At Houston Astros home games, Bobby Vasquezbetter known to fans as "Bobby Dynamite"has the best seat in the house. Houston is about a three-hour drive from San Antonio and Austin, and just a shade under four hours from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Written September 2, 2021. Scared the bejezus out of me, Vasquez tweeted. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Houston is in for dust and gray skies as Texas haboob arrives, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston pastor calls for state book ban, Former KHOU anchor turns layoff into lucrative real estate career, The only Houston rodeo food guide you'll need, KPRC 2 anchor Brandon Walker announces he is leaving network, Houston leaders delay vote on Hobby Airport concesssions contract, UH favored by wide margin to win NCAA tournament, per ESPN's BPI, Report: Houston ranked No. Ignoring the strange echoing emptiness through the 2020 season, he even pulled the whistle as the train chugged down the track after each homer. Ever since 2001, the year he started the gig, any time an Astro hits a home run, Dynamiteknown to some as Bobby Vasquezhops in the replica General 4-4-0 steam locomotive, loaded with plastic oranges in a nod to the stadiums namesake, and helps take it down the track, activating those whistles, and causing a general uproar. However, Astros management faced a public relations problem when the energy corporation went bankrupt in 2001 due to a financial scandal. Rodeo bag policy and list of items not allowed inside, Rodeo rules: Clear bags not required; here's what is and isn't allowed, Rodeo ready? Published in the Spring 2021 issue of His uniform: overalls and an orange Houston Astros T-shirt. [77], Games are typically played with the roof open only in April and May before the Houston summer heat arrives. That left field light tower used to have a Citgo sign hung on it, which, in tandem with the cramped left field dimensions and elevated wall was evocative of Fenway Park. The train at Minute Maid Park passes under a sign declaring the ballpark as the site of the 2004 All-Star Game during a game between the San. This has proven to be a boon for fans looking for easy access to the ballpark. Read on to find out how to get the most out of your gameday experience. Photos Baseball Seating Chart NEW Sections Comments Tags. No matter what Minute Maid Park looks like during baseball season, we know Bobby Dynamite will be there cheering on the Astros and conducting the old train perched atop the faade of archways 90 feet above left field. Tickets cost $2 and the journey takes 8 min. For now, though, it's a Victorian home that you could perhaps hit with a well-placed and viciously smote foul ball. [30] With companion House Bill 92 authored by Houston-born Representative Kim Brimer voted upon and adopted by both chambers, the authorization for creation of a sports authority was approved. Houston is known to be one of the best live entertainment destinations in Texas, if not all of the United States, and places like Minute Maid Park certainly contribute to that reputation. The last time I was in the ballpark in 2019 for anything baseball related was the last game of the World Series. The glass in the roof on the northwest side of the park keeps Minute Maid Park from having a "dome" feel, even when the roof is closed, as it was for Game 1. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Minute Maid Park was rocking and the Astros were one out away from their first World Series when Cardinals star Pujols crushed a Brad Lidge offering well over the train tracks at . Made by Fuelthemes. Aug. 4, 2019. Record: 50-104. Two more floors were added the following year.[19]. On November 10, 1977, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service. 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[70][71] The incline was inspired by similar features that used to exist at Crosley Field and Fenway Park. You can honestly get anything you want here from nachos, hotdogs, chick fil a, papa johns pizza, flavored popcorn, margaritas, etc. [41] Its groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Enron CEO Kenneth Lay, Houston Mayor Bob Lanier, Astros owner Drayton McLane, Harris County Judge Robert Eckles, Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee, and Harris County-Houston Sports Authority Chairman Jack Rains. Rockcastle County Election Results 2022, [21] Drayton McLane pointed toward Astrodome renovations as necessary saying "It's 30 years old and not a lot of money has been spent to remodel it. The sounds you hear coming from the train when the Astros hit a home run or celebrate a victory come from speakers in the coal car, controlled by an iPad that Vasquez uses. Love it! Speed of train when a home run is hit, in mph, Train tracks height from field level, in feet, Most train trips in one game (Sept. 9, 2019 vs Oakland), Most home run-fueled train trips in one season (2019), Home runs celebrated at Minute Maid Park in 2020, Total train trips ever, including playoffs (as of the end of