The Abandoned Astrodome And Its Future

[FilioScotia]

I have a number of wonderful memories from the Dome. I was home on leave in

Edited August 10, 2008 by FilioScotia

[Heights2Bastrop]

That

[Earlydays]

I remember going to a baseball game the first year it opened, it was a thrill, nothing like it in its day......but here's a bit of trivia few people will remember, I believe it was 1966 and I watched SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) sports car road racing on the roads/parking lots surrounding the Astrodome. It was done only once.

[missmsry]

Tommy Lasorda ( our season tickets were directly behind the visitors dugout) became so upset by my heckling he sent the cops to tell me to tone it down or I'd be thrown out.

[crunchtastic]

Tommy Lasorda ( our season tickets were directly behind the visitors dugout) became so upset by my heckling he sent the cops to tell me to tone it down or I'd be thrown out.

Now that's a good dome story!! Heckling LaSorda-- Well done!

[57Tbird]

I remember going to a baseball game the first year it opened, it was a thrill, nothing like it in its day......but here's a bit of trivia few people will remember, I believe it was 1966 and I watched SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) sports car road racing on the roads/parking lots surrounding the Astrodome. It was done only once.

I had forgotten about that. I was there. After being a frequent visitor to the races at Playland and Meyer, I remember how tame it was and how careful the drivers were in avoiding any collisions in their sports cars.

[Heights2Bastrop]

I went to the Dome for a seminar on relaxation techniques. It was wonderful! With very little effort, I was able to fall asleep in a very short time.

No, wait. Now that I think about it, it was a soccer game I went to. Still fell asleep quickly, though.

[Vertigo58]

This topic should be merged into the other numerous dome related topics.

As far as memories for us it was always the:

1. Hundreds of ball games we went to see with friends & their dads and little league teams as a group.

2. The Tractor pull and crash up derby events

3. Grand finally (as we grew older) was seeing The Rolling Stones Concert in 1981. Was it the Start me up Tour? I know they were with ZZ Top & The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Seems like all the party animals in town went! Still have on 8mm film (and my concert jersey).

[nm5k]

This topic should be merged into the other numerous dome related topics.

As far as memories for us it was always the:

1. Hundreds of ball games we went to see with friends & their dads and little league teams as a group.

2. The Tractor pull and crash up derby events

3. Grand finally (as we grew older) was seeing The Rolling Stones Concert in 1981. Was it the Start me up Tour? I know they were with ZZ Top & The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Seems like all the party animals in town went! Still have on 8mm film (and my concert jersey).

I'm pretty sure I went to that show.. I used to hate the dome for concerts though.

If there is a venue in town with worse acoustics, I haven't been there yet..

The sound has always been fairly horrible at any dome concert I ever went to.

[gonzo1976]

3. Grand finally (as we grew older) was seeing The Rolling Stones Concert in 1981. Was it the Start me up Tour? I know they were with ZZ Top & The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Seems like all the party animals in town went! Still have on 8mm film (and my concert jersey).

I wrote about this a few months back. That was the tour to support "Tattoo You."

They played for two nights at the Dome in Oct of that year. One person was fatally stabbed on the first night.

[Vertigo58]

I wrote about this a few months back. That was the tour to support "Tattoo You."

They played for two nights at the Dome in Oct of that year. One person was fatally stabbed on the first night.

Your right! I still have the album.

Like I mentioned on another topic (or person) I and 2 others went the days before as they were constructing and fixing up the dome for this event. I grabbed my 8mm Bell & Howell and had my friend drive the 72 Cutlass convertible slowly as we drove up, I sat on top filming the Astrodome neon sign advertising this scheduled event. We just figured one day someone would want to see it? I always had historic documentation in mind. I do wish I had been able to film inside but that would have been a disaster. The mob was completely insane! That was the last time I will ever be near a stage in such a crowd. The stage background (someone help me if I forget) was like a very large massive modern pastel with swirls & cariatures to mimic the album. Designs you would see very often in MTV promo's. I think there were little sports cars racing across? I just recall my whole nabe (teens) all going together to see this concert. Good thing because most moved away shortly after.

Sure wish someone would describe seeing Evil Knevil there! That must have been a blast!

[Mikeytex]

My dome memories.............

The orange light above the clocks. If it was on and an Astro hit a home run, it was free beer time for a period of time. It happened a couple of times I was at a game with my Dad. I remember the stampede to the concession stand, and my Dad leaving me in a trail of dust while I sat in my seat. That promotion didn't last long.

