Vintage Houston Astros 1976 Official Program & Scorebook with Cincinnati Reds

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Seller: pitt.dona ✉️ (36) 100%, Location: Plano, Texas, US, Ships to: US & many other countries, Item: 203654005932 Vintage Houston Astros 1976 Official Program & Scorebook with Cincinnati Reds. Houston Astros 1976 Official Program & Scorebook for series with Cincinnati Reds. Glimpse into the world of Houston Astros baseball 45 years ago with your very own official program for your collection! The team had a third-place finish that year behind the Reds and the Dodgers and set a club record of 150 stolen bases for the 1976 season. They improved by winning 16 more games than the previous year - reaching 80 games. The pitching staff included J.R. Richard, Larry Dierker, Joe Niekro, Ken Forsch, Joaquín Andújar, Floyd Bannister, and Mark Lemongello and Ed Herrmann often as catcher. Bob Watson and Roger Metzger, as well as Enos Cabell and Rob Andrews were in the infield. The outfield featured César Cedeño, José Cruz, and Greg Gross. The photos are interesting with the very different styles of clothing and grooming practices. The advertisements are also of note, such as a Betamax one. There are many cigarette and hard liquor ones as well.

Some of the Many Fascinating Highs and Lows from the Lives of these Players
  • related to lots of major leaguers: son, father, grandfather, brother-in-law, brothers, cousins, even high school teammates - many with their own major accomplishments in baseball
  • coached a youth player who eventually made it into the majors and became a World Series champion
  • many Silver Sluggers, Astros Hall of Famers, Gold Gloves, All-Stars, World Series champions
  • 2 players hit for the cycle twice
  • inducted into numerous Halls of Fame for baseball
  • 2 players had their Astros jersey was retired
  • had the 1,000th hit of his career during the 1976 season
  • 3 people affiliated with the early Colt .45 days of the Astros
  • threw the first pitch at the inauguration of a new baseball field named for their father
  • traded as part of the New York Met's "Saturday Night Massacre"
  • got a save in his first start in the majors as well as a homer at his first at bat
  • scored the millionth run in MLB history
  • Vice President for MLB
  • first African American GM to win a World Series championship
  • competed against Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron
  • played with Stan Musial as a teammate
  • first manager hired and fired by George Steinbrenner
  • record for most wins as an Astros manager
  • has a statue of him fielding a deep fly ball in the World Series
  • has a road named after him
  • took a line drive to the face breaking his eye socket and cheekbone in 5 places
  • lost his fingertips on his right hand in an accident
  • collapsed playing catch before an Astros game after a neck blood clot caused a major stroke requiring emergency surgery
  • hid his bad vision from the Astros stemming from a youth knife accident in order to be able to play baseball
  • two players involved seriously in the Pittsburgh drug trials of 1985
  • found guilty of involuntary manslaughter
  • charged with assault, bodily injury, resisting arrest relating to his girlfriend, and in another incident 4 years later battery of the same person
  • arrested for kidnapping and robbery with another former MLB pitcher as an accomplice
  • entered the stands during a game to pursue a heckler
  • was shooting incident at the Republican congressional baseball team practice in 2017 and coached at the charity game held the next night
  • caught in a ball scuffing incident and made a subsequent Late Night with David Letterman TV show appearance with a power sander
  • met Jackie Robinson a couple of times
  • was homeless after a series of setbacks
  • became a Christian minister
  • ran a multi-decade youth baseball camp affiliated for many of the years with the Giants
  • 8 people appeared as themselves in a fictional movie together
  • spearheaded a building for a new Cuban Hall of Fame
  • had to quit their off season teaching job because they were unexpectedly signed to a major league contract
  • teaches English as a Second Language
  • 3 players wrote a book about their career
  • 3 players were broadcasters of baseball games
  • MLB player agent
The Astros were in the National League West at the time of this program and they finished in third place and their Cincinnati Reds opponent for this game came in first place this season and the previous one within the division and the best record in baseball. This Reds team were at the top of their game this season - achieving the best record of any team and going on to sweep the Yankees in the World Series. Pete Rose would go on to be an all-time hits leader and four affiliated with this team would eventually be in the Hall of Fame. A few of those affiliated with this 1976 Astros team: Bob Lillis, Tony Pacheco, and Larry Dierker, were early members of the Colt .45's expansion team that eventually morphed into the Astros for the 1965 season. Bob was actually on the roster for the inaugural season with Tony being a scout for the team at that time. In the category of almost impossible to believe, this team saw a game hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates at the covered Astrodome "rained out" on June 15, 1976 with more than 7 inches continuously falling over 8 hours and the nearby roads impassable and the lower ramps and entries of the dome were flooded. Players were stranded inside the dome with the 20 fans that were able to make the journey. They even began to doubt the game would continue when water began to flowing over the outfield scoreboard. The umpires staying close by at the Shamrock Hotel were unable to get through the flooded streets. The game was finally postponed. Many players eventually were able to get home late in the evening. Rob Andrews and Mike Cosgrove spent the night in a luxury suite before heading home the next morning. The 1977 movie "The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training" featured a game in the Astrodome, Astrodome announcer Ted Dawson, and a brief appearance from a whole slew of players from this team:
  • manager William C. Virdon
  • first baseman Bob Watson
  • shortstop Roger Metzger
  • third baseman Enos Cabell
  • center fielder César Cedeño
  • starting pitcher J.R. Richard
  • relief pitcher Ken Forsch
  • catcher Joseph V. Ferguson

Specifications
  • Produced by: Professional Sports Publications 310 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10017 [phone removed by eBay]
  • Copyright: (c) 1976 Professional Sports Publications, Inc.
