12/01 1992 Doug Drabek, a former pitcher for the University of Houston, signs with the Astros as a free agent. Although unable to resume the glory days he had in Pittsburgh, Drabek notches a 38-42 record and 4.00 ERA over four seasons with Houston.
12/01 1965 Astros deal two pitchers and cash to the Chicago White Sox for catcher Bill Heath and outfielder Dave Nicholson. Heath would hit .301 with eight RBIs as a backup. Nicholson would bat .246 with ten homers in part-time duty.
12/01 1964 HSA officially changes the name of the ballclub from the Colt .45s to the Astros. It is the last time a major league team has changed nicknames without also changing cities.
12/01 1961 The Colts obtain pitchers Bob Bruce and Manny Montejo from Detroit for pitcher "Toothpick" Sam Jones. Bruce compiles a 42-58 record and a 3.78 ERA in five seasons for Houston. Picked in the expansion draft from San Francisco, Jones, a two-time All-Star, pitches only spot duty in his remaining three big league seasons.
12/01 1944 Jim Ray is born in Rock Hill, SC. Nicknamed "Stinger", his best season comes in 1971 when he notches a 10-4 mark with three saves and a 2.12 ERA.
12/02 1996 Infielders Pat Listach and Bill Spiers, along with pitcher Sid Fernandez, are signed as free agents. While Listach is slated to be the starting shortstop and Fernandez is expected to find a role in the starting rotation, it is the versatile Spiers who has the more lasting impact with the ballclub.
12/02 1993 Astros deal righthanders Doug Jones and Jeff Juden to Philadelphia for lefthander Mitch Williams. The two closers both falter in their new roles while Juden fails to catch on despite pitching for eight different organizations.
12/02 1986 Astros announce the firing of Gene Elston, play-by-play voice of the ballclub since 1962. Outcry from fans and the Houston media are swift but Elston moves on to do work for CBS Radio and write books. 20 years later, he receives the Ford C. Frick Award by the Baseball Hall of Fame.
12/02 1971 First baseman John Mayberry is traded to the Kansas City Royals for reliever Jim York. Expected to be the new closer in the Houston bullpen, York earns a 9-11 mark with seven saves in four seasons with the Astros.
12/02 1968 Darryl Kile is born in Garden Grove, CA. He compiles a 71-65 record over seven seasons in Houston (1991-1997) that reflect outstanding potential as well as frustrating inconsistency. He becomes a 20-game winner in St. Louis but dies on June 22, 2002 of a heart attack in his hotel room while the Cardinals are on a road trip in Chicago.
12/03 1996 John Bateman dies in Sand Spring, TX at age 56. The native Texan would enjoy a ten-year big-league career with a .230 batting average and 81 home runs.
12/03 1980 Don Sutton, a longtime nemesis as a Dodger, signs a free agent contract with Houston. He would post a 24-17 record in his two abbreviated seasons as an Astro which would eventually lead to a 324-win career, a plaque at the Hall of Fame and a second career as a broadcaster.
12/03 1974 First baseman Lee May and outfielder Jay Schlueter are traded to Baltimore for infielders Enos Cabell and Rob Andrews. Second baseman Andrews is the guy Houston wants in the deal. He would bat .249 with no homers in two seasons before being traded. Throw-in Cabell is the one who blossoms, becoming a regular for eight seasons as an Astro.
12/03 1971 Lefthander Dave Roberts is acquired from San Diego for infielder Derrel Thomas and pitchers Bill Greif and Mark Schaeffer. Roberts compiles a 47-44 mark in four seasons. His best year is a 17-11 record with a 2.85 ERA and six shutouts in 1973.
12/03 1964 General Manager Paul Richards sparks controversy when news leaks out during the Winter Meetings in Houston that he had offered the team's entire 40-man roster plus $5 million dollars for the 40-man roster of the Milwaukee Braves. Richards claimed to have had the backing of owners Bob Smith and Roy Hofheinz but the Braves shoot down the idea as a joke that got out of hand. Had it been consumated, future Hall of Famers like Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro and Eddie Mathews could have been Astros.
