rocky the dog said:

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San Antonio fan here from the very beginning. I was 12 in 1962. This has been a long time coming, congratulations, Houston. I wish Gene Elston could have been there last night.

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Really wished our AAA affiliate was going to be in San Antonio. Nothing against Round Rock, but there are tons of Astros fans in SA.

Just tried to go to TOPS.com to get the WS Baseball Cards and got this message.

Opps times 1166. I'm a little busy-- please try again is a few minutes.

Agnzona said:

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Just tried to go to TOPS.com to get the WS Baseball Cards and got this message.

Opps times 1166. I'm a little busy-- please try again is a few minutes.

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Says Sold Out for me

Astros fan of 48 years here. I'm still in a state of semi-disbelief

I was born the year the Dome opened.

Started following baseball in the early '70's, though I was a Big Red Machine fan.

By '79, when the Astros coughed a ten game lead at the All-Star break to the Reds, I was fully in the Astros' camp.

Suffered in '80 when we came within one strike of the WS in Game 5 against Philadelphia at home, and then lost (that was also the year they carried a 3 game lead into the last 3 game series in LA, lost three straight, and had to win a one game playoff to take the division for the first time). If JR Richard hadn't have had his stroke earlier in the year, they would have won that series against Philly.

I loved the team in '86, and attended Game 1 against the Mets, when Mike Scott totally baffled them with the split finger fast ball (the Mets asked the ump to check the ball about 5 times), and we won 1-0 on a Glen Davis HR (I don't remember what inning)). We lost Game 6 in 16 innings after taking a 2 run lead (I think) into the 9th. That was the first year that the NLCS was best of 7, if I remember correctly. If we could have gotten that win, Scott would have pitched Game 7, and Bill Buckner would be a happier man today.

This win was for all those old Astros, in no particular order (top of my head, so leaving out many, and many who had success elsewhere):

Don Wilson
Joe Morgan
Larry Dierker
Jimmy Wynn
Cesar Cedeno
Bob Watson
Jim Bouton (I don't remember him, but liked his book).
Doug Rader
Tommy Helms
Roger Metzger
Greg Gross
Milt May
Jose Cruz
Joe Niekro
JR Richard
Ken Forsch
Enos Cabell
Art Howe
Terry Puhl
Nolan Ryan
Joe Sambito
Mark Lemongello
Rafael Landestoy
Craig Reynolds
Alan Ashby
Luis Pujols
Dickie Thon
Denny Walling
Phil Garner
Billy Hatcher
Kevin Bass
Glenn Davis
Mike Scott
Jim Deshaies
Doug Smith
Charlie Kerfeld
Aurelio Lopez
Larry Andersen
Bruce Bochy
Bill Doran
Mark Bailey
Bob Knepper
Ken Caminiti
Craig Biggio
Jeff Bagwell
Brad Ausmus
Daryl Kyle
Luis Gonzalez
Roy Oswalt
Preston Gomez
Bill Virdon
Bob Lillis
Hal Lanier
(Art Howe, Larry Dierker, and Phil Garner already in list as players)

Honorary mention: Bob Allen would have been on cloud 9.

No offense to Milo, but Gene Elston will always be the voice of the Astros for me. (Bob Brown, Dwayne Stats, and Bill Worrell (who did Astros games for a while, I think). (Dierker already mentioned as player and manager!!!)

My memories are weighted to the '70's and '80's (baseball kind of lost me in '94). Some of you old-timers help me with the deserving names left off (I'm sure there are many), and you younger guys fill in the blanks in the '90's and '00s.

I loved those old teams, and this current team is just as likeable and easy to root for as any of them were.

Fifty-six years! To me, this was just as big as the Red Sox in 2004, and the Cubs last year.

I think Bob Knepper had 3-0 lead

anaggieshusband said:

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I think Bob Knepper had 3-0 lead

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Yep, you're right. Didn't Wally Backman get some lucky infield hit to start it?

