Here They
Are in All Their Glory!
The
Uniforms of the Houston Astros
Bask in the Tradition. Bask
in the Memories.
Titled “9th
Wonder Of The World” and Licensed by Major League
Baseball, the Artwork is available in two framed presentations:
An eye-catching framed-and-matted print
measuring 12” x 21” that sells for only $52 each—which is an exceptional
value for a fully assembled Artpiece of this size. And a dramatic 19” x 39” triple-matted high-quality print (a
Letter of Authenticity is included) that is limited to an edition size of only
299 and sells for the discounted cost of $399.
Please note your Artwork will arrive at your
door in 7 to 10 days when you place your order. And needless to say, there is a 30-day full moneyback
guarantee. In addition, The
Greatest-Scapes pays all shipping costs and any required sales tax!
The Greatest-Scapes also offers the option of
an interest-free Extended Payment Plan for credit card orders. For the $52 framed print, you can pay $26.00
upfront and the balance of $26.00 thirty days later. While the $399 framed Limited Edition can be purchased with an
initial $133, and payments of $133 billed thirty and sixty days later.
To phone in your credit
card order, please call us at 1-800-786-3022 anytime between 10am and 6pm
(Eastern) Monday through Friday. You
can also mail in your order, payable to The Greatest-Scapes, to: The Greatest-Scapes/P.O. Box
5548/Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Please
include your shipping address and specify which Artwork(s) you’re ordering and
how many. And please don’t hesitate to
call us toll-free if you ever have any questions or would like any additional
information.
For your convenience, you can print out our
Order Form.
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And this Artwork evokes an unmistakably
Classic quality. Indeed, it will look
at home next to a diploma or a work of fine art. Whether you hang it on a wall or lean it on a shelf or mantle,
the Artwork will make a striking impression.
Please keep in mind, though, the visuals
depicted here on the website simply can not do justice to the detail and
quality of the actual Artwork.
Please note the uniform images shown are
produced from hand-painted watercolor paintings. The publisher chose this route, rather than photographs, because
in many cases original jerseys no longer exist, even at the various halls of fame. In addition, a more consistent look and feel
for the uniforms is achieved by painting them, and allows for a higher level of
detail than a photograph in some cases.
Here, then, is a detailed description of the
12” x 21” Artpiece that sells for only $52 each. It consists of a 5” x 15” paper print that is housed in a black
frame with a textured black mat. The
black mat has a white groove cut into it, thus adding depth and beauty to the
piece. Weighing approximately five
pounds, the Artwork is covered by crystal-clear glass and includes a
“hanger” on the back to allow for easy hanging. The black frame—and especially the textured black mat with
white groove—makes this a truly stunning Artpiece.
The above is an example of
the 12” x 21” Artpiece, which depicts the Washington Redskins.
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As for the 19” x 39” Limited Edition Artwork,
please note each Artwork is printed on 115-lb Garda Gloss stock and then
mounted to avoid any rippling effects. As
for its matting and framing, the Limited Edition is triple-matted in an
acid-free framing style. The outer mat
is a rich, black textured mat with white core.
The middle and inner mat colors have been selected to complement the
team’s colors and the overall framed piece.
The matting is framed to create a shadow box effect, giving the entire
framed piece a unique three-dimensional look.
The frame is an exquisite solid wood frame finished with a rich black
matte texture, chosen to complement all three mats and the print itself. Finally, the Artpiece is protected by
high-quality framing glass; the total weight of the Artpiece being
approximately 10 pounds.
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The above is
an example of the 19” x 39” Limited Edition Artpiece,
which depicts
the New York Yankees.
Here then is the history of the Astros’ Uniforms …
#1.
1962 The Houston Astros began life in
1962 as the Colt .45s, a reminder of the
famous six shooter gun. The Colts began playing in the temporarily
erected, 32,000 seat Colt Stadium (which was affectionately known as “Mosquito
Heaven”), where they would play for their first three seasons. The Colts
changed their name to the Astros in 1965 when they moved to the brand new
Astrodome. Colt Stadium, which is now part of the Astrodome parking lot, was
taken apart in the 70’s and sent to Mexico, where it was reassembled for the
Mexican League.
The 1962 Colts ended up 64-96 with a group of
players taken from an expansion pool,
ahead of two other teams to end up in 8th place in the new 10
team National League. The other two teams? The 59-105 Cubs and the 40-120 New
York Mets (the Mets were the other 1962 expansion team, and with their 40-120
record set a modern day record for futility).
