1967 Houston Astros season

Offseason

• October 19, 1966: Bob Lillis was released by the Astros.
• November 28, 1966: Bo Belinsky was drafted by the Astros from the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1966 rule 5 draft.
• December 31, 1966: Dave Nicholson and Bob Bruce were traded by the Astros to the Atlanta Braves for Eddie Mathews, Arnold Umbach and a player to be named later. The Braves completed the deal by sending Sandy Alomar Sr. to the Astros on February 25, 1967.
• January 4, 1967: Lee Maye and Ken Retzer were traded by the Astros to the Cleveland Indians for Jim Landis, Jim Weaver, and Doc Edwards.
• March 24, 1967: Sandy Alomar Sr. was traded by the Astros to the New York Mets for Derrell Griffith.

Regular season

Summary

April—May

On Opening Day, April 11, Houston were triumphant over the Atlanta Braves, 6–1. Clete Boyer homered off Astros Opening Day starter Mike Cuellar in the top of the seventh, which broke a scoreless tie. During the bottom of the seventh, newcomer and former Brave, Eddie Mathews, greeted his old club with a run batted in (RBI) triple that scored Bob Aspromonte to tie the score, 1–1. The Astros tallied five more during the frame, including Cuellar's RBI single to plate batterymate John Bateman. Cuellar earned the complete game victory, yielding five hits with no base on balls and seven strikeouts. Houston earned just their second Opening Day victory since franchise inauguration day, 1962.

Tensions arose during the May 18 contest versus the San Francisco Giants. A riot nearly ensued in the first inning when the Astros' Jimmy Wynn connected for a home run that struck the foul pole. Giants manager Herman Franks and umpire Shag Crawford nearly were in agreement that the ball traveled foul. However, tensions escalated again when Ollie Brown was ejected for something that he had not said. After the fracas that transpired, the Astros emerged with the win, 6–2.

With winds blowing out at Wrigley Field on May 26, Houston won over the Chicago Cubs, 7–4. The Astros' Wynn, Rusty Staub, Joe Morgan, and Ron Davis each connected for home runs. At one point, in spite of being hit by a pitch, the Astros' John Bateman was permitted to remain in the batter's box and keep trying for a home run of his own.

Early June

Led by Bob Aspromonte on June 7, the Astros' 17–1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals accounted for a new record for largest margin of victory in franchise history. Aspromonte had a 5-hit day, while catcher Ron Brand collected four. This record maintained until 2019.

Rookie right-hander Don Wilson struck out 13 Giants on June 14 to lead a 7–4 complete game victory. He scattered eight hits while surrendering just one earned run. This also was the first outing of Wilson's career in which he reached double-figures in strikeouts. In just his next start, Wilson would establish another new personal-best.

On June 15, 1967, Wynn hit three solo home runs against San Francisco to lead to a 6–2 win. This was the first three-home run game by an Astros hitter in franchise history. This achievement was also not repeated at the Astrodome until 1994. Moments before the trade deadline on June 15, the Astros sent Claude Raymond to the Atlanta Braves for Wade Blasingame. The following day, Raymond earned the save in the Braves' 9–8 win over the Astros.

On June 17, Mathews swatted a walk-off home run leading off the ninth inning against the Braves to seal a 4–3 Astros triumph. Going into the ninth, Houston's Dave Giusti took a shutout bid with a 3–0 lead. However, Woody Woodward singled in Denis Menke and Mike de la Hoz belted a game-tying home run. Wade Blasingame (2–0) retired Tito Francona on a lineout to end the rally just before Mathews connected for his fifth home run of the season.

Don Wilson's no-hitter

Don Wilson no-hit the Atlanta Braves on June 18 to spearhead a 2–0 win. He fanned Hank Aaron for the final out of this masterpiece. The third no-hitter in franchise history, it was the first Astros' no hitter to end as a shutout, and the first pitched at The Astrodome. It was also the first of two no-hitters that Wilson pitched for Houston, the first Astro to accomplish this feat.

