Back in 2011, the Astros? 50 season, Bill Brown, the team?s long-time television voice, began writing a book about the franchise?s history.
He actually had been mulling the idea since 2005 when the Astros made their lone World Series appearance. But mulling and writing, as anyone who has ever stared at a keyboard knows, are two different things.
Finally, just before the start of this season, ?Deep in the Heart: Blazing a Trail from Expansion to the World Series,? a 192-page coffee table book chock full of photos, facts and stories about a franchise born as the Colt .45s, hit bookstores around Texas.
With the rebuilding Astros, now members in good standing of the American League West, visiting Rangers Ballpark this weekend, here?s a look at the book:
HA: Might the timing have been better for the release?
BB: ?The best timing for the release of the book would have been 2005. But what?s eight years among friends??
HA: Why did the book take so long to put together?
BB: ?Several editors gave up in the process.? It would have gone faster if I had been out of work.?
HA: Why didn?t the Colt. 45s? fan-friendly female Trigerettes make an impact similar to the Cowboys Cheerleaders?
BB: ?They realized that their role was to serve rather than entertain. They had a keen sense of awareness and understood their foundational presence.?
HA: What?s the greatest misconception people outside of Houston may have about the franchise?
BB: ?That they have not had many top caliber players.?
HA: Which was the best Astros team ever?
BB: ?The 1998 team had all the components of a World Series champ but failed to hit in the playoffs after winning 102 games in the regular season.?
HA: Who might be the greatest character in franchise history?
BB: ??Jose Cruz (outfielder 1975-1987), who played with a style and panache that set him apart, was beloved by the fans.?
HA: Who would be on the Astros Mount Rushmore?
BB: Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Larry Dierker and Nolan Ryan.
HA: ?What is your favorite Astros story?
BB: Bob Aspromonte (1962-1968) was asked by a boy from Arkansas named Bill Bradley to hit a home run for him after Bill had been blinded by lightning and he was waiting for eye surgery in Houston.? Bill made three different requests for home runs over a period of a couple of seasons and Bob (who hit only 51 home runs for Houston) responded with home runs each time ? two were grand slams?Bob told Bill Bradley he was not a home run hitter. ?He refers to the home runs as ?divine intervention??
Click here for more of this week?s Hot Air column.
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