This is a Colts home uniform. Although perhaps not appropriate for today’s
politically correct times, the jersey featured a colt .45 six-shooter, with
“COLTS” scripted above it and the “C” of Colts wisping out of the barrel of the
gun. Attractive in is simple way, this was a very plain uniform, with no piping
or stripes, in fact not much color at all. That would change in a big way in
the 70’s!
#2.
1968 This
home uniform was first introduced in 1965 when the team moved from Colt Stadium
to the 8th Wonder of The World, the Astrodome, and changed their
name to reflect their new home. The name Astrodome and Astros reflected the
importance of the country’s space program to Houston, and vice versa.
This is still a very simple uniform, with the
team name in blue and orange-red outline, and a shooting star symbolizing the
“Lone Star State”. The patch on the left sleeve is a futuristic looking
insignia with the Astrodome in the middle, baseballs flying around it like
atoms and “ASTROS” written underneath. All in all, this uniform works!
A note about the Astrodome: The Astrodome was originally built with clear roof
panels and natural grass, but the outfielders had difficulty seeing fly balls,
and thus the roof panels were painted, which then killed the grass. The
solution was a green “carpet” made to look like real grass, and under-padding
to cushion the hard floor below. Thus “Astroturf” was born in 1966, a year
after the Astrodome opened.
In 1968, the Astros’ third season at the Astrodome, the team saw several
firsts. The longest 1-0 game in baseball history took place on April 15th
when the Astros beat the Mets in 24 innings. The Astrodome’s first and only
rain-out occurred on June 15th when a storm prevented the umpires
and the fans from getting to the game. Additionally, 1968 saw the Astros host
the first All Star game to be played indoors and on artificial turf, and it was
the first and only 1-0 All Star game. Unfortunately, 1968 was also the first
time in the franchise’s short history that they finished in last place (albeit
with a respectable 72-90 record). 1968 was also the first year that the Astros’
expansion twin, the Mets, finished ahead of them (the Mets finished a single
game better than the Astros at 73-89). Who could have predicted what 1969 had
in store for the Miracle Mets?
#3.
1972 The
Astros 1972 home & away jerseys had something that many teams had already
used in the ‘40’s, ‘50’s and ‘60’s and then discarded - a zipper.
During the 40’s,
50’s and 60’s many teams used zippered jerseys instead of the more traditional
button front jerseys, while a handful of teams wore them well into the 70’s and
even the 80’s. The Reds, Yankees and A’s were the only three pre-1977 major
league teams that never wore zippers. The 1937 Cubs were the first team to wear
a zippered jersey, and as far we can tell the 1988 Phillies were the last to
wear one.
The Astros also got rid of their belt and
went for the “Sans-a-Belt” look which featured an elasticized waistline,
eliminating the need for a belt. The 1970 Pirates were the first double-knit -
sans-a-belt team, and the Cards and Astros joined them in 1971. By 1975 two
thirds of major league teams had succumbed.
“HOUSTON” was written in red block letters
across the front of this 1972 road jersey, while wide orange-red, white and
black trim was added to the collar and sleeves. The patch on the left sleeve is
the same as the last jersey we saw, with a color adjustment to suit the away
uniform. The Astros wore this style jersey from ’71 to ’74.
This season the Astros finished above .500 for the first time with their best
record ever - 84-69. This was good for second place in the NL West - the
Cincinnati Reds big red machine finished 10.5 games ahead in first. The Astros
led the league in runs scored with 708, and in only his third year in the
league, outfielder Cesar Cedeno led the league in doubles with 39 (shared with
the Phillies Willie Montanez) and led the Astros with a .320 batting average,
55 stolen bases and 8 triples.
#4.
1975 You
know what they say, “No rain, no rainbow”. Well there wasn’t any rain in the
Astrodome, but there sure was a rainbow! The Astros introduce a brand new uniform
this season, the “rainbow jersey” – perhaps the most original jersey in the
history of major league baseball.
As we see on this home uniform, a horizontal
rainbow made up of several shades of orange has exploded onto the scene. The
jersey is made of a double-knit style that most major league teams succumbed to
during the 70’s and early 80’s. It was a pullover style, made of stretchy,
synthetic material. The pants still have the “Sans-a-Belt” waistband that
eliminated the need for a belt.
Above the rainbow is the team name in a
horizontal line, and on the left side of the rainbow is a large star, once
again symbolic of the “Lone Star State”. The #40 patch on the left sleeve is in
the memory of pitcher Don Wilson who died in the off-season after a 9 year
major league career, all with the Astros.
Note also the location of the uniform number
- on the upper right thigh of the pants. The uniform number on the pants was a
first for baseball when the Astros introduced it in 1972.
