1965 – Astrodome’s first appearance
As ABC’s Game of the Week, a matchup between the Houston Astros and San Francisco Giants is broadcasted on TV with the Astrodome making its first appearance. Viewers were treated to a massive Willie Mays home run to help the Giants beat Houston 10-1.
1974 – Milt day
Pitch-hitting in the ninth inning with two-outs and bases-loaded, Milt May belts a grand slam for the Astros to help them top the San Diego Padres 5-1. Prior to the ninth, starters Claude Osteen and Randy Jones had pitched to a 1-1 draw for eight innings.
1984 – Down goes Cabell
During a game between the Astros and St. Louis Cardinals, Fredbird, their mascot, tackled Enos Cabell during pregame warmups, leading to his knee injury acting up again. The two clubs exchanged words, but played it out on the field, where Houston was able to come away with a walkoff win in the 12th.
What else happened on this day?
1922
The New York Yankees, who had always played their home games at Polo Grounds along with the Giants, began construction on their new stadium in the Bronx.
1942
Despite still playing ball for the Boston Red Sox, slugger Ted Williams gets sworn into the US Navy and does not go for service till he gets called in.
1985
In the sixth inning of a 7-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds star Pete Rose passed Hank Aaron for the most runs scored in history, scoring for the 2,108th time.
2014
President Barack Obama became the first president in history to make his way to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, New York, where he gets to hold a pair of “Shoeless” Joe Jackson’s cleats, with Obama being a White Sox fan.