Demolition Derby - Joey Chitwood, Evel Knievel

MotoCross Races

Rolling Stones

Astros/Oilers

Rodeos

OTC

The yellow section cheap seats - most of the time

The outfield cheap seats ($1)

The blue section - once back in '97

The suites - a few times

Astro Buddy games

Dome Dogs

Dome Foam

Astronaut guys raking the dirt between innings

Seeing Buff Stadium when it was still there

Many others.......................

[Heights2Bastrop]

Did anyone go to the Boy Scout Jamboree there?

Anybody know why that event was significent?

[Original Timmy Chan's]

And of course there was Elmo Wright. Anyone know his claim to fame?

It was well before my time (before I was born), but as all loyal Cougar fans know, UH's Elmo Wright invented the end zone dance!!!

As far as Astrodome memories, mine go back to watching the Astros with Jerry Mumphrey, Dickie Thon, Jose Cruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz, Nolan Ryan, and many hundreds since then.

I remember a hell of a game in the regular season between the Astros and Mets. Unless my memory is fooling me, it was Mike Scott vs. Dwight Gooden.

My dad used to take me to tons of tractor pulls, mud bogs, demolition derbies, etc. Until I was in college, I probably saw more tractor pulls in the Dome than baseball games.

I was there when the guy dropped from the ceiling of the Dome in a barrel and died.

[Fringe]

Did anyone go to the Boy Scout Jamboree there?

Anybody know why that event was significent?

Went to several

[Retama]

I have a TON of Astrodome memories:

Taking my grandfather to Astro games when he came to visit in the 1960s back when the home team had the shooting star jerseys ... Booing the hell outta Pete Rose and, yes, Lasorta as well (hats off to you, missmsry). Rusty Staub, the "Toy Cannon," Cesar Cedeno, "The Big Red Rooster," Nolan Ryan, so many memories ...

Lived and died with the Heartbreak Oilers ... Hoyle Granger, Garland Boyette, Jerry LeVias, Kenny "Double Aught Buckshot" Burroughs, Fred Willis, Dante Pastroini, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, Earl Campbell etc., etc. Saw them beat Joe Namath back in 1972 for their only win of the year. The Luv Ya Blue years were absoloutely electric. My brother and I loved the old Oilers and hated the Pittsburgh Steelers. We used to wait late after games outside to get the players to autograph our programs.

Bluebonnet Bowl: Saw SMU beat Oklahoma (with Steve Owens) on the last play of the game in 1968 (The first ASTRO Bluebonnet game). UH versus Lou Holtz's NC State team in 1974 was one of the best games ever, ended in a 31-31 tie. Texas came from behind to beat Colorado in 1975 with the Tyler Rose. Texas Tech and Nebraska in 1976 was a good game as well. Saw the last Bluebonnet Bowl, Texas and Pitt (with Ironhead Heyward) in the Dome in 1985, I think.

Saw many, many high school games under the Big Top, including Baytown Sterling vs. San Antonio Lee (with Tommy Kramer) in 1972. Saw lots of UH games there as well including the 60-40 Cougar win over UT. Jackson for UH set an NCAA record with three pass intercepts run back for TDs in that one. Saw the USFL Houston Gamblers AND we were there watching the WFL Houston Texans the night John Matuszak was served a restraining order on the bench. Heisman Trophy winners I saw play in the dome: Steve Owens, Earl Campbell, Andre Ware, Pat Sullivan

First rodeo I went to was to see Eddie Arnold. Also saw KC and the Sunshine Band, The Mavericks ... too many to name.

I covered games there as a sportswriter, sat in the club level for a couple of rodeos back when they had the fancy restaurant/saloon, watched pre-season Oilers games from a new "luxury box." Does anyone remember the concrete tree that was down at field level under the stands? There was also an arcade down there. I used to like to go to the ramp in front of the visitors' dressing rooms after warmups/before the start of games to give enemy players the stinkeye.

My dad is related to the actor Michael Parks and in the mid-1970s he invited us to the Astrodome to visit and be extras in a movie that was being filmed there called Murder at the World Series. That is still one of my favorite memories.

But my best memories are of playing and practicing in the Dome as a high schooler during the playoffs. After all the games I had seen there, actually playing on that field was a huge thrill. I remember running my finger across the bright green Astroturf and bringing up a cloud of dust. The seams in that damn carpet (which were zipped together) were deadly and sliding across the plastic grass would take your skin right off. I remember how surprisingly cramped the home dressing rooms were with entry ways so low you had to duck to get through them and located way up the ramp.