Even with the brand new bright uniforms, which should have distracted the
opposing teams thus creating more wins for the Astros, the Astros sputtered.
Houston would end up last in the National League (with a 64-97 record) for the
first time since 1968. On a good note, the team led the NL in triples, (you
have to look at the positive!) and a pitcher named JR Richard had blossomed
into a bona fide major league pitcher with a 12-10 record, a harbinger of
things to come.
For those of you who know the story, sorry. But for those who don’t, JR Richard
would go on to have 20-15, 18-12, 18-11, 18-13 and 10-4 seasons between 1976
and 1980 and he would start the 1980 all-star game, only to have his career
abruptly ended before the end of 1980 by a paralyzing stroke.
#5.
1983 The
Astros wore three different uniforms this season – depicted here is one of
their home uniforms. It is pretty much the same as the 1975 jersey described
earlier, but there are a few subtle differences. A white border has been added
to the star, and the orange has been taken away from the collar, leaving only
the blue. The rainbow pattern has also been subtly changed, and the uniform
number on the upper right thigh has disappeared. The Astros would wear this
uniform from 1983 to 1986.
After the excitement of the team’s first post-season play in 1980, where they
fell one win short of a National League Pennant when they lost to the Phillies
in extra innings in the 5th and final game of the NLCS, the Astros
were up and down for the next several years. In 1983 they finished third in the
West, but had some great individual achievements from players such as the 14-9
Nolan Ryan, who joined the team in ’80 and took control of the career strikeout
record from the great Walter Johnson this season, while Jose Cruz finished a
close third in the batting title with a .318 average (Bill Madlock was first
with a .323 average, and Lonnie Smith of the Cards hit .321).
#6.
1986 Don’t
worry; the rainbow jersey was still around this year, we have just chosen to
show the Astros’ road uniform for this season. The rainbow across the front has
been moved to form a yoke from the collar down the sleeves, while both the pant
stripe and the elasticized belt have lost their bright color, and are now
simply blue and white.
The patch on the left sleeve celebrates the
Astros’ Silver Anniversary - 25 years of Astros baseball.
The bigger news is that the Astros finished first in the NL West in 1986 with a
96-66 record, their best finish ever. They faced the New York Mets for the NL
Pennant, but after leading the series 1-0 and tying the series 2-2, they lost
the 6th and deciding game in dramatic fashion in 16 innings to the
eventual World Series Champs. The Astros had a 3-0 lead from the bottom of the
first all the way to the top of the 9th, when the Mets tied it. The
score remained tied through the top of the 14th, when the Mets went
ahead by a run. But the Astros refused to say die, and tied it in the bottom of
the 14th. In the top of the 16th the Mets scored 3 runs,
but the Astros answered with two runs in the bottom of the 16th and
had two men on with two out when Jesse Orosco struck out Kevin Bass to end the
inning, the game and the series.
Manager Hal Lanier was honored with the
Manager of the Year award, a first in the teams franchise. Pitcher Mike Scott
won the teams’ first Cy Young Award with an 18-10 record, 306 strikeouts, 2.22
ERA and 5 shutouts (a record he shared with teammate Bob Knepper). Also this
season, the Astrodome played host to the All Star game for the first time since
1968.
#7.
1990 A
change in the uniform style was made in 1989, and we see it here for the first
time with this 1990 home jersey. Thank goodness the buttoned front has made a
comeback, and a normal leather belt has replaced the elasticized “sans-a-belt”.
The rainbow stripe down the sleeves has stayed, but a blue border and blue
cuffs have been added. The patch on the left sleeve commemorates the 25th
Anniversary of the Astrodome.
The team opened up the ‘90’s with very little to cheer about. Nolan Ryan signed
with Texas in 1989, and the 1990 Astros finished fourth in the NL West,
although pitcher Danny Darwin finished the season with a league leading 2.21
ERA and 11-4 record. This would mark the third time in the last five years that
an Astro pitcher would lead the National League in earned run average (Mike
Scott with a 2.22 in 1986, Nolan Ryan with a 2.76 in 1987, and Darwin with 2.21
in ’90).
#8.
1994 No
more rainbow! The Astros have brand new uniforms this season as we see on this
home jersey. They have gone back to the simple sort of look they once had in
the ‘60’s, with a white background and no trim or piping on the jersey at all.
For the 1994 season the team name is blazoned
across the front with a shooting star filling in the hole in the “O”. The patch
on the left sleeve celebrates the Astrodome with a simple “The Original”
statement beneath a sketch of the Dome. The 1995 jersey would have the same
patch with an additional banner underneath “The Original” that read “’65 30th
Anniversary ‘95”, celebrating the Astrodome’s 30th anniversary.