  • Publisher: Andrew J. Goodman
  • Editor: Pamela L. Blawie
  • Number of Pages: 60
  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Weight: 5 oz
  • Condition: Used, Acceptable - Covers have wear, smudges, creases, and indentations; There is a set of vertical yellow lines 1/4-1/2" from the right side of the front cover (printing error?); There is some overall yellowing of pages with some discoloration in the upper corners; Box Score Sheet has "Pete Rose" handwritten under Reds. Photo of one of the West Stars from the National League on pages 37/38 and Riverfront Stadium on pages 49/50 are both cut out (see photos).

Astrodome Facts and Figures "The world's first air-conditioned, domed, all-purpose stadium, shining like a precious jewel in southwest Houston, Texas, was constructed by the citizens of Harris County at a cost of $20.5 million for the land and the building, and a total cost of $31.6 million for the entire project including access roads and parking..."

Cover
  • Evolution of the... American Ball Park
  • Houston Astros
  • Evolution of the... American Ball Park
  • First Base - 1900 Ball Yard - Boston Mass.
  • Second Base - Busch Stadium - 1940's - St. Louis, MO
  • Third Base - Shea Stadium - 1960's - New York
  • Home Plate - The Astrodome 1976 - The Ultimate in Baseball Viewing
  • National League Centennial 1876-1976
  • The Astrodome: 1976 Official Program & Score Book

Houston Sports Association, Inc. P.O. Box 288 Houston, TX 77001 Phone [phone removed by eBay] Teletype [phone removed by eBay]
  • Chairman of the Board: Judge Roy Hofheinz
  • President: Sidney L. Shlenker
  • Vice President: Earl Allen
  • Executive Vice President and General Manager: Tal Smith
  • Financial Vice President Treasurer and Secretary: John Easter
  • Vice President Sales Marketing Broadcasting: Dean Borba
  • Assistant Secretary: Mary Frances Hofheinz
  • Assistant to the General Manager: John W. Mullen
  • Director of Scouting and Minor League Clubs: Lynwood Stallings
  • Administrative Assistant, Minor League Clubs and Scouting: Jay D. Schlueter
  • Traveling Secretary: Arthur V. Perkins
  • Comptroller: Adam Richards
  • Directory of Promotions and Broadcast Operations: Art Elliott
  • Ticket Manager: Ralph Stolarski
  • Director of Public Relations & Publicity for Houston Astros: Bobby Risinger
  • Director of Public Relations & Publicity for Astrodome: Mack Newberry
  • Astros Public Relations Assistant: Paul Darst

Astrodome - Astrohall Stadium Corporation
  • Chairman of the Board: Judge Roy Hofheinz
  • President: T. H. Neyland
  • Executive Vice President: Jimmie Fore
  • Financial Vice President Treasurer and Secretary: John Easter
  • Vice President and Director of Operations: Tom Martin
  • Stadium Engineering and Maintenance: James R. Garner

Table of Contents
Directory p. 1
Harris County Commissioners Court p. 3
Houston City Council p. 3
Bill Virdon Field Manager - Testimonials from Danny Ozark, Walt Alston, Danny Murtaugh, Sparky Anderson p. 4-5
Astrodome Facts and Figures Luxurious Space Boxes, Astrohall, Parking for 30000 cars, Comfortable Seating, 2 Million Dollar Scoreboard, Symmetrical Playing Field, Astroturf - a Unique Playing Surface, Astrodome Tours p. 6
Astros Schedule p. 8
Astros Coaches Bob Lillis and Deacon Jones p. 10
Astros Coaches Tony Pacheco and Mel Wright p. 11
Astro and Astrodome Souvenirs Galaxie Gift Shop order form - balls, bats, bank, helmet, cap, charms, field glasses, jacket, key chains, money clips, pencil, ballpoint pen, pennants, salt and pepper sets, 35mm Slide set, sweatshirts, T-Shirts, Thermo Glasses & Mugs, and ball holder p. 12
César Cedeño - 28 - OF Center Fielder - Picture with wife Cora; Testimonials from Ted Simmons, Lou Brock, Al Hrabosky, Greg Luzinski, Al Downing, Jerry Reuss p. 14
National League Directory Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres - addresses and league/commissioner contacts/addresses p. 16
Judge Roy Hofheinz and T.H. "Herb" Neyland Judge - Greatest Entertainment Impresario in the World and President and "Herb" - Chief Executive Officer of Astrodomain Corporation p. 17
Sidney L. Shlenker and Tal Smith Sidney - Dynamic Young Executive and Tal - General Manager p. 18
Larry Milbourne - 10 - INF Infielder - Testimonials from John McNamara, Bob Boone, Larry Bowa p. 19
Enos Cabell - 23 - INF-OF Infielder - Picture with wife Kathy and son Enos Marcus; Testimonials from Ron Cey, Dave Cash, Greg Luzinski, Lou Brock p. 20
Mike Cosgrove - 37 - P Pitcher - Picture with wife Mary Anne and son Jacob; Testimonials from Steve Garvey, Greg Luzinski, Lou Brock, Joe Morgan, Sparky Anderson p. 21
