, I was on hand for the first game played indoors, a spring exhibition game on April 9, 1965, highlighted by Mickey Mantle hitting the first home run in the stadium." - Author Mike Sowell in Blue Skies, Green Fields (2001)
|
|
|
| Data |
 |
First Game
|
04-12-1965
|
|
Last Game
|
10-09-1999
|
| Data |
|
Attendance Records
(Single Game)
|
Largest
|
50,908 on 07-22-1966
|
|
Smallest
|
2,600 on 10-02-1985
|
|
Capacity Changes
(Yearly Attendance)
|
1965
|
42,217
|
|
1965
|
46,000
|
|
1968
|
44,500
|
|
1975
|
45,000
|
|
1982
|
47,690
|
|
1990
|
54,816
|
| Data |
|
Backstop
|
1965
|
60½'
|
|
1990
|
67'
|
|
1993
|
52'
|
|
Left Field Lines
&
Right Field Lines
|
1965
|
340'
|
|
1972
|
330'
|
|
1977
|
340'
|
|
1985
|
330'
|
|
1992
|
325'
|
|
1993
|
330'
|
|
1994
|
325'
|
|
Left Center Field Lines
&
Right Center Field Lines
|
1965
|
375'
|
|
1966
|
390'
|
|
1972
|
378'
|
|
1977
|
390'
|
|
1985
|
378'
|
|
1992
|
375'
|
|
1993
|
380'
|
|
1994
|
375'
|
|
Center Field
|
1965
|
406'
|
|
1972
|
400'
|
|
1977
|
406'
|
|
1985
|
400'
|
| Data |
|
Fence
|
1965
|
9' Concrete
|
|
3' Wire
|
|
2' Concrete
|
|
2' Wire
|
|
Railing
|
|
Field Surfaces
|
1965
|
Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass
|
|
1966
|
AstroTurf-8
|
|
Astrodome
|
 |
 |
 |
|
The architect who designed the Astrodome was Hermon Lloyd & W.B. Morgan and Wilson. The construction was done by H.A. Lott, Inc. at the cost of $35 million to Harris County. What did people think about the Dome:
"First time I was ever in a major-league park was actually the Houston Astrodome, when my dad worked for the Astros. We moved from Houston when I was five or six years old, but I do remember the exploring scoreboard and all the excitement that went along with that. Everything was so bright and new, it was such a huge facility." - Broadcaster Todd Kalas
"I grew up in Houston, so I remember going to the Astrodome as a kid. I remember the old scoreboard. I mean, now it's old, but then it was the scoreboard that they had with the bulls and the cowboys and the shooting off their guns and stuff like that. And I always had a good time. You'd always hope for a home run 'cause that's when they would light it up. I was disappointed when they changed it." - Chuck Knoblauch
"It made a big impression on me, just the Astrodome itself, all the things, how they tried to attract fans coming to the ballpark - they had ushers and Astro-looking astronauts. Colt .45's shooting off the scoreboard and those kinds of things." - Don Baylor
"The Dome was my first time and I think walking into it, how big it seemed. The sound that the Dome made, you might not get that at an outdoor stadium." - Doug Drabek
"This is a tough park (the Astrodome) for a hitter when the air conditioning is blowing in." - Bob Boone
"When I walked through the tunnel and looked across the expanse of the field and up at the roof, it was really breathtaking." - Larry Dierker
The Astrodome was nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World" when it first opened its doors on April 12, 1965. The Harris County Domed Stadium, its original name in 1965, was the world's first large indoor venue (45,000 seats spread over five seating levels) for any Major League field sport. An eighteen story building could fit inside its seven-hundred ten foot diameter and the first Major League baseball game played on artificial turf (Astroturf) was played here on April 8, 1966.
Architectal wonders of the Astrodome: The apex of the Houston Astrodome roof was two-hundred eight (208') feet above the playing field. The scoreboard in right field was made of concrete and varied in height from sixteen feet to ten feet. The actual playing field was twenty-five (25') feet lower than the parking lot outside the doors where there were 30,000 parking spaces.
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