Quote:

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Some of you old-timers help me with the deserving names left off (I'm sure there are many)

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Al Spangler (the first player signed by the Colt 45's)
Bob Aspromonte
Bob Lillis
Ernie Fazio
Jesus Alou
John Bateman
Lee May
Lance Berkman
Bob Bruce
Mike Cuellar
Chris Zachary
Doug Rader
Turk Farrell
Dave Guisti
Don Nottebart
Craig Reynolds

You mentioned '79 and losing the big lead, probably the best Astros game I ever saw in person was (I think) in mid September that year. The Astros faced the Reds when they were a game or two apart in the standings. JR Richard pitched 11 innings. The Astros won 3-2 in 13 with Joe Sambito pitching the final 2 and getting the decision. The Dome was sold out and rocking. Plus it was the only time growing up that we had the good seats behind the catcher.

I'm 37, but not sure how much of a fan I was in the early years. I do remember getting free tickets for making straight A's in elementary school and sitting in the upper deck of the dome. Bill Doran was my favorite player back then. I think I have about 20 different baseball cards of his.

Can't believe I haven't seen a mention or clip of Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
Fav line of the movie - "hey it's Cesar Cedeno and Bob Watson"!!!!

Never forget my first game. 1977. The month before, we did an Astrodome tour during the day and was crushed we didn't get to stay for the game. A month later our dad took us to see the Astros vs Expos. Cedeno and Cruuuuuuuz hit homers and the scoreboard lighting up was the greatest thing I'd ever seen. Loved me some Chester Charge! Andre Dawson hit one out that game for the Expos too. Always meant to look up the box score for that game.

Went to elementary school with Bob Watson's son Keith - we were best friends and I stayed at their town home off of Braeswood and Fondren all the time. Took me awhile to realize his dad was kind of a big deal.

Our Dad took us to 1980 Game 5 Astros vs Phillies. Cedeno, Cruz, Puhl, Ryan, Niekro, Sambito, JR Richard vs Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton. Heartbreaker even for a 10year old

Had a good friend in the 80's whose dad was athletic director for HISD. He took us out of school in '86 and we sat in press box for Nolan Ryan game that Astros won but so did other team they were tied with so they didn't clinch. Took us out of school again the next day for Mike Scott's no-no clincher.
Was at 86 game 6 vs Mets. Never forget Hatcher hit a towering foul ball, then followed that up with a towering home run to tie the game in extra innings.
Was at the 98 Bagwell Biggio clincher - when they went to 3 divisions. They used to have flower beds on the club level for some reason and after the win, people were scooping up the dirt for souvenirs.
Had tix for WS game 5 vs White Sox that never was.

Lived across the street from Ashby for the last several years in Cypress. He moved right before the Astros let him go from the booth last off season, but had some great conversations about Nolan Ryan, Mike Scott, and how he could never hit Fernando Valenzuela.
Got to attend games 4 and 5 this year. Dream come true.

The Astros have always been a part of my life. Still hasn't sunk in. This is as great as I thought it would be.

I think I just talked myself into going to the parade...

Do you have Nellie Fox in there anywhere?

36 years for me. I am and have always been a huge sports guy but baseball and the Astros have always been my favorite. I was even lucky enough to win a contest back in 1993 when I was 12 to announce 2 innings on the radio with Larry Dierker (who was my color guy) as the Astros first kid announcer. Bagwell and Biggio era began in the heart of my childhood so always have special fondness for all the success they had and their consummate professionalism and leadership. I just absolutely love this Astros team and still cannot believe they brought home the crown. They are energetic, great teammates, hard workers, and above all else you can tell they really truly love playing baseball and being part of the team. Still kind of surreal feeling for me.

31 years. I remember my first game and thought the different section entrances into the dome from the concourse were for different baseball games. My 5 year old brain thought there were dozens of baseball games going on at the same time and we needed to make sure we go into the right section to see the Astros.

Man this past month has been a fun ride.

43 for me

Astros fan since the early 90s. The past two days have been a dream come true.