Larry Dierker - 49 - P Pitcher - Picture with former Astro Tommy Helms; Testimonials from Dave Cash, Richie Zisk, Sparky Anderson, Steve Garvey, Richie Zisk, Pete Rose p. 22
Ken Forsch - 43 - P Pitcher - Picture with wife Jonnye Sue and daughter Stephanie; Testimonials from Steve Carlton, Steve Garvey, Lou Brock, Ted Simmons p. 23
Tom Griffin - 38 - P Pitcher - Testimonials from Lou Brock, Larry Bowa, Ted Simmons, Johnny Bench p. 24
Greg Gross - 21 - OF Outfielder - Testimonials from Steve Carlton, Ted Simmons, Al Hrabosky, Bruce Kison, Sparky Anderson p. 26
The Hall of Fame Bicentennial - Cooperstown, NY p. 27
Doc Ewell Trainer p. 28
Rosters for Teams Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros p. 29
Box Score Sheet Cincinnati Reds Pitchers: 32 Fred Norman, 34 Pedro Borbon, 35 Don Guilett, 37 Will McEnaney, 38 Gary Nolan, 40 Pat Zachary, 42 Santo Alcala, 43 Jack Billingham, 44 Pat Darcy, 49 Rawly Eastwick Catchers: 5 Johnny Bench, 9 Bill Plummer Infielders: 8 Joe Morgan, 13 Dave Concepcion, 14 Pete Rose, 22 Dan Driessen, 23 Doug Flynn, 24 Tony Pérez Outfielders: 11 Bob Bailey, 15 George Foster, 19 Joel Youngblood, 20 César Gerónimo, 21 Mike Lum, 30 Ken Griffey, 33 Ed Armbrister Houston Astros Pitchers: 30 Eugene Pentz, 31 Paul Siebert, 36 Joe Niekro, 37 Mike Cosgrove, 38 Tom Griffin, 43 Ken Forsch, 45 Gilbert Rondon, 47 Joaquín Andújar, 49 Larry Dierker, 50 J.R. Richard Catchers: 6 Cliff Johnson, 8 Ed Hermann, 9 Skip Jutze Infielders: 10 Larry Milbourne, 11 Rob Andrews, 14 Roger Metzger, 16 Jerry DaVanon, 17 Ken Boswell, 23 Enos Cabell, 27 Bob Watson Outfielders: 21 Greg Gross, 22 Leon Roberts, 25 José Cruz, 26 Wilbur Howard, 28 César Cedeño p. 31
Pitching Rosters Organized by National and American Leagues p. 32
National League Umpires 1 Nicholas Colosi 2 Jerry Dale 3 Dave Davidson 4 Bob Engel 5 Bruce Froemming 6 Tom Gorman 7 Doug Harvey 8 John Kibler 9 John McSherry 10 Andy Olsen 11 Paul Pryor 12 Frank Pulli 13 Dutch Rennert 14 Paul Runge 15 Dick Stello 16 Ed Sudol 17 Terry Tata 18 Ed Vargo 19 Harry Wendelstedt 20 Lee Weyer 21 Art Williams 22 Bill Williams p. 33
Cliff Johnson - 6 - C - INF Catcher/Infielder - Testimonials from Al Downing, Ron Cey, Lou Brock, Al Hrabosky, Ollie Brown, Manny Sanguillen, Sparky Anderson p. 34
How to Figure Tips on how to calculate baseball statistics: batting average, won-lost percentage, slugging average, fielding average, and pennant race magic number. Qualifications needed for batting championship, run average championship, rookie p. 35
National League - Photographs of East Stars and West Stars East Stars: Ted Simmons, Tom Seaver, Gary Carter, Greg Luzinski, Willie Stargell, Bill Madlock; West Stars: Phil Niekro, Steve Garvey, Doug Rader, Ken Reitz p. 37
Action Album p. 38-39
Arthur Gardner Outfielder p. 41
José Cruz Outfielder p. 41
Wilbur Howard Outfielder p. 41
Leon Roberts Outfielder p. 41
Skip Jutze Catcher p. 41
Terry Humphrey Catcher p. 41
Ken Boswell Infielder p. 42
Doug Konieczny Pitcher p. 42
Joe Niekro Pitcher p. 42
Mike Barlow Pitcher p. 42
José Sosa Pitcher p. 42
Paul Siebert Pitcher p. 42
Joaquín Andújar Pitcher p. 43
Eugene Pentz Pitcher p. 43
Joe McIntosh Pitcher p. 43
Jerry DaVanon Infielder p. 43
Rob Andrews Infielder p. 43
Art Howe Infielder p. 43
J.R. Richard - 50 - P Pitcher - Testimonials from Johnny Bench, Larry Bowa, Ted Simmons, Ron Cey p. 44
Roger Metzger - 14 - SS Shortstop - Picture with wife Tammy; Testimonials from Larry Bowa, Walt Alston, Jerry Reuss, Sparky Anderson, Ted Simmons p. 47
"Take Me Out To The Ball Park" Pictures of 12 Baseball Stadiums p. 48-49
Score with AMC Instructions to fans on how to keep score p. 51
Astrodome Seating Map of seating sections within the Astrodome for the baseball configuration p. 52
Ticket Information Prices by section p. 52
The National League 1876-1976 National League Centennial p. 54-55
Astros Broadcasters Radio broadcasts originate on KPRC in Houston; Broadcasting Team: Gene Elston, Bob Prince, and Loel Passe; Engineer Bob Green p. 56
Bob Watson - 27 - 1B First Baseman - Picture with wife Carol and children Keith and Kelley; Testimonials from Greg Luzinski, Ted Simmons, Al Downing, Willie Stargell, Jerry Reuss, Sparky Anderson p. 57
Astromedia Radio/T.V. Ron Franklin - KHOU Ch. 11 Anita Martini - KPRC Radio Ch. 2 Bob Allen - KTRK Ch. 13 Dave Barrett - KTRH Radio Bob McEntire - KILT Radio Barry Warner - KLYX Radio Gene Arnold - KEYH Radio Mike Edmonds - KPRC Radio Steve Gilmartin - KEYH - KHOU Ch. 11 Bill Worrell - KPRC Ch. 2 p. 58
