1962 – Colt .45s host St. Louis for the first time and defeat them, 4-3. The Houston Buffs were a farm club of the Cardinals for 40 years before the city joined the National League. Don Taussig’s homer off Larry Jackson in the sixth inning is the game-winner . Hal Woodeshick survives five errors to earn the victory.
Commissioner Ford Frick fines Casey Stengel $500 for appearing in uniform for a beer advertisement, which shows the Mets manager ready to bunt. Kathy Kersh, who is holding the ball in the Rheingold ad, will later become better known as Cornelia, one of the Joker’s women in the 1960’s Batman television series.
The first game in franchise history against the visiting Cardinals features many familiar faces on the opposing team when the Colt .45’s beat the Redbirds, 4-3. Houston had been the farm club for St. Louis, and many of their players had come through Texas on their way to the big leagues.
On April 24, 1962, Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers strikes out 18 Chicago Cubs in a 10-2 win. The hard-throwing future Hall of Famer ties the record of 18 strikeouts in a single game, matching the mark of former Cleveland Indians great Bob Feller.
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