On May 1, 1969, At Crosley Field Don Wilson of the Houston Astros pitches his second career no-hitter. Wilson strikes out 13 in downing the Cincinnati Reds, 4-0. Only nine days earlier, Wilson had lost a 14-0 decision to the Reds and it was one day after Cincinnati pitcher Jim Maloney no-hit the Astros. The…
On April 30, 1969, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jim Maloney hurls a 13-strikeout no-hitter against the Houston Astros. Bobby Tolan drives in four runs in support of Maloney, who records his first nine-inning no-hitter after pitching a ten-inning masterpiece in 1965.
On April 25, 1969, San Francisco Giants catcher Jack Hiatt drives in seven runs in a 12-8 victory over the Houston Astros. Hiatt’s outburst includes a two-run homer in the first inning and a game-winning grand slam in the 13th inning. Usually a light hitter, Hiatt will finish the season with only 34 RBIs and…
1969 – After Donn Clendenon “retires” and refuses to report to spring training, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn rules that Montreal can keep both Rusty Staub and Clendenon, insisting that Houston will have to settle for further compensation rather than voiding the trade.
On January 22, 1969, the Houston Astros trade Rusty Staub to the Montreal Expos for Donn Clendenon and Jesus Alou. But Clendenon refuses to report to Houston, because of a personality conflict with the team’s newly-hired skipper, Harry Walker, who had managed him in Pittsburgh. He eventually announces his retirement. The Astros petition Commissioner Bowie Kuhn…
Baltimore Orioles make a quietly brilliant trade
On September 27, 1968, Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals shuts out the Houston Astros, 1-0, to finish the season with an ERA of 1.12-the second-lowest in modern National League history. Gibson, who finishes the season with 13 shutouts and 28 complete games, will unanimously win the Cy Young Award.
1968 – Jim Wynn homers off Tom Seaver with two outs in the ninth to tie New York, 1-1. Bob Aspromonte’s two-run opposite-field double in the 12th wins it for Houston. Tom Dukes, who fanned two with the bases full of Mets in the 11th, picks up the 3-1 victory.
1968 – A hard slide by Doug Rader into third base on a triple knocks out New York third baseman Kevin Collins and ignites a brawl. Houston police enter the fray. The donnybrook climaxes hostility that began when Mets outfielder Tommy Agee spiked Joe Morgan while sliding into second base. Amazingly, Rader stays in the contest and scores the eventual game-winner on a sacrifice fly by Dick Simpson. Larry Dierker bests Tom Seaver in the 4-3 victory.
1968 – Jim Wynn becomes the first player in franchise history to reach 100 homers. He does so with a three-run blast in the eighth inning off Frank Linzy to drop San Francisco, 4-1. The other run is driven in by Dick Simpson who leads the Astros with three hits. Denny Lemaster picks up the win.
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