Astro Road Hotels Terrace Hilton Cincinnati, Ohio; The William Penn is Pittsburgh; Executive House Chicago, Illinois; Sheraton Palace San Francisco, California; The Chase Park Plaza St. Louis; The Bellevue Stratford Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; The New York Sheraton New York, New York p. 60
Astromedia Newspaper Reporters John Black - Baytown Sun Joe Heiling - Beaumont Enterprise & Journal Mike Lutz - Associated Press Cliff Richardson - The Houston Defender Gary Taylor - United Press International Jack Gallagher - Houston Post John Hollis - Sports Editor Houston Post Chuck Myers - Houston Post Harry Shattuck - Houston Chronicle John Wilson - Houston Chronicle Fred Hartman - Baytown Sun Bud Johnson - The Forward Times Dick Peebles - Sports Editor Houston Chronicle Dennis Tardan - Houston News Service p. 60

Advertising
First City Banks Houston Branches Inside Front Cover
Foley's Instant Replay on your own Sony Betamax Videocassette System p. 2
Oshman's 9 stores to serve you in the Houston area - spectator sports equipment and apparel p. 4
BUTE Colorizer Paints Dealers in Houston area and neighboring communities p. 5
Jack in the Box Our Roster: Jack Stack, Jumbo Jack, Bonus Jack, Moby Jack, Breakfast Jack, French Fries (regular or Sooper Scoop)... Taco (regular or Super Taco)... p. 7
TGI Fridays 5010 Richmond Avenue Houston 627-3430 p. 8
Dresser Industries Dresser Petroleum & Minerals Operations, Dresser Tower, 601 Jefferson, 784-6011: Guilberson, Ideco, Magcobar, Dresser Atlas, Swaco, Security, Dresser Olympic p. 9
Cameron Iron Works, Inc. A Worldwide "Total Responsibility" Company p. 10
Jimmie Green Leasing Car Leasing - Datsun, Pontiac, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Trucks, Buick, Chrysler, Oldsmobile p. 11
Buckalew Chevrolet, Inc. New Cars & Trucks, General Auto Repair, Body & Paint Shop - 1717 N. Frazier - Conroe p. 11
Smith's Food Service, Inc. Harry H. Smith and Lee C. Smith 3518 East T.C. Jester Houston, TX 77018 p. 13
Brown-Forman Distillers Corporation Louisville, Kentucky "Served in Astrodome" - Early Times (To Know Us - Is To Love Us) and Usher's Green Stripe (The Original Light Scotch Whiskey) p. 13
Abbott Rents Having a Party? Rent Everything from ABBOTT p. 13
Mechanics Uniform Supply For Industrial Uniforms - 2720 Saint 621-3060 p. 13
Bob Hamric Chevrolet "Bay Area Volume Dealer" 3401 No. Main Baytown 427-9525 p. 13
Lone Star Company Whiskies, Scotches, Gin - Vodka, Rums, Specialties, Champagnes - Wines, etc. - Nick R. Dragna Branch Manager 4724 Starway Street 928-5721 p. 13
Professional Sports Publications Selling Advertisements in the Official Program p. 15
Southline Equipment Co. 700 W. Cavalcade, Houston, TX [phone removed by eBay] p. 25
Angelo's Fisherman's Wharf Famous for Gulf Coast seafoods - 3 minutes from the Astrodome p. 25
Hiram Walker & Sons Limited Walkerville, Canada Canadian Club Blended Canadian Whisky - 6 years old imported in bottle from Canada p. 25
Sullivan Transfer Co. Heavy Hauling, Rigging, Convention, Freight Handling Service p. 27
Antone's Import Co. Famous Po'Boys 8111 South Main Near the Astrodome; 1639 South Voss Road; 807 Taft p. 27
Ineeda Linen Services Jimmy Johnson, General Manager 3520 Center Street 869-4511 p. 28
Cook-Treadwell & Harry of Texas World-wide Insurance Services - John Jemison, Lee Lance, Mike O'Dell p. 28
The R.T. French Company Mustard - Rochester, NY 14609 p. 28
AMC Pacer The first wide small car p. 30
Book - A Baseball Century: The First Hundred Years of the National League by Henry Berry, Bob Cook, Joe Falls; Foreword by Roger Angell p. 32
The Velvet Turtle 16 enticing entrées. All delicious. All very sensibly priced. p. 33
Kent, Newport, True, Old Gold Filters (Lorillard) Cigarettes p. 33
International Leasing 1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo $119.90/month - One of Houston's Oldest Automobile Leasing Companies - 3560 O.S.T. 747-6685 p. 35
Navy Navy Campus for Achievement (NCFA) p. 36
Hyder-Ingram Chevrolet Huntsville, Texas Phone 295-2655 p. 38
Denver Harbor Tire Co, Inc. Tires & Mags - Pete Garcia, Owner - 6903 Lyons at Lathrop p. 39
Harry Franklin Chevrolet, Inc. 1309 Tremont Galveston, Texas 77550 p. 39
Araserv, Inc., A Division of Ara Services Providing complete foodservice for Astrohall, Astrodome, and Astro Arena. p. 40
United States Tobacco Company Borkum Riff Champagne - finest riff-cut tobaccos, lightly laced with just enough spirit to soften the smoke: Bourbon, Cognac, Rum, Cherry Liqueur, and now Champagne p. 45
Baseball Hall of Fame Quiz 15 questions with answers below p. 46