12/04 1992 Lefthander Greg Swindell is signed as a free agent, the second major free agent acquisition for Houston in a week. The former University of Texas star has compiled a 72-63 mark over seven seasons in Cleveland and Cincinnati. At age 27, he seems poised to enter his most productive years.
12/04 1989 Astros acquire righthander Xavier Hernandez from the Toronto Blue Jays' system in the major league phase of the winter draft. The Astros lose infielder Chuck Jackson in the same draft. Hernandez would provide 22 wins and 25 saves over five seasons in Houston. Jackson batted .221 in reserve duty for the Astros in 1987 and 1988.
12/04 1988 Mark Portugal is acquired from Minnesota for minor leaguer Todd McClure. As a reliever for the Twins, Portugal has an 11-19 record over parts of four seasons and is considered expendable. As a starter in Houston, Portugal would turn around his career.
12/04 1969 First Baseman Curt Blefary is traded to the Yankees for first baseman Joe Pepitone. A year to the day since being acquired, Blefary is dealt and his career is never able to recapture the magic of his first three years in Baltimore. Pepitone turns out not to be the answer at first base either and spends less than a year in Houston.
12/04 1968 Lefthander Mike Cuellar and two minor leaguers are traded to Baltimore for Curt Blefary and a minor leaguer. Despite a 37-36 record with Houston and an All-Star appearance, Cuellar's best days are ahead of him - posting four 20-win seasons with the Orioles. In a separate deal, infielder Bob Aspromonte, the last of the original Colt .45s, is shipped to Atlanta for infielder Orlando "Marty" Martinez.
12/05 2016 Astros sign 40-year-old outfielder Carlos Beltran to a one-year deal for $16 million. Beltran becomes the Designated Hitter, batting .231 with 14 homers, and providing veteran leadership to the team's many Latin players. His reward is to close out his career with the Worlds Championship he had previously lacked.
12/05 1977 Outfielder Leon Roberts is traded to Seattle for infielder Jimmy Sexton. The versatile Sexton would bat .207 over the next two seasons as a reserve for the Astros.
12/05 1948 Walter Francis "Buddy" Harris is born in Philadelphia, PA. The 6-7 reliever would post a 1-1 record with a 6.32 ERA over two seasons as an Astro (1970-1971). They were his only years in the majors.
12/06 2018 An attempted car robbery turns deadly in Venezuela, costing two former Astros their lives when they are thrown from the vehicle they were passengers in. Dead are infielders Luis Valbuena (33), who played for Houston in 2015-16, and Jose Castillo (37) who played for the Astros in 2008. Four men were arrested with possessions of the players who were returning from a winter league game.
12/06 1989 Astros ink pitcher Bill Gullickson and infielder Ken Oberkfell to contracts. Gullickson would spend one year in Houston. Oberkfell would spend two, batting .214 as a reserve.
12/06 1975 Houston deals catcher Milt May and pitchers Jim Crawford and Dave Roberts to Detroit for outfielder Leon Roberts and pitchers Mark Lemongello and Gene Pentz. It is primarily a cost-cutting move for the Astros although both May and Roberts are coming off disappointing seasons. Lemongello would author a 21-29 record over the next three seasons while Pentz would compile an 8-5 mark with seven saves in three years.
12/06 1973 Slugger Jim Wynn is traded to the Dodgers for pitchers Claude Osteen and Dave Culpepper. A holder of many team records, Wynn rebounds to help the Dodgers to the National League title in 1974 while Osteen would own a 9-9 mark before being traded in mid-season.
12/06 1945 Jay Dahl is born in San Bernadino, CA. Signed at age 17 in June of 1963, Dahl starts the "All-Rookie" game for the Colt .45s three months later, allowing seven runs in 2-2/3rds innings. It is to be his only big league game. The lefthander dies on June 20, 1965 in an automobile accident in Salisbury, NC where the Astros have a farm club. His teammate, Gary Marshall, is permanently blinded in the wreck. A female passenger also dies.
12/07 2011 Jeff Luhnow is named the General Manager, replacing interim GM Dave Gottfried. Luhnow, signed away from the St.Louis Cardinals, fills the front office with sabermetric types and decides to tear the organization down to the bare bones before rebuilding it into the group that won the Worlds Championship in 2017.