Wilson retired 7 of the first 14 hitters via strikeout. Opposite Wilson was the 28-year-old Phil Niekro, who was making his third career start, and coming off a two-hit shutout of the Philadelphia Phillies. Niekro had been a relief pitcher since his debut in 1964. Though the Astros collected two hits off Niekro in the first inning, he closed out the frame without blemish. Houston scored twice in the bottom of the fourth when Jim Wynn doubled home Sonny Jackson for his 48th RBI. The run broke a scoreless innings streak that Niekro had fabricated. Staub followed by singling in Wynn to stake Houston to a 2–0 lead.

Wilson's perfect game bid expired during the top of the fifth inning when he issued a two-out base on balls to Denis Menke. With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Aspromonte collared the defensive gem of the contest. Felipe Alou smashed a rocket to Aspromonte's left, which he speared, and shifted to his knees to deliver a perfect strike to Mathews at first base. Joseph Heiling of the Houston Post delineated Aspromonte's reflex as “sprawled out on his stomach like a camper who has tripped on a log.”

During the top of the seventh, Wilson issued a one-out walk to Hank Aaron on a full count. Wilson then whiffed Mack Jones and induced a fly ball out to center field from Mike de la Hoz. Wilson then struck out the side outfitted with three consecutive pinch hitters in the eighth inning.

Wilson, who fanned Aaron swinging on a full-count during the top of the ninth to end the contest, registered 15 strikeouts to tie Cuellar's club record set nearly one year prior on June 25, 1966. This wiped out his career-high of 13 set in just his prior start against San Francisco. It was the first of three performances of 15 or more strikeouts by Wilson during his career.

Rest of June

On June 19, Julio Gotay authored a 5-for-5 day, including delivering the game-tying RBI to send the contest into extra innings. However, the St. Louis Cardinals prevailed, 5–4, in 11 innings. Gotay had replaced Joe Morgan on the roster while he was on military leave.

From June 30 to July 21, Staub recorded the first-ever hitting streak of 20 games in franchise history, also his best period of hitting on the season, represented with a .423 batting average and 10 doubles. Staub's hitting streak broke the club record set during the inaugural season of 1962 when Román Mejías hit in 16 consecutively from May 25–June 10 of that year, and remained as the record stood until June 22, 1973, when Lee May collected a hit in 21 straight contests.

During the month of June, Jimmy Wynn clubbed 11 home runs and 29 runs batted in.

Early July

On July 8, Eddie Mathews hit the 499th home run of his career, and Wynn added a home run to lead a 3–1 victory over the Cubs. Both of the blasts were in the sixth inning off Cubs right-hander Ray Culp. The Astros followed up that effort with a 6–0 shutout, which sealed a four-game sweep of Chicago prior to the All-Star break. The Astros ended their first half with a record of .

MLB All-Star Game

For the first time, three Astros were selected to represent the team at the MLB All-Star Game, hosted at Anaheim Stadium. The three were pitcher Mike Cuellar, and outfielders Jimmy Wynn and Rusty Staub. Moreover, Wynn and Staub became the first two Astros players to log base hits in an All-Star Game. Wynn's safety preceded Staub's, as both were called on to pinch hit in the pitcher's spot in the lineup. Wynn was substituted in for Bob Gibson, and led off the top of the ninth with a single off Al Downing. In the top of the 11th, Staub banged a single in place of Chris Short off Catfish Hunter.

Eddie Mathews' 500th home run

Batting fifth in the order on July 14, Eddie Mathews connected for his 500th career home run. The historic drive was a three-run home run in the sixth inning at Candlestick Park off fellow future Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, leading an 8–6 victory over San Francisco. Staub and Wynn singled ahead of Mathews for the runners that he'd drive in. Later in the sixth inning, Houston starting pitcher Dave Giusti added a triple to drive in Norm Miller. Staub was 3-for-4 with two runs scored that game and Wynn scored three times. Mathews became the first player to reach the milestone in the Houston Astros uniform, and seventh major leaguer all-time, preceded by Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Mel Ott, Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams. The first 493 home runs of Mathews' illustrious career arrived during his first 15 seasons as a member of the Boston / Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves organization.