American Motors - AMC Buyer Protection Plan p. 50
Kaphan's Restaurant The Aristocrat of Seafoods and Steaks - Astroworld Area - Kirby at Main 668-0491 p. 51
Houston Natural Gas (HNG) Waste not, want not p. 51
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Winston cigarettes p. 53
Burnham Chevrolet Liberty J.C. Burnham - Number one guys, with the number one buy. 1100 N. Main Liberty, Texas p. 56
Rainbo Bread Good things are goin' on. p. 58
Frizzell Houston Dealer for Pontiac/AMC/Jeep You Always Get a Whale of a Deal! - 3040 Woodridge, Next to Globe in Gulfgate - Phone 644-3411 p. 59
The Marines The tough team to join has no second string Inside Back Cover
Marlboro Cigarettes Come to where the flavor is. Come to Marlboro Country. Back Cover

More details about the members of this Astros team
NameAstros Player NumberAstros CareerMLB CareerPositionCurrentNotes
Rob Andrews #11 1975-76 1975-79 Infielder - 2nd baseman Concord, California age 68 his older brother Mike was also a major leaguer playing second base beginning in the mid-60's and into the 70's; after retiring from playing he coached high school and college teams; director of Rob Andrews Baseball Camp in San Francisco he founded in 1985-2010 whose coaches included former Giants served 25,000 youth by 4,000 staff; teaching English as a Second Language at Monument Impact for half a decade
Joaquín Andújar #47 1976-81, 1988 1976-88 Pitcher Passed away September 8, 2015 in Dominican Republic at age 62 Gold Glove & 4-time All-Star; after baseball founded a Dominican Republic company in trucking; Astros gained him in a trade with the Reds before the 1976 season started; his full season suspension stemming from the Pittsburgh drug trials of 1985 was commuted for community service, fines amounting to 10% of his base pay, and random drug testing
Mike Barlow #39 1976 1975-81 Pitcher central New York age 73 was an Athletic Director at a Syracuse High School for over a decade
Ken Boswell #17 1975-77 1967-77 Infielder - 2nd baseman Austin, Texas region age 75 1969 World Series champion; played in 1973 World Series; he had a bases loaded triple as part of a 7th inning earning 8 runs for the Astros to beat the Red 10-5 on September 7, 1976; he got 20 pinch hits in 1976 to set an Astros record; he is a rancher and sells antique cars
Enos Cabell #23 1975-80 1972-86 Infielder - third/first baseman Missouri City, Texas age 72 stole 35 bases in 1976; he led the Astros with 660 At Bats in 1978; his full season suspension stemming from the Pittsburgh drug trials of 1985 was commuted for community service, fines amounting to 10% of his base pay, and random drug testing; he was involved with broadcasting Astros games and radio shows during the 90's; he has served as Texas Southern University’s Board of Regents member as well as interim athletic director; he has been a special assistant to Astros general manager James Click for over a decade and a half; cousin of major league players Ken Landreaux and Dick Davis
César Cedeño #28 1970-81 1970-86 Outfielder - Center Fielder age 70 5 Golden Gloves 1972-75; 4-time All-Star 1974-74, 76; hit for the cycle twice 1972, 76; .285 batting average; 199 Home Runs; 550 Stolen Bases; had the 1,000th hit of his career against Cincinnati out of 4 he contributed to the Astros win of 10-7 on July 2, 1976; found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the Dominican Republic when a gun discharged in his motel room and killed a 19 yo woman on December 11, 1973 for which he initially spent 20 days in jail before posting bail and ultimately paid a $100 fine; charged with assault, bodily injury, and resisting arrest in 1988 and then battery in 1992 both involving his girlfriend Pamela Lamon, who was pregnant the second instance; he confronted a heckler by entering the stands on September 9, 1981 at Atlanta Stadium with no punches or charges, but he was ejected and suspended with a $5000 with leniency due to apologies he made to the fan; later played in the inaugural season of the Senior Professional Baseball Association; after retiring from playing, he has coached in the minors within the US and in the Dominican and Venezuelan leagues
Rich Chiles #20 1971-72 1971-78 Outfielder Yolo County, California age 71 Hall of Famer George Kelly was his cousin; coach for UC Davis in 1988 and hitting coach in the minor leagues in the early 90's; his time coaching future Red Sox player Dustin Pedroia as a youth at a Woodland, California hitting clinic he opened covered in the 2009 book by Dustin Pedroia, "Born to Play: My Life in the Game".