12/07 1997 Jeff Bagwell blasts the front office after pitcher and close friend Darryl Kile agrees to a contract with the Colorado Rockies. Bagwell disputes the numbers the Astros say they offered Kile to stay. General Manager Gerry Hunsicker says he's disappointed with the reaction of his star player.
12/07 1991 Houston has a tentative deal in place with the Chicago White Sox. The Sox want pitcher Mark Portugal and are expected to trade a disappointing outfielder who hit just .203 after being acquired from the Texas Rangers. Eventually, the White Sox find a better offer for Sammy Sosa and the deal never happens.
12/07 1988 The Texas Rangers sign pitcher Nolan Ryan as a free agent, creating a huge fan backlash in Houston. San Francisco and California also had offered more than the Astros did. Owner John McMullen defends his bid saying he wouldn't pay Ryan more than he was paying Mike Scott.
12/07 1987 Bill Wood is named General Manager. He had been the interim GM for two months and gets the official word right before baseball's winter meetings begin.
12/08 2011 Jeff Luhnow's first player move as General Manager is to select reliever Rhiner Cruz from the Mets to open the Rule V draft. But his best move comes later that day when he drafts pitcher Marco Duarte from the Rockies organization and then swaps him to Boston for infielder Marwin Gonzalez. The switch-hitting utility player becomes a key member of the 2017 World Championship squad.
12/08 2001 Catcher Gregg Zaun is signed to a free agent contract while Houston loses third baseman Vinny Castilla to Atlanta in another free agency move. Zaun backs up Brad Ausmus behind the plate, hitting four homers with 37 RBIS in part-time duty over two seasons.
12/08 1987 Astros deal two minor leaguers to Atlanta for shortstop Rafael Ramirez and cash. Ramirez serves as a transition from the tandem of Reynolds and Thon while prospects mature in the minors.
12/08 1980 Infielder Enos Cabell is dealt to San Francisco for pitcher Bob Knepper. Cabell eventually returns while Knepper earns a 93-100 record over nine seasons in an up-and-down Houston career.
12/08 1978 Lefthander Floyd Bannister is traded to Seattle for shortstop Craig Reynolds. An All-Star in Seattle, Reynolds would become an All-Star again the next year before settling into a long career in his hometown.
12/09 1997 Infielder Jack Howell is signed to a free agent deal. In two seasons, Howell bats .254, mostly in pinch-hit duties.
12/09 1996 Ramon Garcia is claimed from Milwaukee in the Rule V draft. The Venezuelan righthander serves up a 9-8 record in 1997 with one save while splitting time between the bullpen and the starting rotation. Injuries prevent him from resuming his big league career.
12/09 1981 Astros trade outfielder Gary Woods to the Cubs for outfielder Jim Tracy. Woods had hit .377 as a September call-up in 1980 but reverted to .209 the next season. Tracy never makes it into a regular season game for Houston but he will one day become the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Colorado Rockies.
12/09 1973 Chris Truby is born in Palm Springs, CA. The third baseman bats .241 with 19 homers in two seasons (2000-2001) before being traded to Montreal.
12/10 1996 Astros swap pitchers Todd Jones and Doug Brocail along with outfielder Brian Hunter and shortstop Orlando Miller to Detroit for pitchers Jose Lima, C.J. Nitkowski and Trever Miller along with catcher Brad Ausmus and first baseman Daryle Ward. Ausmus is the man Houston really wants but Lima and Ward eventually become major contributors.
12/10 1993 Slugger Eric Anthony is traded to Seattle for lefthander Mike Hampton. It's one of the better swaps in team history as Hampton steadily improves in his six seasons in Houston while Anthony is unable to regain his batting stroke.
12/10 1991 Outfielder Kenny Lofton is traded to the Cleveland Indians for catcher Ed Taubensee. While Taubensee becomes an adequate receiver, Lofton becomes one of the top players of the decade. In a separate deal, Houston also sends infielder Dave Rhode to Cleveland for righthander Willie Blair.
12/10 1982 The big news in Houston is the free agent signing of outfielder Omar Moreno from Pittsburgh. Little noticed is a second deal sending first baseman Danny Heep to the New York Mets for pitcher Mike Scott. The righthander brings a 14-27 record with him from New York.