The most recent entrant into the illustrious club had been Mickey Mantle—exactly two months earlier, on May 14, 1967. Mathews' former teammate with the Braves, Hank Aaron, became the next to join the 500 home run club, on Mathews' one-year anniversary, July 14, 1968.

Marichal became the first—and remained the only—future Hall of Fame moundsman to have surrendered a milestone 500th home run (through 2025).

Later July

Jim Wynn clubbed two home runs 0n July 23 during the opener of a doublehaader versus the Pittsburgh Pirates, which the two clubs split. One home run was a monstrous three-run blast that landed on the Little League diamond located at the back of Forbes Field. The Triple Crown leaders at the end of the day resided in Houston: Wynn (25 home runs, 75 RBI), and Staub (.358 batting average). However, as a team, the Astros occupied last place.

On July 24, Mike Cuellar established the Astros' franchise record with a 101 game score against Philadelphia, eclipsing Turk Farrell's masterpiece of 99 on April 12, 1963, and his own personal best of 97 on July 1, 1966. Decided via walk-off with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning, Cuellar (10–6) went the distance while scoring the winning run on Jimmy Wynn's single with two outs off Dick Hall in Houston's 2–1 triumph. Cuellar struck out 12 Phillies while surrendering just two hits and two walks. Philadelphia tallied their only run during the ninth when Mathews' throwing error allowed Tony Taylor to scurry home for an unearned run. However, it was Mathews' sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh that opened the scoring for Houston.

During the month of July, Wynn socked another 9 home runs.

August—September

To give Mathews the opportunity to conclude the season with a contender, on August 17, Astros general manager Spec Richardson traded him to the Detroit Tigers, who wound up second in that year's American League (AL) pennant chase.

Wynn drilled his 30th home run on August 23, becoming the first Astros hitter to reach the milestone in a single campaign. He took a Clay Carroll offering deep but Atlanta proved too much, defeating Houston, 9–3. Wynn remained the lone Astros player to actualize the feat until Glenn Davis in 1986.

On September 9, at Dodger Stadium , Wynn reached another new frontier with 100 RBI, with a home runs versus Claude Osteen

During the penultimate contest of the season on September 30, rookie Bob Watson walloped his first major league home, a two-run blast off Jim Shellenback. This was a clutch drive, game-tying in an eventual 4–3 Houston triumph.

Performance overview

Wynn established club records with 37 home runs and 107 runs batted in (RBI). Additionally, Staub was recognized as the Astros' team Most Valuable Player (MVP), also the first player to be recognized both in consecutive years and more than once.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

• April 28, 1967: Bob Lillis was signed as a free agent by the Astros.
• June 6, 1967: John Mayberry was drafted by the Astros in the 1st round (6th pick) of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft.
• June 15, 1967: Claude Raymond was traded by the Astros to the Atlanta Braves for Wade Blasingame.
• July 20, 1967: Gary Kroll was purchased from the Astros by the Cleveland Indians.
• August 7, 1967: Jim Weaver was traded by the Astros to the California Angels for a player to be named later. The Angels completed the deal by sending Héctor Torres to the Astros on November 21.
• August 17, 167: Traded Eddie Mathews to the Detroit Tigers for players to be named later. The Tigers sent right-handed pitcher Fred Gladding on November 22, 1967, and right-handed pitcher Leo Marentette on December 10, 1969, to complete the trade.

Roster

Game log

Regular season

Detailed records

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Awards and achievements

;Career achievements

• 500 home runs: Eddie Mathews—July 14, 1967

;Pitching achievements

• No-hit game: Don Wilson—June 18, 1967

;Awards

• Houston Astros Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award: Rusty Staub
• MLB All-Star Game:
  • Reserve outfielder—Jimmy Wynn
  • Reserve outfielder—Rusty Staub
  • Reserve pitcher—Mike Cuellar
• The Sporting News NL All-Star—Outfielder: Jimmy Wynn

;NL batting leaders

• Doubles: Rusty Staub (44—led MLB)
• Strikeouts: Jimmy Wynn (137)

Minor league system

;Awards

• Texas League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP): Nate Colbert, 1B

References

;Footnotes

;Sources

References

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