Michael Cosgrove #37 1972-76 1972-76 Relief Pitcher Chino Valley, Arizona age 70 122 Strike Outs
José "Cheo" Cruz #25 1975-87 1970-88 Outfielder Houston, Texas age 74 2-time All-Star 1980, 85; 2-time Silver Slugger 1983-84; Houston Astros Hall of Fame; .284 batting average, 2251 Hits, 165 Home Runs; His #25 Astros jersey was retired on October 3, 1992; All-Astrodome team 1999; Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame 2002; Texas Baseball Hall of Fame 2003; managed in the Puerto Rican Winter League and the Texas–Louisiana League; coached Puerto Rican team, including his son, at the 2006 World Baseball Classic; Astros first base coach 1997-2009; special assistant to the Astros
Jerry DaVanon #16 1975-76 1969-77 Infielder Houston, Texas age 76 his son is major league outfielder Jeff DaVanon; 73 runs overall; with the Astros during 1976 he batted .290 and had 20 RBI even though he operated as backup to Rob Andrews and Roger Metzger; after the 1976 season he was a contestant on Hollywood Squares and the host Peter Marshall requested he misplay the ball when his son Pete LaCock of the Chicago Cubs gets a hit; had to back out of a new teacher/coach contract (off-season job) when the Astros unexpectedly called him up to the majors for a short stint during the 1975 season and ultimately decided to sign him to a contract. manager for the Bellaire High School off-season baseball program; refereed high school basketball games for about three decades
Larry Dierker #49 1964-76 1964-77 Pitcher age 75 retired in Houston Astros manager for 5 years with his former coach Bill Virdon assisting as bench coach in 1997; Astros Color commentator for almost a couple decades; He holds numerous all-time records with the Astros; His number 49 was retired by the Astros in 2002 - 49sfastball.com; authored 2003 book "This Ain't Brain Surgery: How to Win the Pennant Without Losing Your Mind"
Ken Forsch #43 1970-80 1970-86 Relief Pitcher age 75 2-time All-Star; had a no hitter on April 7, 1979 against the Braves; Appeared as himself in the 1977 movie "The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training"
Tom Griffin #38 1969-1976 1969-82 Pitcher age 73 1054 strikeouts
Greg Gross #21 1973-76, 89 1973-89 Outfielder West Chester, Pennsylvania age 69 World Series champion 1980; he would actually pitch sometimes when a game was a blow out in 1986 & 89; he did some broadcasting in 1991; worked in real estate; coached for Malvern Prep High School, minor league, and two stints with the Phillies 2001-4 & 2010-12; coached for Reno Aces for 8 seasons through 2020
Larry Hardy #42 1976 1974-1976 Relief Pitcher age 73 UT Austin graduate where he was the leader in 1970 with 86 strikeouts and 1.36 ERA; after closing out his playing career, he spent over a couple decades coaching at various levels, including many in the majors with his final 7 under Texas Rangers manager Johnny Oates as bench, bullpen, and ultimately pitching coach; he subsequently served as an umpire observer for MLB; Coached Wednesday morning practice of the Republican congressional baseball team that was fired upon June 14, 2017 at Eugene Simpson Park in Alexandria, Virginia and the subsequent Congressional Baseball Game for Charity held at Nationals Park the very next day.