12/10 1963 Colts acquire second baseman Nellie Fox from the White Sox for pitcher Jim Golden, outfielder Danny Murphy and cash. The veteran infielder bats .265 in two season before joining the coaching ranks. A team player, Fox leads the league in sacrifice bunts during the 1964 season while mentoring the young Colts.
12/11 2003 Lefthander Andy Pettitte signs a three-year deal with Houston for $31.5 million. It's both a surprise that the Astros would spend again on a top-dollar free agent and that Houston would snatch him away from the Yankees where he had won 149 games over nine seasons and pitched in six World Series. At the time, Pettitte had more postseason victories to his name than the franchise he was joining.
12/11 2000 Disappointments Mitch Meluskey, Roger Cedeno and Chris Holt are sent to the Detroit Tigers for catcher Brad Ausmus and pitchers Doug Brocail and Nelson Cruz. It's the second trip to Houston for both Ausmus and Brocail. Meluskey leaves with a .291 career average and 15 homers but questions arose about his abilities behind the plate. Holt leaves with a 21-42 record.
12/11 1975 Houston trades third baseman Doug Rader to San Diego for pitchers Larry Hardy and Joe McIntosh. The Gold Glover completes nine seasons in Houston with a .250 average, 160 homers and 600 RBIs.
12/11 1973 Cesar Cedeno is involved in the shooting death of 19-year-old Altagracia de la Cruz in Santo Domingo, DR. He would be acquitted of voluntary manslaughter but pled guilty to a lesser charge, fined and released.
12/12 2015 Lacking a closer, the Astros deal former overall number one draft choice Mark Appel, along with Brett Oberholtzer, Vincent Velasquez and two other prospects to Philadelphia for closer Ken Giles and infield prospect Jonathan Arauz. While sometimes shaky in relief, Giles has proved more reliable than anyone the Astros gave up for him.
12/12 2007 Houston deals five players to Baltimore for shortstop Miguel Tejada, a former American League M.V.P. The Astros send outfielder Luke Scott and minor leaguer Mike Constanzo to the Orioles along with pitchers Troy Patton, Matt Albers and Dennis Sarfate. In a related move, Houston waives veteran shortstop Adam Everett.
12/12 2006 After the departure of lefthander Andy Pettitte and the failure to land Jon Garland in trade, Houston gets their replacement by acquiring righthander Jason Jennings from the Rockies along with rookie righthander Miguel Asencio in exchange for outfielder Willy Taveras and pitchers Taylor Buchholz and Jason Hirsh. In Colorado for six seasons, Jennings had amassed a 58-56 record and was the 2002 N.L. Rookie of the Year.
12/12 1965 Astros fire Luman Harris as manager after just over one season at the helm. General Manager Grady Hatton is named as the new skipper.
12/12 1964 While the official name will remain the Harris County Domed Stadium, Judge Roy Hofheinz introduces his new ballpark as the "Astrodome" for the first time while displaying the team's new logo of baseballs in orbit around a likeness of the new stadium.
12/13 2007 The Mitchell Report on steroids in baseball is released, naming those players whom there was either evidence or testimony of using performance enhancing drugs. A handful of former Astros, including Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte are named. Newly-acquired shortstop Miguel Tejada also makes the list. Clemens, through an attorney, denies using steroids.
12/13 1998 Efforts to bring Texas legend Roger Clemens to the Astros collapse in spectacular fashion when General Manager Gerry Hunsicker blasts additional contract demands made by Clemens' Houston-based agents during a press conference at the winter meetings. It was a rare stipulation in Clemens' contract with the Toronto Blue Jays that allowed him to demand a trade. The Astros are willing to part with outfielder Derek Bell and pitcher Scott Elarton among others to acquire Clemens until they are informed the pitcher is also demanding a $43 million dollar contract extension rather than the $16 million dollars left on his two-year deal. Talks quickly reduce to name-calling. Owner Drayton McLane says he still hopes to make a deal but decides to stand with his negotiators. Ten days later, Clemens withdraws the trade demand but later invokes it when a deal is arranged with the New York Yankees.
12/13 1956 Dale Berra is born in Ridgewood, NJ. Yogi's son doesn't have his father's talents but closes his eleven-year big league career with 19 games as an Astro in 1987 where he bats .178.
