1966 – Orlando Merced is born in Hato Rey, PR. The outfielder-first baseman had been a thorn in Houston’s side during several seasons with the Pirates. Merced spends three seasons in Houston (2001-2003) as a reserve, batting .262 with 15 home runs.
1966 – 20-year-old Larry Dierker takes a perfect game into the ninth inning against the Mets but he loses it all, 1-0. A double by Eddie Bressoud and an infield hit by Ron Hunt break up the gem.
1966 – 19-year-old Nolan Ryan of Alvin pitches for the New York Mets at the Dome. He strikes out the side in his one inning of work. He also surrenders two walks and four hits as the Astros plate four runs. Houston wins, 9-2. In the nightcap of the doubleheader, another Met rookie, Tug McGraw, is lit for four early runs as the Astros hold on to sweep it, 6-5.
1966 – Sonny Jackson goes 5-for-5 and Chuck Harrison belts a grand slam as the Astros break nemesis Chris Short and the Phillies, 6-4. Mike Cuellar tosses his sixth straight complete game.
On September 4, 1966, the Los Angeles Dodgers become the first team in major league history to draw over two millions fans at home and on the road. The Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds draw a crowd of 18,670 fans to Crosley Field. The Dodgers win the game, 8-6… @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@
On a typically cool night, the Beatles play their final concert at Candlestick Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants. The ‘Fab Four’s performance on a five-foot stage, which is located just behind second base surrounded by a six-foot high wire fence, is less than stellar due to the ballpark’s inadequate lighting, poor acoustics, and the group’s growing disdain of doing live shows.
1966 – Angry Cub Manager Leo Durocher rips the dugout phone off the wall and throws it onto the Astrodome field. Bob Aspromonte deepens Leo’s misery with a grand slam home run that sparks a 7-4 comeback victory. Southwestern Bell replaces the phone the next day and the Astros hand Durocher the repair bill.
1966 – Little boys dream of a day like Dave Giusti has. Giusti slaps two bases-loaded doubles, as well as hurling a six-hit shutout, in blanking the Reds, 11-0. The pitcher’s six RBIs stand as a club record for 23 years. The win completes a four-game sweep of Cincinnati.
1966 – Dave Giusti allows a second-inning single to Cap Peterson and nothing more as he outduels San Francisco’s ace Juan Marichal, 3-0 . Giusti walks none and strikes out four while facing 28 batters. Ron Davis rips his first big league homer while Sonny Jackson swipes his 37th base, setting a new NL rookie mark.
1966 – Lee Maye goes 5-for-5 and Bob Aspromonte belts a grand slam but it’s not enough to stop the Cubs, 9-8, in eleven. Darkness suspends the second game of the twinbill with Houston up, 8-5. Maye gets his sixth straight hit in the nightcap. The Cubs agree to finish the game during an upcoming trip to Houston.
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