Ed "Hoggy" Herrmann #8 1976-78 1967-78 Catcher passed away December 22, 2013 at age 67 in Poway, California All-Star 1974; 80 Home Runs; known as a talented knuckle ball catcher; was the catcher for the no-hitter pitched by Larry Dierker on July 9, 1976; set a record for catchers on July 4, 1972 against the Orioles with 3 double plays; after retiring from playing, he was a scout for the Royals and coached youth teams and was active in charity events; grandson of 1918 major league pitcher Marty Herrman
Wilbur Howard #26 1974-78 1973-78 Outfielder age 72 .250 batting average, 6 Home Runs; finished out his playing career in the minors with his last season in 1983
Art Howe #18 1976-82 1974-85 Infielder Houston, Texas age 74 after retiring from playing, he managed or coached at a variety of MLB teams until 2008; he managed the Astros from 1989-1993; 43 home runs overall
Al Javier #29 1976 1976 Outfielder age 67 played in 8 games for the Astros; played in the minors for over a decade
Cliff "Heathcliff" Johnson #6 1972-77 1972-86 Catcher age 74 2-time 1977-78 World Series champion; 196 home runs; brother-in-law of former major leaguer Mike Easler who was also with the Houston Astros until being traded after the 1975 season
Alfred "Skip" Jutze #9 1973-76 1972-77 Catcher Littleton, Colorado age 75 on the inaugural Seattle Mariners roster in 1977; hit first grand slam home run in Mariners history
Grover "Deacon" Jones #4 coached Astros 1976–82 player 1962-66 Coach Houston, Texas age 87 nickname originated because his father was a deacon in the Baptist Church; got to meet Jackie Robinson and get life advice while trying out for the Dodgers and then later reunite and get a hug from him in the airport while traveling with his minor league teammates; American Legion Junior Player of the Year 1952; first African American honored with a plaque in Cooperstown; has record for batting average (.409) in a single season in the Midwest League set in 1956 for the Dubuque Packers; scout, coach, and manager in minor leagues after retiring as a player; After coaching with the Astros, he helped with the San Diego Padres and the Baltimore Orioles; first meeting of two organized baseball teams where both managers, Bernie Smith (Brewers affiliated team) and Deacon (leading a White Sox farm club in Wisconsin), were African-American on June 19, 1973; currently Special Assistant to the Houston Astros Triple-A Affiliate Sugar Land Skeeters
Dan Larson #34 1976-77 1976-82 Pitcher age 67 His 1976 ERA of 3.02 was his best; played in minor leagues until retiring in 1984
Mark Lemongello #51 1976-78 1976-79 Pitcher age 66 209 strikeouts; played in minor leagues until retiring in 1980; was arrested for kidnapping and robbery with another former MLB pitcher as an accomplice in 1982 and received many years on probation
Bob "The Flea" Lillis #5 player 1962-67 coach 1967, 73-82 mgr 1982-85 1958-67 Infielder / Manager / Coach Orlando, Florida age 91 American Association All-Star 1957-58; inaugural member of Colt .45's team that became the Astros; played in 817 games as a player; served in a myriad of roles with the Astros he then was a coach under managers Leo Durocher, Preston Gómez and Bill Virdon before managing the Astros himself; first to play for and manage the Astros; won 276 games as a manager; coached in the 1985 and 1990 All-Star games and the 1989 World Series; inaugural Pasadena City College Sports Hall of Fame Class of 1961; he retired from coaching after the 1996 season
Bo McLaughlin #39 1976-79 1976-82 Relief Pitcher age 67 Took a line drive to the face in 1981 breaking his eye socket and cheekbone in 5 places causing him to go into shock and vomit blood requiring 2 surgeries; played in the minors for 3 seasons; was a real estate broker, then he went on to coach in the minor leagues over a couple of decades for 8 teams as pitching coach or coordinator culminating in time at the Colorado Rockies
Roger Metzger #14 1971-78 1970-80 Infielder - Shortstop Brenham, Texas age 74 Golden Glove 1973; 1971, 73 2-time National League leader in Triples; picked as an alternate for the US Olympic baseball team in 1968; achieved 59 consecutive games without an error to set a National League record in 1976; lost his fingertips on his right hand in an accident building a wooden playhouse with a table saw for a Christmas present on November 29, 1979; he was signed as a coach for the Giants for the rest of the season after being released in 1980; he ran a restaurant with his wife for more than a decade; Texas Baseball Hall of Fame 1996; his #14 jersey was retired on June 2005 by St. Edward's University; taught mathematics at Brenham High School; procurement officer at the Brenham State School
Larry Milbourne #10 1974-76 1974-84 Infielder - Second Base/Shortstop age 70 reported late to Astros 1975 spring training; played in the 1981 World Series; retired from playing after the 1984 season
Joe Niekro #36 1975-1985 1967-88 Pitcher passed away October 27, 2006 at the age of 61 in Tampa, Florida 1987 World Series champion; All-Star; 1747 strikeouts; Houston Astros Hall of Fame; Center of ball scuffing incident on August 3, 1987 and made an TV appearance a few weeks later on the Late Night with David Letterman show carrying a power sander
Tony Pacheco #3 coach 1976-79, 82 coach 1974, 76-79, 82 Infielder / Coach passed away March 23, 1987 at the age of 59 in Miami Beach, Florida played in the minors from 1949-56; started managing in Havana and then transitioned into the US minor leagues; became a scout for the Colt .45s in 1961; signed César Cedeño to his first professional contract; was spearheading the exiled Federal of Cuban Professional Players' unfinished Cuban baseball Hall of Fame in Miami at the time of his death
Gene Pentz #30 1976-78 1975-78 Pitcher age 68 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania 116 strikeouts; retired from baseball in 1981 due to arthritis in the back; managed for a few years in the local amateur league; served on the Greater Johnstown School District Board of Directors since 2003 and appointed president in 2019
J.R. Richard #50 1971-80 1971-80 Pitcher passed away August 4, 2021 at the age of 71 in Houston 1493 strikeouts, 3.15 ERA, All-Star, Strikeout Leader in National League 1978-79, ERA Leader in National League 1979, Houston Astros Hall of Fame; Collapsed playing catch before an Astros game after a neck blood clot caused a major stroke requiring emergency surgery, which ended his MLB career; played in minor league until 1984; homeless in 1994; became a Christian minister; 2005 movie "Resurrection: The J. R. Richard Story"; Authored 2015 book: "Still Throwing Heat: Strikeouts, the Streets, and a Second Chance."
