By Jim R.
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on October 19, 1999.

Smug smirks and an occasional loud guffaw greeted the announcement of Larry Dierker’s appointment to be manager of the Houston Astros. Absolutely no one predicted that decision. Dierker was an entertaining and successful broadcaster, was an erudite occasional newspaper columnist and showed the world a personality that was relaxed to an extreme. Nicknamed “The Wrangler” by broadcast partner Milo Hamilton, he affected Hawaiian shirts, did not mind hoisting a few and spent more time on golf courses than in ballparks. Media wags suggested he would manage more like Jimmy Buffett than Jimmy Leyland. Yet Dierker has had the last laugh on his initial detractors, and no one honestly can say “I told you so.”Read More

By Arky Vaughan
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on September 28, 1999.

For much of the season I savored the prospect of Jeff Bagwell winning another MVP award by an overwhelming margin. Yet Bagwell has allowed the gap between him and the rest of the league to close in the last couple of months. Many commentators now believe that Chipper Jones is the frontrunner for the award due to his sparkling performance against the Mets last week. Folks shouldn’t be so quick to annoint Jones, however. For starters, let’s look at some other candidates. Here are the league leaders in OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging average):Read More

By Historian
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on September 16, 1999.

When the history of the Astrodome is retold, particularly by Astros fans, you can bet that the six no-hitters will be mentioned as well as the exciting finales to the 1980 and 1986 NLCS. Division titles will come up as will the 1968 and 1986 All-Star Games and the Dome’s inaugural on April 9, 1965. For more details on these exciting moments, I encourage you to visit the History section. My focus is on those more obscure and unusual Astrodome moments. This is a quick tour of those 35 memorable years with a few lowlights to go with the highlights:Read More

By Morpheus
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on August 31, 1999.

I’ve been a (semi) regular around here for a little over a year now. The way I came to hang around Astros fans is a pretty neat story in and of itself.

It seems that the Astros– while being the best team in the NL Central (c’mon, CINCINNATI?)– has to fight off a scrub challenger every year that comes from out of nowhere. Last year it fell upon the Cubs to do that.Read More

By JJW
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on August 17, 1999.

It wasn’t supposed to happen this way! There was Nolan Ryan, at the 1999 Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony, posing with his plaque. We already knew he had chosen the cap of the Texas Rangers for induction. But the scene was still cold, hard reality for Astros fans (for those in Astros garb attending the event, as well as those of us watching it on TV).Read More

By Lemongello
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on July 30, 1999.

Piled in the backseat and cargo bay of a ’75 pea-green Grand Torino wagon, the entire roster of the Firebirds in full uniform traveled along the freeway toward the Astrodome. This was back in the days when dads drank beer while they drove and seatbelts were for sitting on or whacking some other kid in the jaw. I am sure the back bumper scraped the pavement a time or two from the weight in the wagon. Read More