ASTRODOME
CLOSES
The National League baseball team, the Houston Astros,
played
their first game in The Astrodome on April 9, 1965. The Astros said
goodbye to the stadium that they have called
home for more than 30 years after they lost in the division playoff
series against the Atlanta Braves. The Astrodome, which has often
been called "The Eighth Wonder of the World" closed its doors to baseball
at the end of this past season.
The
Astrodome was built in 1965 to play baseball away from the hot Texas
heat and many Texas bugs. At one time, the Astrodome was the world's
largest air-conditioned room. The building is so large that an 18-story
building could fit under the roof which is 202 feet high.
The Astrodome was the first baseball stadium to offer a permanent
roof and a fake grass playing field (the fake grass is called "Astro-turf").
During the last regular season baseball game, the Astros beat the
Los Angeles Dodgers by a score of 9 to 4. Also, famous country singer
Willie Nelson sang the song Turn Out The Lights, The Party's Over.
The
Astrodome will continue to hold other events such as concerts, but
the days of playing baseball are gone. The Houston Astros will play
their games in Enron Field next season.
