Major League Baseball in Texas

Major League Baseball in Texas

Major league baseball came to Texas when the National League awarded two franchises in 1961, one to New York (Mets) and the other to Houston and Roy Hofheinz, who named the team the Colt .45s.

The team played in the temporary Colt Stadium until the completion next door of the Astrodome. With the 1965 move to the world's first domed stadium, the team became the Astros.

In 2000, the Astros moved to the new downtown ballpark now called Minute Maid Park. The Astros have been in the playoffs 12 times, including the

World Series in 2005 and in 2017 when they won the championship. In 2011, Houston businessman Jim Crane became the principal owner of the franchise.

In 2012, Major League Baseball decided to move the Astros from the six-member Central Division of the National League to the four-member West Division of the American League so that there will be fivemember divisions all around.

Thus, beginning in 2013, the Astros compete in the American League against in-state rival the Texas Rangers.

Houston Colt .45s (National League)

Year

1962 1963 1964

Win Loss

% Finish

64

96

.400 8th in league

66

96

.407 9th in league

66

96

.407 9th in league

Houston Astros

Year

Win Loss

% Finish

1965

65

97

.407 9th in league

1966

72

90

.444 8th in league

1967

69

93

.426 9th in league

1968

72

90

.444 10th in league

National League split into divisions with Houston in

the West Division

1969

81

81

.500 5th in division

1970

79

83

.488 4th in division

1971

79

83

.488 tied for 4th

1972

84

69

.549 tied for 2nd

1973

82

80

.506 4th in division

1974

81

81

.500 4th in division

1975

64

97

.398 6th in division

1976 1977 1978

80 81

82 81

.494 3rd in division .500 3rd in division

Lance Berkman was part of the Killer Bs (also Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell) who went to the

74

88

.457 5th in division World Series in 2005. Photo Mojo on Flickr (CC).

1979

89

73

.549 2nd in division

1980

93

70

.571 1st in division; lost NLCS to Philadelphia Phillies 3-2

1981

61

49

.555 3rd in division; lost NLDS to Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2

1982

77

85

.475 5th in division

1983

85

77

.525 3rd in division

1984

80

82

.494 tied for 2nd in division

1985

83

79

.512 tied for 3rd in division

1986

96

66

.593 1st in division; lost NLCS to New York Mets 4-2

1987

76

86

.469 3rd in division

1988

82

80

.506 5th in division

1989

86

76

.531 3rd in division

1990

75

87

.463 tied for 4th in division

1991

65

97

.401 6th in division

1992

81

81

.500 4th in division

1993

85

77

.525 3rd in division

Realignment to Central Division

1994

66

49

.574 2nd in division; (baseball strike, no playoffs)

1995

76

68

.528 2nd in division

Year 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Win Loss

% Finish

82

80

.506 2nd in division

84

78

.519 1st in division; lost NLDS to Atlanta Braves 3-0

102

60

.630 1st in division; lost NLDS to Atlanta Braves 3-0

97

65

.599 1st in division; lost NLDS to Altanta Braves 3-1

72

90

.444 4th in division

93

69

.574 1st in division; lost NLDS to Atlanta Braves 3-0

84

78

.519 2nd in division

87

75

.537 2nd in division

92

70

.568 1st in division; lost NLCS to St. Louis Cardinals 4-3

89

73

.549 1st in division; lost World Series to Chicago White Sox 4-0

82

80

.506 2nd in division

73

89

.451 4th in division

86

75

.527 3rd in division

74

88

.457 5th in division

76

86

.469 4th in division

56

106 .346 6th in division

55

107 .340 6th in division

Realignment to American League, West Division

51

111 .315 5th in division

70

92

.432 4th in division

86

76

.531 2nd in division; lost ALDS to Kansas City Royals 3-2

84

78

.519 3rd in division

101

61

.623 World Series champions over Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3

103

59

.636 1st in division; lost ALCS to Boston Red Sox 4-1

Texas Rangers (American League)

The Texas Rangers began play in Arlington in 1972 after Washington Senators owner Bob Short got permission to move his team to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The Senators were a 1961 expansion franchise. (The original Washington Senators had moved to Minneapolis-St. Paul to become the Minnesota Twins.)

The Rangers played in Arlington Stadium until 1994 when they moved next door to the Ballpark in Arlington, now called Globe Life Park. Oil executive

Eddie Chiles bought the team in 1980 and sold it in 1989 to a group of investors that included future President George W. Bush.

In 1998, Dallas businessman Tom Hicks bought the team. In 2010, a group including oilmen Bob Simpson and Ray Davis acquired the team.

The Rangers have made the postseason playoffs eight times, including the World Series in 2010 and in 2011.

Year

Win Loss

%

-1971 played as the Washington Senators

1972

54

100 .351 6th in AL West Division

1973

57

105 .352 6th in division

1974

84

76

.525 2nd in division

1975

79

83

.488 3rd in division

1976

76

86

.469 4th in division

1977

94

68

.580 2nd in division

1978

87

75

.537 2nd in division

1979

83

79

.512 3rd in division

1980

76

85

.472 4th in division

1981

57

48

.543 3rd in division

1982

64

98

.395 6th in division

1983

77

85

.475 3rd in division

1984

69

92

.429 7th in division

1985

62

99

.385 7th in division

1986

87

75

.537 2nd in division

Finish

Year 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Win Loss

%

Finish

75

87

.463 6th in division

70

91

.435 6th in division

83

79

.512 4th in division

83

79

.512 3rd in division

85

77

.525 3rd in division

77

85

.475 4th in division

86

76

.531 2nd in divsion

52

62

.546 1st in division; no postseason due to players' strike

74

70

.514 3rd in division

90

72

.556 1st in division; lost ALDS to New York Yankees 3-1

77

85

.475 3rd in division

88

74

.543 1st in division; lost ALDS to New York Yankees 3-0

95

67

.586 1st in division; lost ALDS to New York Yankees 3-0

71

91

.438 4th in division

73

89

.451 4th in division

72

90

.444 4th in division

71

91

.438 4th in division

89

73

.549 3rd in division

79

83

.488 3rd in division

80

82

.494 3rd in division

75

87

.463 4th in division

79

83

.488 2nd in division

87

75

.537 2nd in division

90

72

.556 1st in division; lost World Series to San Francisco Giants 4-1

96

66

.593 1st in division; lost World Series to St. Louis Cardinals 4-3

93

69

.574 2nd in division; lost wild-card game to Baltimore Orioles 5-1

91

71

.562 2nd in division; lost playoff for wild-card to Tampa Bay 5-2

67

95

.414 5th in division

88

74

.543 1st in division; lost ALDS to Toronto Blue Jays 3-2

95

67

.586 1st in division; lost ALDS to Toronto Blue Jays 3-0

78

84

.481 4th in division

67

95

.414 5th in division

Sources: MLB websites, Dallas Morning News, and other sources.

Opening day at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in 2010. Photo by Red3biggs (CC).

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