12/14 2007 A whirlwind offseason in Houston continues as the Astros deal infielder Chris Burke, reliever Chad Qualls and pitcher Juan Gutierrez to Arizona for closer Jose Valverde. The move completes an almost total overhaul of Houston's bullpen that began when Dan Wheeler was traded to Tampa Bay in August.
12/14 2000 Reliever Mike Jackson is inked to a free agent contract. The native Houstonian fashions a 5-3 record with four saves in his one season as an Astro.
12/14 1999 Outfielder Carl Everett is traded to Boston for infielder Adam Everett and pitcher Greg Miller. In two seasons, Carl Everett blossoms from a reserve outfielder to a star. In 1999, he bats .325 with 25 homers and 108 RBIs. Adam Everett would hit .248 with 35 homers over seven seasons in Houston.
12/14 1998 Outfielder Glen Barker is drafted in the winter supplemental draft from the Detroit Tigers. As a reserve, Barker bats .232 and steals 30 bases over three seasons.
12/14 1995 On his 30th birthday, free agent Craig Biggio re-signs with the Astros in a four-year deal worth $22 million dollars. Biggio had mulled offers from other clubs but decides to stay with the team he began with. Manager Terry Collins calls the deal the best Christmas present he's ever had.
12/15 2014 Houston inks infielder Jed Lowrie to a three-year free agent deal. It's his second time with the ballclub but it doesn't last long. Injuries cause the Astros to rush top prospect Carlos Correa to the majors so Lowrie was traded back to Oakland the following winter.
12/15 2006 Jeff Bagwell officially retires after a brilliant 15-year career that leaves him as the franchise leader in home runs (449), RBIs (1,529) and extra-base hits (969). He had a lifetime batting average of .297. Bagwell will continue to work with the Astros under a personal services contract.
12/15 1965 Astros acquire pitcher Barry Latman from the California Angels for infielder Ed Pacheco and cash. The righthander compiles a 5-13 record with one save over two seasons in Houston.
12/15 1946 Art Howe is born in Pittsburgh, PA. The gutty infielder parlays a successful playing career into a successful managing career, using the same qualities of calmness, smarts and professionalism that marked his playing days.
12/16 2002 Astros deal reliever Nelson Cruz to the Colorado Rockies for minor league outfielder Victor Hall. Cruz, who became disguntled with manager Jimy Williams, had fashioned a 5-9 record in 109 games over two seasons in Houston. Hall returns to Arizona, where the Rule V draftee was claimed, after spring training.
12/16 1988 Toronto pitcher Jim Clancy is signed to a free agent contract. Unfairly, he is viewed as the replacement for Nolan Ryan in the Astros rotation. The 32-year-old righthander is coming off an 11-13 season for the Blue Jays.
12/16 1985 Outfielder Jerry Mumphrey is dealt to the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Billy Hatcher and a minor leaguer. Mumphrey compiles a .291 average over three seasons in Houston. Hatcher bats .266 over four seasons but provides better power and speed.
12/16 1969 Pitcher Pat House is traded to Cincinnati for outfielder Jim Beauchamp. It is Beauchamp's second tour of duty with Houston. House earns a 2-1 record with one save in 24 games with the Astros. The lefthander never pitches in the majors after that deal.
12/17 2012 Astros sign Carlos Pena to be the team's first regular Designated Hitter, which the club will need with their move to the American League. Pena, the 2009 AL home run champ with Tampa Bay, bats .209 with eight homers before he was released.
12/17 2010 Astros sign infielder Bill Hall to a one-year deal. The nine-year veteran arrives with a .250 career average and 122 homers in the majors. He is released two months into season after hitting .224 and striking out at a pace of over once per game.
12/17 2006 Larry Sherry dies of cancer in Mission Viejo, CA at age 71. As part of an 11-year career, the righthander notches a 1-2 record and six saves in 29 games for the Astros in 1967.
12/17 1990 Reliever Dave Smith signs a free agent deal with the Chicago Cubs. Sadly, he would pass away 18 years later to the day of a heart attack. The bullpen closer in Houston since 1985, Smith would end an eleven-year run with the Astros, holding a 53-47 record and a 2.53 ERA to go with 199 saves. The veteran would not serve the Cubs well, posting an 0-6 record with 17 saves over two injury-plagued seasons.
