The 1967 Houston Astros season was the sixth season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their third as the Astros, sixth in the National League (NL), and third at The Astrodome. The Astros entered the season with a 72–90 record, in 8th place and 23 games behind the NL pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Astros commenced the regular season on April 11, hosting the Atlanta Braves. Pitcher Mike Cuellar made the Opening Day start as the Astros were victorious, 6–1. The Astros established a then-franchise record of 23 hits in a single game on June 7. On June 15, 1967, Jimmy Wynn connected for the first three-home run game in franchise history. Don Wilson tossed the third no-hitter in franchise history on June 18 for a 2–0 victory over the Atlanta Braves. The first no-hitter that took place at The Astrodome, it was the first of two no-hitters Wilson pitched for the Astros.
Three Astros were selected to the MLB All-Star Game, including Cuellar, Wynn (center field), and right fielder Rusty Staub. The Astros' first-round selection in the amateur draft was first baseman John Mayberry, at sixth overall. On July 14, Eddie Mathews, in his lone season playing for Houston, became the seventh major leaguer to hit 500 home runs for his career, with this historic blast at Candlestick Park.
The Astros' final regular season record stood at 69–93 for a ninth-place finish in the National League. The fourth time in five seasons that ended in ninth place, Houston finished games behind the NL pennant and World Series-champion St. Louis Cardinals. Staub and Wynn teamed to establish several club records.
Offseason Summary The Houston Astros concluded the 1966 campaign with a record, ranking eighth in the National League (NL), 23 games behind the NL pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers. The Astros won as many as 72 games for the first time, an improvement by seven wins from 1965..
Transactions October 19, 1966: Bob Lillis was released by the Astros. November 28, 1966: Bo Belinsky was drafted by the Astros from the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1966 rule 5 draft. December 31, 1966: Dave Nicholson and Bob Bruce were traded by the Astros to the Atlanta Braves for Eddie Mathews, Arnold Umbach and a player to be named later. The Braves completed the deal by sending Sandy Alomar Sr. to the Astros on February 25, 1967. January 4, 1967: Lee Maye and Ken Retzer were traded by the Astros to the Cleveland Indians for Jim Landis, Jim Weaver, and Doc Edwards. March 24, 1967: Sandy Alomar Sr. was traded by the Astros to the New York Mets for Derrell Griffith.
Regular season
Summary
April—May + Opening Day starting lineup Player Position 16 Sonny Jackson Shortstop 18 Joe Morgan Second baseman 28 Aaron Pointer Left fielder 24 Jimmy Wynn Center fielder 14 Bob Aspromonte Third baseman 10 Rusty Staub Right fielder 11 Eddie Mathews First baseman 7 John Bateman Catcher 35 Mike Cuellar Pitcher Venue: Astrodome • Final: Houston 6, Atlanta 1 Sources:
On Opening Day, April 11, Houston were triumphant over the Atlanta Braves, 6–1. Clete Boyer homered off Astros Opening Day starter Mike Cuellar in the top of the seventh, which broke a scoreless tie. During the bottom of the seventh, newcomer and former Brave, Eddie Mathews, greeted his old club with a run batted in (RBI) triple that scored Bob Aspromonte to tie the score, 1–1. The Astros tallied five more during the frame, including Cuellar's RBI single to plate batterymate John Bateman. Cuellar earned the complete game victory, yielding five hits with no base on balls and seven strikeouts. Houston earned just their second Opening Day victory since franchise inauguration day, 1962.
Tensions arose during the May 18 contest versus the San Francisco Giants. A riot nearly ensued in the first inning when the Astros' Jimmy Wynn connected for a home run that struck the foul pole. Giants manager Herman Franks and umpire Shag Crawford nearly were in agreement that the ball traveled foul. However, tensions escalated again when Ollie Brown was ejected for something that he had not said. After the fracas that transpired, the Astros emerged with the win, 6–2.
With winds blowing out at Wrigley Field on May 26, Houston won over the Chicago Cubs, 7–4. The Astros' Wynn, Rusty Staub, Joe Morgan, and Ron Davis each connected for home runs. At one point, in spite of being hit by a pitch, the Astros' John Bateman was permitted to remain in the batter's box and keep trying for a home run of his own.
Early June The Astros collected a then-franchise record of 23 hits on June 7. Led by Bob Aspromonte, the Astros' 17–1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals accounted for a new record for largest margin of victory in franchise history. Aspromonte had a 5-hit day, while catcher Ron Brand collected four. This record maintained until 2019.
While at Crosley Field in his hometown of Cincinnati on June 10, Jimmy Wynn walloped the first of a pair of memorable home runs that cleared the scoreboard in left-center field. The first, off Mel Queen during the eighth inning, landed on Interstate 75. Wynn reprised the drive the following day, off Sammy Ellis with similar arc and direction during the third inning. The ball landed onto the highway ramp, came to rest an estimated from home plate, while posting the Astros to a 3–1 advantage. However, the upstart Reds rallied, capped by Don Pavletich's walk-off grand slam that catalyzed an 8–4 Cincinnati triumph. (Footage of Wynn's tape-measure blast on June 11, 1967).