Leon Roberts #22 1976-77 1974-84 Outfielder age 70 he had bad vision in his right eye from an accident as a kid with a knife and he hid this fact during his playing days by memorizing the eye chart ahead of time
Gilberto Rondón #45 1976 1976, 1979 Pitcher age 67 coaching youth in Orlando, Florida his playing career lasted over a decade with most of that being in the minors; played in the Senior Professional Baseball League in 1990; coached for Puerto Rico in 2009 and was a pitching coach in the Mexican Baseball League in 2018
Joe Sambito #35 1976-84 1976-87 Pitcher - fastball/slider specialist age 69 in Irvine, California All-Star 1979, 84 saves, 3.03 ERA, 489 strikeouts; after retirement he has been an MLB player agent for almost 3 decades
Paul Siebert #31 1974-76 1974-78 Pitcher Orlando, Florida age 68 father was 1930's and 40's former major league first baseman Dick Siebert; pitched a shutout and hit a homer for Edina to beat Little Falls 1-0 in the championship game at the inaugural Princeton American Legion Baseball Tournament in Princeton, Minnesota in June 1970, ; threw the first pitch at the inauguration of the newly rebuilt Siebert Field at the University of Minnesota on April 15, 2013 where his father coached the Gophers over 4 decades; traded as part of the "Saturday Night Massacre" on June 15, 1977 along with Bobby Valentine from San Diego to the New York Mets for Dave Kingman
José Sosa #44 1975-76 1975-76 Pitcher passed away June 8, 2013 at age 60 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic got a save in his first start in the majors as well as a homer at his first at bat; after the majors, he played in the minor leagues for a couple more years and then transitioned to a bullpen coach
Alex Taveras #15 1976 1976-83 Infielder - Shortstop and Second Baseman age 66 his playing career spanned 1974-85 including the minors; he has since coached in the Dominican Winter League
Bill Virdon #7 managed 1975-82 player 1955-65, 68 Center Fielder / Manager Springfield, Missouri age 90 2-time World Series champion 1960, 71; Golden Glove 1962; while in the Yankee system in the early 50's he had trouble as a center fielder when Mickey Mantle was his competition; Rookie of the Year 1955 in National League; played with Stan Musial as a teammate during his rookie season with the Cardinals; he missed the batting title for the National League in 1956 being beat out by Hank Aaron; managed in minor leagues after retiring from playing and then in the majors 1972-84 across 4 teams; first manager hired and fired by George Steinbrenner with the Yankees; led the Astros to the 1980 National League Championship Series; has the record for most wins as an Astros manager; Missouri Sports Hall of Fame 1983 and statue of his amazing catch as the Pittsburgh Pirate center fielder in the 4th inning of game 1 of the 1960 World Series of a Yogi Berra deep fly ball; retired from coaching in 2002 with 995 wins as a manager over 13 seasons; a portion of Business Route 63 in West Plains, Missouri is named "Bill Virdon Boulevard"; spring training guest instructor for the Pirates; will celebrate his 70th wedding anniversary in November 2021
Bob "Bull" Watson #27 1966-79 1966-84 Infielder - First Baseman/Left Fielder passed away May 14, 2020 aged 74 in Houston, Texas 2-time All-Star 1973, 75; first player to hit for the cycle in both NL 1977 and AL 1979; Houston Astros Hall of Fame; .295 batting average and 184 Home Runs; high school team also had future major league players Bobby Tolan and Willie Crawford; scored the millionth run in MLB history on May 4, 1975 beating Dave Concepción's Cincinnati home run by about 4 seconds and claiming the $10,000 prize; played in the 1981 World Series; after retiring from play he was the hitting coach for the A's for 4 years; he was the assistant general manager after the 1988 season and became general manager after the 1993 season; he moved to the Yankees after the 1995 season for a couple seasons; was the first African American GM to win a World Series championship in 1996; earned a B.S. degree in 1999; worked as a MLB VP; worked to select the players for the 2000 USA Olympics Baseball who won the gold medal; wrote 1997 book "Survive To Win"
Mel Wright #2 player 1954-61 Pitcher / Coach passed away May 16, 1983 at the age of 55 in Houston, Texas 36 strikeouts; playing career lasted from 1950-61 with time in the majors with the Cardinals and Cubs; teammate and longtime associate of manager Bill Virdon; he coached under Virdon at the Pirates, Yankees, Astros, and Expos
More details about this season's teams related to this program: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Houston_Astros_season en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Cincinnati_Reds_season
  • Sport: Baseball - MLB
  • Modification Description: A couple photos were cut from their pages - see photos & condition description for more details
  • Year: 1976
  • Original/Reproduction: Original
  • Team: Cincinnati Reds
  • Grade: Ungraded
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: Unknown
  • Modified Item: Yes
  • Vintage: Yes

PicClick Insights - Vintage Houston Astros 1976 Official Program & Scorebook with Cincinnati Reds PicClick Exclusive

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