On April 10, 1962, the Houston Colt .45s make their debut with an 11-2 win over the Chicago Cubs. Roman Mejias hits a pair of three-run homers before a crowd of 25,271 fans. The Colt .45s and New York Mets recently joined the National League as expansion teams. Former Yankee hurler Bobby Shantz gets the win for the new franchise on the owner Judge Hofheinz’s 50th birthday.

Subscribe to our Podcast

The Daily Rewind

on Apples Podcast | Spotify  | Google | Stitcher

And connect with us wherever else you listen to Podcast and hangout!

Game ticket & learn more about the players, teams, stadiums and dates in history

Houston Colt .45s 11, Chicago Cubs 2

SABR Article

Game Played on Tuesday, April 10, 1962 (D) at Colt Stadium

CHI N 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 - 2 5 0 HOU N 1 0 4 0 0 0 3 3 x - 11 13 2

BOX+PBP
WP: Shantz (1-0)
LP: Cardwell (0-1)
HR: Banks (1), Mejias 2 (2), Smith (1)

Play by Play

CUBS 1ST: First game for Houston franchise; Brock struck
out; Hubbs grounded out (shortstop to first); Williams singled
to right; Banks grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 0.

COLT .45S 1ST: Aspromonte singled to left; Spangler tripled to
right [Aspromonte scored]; Mejias grounded out (pitcher to
first); Larker reached on a fielder's choice [Spangler out at
home (first to catcher)]; Pendleton grounded out (pitcher to
first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 1.

CUBS 2ND: Altman popped to second; Santo grounded out (shortstop
to first); White grounded out (second to first); Debut game
for Elder White; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 1.

COLT .45S 2ND: Smith doubled to center; Amalfitano grounded out
(pitcher to first) [Smith stayed at second]; Buddin struck out;
Shantz popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt
.45s 1.

CUBS 3RD: Barragan singled to center; Cardwell grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Barragan out at
second]; Brock struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt
.45s 1.

COLT .45S 3RD: Aspromonte walked; Spangler walked [Aspromonte to
second]; Mejias homered [Aspromonte scored, Spangler scored];
Larker flied out to center; Pendleton popped to third; Smith
homered; GERARD REPLACED CARDWELL (PITCHING); Amalfitano
grounded out (shortstop to first); Debut game for Dave
Gerard; 4 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 5.

CUBS 4TH: Hubbs grounded out (first unassisted); Williams
grounded out (pitcher to shortstop to first); Banks lined to
right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 5.

COLT .45S 4TH: Buddin grounded out (shortstop to first); Shantz
grounded out (shortstop to first); Aspromonte singled to center;
Spangler grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. 
Cubs 0, Colt .45s 5.

CUBS 5TH: Altman reached on an error by Amalfitano; Santo forced
Altman (pitcher to shortstop); Smith dropped a foul fly hit by
White for an error; White walked [Santo to second]; Barragan
grounded into a double play (pitcher to second to first) [White
out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 5.

COLT .45S 5TH: Mejias flied out to left; Larker walked;
Pendleton grounded out (shortstop to first) [Larker to second];
Smith popped to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s
5.

CUBS 6TH: MORHARDT BATTED FOR GERARD; Morhardt made an out to
second; On a bunt Brock grounded out (pitcher to first); Hubbs
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0,
Colt .45s 5.

COLT .45S 6TH: SCHULTZ REPLACED MORHARDT (PITCHING); Amalfitano
was hit by a pitch; Buddin out on a sacrifice bunt (catcher to
first) [Amalfitano to second]; Shantz struck out; Aspromonte
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Colt .45s 5.

CUBS 7TH: Williams struck out; Banks homered; Altman grounded
out (first to pitcher); Santo walked; RODGERS BATTED FOR WHITE;
Rodgers popped to first in foul territory; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Cubs 1, Colt .45s 5.

COLT .45S 7TH: RODGERS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS); Spangler
singled to shortstop; Mejias singled to center [Spangler to
second]; Larker singled to right [Spangler scored, Mejias to
third]; Pendleton singled to third [Mejias scored, Larker to
second]; WARNER REPLACED SCHULTZ (PITCHING); Smith grounded into
a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Larker to third,
Pendleton out at second]; Debut game for Jack Warner;
Amalfitano singled to pitcher [Larker scored]; Amalfitano was
caught stealing second (catcher to second); 3 R, 5 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 1, Colt .45s 8.

CUBS 8TH: Barragan flied out to right; MCKNIGHT BATTED FOR
WARNER; McKnight tripled to center; Brock hit a sacrifice fly to
right [McKnight scored]; Hubbs lined to left; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 2, Colt .45s 8.

COLT .45S 8TH: LARY REPLACED MCKNIGHT (PITCHING); Buddin flied
out to right; Shantz grounded out (shortstop to first);
Aspromonte singled to shortstop; Aspromonte stole second;
Spangler walked; Mejias homered [Aspromonte scored, Spangler
scored]; Larker flied out to left; 3 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs
2, Colt .45s 11.

CUBS 9TH: Williams grounded out (second to first); Banks singled
to center; Altman struck out; Santo flied out to right; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 2, Colt .45s 11.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 Cubs             2   5   0    4
 Colt .45s       11  13   2    5