Rookie right-hander Don Wilson struck out 13 Giants on June 14 to lead a 7–4 complete game victory. He scattered eight hits while surrendering just one earned run. This also was the first outing of Wilson's career in which he reached double-figures in strikeouts. In just his next start, Wilson would establish another new personal-best.
On June 15, 1967, Wynn hit three solo home runs against San Francisco to lead to a 6–2 win. This was the first three-home run game by an Astros hitter in franchise history. This achievement was also not repeated at the Astrodome until 1994. Moments before the trade deadline on June 15, the Astros sent Claude Raymond to the Atlanta Braves for Wade Blasingame. The following day, Raymond earned the save in the Braves' 9–8 win over the Astros.
On June 17, Mathews swatted a walk-off home run leading off the ninth inning against the Braves off former Colt .45/Astro Bob Bruce to seal a 4–3 Astros triumph. Going into the ninth, Houston's Dave Giusti took a shutout bid with a 3–0 lead. However, Woody Woodward singled in Denis Menke and Mike de la Hoz belted a game-tying home run. Wade Blasingame (2–0) retired Tito Francona on a lineout to end the rally just before Mathews connected for his fifth home run of the season.
Don Wilson's no-hitter
Don Wilson no-hit the Atlanta Braves on June 18 to spearhead a 2–0 win. He fanned Hank Aaron for the final out of this masterpiece. The third no-hitter in franchise history, it was the first Astros' no hitter to end as a shutout, and the first pitched at The Astrodome. It was also the first of two no-hitters that Wilson pitched for Houston, the first Astro to accomplish this feat.
Wilson retired 7 of the first 14 hitters via strikeout. Opposite Wilson was the 28-year-old Phil Niekro, who was making his third career start, and coming off a two-hit shutout of the Philadelphia Phillies. Niekro had been a relief pitcher since his debut in 1964. Though the Astros collected two hits off Niekro in the first inning, he closed out the frame without blemish. Houston scored twice in the bottom of the fourth when Jim Wynn doubled home Sonny Jackson for his 48th RBI. The run broke a scoreless innings streak that Niekro had fabricated. Staub followed by singling in Wynn to stake Houston to a 2–0 lead.
Wilson's perfect game bid expired during the top of the fifth inning when he issued a two-out base on balls to Denis Menke. With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Aspromonte collared the defensive gem of the contest. Felipe Alou smashed a rocket to Aspromonte's left, which he speared, and shifted to his knees to deliver a perfect strike to Mathews at first base. Joseph Heiling of the Houston Post delineated Aspromonte's reflex as “sprawled out on his stomach like a camper who has tripped on a log.”
During the top of the seventh, Wilson issued a one-out walk to Hank Aaron on a full count. Wilson then whiffed Mack Jones and induced a fly ball out to center field from Mike de la Hoz. Wilson then struck out the side outfitted with three consecutive pinch hitters in the eighth inning.
Wilson, who fanned Aaron swinging on a full-count during the top of the ninth to end the contest, registered 15 strikeouts to tie Cuellar's club record set nearly one year prior on June 25, 1966. Wilson's 15 punchouts wiped out his career-high of 13 set in just his prior start against San Francisco. It was the first of three performances of 15 or more strikeouts by Wilson during his career. Wilson fanned 15 of 30 batters faced, including thrice each versus the trio Tito Francona, Aaron, and Jones during this bout. Willson registered a game score of 99.
Rest of June On June 19, Julio Gotay authored a 5-for-5 day, including delivering the game-tying RBI to send the contest into extra innings. However, the St. Louis Cardinals prevailed, 5–4, in 11 innings. Gotay had replaced Joe Morgan on the roster while he was on military leave.
On June 25, Larry Dierker's 1967 season concluded early as he began serving a six-month tour in the Army Reserve.
From June 30 to July 21, Staub recorded the first-ever hitting streak of 20 games in franchise history, also his best period of hitting on the season, represented with a .423 batting average and 10 doubles. Staub's hitting streak broke the club record set during the inaugural season of 1962 when Román Mejías hit in 16 consecutively from May 25–June 10 of that year, and remained as the record stood until June 22, 1973, when Lee May collected a hit in 21 straight contests.
During the month of June, Jimmy Wynn clubbed 11 home runs and 29 runs batted in, setting a monthly RBI record which surpassed 28 by Bob Aspromonte in August of the previous campaign.
Early July On July 8, Eddie Mathews hit the 499th home run of his career, and Wynn added a home run to lead a 3–1 victory over the Cubs. Both of the blasts were in the sixth inning off Cubs right-hander Ray Culp. The Astros followed up that effort with a 6–0 shutout, which sealed a four-game sweep of Chicago prior to the All-Star break. The Astros ended their first half with a record of .
MLB All-Star Game For the first time, three Astros were selected to represent the team at the MLB All-Star Game, hosted at Anaheim Stadium. The three were pitcher Mike Cuellar, and outfielders Jimmy Wynn and Rusty Staub. Moreover, Wynn and Staub became the first two Astros players to log base hits in an All-Star Game. Wynn's safety preceded Staub's, as both were called on to pinch hit in the pitcher's spot in the lineup. Wynn was substituted in for Bob Gibson, and led off the top of the ninth with a single off Al Downing. In the top of the 11th, Staub banged a single in place of Chris Short off Catfish Hunter.
Eddie Mathews' 500th home run