The commemorative patch on the right sleeve
is in honor of the 125th year of professional baseball. The patch
has the Major League Baseball logo and “125th Anniversary” on it,
and celebrates the Cincinnati Red Stockings 1869 team that was the first openly
professional team and went 65-0 in a nationwide barnstorming season.
In this, the year of professional baseball’s 125th Anniversary,
there would be no World Series for the first time in 90 years, when a player
lockout in August 1994 put an end to the season. The Astros were sitting in
second place in the NL West with a 66-49 record, only a ½ game back of the Reds. In the shortened
season Jeff Bagwell wins the NL MVP award (the first for an Astro) with a .368
average and 39 homers, and he led the league with 116 RBI, 104 runs and 300
total bases. Oh what might have been… What a shame.
#9.
1999 The
Astros make yet another change to their uniform. As we see on this road jersey,
the star has been lifted from being in the name of the team, to the end of the
“HOUSTON”. The patch on the left sleeve marks the last season for the
Astrodome, formerly the 8th wonder of the world, and says on it, “35
Great Years 65-99”.
In the final season of the Astrodome, Houston finishes atop the National League
Central Division for the 3rd straight time, this time beating the
Reds by 1½ games. In what was considered to be an offensive team with the likes
of the “Killer B’s” Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, pitching was the story of
the 1999 season. The Astros had two 20 game winners in 22-4 Mike Hampton (the
league leader) and Jose Lima 21-10 (second in the league to Hampton). The 1999
Astros also finished atop the N.L. in fewest home runs allowed with 128, fewest
walks allowed with 478, shutouts with 5 and strikeouts with 1,204. They played
the perennially powerful Atlanta Braves in the Divisional Series, but lost 3
games to 1.
#10.
2000 We
see another change in the uniform. Gone from the jersey are both the team name
and the city name – leaving only a stylized star. This is a beautifully simple
jersey, as simple in design as the 1968 “shooting stars” Astros jersey.
The patch on the left sleeve signifies the
inaugural season of their new retractable roofed home, Enron Field, and says
“Inaugural Season 2000”.
The Astros opened the season at their new home, Enron Field, and over three
million fans passed through the gates in 2000. The new ballpark features a
retractable roof to keep the Texas humidity and mosquitos out that were such a
problem in the Astros early days at Colt Stadium.
But on the field the 2000 Astros can’t keep
pace with their beautiful new home, and they finish a lackluster fourth in the
NL Central. On a positive note, the Astros reverted back to their heavy hitting
ways and led the league in home runs with 249.
#11.
2001 For
the first time since the Colt .45’s became the Astros in 1965 there is no star
on the front of the redesigned 2001 home jersey. The star seemed to be a staple
to the uniform, but is only represented this season on the ball caps. The patch
on the left sleeve celebrates 40 years of Colt .45’s/Astros baseball.
The home uniform has gone from plain white in
2000 to pinstripes in 2001, the first time the Astros have worn pinstripes. As
best we can tell, the first instance of pinstriped uniforms was in 1907. The
Boston Braves road uniform were made from a gray flannel with a fine green
pinstripe. Later that same year the Cubs had a new gray uniform with fine pin
striping made for the World Series - they wore it for the World Series opener
in Chicago and were later reprimanded by the league for not wearing a white
uniform at home. The Yankees, most often associated with pinstripe uniforms,
first wore a pinstriped uniform for one year at home in 1912 (the New York
Times wrote about their 1912 home opener “The Yankees presented a natty
appearance in their new uniforms of white with black pin stripes”), then every
year from 1915 to the present.
The 2001 Astros home jersey also features a
“swoosh” underlining the team name, another 2001 first. This style was
introduced to baseball by the 1932 Cubs, and has been worn by many teams since
then.
Finally, note that the uniform number has
been added to the front of the jersey itself, something we are seeing again for
the first time on an Astros jersey. Uniform numbers first made their appearance
on the front of a uniform in 1952 - the Brooklyn Dodgers were the first team to
wear uniform numbers on the front of their jersey. The Braves followed suit in
1953, and the Reds joined in beginning in 1956. The 1916 Cleveland Indians
actually wore a uniform number on their sleeve, but it wasn’t until the ’52
Dodgers that the number made it to the front. And of course, we can’t forget
that the Astros themselves were the first team to wear a uniform number on their
pants when they did it in 1972.
***************************************
The Houston Astros: “9th Wonder Of
The World”
TRADITION…
MEMORIES… CLASSY…
Order Yours Today … and Revel in it!
800-786-3022
412-781-3022
E-mail:
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