What happened today in team history?
1965 – Dana gets the call of a lifetime
Judge Roy Hofheinz names comedian Bill Dana as the Astros first official mascot following the change from the Colt 45s to the Astros. Dana’s most famous sketch was one of him impersonating an astronaut who is not very bright. It would later get changed multiple times over the years before Orbit was introduced in 1990.
What else happened on this day?
1955
In one of their first efforts to speed up games, the MLB introduces a rule that gives pitchers 20-seconds from the time they take their pitching position to pitch the ball
2001
Believe it or not, for the first time, more than 65 umpires meet for a pre-season session of practicing calling balls and strikes.
2012
Due to Frank McCourt’s divorce, he is being forced to sell his stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers. More than 20 bids roll in in a short time from all types of celebrities and businessmen.