Edited August 13, 2008 by Retama

[memebag]

Did anyone see the Guru Maharaj Ji at the dome? My dad worked on a propaganda film about him that concluded with his appearance there. I wish I could find a copy.

[Heights2Bastrop]

Don

[Vertigo58]

And no one mentioned the Bobby Riggs/Billie Jean King tennis match.

Battle of the Sexes

Astrodome on Sept. 20, 1973

Mentioned briefly in a seperate "Dome" topic. I just remember hearing about it for what seemed like months. I think Riggs (male cheuvenist pig as they called him)passed away a few years ago. That match was of great significance for the women's lib movement. I will attach for younger viewers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8081101936.html

[icepickphil]

AND we were there watching the WFL Houston Texans the night John Matuszak was served a restraining order on the bench.

I was at that WFL game too. As I recall Matuszak suited up but did not play after he was served the restraining order. I think he was still under contract to the Oilers at the time.

Matuszak used to work out at my high school (Robert E. Lee) when he was first with the Oilers.

I also saw the Deep Purple/J. Geils Band concert at the Dome in the summer of '74.

I recall seeing a polo match played there in the mid-sixties!

[Vertigo58]

Oh my God! It's on wiki! Rolling Stones 81 Tour and there are the graphics I described (cars racing around) Memory not so bad (yet)

I do remember being a bit disappointed because it was just Mick Jagger running all of their hits into a medly of sorts. I was expecting him to sing the whole song thru but it was just snipets all bunched together. It was so overcrowded I do not see how the fire marshall allowed it to happen. Almost got crushed up front luckily someone pulled me up. I said never again, but it was a one time event for me anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_Stone...rican_Tour_1981

[Heights2Bastrop]

I think Riggs (male cheuvenist pig as they called him)passed away a few years ago. That match was of great significance for the women's lib movement. I will attach for younger viewers.

I had never heard of Bobby Riggs before that match, and I too saw him as a loud-mouthed Chauvinistic pig. However, after all was said and done, I realized so much of his antics were just a part of his act. I think all along he hoped the event would be a shot in the arm for tennis, as well as for women

[Native Son]

my personal favorite memories of the Astrodome is seeing the cast of Bonanza at the HRLS in the late 60's with my big brother

[Heights2Bastrop]

Did anyone go to the Boy Scout Jamboree there?

Anybody know why that event was significent?

The very first event ever held in the Astrodome was a Boy Scouts Jamboree in (I think) February, even before the structure was completely finished, The Jamboree was a complete sellout, and most attendees went just to see the Dome, and many totally ignored the scouting part of the event.

[misplaced txgirl]

i think all of us could compile quite a list of all the "stars" we've seen at the HLSR

(fat stock show @ the SH coliseum)...remember when elvis was there? they even sold sky box seats at regular prices to get all the people in...it was packed

[FilioScotia]

I had never heard of Bobby Riggs before that match, and I too saw him as a loud-mouthed Chauvinistic pig. However, after all was said and done, I realized so much of his antics were just a part of his act. I think all along he hoped the event would be a shot in the arm for tennis, as well as for women

Edited August 24, 2008 by FilioScotia

[Vertigo58]

She phoned him one last time the night before his death, and, according to Billie Jean herself in an HBO documentary, the last thing she told Riggs was "I love you". (Interview with Billie Jean King, USA US Open telecast, 28 August 2006)

That is awesome. People are really different from what others describe. Media had engraved in everyones minds that they despised each other. Such is life.

What used to really dazzle (or frighten) me as a kid, was checking out the HUGE speakers dangling on those long and very thin lines. (See far top right)

I always imagined them breaking and killing people. Yikes!

[Heights2Bastrop]

One thing

[Mikeytex]

my personal favorite memories of the Astrodome is seeing the cast of Bonanza at the HRLS in the late 60's with my big brother

Forgot...............I saw Elvis in '70 or '71 at the Rodeo.

[Vertigo58]

I saw Elvis in '70 or '71 at the Rodeo.

Elvis was a big deal that's all we kids would hear in school. Some of the kids parents went but it seemed so adult to us. We were more interested in the usual kid stuff.

It would be fantastic if some of you could post some pictures of "The King". I'm sure Priscilla wouldn't mind.