12/17 1985 Reliever Fernando Abad is born in La Romana, DR. The lefthander sported a 2.84 ERA in his rookie 2010 campaign but struggled in his second and was returned to AAA.
12/18 2013 A washout with the Mets and Rockies, Houston claims pitcher Collin McHugh on waivers. The righthander becomes a key piece of the Houston rotation during their rebuilding phase and championship run. The Astros also deal infielder Ryan Jackson to San Diego for prospect Jesus Guzman who hit .188 with two homers in 69 games for Houston in 2014.
12/18 2002 Infielder Jeff Kent signs a two-year $18 million dollar contract with Houston. The former MVP, it is announced, will replace Craig Biggio at second base with Biggio set to move to an outfield spot after a decade at second for the Astros.
12/18 2000 Astros sign first baseman Jeff Bagwell to a five-year, $83 million dollar deal, assuring he will stay with the Astros for most, if not all, of his major league career. In his first ten seasons in Houston, Bagwell has averaged 31.9 homers and 109.3 RBIs per year.
12/18 1981 Outfielder Cesar Cedeno is traded to Cincinnati for infielder Ray Knight. It ends a 12-year run in Houston for Cedeno who bats .289 as an Astro with 163 HRs, 778 RBIs, 487 steals and four All-Star appearances.
12/18 1955 Jim Clancy is born in Chicago, IL. The righthander suffers an inglorious 9-25 record with six saves as an Astro (1989-1991) after a solid career in Toronto.
12/19 2005 Owner Drayton McLane presents to star pitcher Roy Oswalt a $200,000 Caterpillar bulldozer to fulfill a promise he made before Game 6 of the N.L.C.S. Oswalt's strong performance catapulted the Astros into their first World Series as he pitched two of the four victories over St. Louis.
12/19 1996 Outfielder Luis Gonzalez and pitcher Mike Magnante are signed to free agent deals. It's the second go-round in Houston for the popular Gonzalez who, after leaving again, would find a home run stroke and blast 57 for Arizona in 2001 and muscle a bloop single off Mariano Rivera to beat the Yankees in Game Seven of the World Series.
12/19 1990 Danny Darwin leaves the Astros, signing a free agent deal with the Boston Red Sox. It is one month after he was named the club's MVP for the 1990 campaign. Darwin would return via trade for the last two months of the 1996 season.
12/19 1963 Colts purchase first baseman Walt Bond from the Cleveland Indians. Bond plays two seasons for Houston, batting .258 with 27 homers and 132 RBIs.
12/19 1943 Walter "No Neck" Williams is born in Brownwood, TX. He goes oh-for-nine in a brief call-up with the 1964 Colts but the diminutive outfielder reaches the majors again in 1967 and has a solid nine-year career with the White Sox, Indians and Yankees.
12/20 1995 Third baseman Sean Berry is acquired from Montreal for pitcher Dave Veres and catcher Raul Chavez. Berry helps Houston to two division titles. Chavez returns to the Astros organization in 2000, working his way into a backup role during 2004 and 2005 where he launched a home run in postseason play.
12/20 1976 Aubrey Huff is born in Marion, OH. A mid-summer acquisition in 2006, the versatile lefty hits .250 with 13 homers during the second half of the season.
12/20 1949 Cecil Cooper is born in Brenham, TX. After a 17-year career in the American League, Cooper is named as the first African-American manager of the Astros in 2007. He would compile a 171-170 record until he is dismissed late in the 2009 season.
12/21 2001 Pitchers C.J. Nitkowski and T.J. Mathews are signed to free agent deals. Nitkowski would not make the parent club while Mathews does briefly before injuries end his season.
12/21 1972 LaTroy Hawkins is born in Gary, IN. The righthanded reliever compiled a 3-4 record with 12 saves and a 1.71 ERA during two seasons with the Astros (2008-2009).
12/21 1970 Jim Wynn is stabbed during a domestic dispute and undergoes abdominal surgery. It leads to his worst season as an Astro - an anemic .203 average and seven homers in 123 games.
