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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, March 27, 2025, marks the beginning of the Houston |
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Astros' 64th season, providing a fitting opportunity to honor the |
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illustrious history of the franchise as the team takes on the New |
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York Mets at the newly renamed Daikin Park in Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, The Astros owe their Lone Star locale to George |
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Kirksey, a sportswriter and public relations executive who began |
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the effort to bring Major League Baseball to the area in the 1950s; |
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he and businessman Craig Cullinan established the Houston Sports |
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Association, and he was further assisted by R. E. "Bob" Smith and |
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former Houston Mayor Roy Hofheinz in pursuing a major league team; |
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the Bayou City was awarded a franchise in 1960, and the squad |
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originally known as the Colt .45s made its debut on April 10, 1962; |
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that year, ground broke on an innovative domed stadium designed by |
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Buckminster Fuller; named in honor of the city's ties to the space |
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program, the Astrodome introduced artificial turf and luxury boxes |
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to professional baseball, and it hosted the 1968 and 1986 All-Star |
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games as well as many other high-profile events; starting in 2025, |
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Daikin Park has replaced the name of Minute Maid Park; and |
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WHEREAS, The Astros have marked many important milestones |
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over the decades; from 1997 to 1999, the club secured consecutive |
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division championships, and in all, Houston has made 18 playoff and |
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5 World Series appearances; in 2017, the team closed out a historic |
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campaign with a victory in the Fall Classic, defeating the Los |
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Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 7 to collect the franchise's inaugural |
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World Series title; the Astros won their second championship in |
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2022, besting Philadelphia in six games to cap a dominant |
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postseason run; among the legendary players who have worn an Astros |
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uniform are National Baseball Hall of Famers Nolan Ryan, Jeff |
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Bagwell, and Craig Biggio; other franchise fixtures include |
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All-Stars Jose Cruz, Cesar Cedeno, Jose Altuve, Lance Berkman, Roy |
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Oswalt, Larry Dierker, Mike Scott, and Bob Watson; and |
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WHEREAS, The Houston Astros have made significant |
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contributions to the Lone Star State's proud legacy of athletic |
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excellence, and it is a pleasure to join in recognizing the |
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organization as it begins its 2025 campaign; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the Houston Astros' 2025 opening day |
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game and extend to the franchise sincere best wishes for continued |
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success during this season and beyond; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |