The eighth wonder of the world
Tomorrow commemorates the 45th anniversary of the opening of the Astrodome. While many now look it as the harbinger of the cookie-cutter multipurpose stadiums and lifeless domes that proliferated throughout the 70s and 80s, it will always hold a special place in my heart. Every time I drive past it, it pains me to see it just sitting there, slowly crumbling as a giant, abandoned eyesore sitting next to Reliant Stadium. Honestly, I wish they’d just tear it down instead of letting it sit there shuttered.
I’ll always remember watching the Oilers playing the then-world champion Bears in 1986. Watching the Jets getting penalized until they ended up in a second and 62 situation. Loving the home run celebration on the scoreboard. Hating Bud Adams for ripping that scoreboard out and adding extra seats just so he could leave town a few years later. Sitting in right field for the last game before the 1994 strike. Hearing Tony Gwynn – in between pitches – tell a fan who wouldn’t shut up about some conspiracy to keep him from hitting .400 to “please be quiet so everyone can enjoy the game.”
Going to so many Astros games in high school. Watching Kevin Brown outduel Randy Johnson in the 1998 NLDS (still the only playoff game I’ve ever been to). General Admission and his cannon. Orbit stealing my hat. Taking my little brother to opening day in 1997 and watching the guy in front of us hit Kenny Lofton in the head with a baseball (and subsequently get ejected from the dome). Seeing a giant roach fall off of an overhang and into the pocket of a guy sleeping in the stands. Paying just $3 for parking. Dome dogs.
The guy with the trumpet who was there faithfully for all of those empty, empty nights in the early 90s. Talking to so many players before and after games. Sammy Sosa knocking out one of the outfield wall flower panels with a three-run homer. Turk Wendell telling us about his shark tooth necklace. Mark Grace always telling us he’d sign after batting practice and never actually doing it. Waiting out by the players’ parking lot and meeting more Astros than I could even possibly begin to count.
It might have been lacking a little bit in the aesthetics department, but it was the place where I went to see a game. I loved it. We all loved it.
Happy birthday, eighth wonder of the world.
I was reading that in James Earl Jones’ voice. Seemed appropriate.
I have a ’93 Astros shirt somewhere, and I still remember going to that game with my dad. Good times.
I love the Astrodome! But I am regretting reading that part in your blog about the donkey.
I omitted the rest of the “donkey” story purely for your benefit. It didn’t end there.
I close it down in 1999, in the regular season with JG and DL (winning the central on the last day with 97 win, I’d take 97 wins every year) and then with my brother in game 4 of the NLDS (after Walt Weiss screwed us over in game 3.) PLenty of good memories. Is it really unused? I thought they still played some HS playoff games there now and then.
They had been using it for some games and as a support facility for the rodeo, but the city shut it down for fire and building code violations about two years ago.
Thanks for posting the link to the homerun celebration on the scoreboard. It brought tears to my eyes. I hadn’t seen it in so long; it brought back many great memories!
never tell me.
and thanks.
I didn’t know that shut down the Astrodome completely. That is sad, although I really haven’t been to Houston in a while. I heard Astroworld got shut down a few years ago too. Next your going to tell me they’re renaming Enron Field. What is this world coming to?