12/21 1952 Joaquin Andujar is born in San Pedro de Macoris, DR. The self-proclaimed "One Tough Dominican" has a colorful career which included switch-hitting regardless whether the pitcher threw lefthanded or righthanded and wearing glasses while at the plate but not while on the mound.
12/21 1936 Howie Reed is born in Dallas, TX. The righthander compiles a 1-1 record in four games with the Astros in 1967. His big league career also includes stops in Kansas City, Los Angeles, California and Montreal. He dies of cancer on December 7, 1984 in Corpus Christi, TX at age 47.
12/22 2013 Catcher Ed Herrmann passes away from prostate cancer in San Diego, CA at age 67. Herrmann caught the 1976 no-hitter of Larry Dierker while with the Astros. Over 11 seasons, Herrmann batted .240 with 80 home runs.
12/22 1997 Reliever John Hudek is traded to the New York Mets for outfielder Carl Everett. The righthander comes from nowhere to make the All-Star team in 1994 but returns to reality, leaving Houston with a 5-7 record and 29 saves over four injury-plagued seasons.
12/22 1976 Jason Lane is born in Santa Rosa, CA. In six seasons with the Astros (2002-2007), the outfielder bats .241 and blasts 61 homers.
12/22 1962 Harris County voters approve a bond issue to complete financing of the Astrodome. The election comes after the first season at hot and humid Colt Stadium, perhaps a push that helped get the bonds passed.
12/22 1958 Glenn Wilson is born in Baytown, TX. The outfielder bats .238 with a dozen homers in parts of two seasons (1989-1990) with the hometown team during his ten-year big league career.
12/23 1999 Lefthander Mike Hampton and outfielder Derek Bell are traded to the Mets for pitcher Octavio Dotel and outfielder Roger Cedeno. It's primarily a financial move that causes the Astros to part with their 22-game winner. While Dotel would flourish, Cedeno would be gone after one season in Houston, batting .282 in 74 games.
12/23 1997 Houston City Council agrees to issue $234 million dollars in bonds for the construction of a new downtown ballpark.
12/23 1993 Jim "Doc" Ewell dies of a heart attack during surgery at Methodist Hospital. The 74-year-old trainer had been with Houston since the beginning in 1962 and had worked, before that, for the Kansas City Athletics and the New York Yankees. He did not limit himself to baseball players, working also in football, basketball, boxing, tennis and gymnastics.
12/23 1976 Brad Lidge is born in Sacramento, CA. The 6-5 righthander, Houston's top pick in 1998, posts a 23-20 record with a 3.30 ERA, 561 strikeouts and 123 saves in his six seasons with the Astros (2002-2007).
12/23 1929 Alva Warren "Al" Cicotte is born in Melvindale, MI. Related to infamous Black Sox pitcher Ed Cicotte, this righthander would appear in five games for the 1962 Colt .45s, earning no record in 4-2/3rds innings. He would die on November 29th, 1982, in Westland, MI at age 52.
12/24 2009 Stan Benjamin, a scout who joined the Astros in 1965 and stayed for almost 40 years, passes away on Cape Cod, MA at the age of 95.
12/24 1969 Curt Flood of the St. Louis Cardinals mails a letter to Commissioner Bowie Kuhn stating his refusal to report to the Philadelphia Phillies after being traded. He does not retire to void the trade, as Donn Clendenon did in refusing to play for the Astros. Flood's letter is the beginning of the end for baseball's reserve clause and the first salvo in the fight for free agency. While his decision cuts short a solid baseball career, every major leaguer owes a debt of gratitude to him for the rights as players they now enjoy.
12/24 1960 Houston signs their first bonus baby, LSU pitcher Wallace "Butch" Mixon to a contract. He would fail to reach the major leagues.
12/25 2007 Utilityman Jim Beauchamp passes away from leukemia at age 68 in Atlanta. He started in left field for the first National League game played indoors. Jim hit .179 with three homers during three partial seasons (1964, 1965, 1970) as an Astro.
12/25 1981 Willy Taveras is born in Tenares, DR.After two seasons in Houston (2005-2006), the fleet outfielder leaves with a .284 batting average and 68 stolen bases, finishing second in the 2005 N.L. Rookie of the Year balloting and holding the club record with a 30-game hitting streak.
