A Six-Gun Salute: An Illustrated History of the Houston Colt .45s [Hardcover]

Robert Reed (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1999

This book tells the story of big-league baseball in the Bayou City before the Astrodome, the world's first indoor stadium.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 266 pages
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0884152839
• ISBN-13: 978-0884152835
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,779,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique major league baseball team., July 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Six-Gun Salute: An Illustrated History of the Houston Colt .45s (Hardcover)

This book was thoroughly researched, well written and nicely bound. It should be a cherished asset to anyone, especially a Texan, who likes baseball.

The author probes the efforts of Houston's movers and shakers as they lobby baseball powers,in the mid-50's, for expansion of the major leagues.

When their efforts finally bore fruit, and Colt Stadium was a reality, the very first game, a win over the Cubs, was detailed, down to the last out.

The book continues with highlights and statistics of the Colts' three year existence, accented by individual stories of players and events of interest to baseball fans. Maneuverings of the managers to make the best of the expansion draft roster were exposed. Several stories of baseball "characters" liven up the presention.

Finally, the author wrote a touching requiem for the short lived Colt .45 team and stadium.

It is gratifying that the author finished this book while some of the principals are still alive to savor it. Especially noteworthy is Mr. Craig F. Cullinan, Jr., who is the last survivor of the original advocates of major league baseball in Houston.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When Baseball Came to Houston, May 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Six-Gun Salute: An Illustrated History of the Houston Colt .45s (Hardcover)

Texas coastal heat, tropical humidity and giant mosquitoes; those are my memories of Colt Stadium. But I also remember the excitement of going to a real major league game in Houston. This book brings back all those memories and tells things I never knew about the screwball cast of characters who made up the team and the giant personalities who labored to bring big league baseball to Houston. The Colt .45s included major talent such as Joe Morgan, Rusty Staub, Jim Wynn and Larry Dierker. But they also had "colorful" players such as Richard "Turk" Farrell. A must for any collector of Texana, baseball or Houston history.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1960s expansion baseball for hardcore fans and historians., June 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Six-Gun Salute: An Illustrated History of the Houston Colt .45s (Hardcover)

Find out the story about how Houston, Texas, got into the National League. Stifling heat and giant mosquitoes were the norm for Colt Stadium, a park which made the concept of indoor baseball seem like genius. The Colt .45s weren't as bad as the expansion Mets but they made more history, including tossing two no-hitters and only winning one of them. Read how stars like Joe Morgan, Rusty Staub, Jim Wynn and Larry Dierker made their major league debuts. Read how colorful Richard "Turk" Farrell became the staff ace as well as the staff's ace prankster. Read how Hall-of-Famers like Stan Musial, Warren Spahn, Willie Mays, Lou Brock, Don Drysdale and Juan Marichal responded to the South's first major league city. Want some baseball with a human touch? Relive the story of an infielder who befriended a blind boy and did feats of Ruthian legend for him. Learn about the pitcher who faced his death with remarkable courage. It's all in Robert Reed's book which features highlights from all three Colt .45 seasons as well as never-before-published photos that are true gems (hint: there's even a photo that relates to the Kennedy Assassination!). This book would be a welcome read for any baseball fan, particularly those from Texas who, like me, grew up in Houston and get wrapped up in the history and nostalgia, not to mention the great baseball stories.