12/25 1960 Telmanch "Ty" Gainey is born in Cheraw, SC. The reserve outfielder hits .216 in three seasons with the Astros (1985-1987).
12/25 1952 Julio Gonzalez is born in Caguas, PR. The utility infielder bats .235 over four seasons (1977-1980) with Houston.
12/25 1927 Jacob Nelson "Nellie" Fox is born in St. Thomas, PA. Before winding up his playing career in Houston, Fox had been a 12-time All-Star for the Chicago White Sox, winning American League MVP honors in 1959. He died of skin cancer on December 1, 1975 in Baltimore, MD at age 48. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1997.
12/26 1995 Infielder Dave Magadan signs a free agent contract with the Chicago Cubs. Magadan had hit .313 in his one season in Houston, part of a run in the majors that lasted 16 years.
12/27 2007 Veteran outfielder Darin Erstad is signed as a free agent. The former two-time All-Star bats .252 as a reserve outfielder in two seasons as an Astro.
12/27 2001 John Hoffman dies in Seattle, WA at age 58. The lefthanded-hitting catcher gets into eight games with Houston (1964,1965), getting three hits and one RBI in 21 at bats.
12/27 1982 Michael Bourn is born in Houston, TX. A key piece in the deal that sent Brad Lidge to Philadelphia, Bourn bats .271 with 193 steals in four seasons with the Astros (2008-2011), twice winning the NL stolen base title before a trade sent him to Atlanta.
12/27 1952 Craig Reynolds is born in Houston, TX. The shortstop would bat .252 with 32 homers and 300 RBIs during his eleven years as an Astro (1979-1989) while offering a steady glove.
12/27 1930 Norm Larker is born in Beaver Meadows, PA. Nicknamed "Dumbo" for his big ears, the fiery first baseman hits .263 with nine homers during Houston's inaugural season. He dies on March 12, 2007 of cancer in Long Beach, CA.
12/28 1994 In one of the biggest player swaps in baseball history, the Astros send infielders Ken Caminiti, Andujar Cedeno and Roberto Petagine, outfielder Steve Finley and pitchers Brian Williams and Sean Fesh to San Diego for infielders Craig Shipley and Ricky Gutierrez, outfielders Derek Bell and Phil Plantier and pitchers Doug Brocail and Pedro Martinez. It's a thinly-disguised salary dump and, were it not for Bell's success, would have been regarded as one of the worst trades in club history. Caminiti and Finley blossom into All-Stars who lead the Padres to the N.L. title in 1998. Bell and Gutierrez are the only salvagable parts for the Astros and they are both gone after the 1999 season.
12/28 1952 Ray Knight is born in Albany, GA. He bats .283 and makes the All-Star team in his three seasons with the Astros (1982-1984) but will find lasting fame in the 1986 World Series with the Mets.
12/29 1973 Tomas Perez is born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. The utility infielder bats .200 in 10 at bats for Houston in 2008.
12/29 1968 James Mouton is born in Denver, CO. He would bat .249 in four seasons as a part-time outfielder (1994-1997), swiping 79 bases. He has since played with San Diego, Montreal and Milwaukee.
12/30 2023 First baseman Chuck Harrison died in his hometown of Abilene, TX at age 82. Harrison played parts of three seasons with the Astros (1965-67), batting .248 with 12 homers in 204 games. Harrison was later dealt to Atlanta and resurfaced for two partial seasons with the expansion Kansas City Royals in 1969 and 1971.
12/30 1996 Pitcher Russ Springer is signed to a free agent contract. The righthanded reliever has two stints with the Astros (1997, 2004-2006), compiling an 8-9 record with three saves in Houston.
12/31 1971 Brian Moehler is born in Rockingham, NC. The righthander posted a 21-28 record with a 4.97 ERA in two stints with the Astros (2003, 2007-2010).
12/31 1966 On New Year's Eve, the Astros bring perennial All-Star Eddie Mathews to Houston along with utilityman Sandy Alomar and pitcher Arnie Umbach from the Braves for pitcher Bob Bruce and outfielder Dave Nicholson. It's near the end of the line for Mathews, though, who plays just four months for the Astros.