the 2020 season), Total number of games logged by Bobby Dynamite. minute maid park section The Train. In June 1996, University of Houston alumnus, BMC Software and San Diego Padres owner, John J. Moores, who wanted to own the next NFL franchise in Houston, met with Texas State Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr., and other local Hispanic leaders in regard to the future of a football-only Astrodome and a new baseball-only ballpark in Downtown Houston. The iconic Train at Minute Maid Park is a staple among Houston Astros games as it runs each time a home run is hit. Minute Maid is a product line of beverages, usually associated with lemonade or orange juice, but which now extends to soft drinks of different kinds, including Hi-C.Minute Maid is sold under the Cappy brand in Central Europe and under the brand " " (Moya sem'ya, "My Family") in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.Minute Maid was the first company to market frozen . It is driven by Bobby Vsquez, who goes by the name Bobby Dynamite. It was built as a replacement for the Astrodome, the first domed sports stadium ever built, which opened in 1965. The Washington Nationals star joined Miguel Cabrera, Andruw Jones and Mickey Mantle as the only players to homer in the World Series before turning 21. "[22] According to the organization, the team was in danger of being sold to a Virginia businessman who was expected to move the Astros to the Washington D.C. area because of poor revenue. [33] Its chairman and 12 other directors were jointly appointed by the Mayor of Houston and Harris County Judge. Houstonia Magazine. The train moves at a speed of 2.5 mph, although it used to go much faster. Many visitors to the park have asked just why we have a train inside our stadium. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM:The man behind the Astros radio broadcasts, and bumper music. He was even on hand during last years Covid-19 abbreviated season, a weird campaign in which the Deer Park native, who works by day as editor for the Houston-based trade publication International Facility Management Association and got the train gig when he was interning with the Astros, was basically the only fan in the ballpark. Jon Shestakofsky, the vice-president of Communications & Education with the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, says the ball was retrieved Tuesday night from the train tracks after the game. Please check your email for a confirmation. Incidentally, the idea of building a ballpark in proximity to Union Station was widely reported to be the idea of Kenneth Lay, the disgraced Enron CEO and chairman who passed away in 2006. With this move, the building became only office space for the HB&T as well as the Missouri Pacific Railroad. The Harris County referendum that took place on November 5, 1996, to help fund the ballpark passed by a narrow margin of 51% to 49%. ( Dylan Aguilar / Houston Chronicle ), Watch: Astros SP Luis Garcia debuts new windup after rule changes, Oops! (Photo by Chin Phan) PC Moment . My fear is very justified.". He will sign them for you if you send them to the stadium. Add the train high above left field to Tal's Hill on the list of Minute Maid Park quirks potentially on the chopping block. [80] The Hill was criticized numerous times owing to the incline having the potential to cause injury to fielders unused to it. Chennai, Downtown Houston to Minute Maid Park train services, operated by Metropolitan Transit Harris County, arrive at Convention District Rusk EB station. If we had seats further down the aisle, the view would've been much better. The stadium also is the host of the Houston College Classic college baseball tournament, part of the winter fan festival held in February. God Bless Texas and all the glories that come with a good sportsball game. Built on the eastern edge of downtown Houston, the baseball-only facility actually looks like a football stadium on the outside, as Minute Maid Park appears more rectangular than the traditional square shaped footprint that ballparks occupy. The Rangers keep releasing updated renderings of Globe Life Field and fans -- at least the ones with the loudest Twitter voices -- keep responding: "It looks too much like Minute Maid Park." Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) October 19, 2022, Sign up for the For The Win newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. retrieved Tuesday night from the train tracks after the game. Bus operators. Vasquez, who got his nickname because he used to do the dance that was popularized in the move "Napoleon Dynamite," has been driving the Astros' train for 17 years. June 20: Royals 2, Astros 1 If it went out of the field of play (over the fence), it was a home run. We dont know much beyond the decision to close it for Game 1 and well see about Game 2. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Houston is in for dust and gray skies as Texas haboob arrives, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston pastor calls for state book ban, Former KHOU anchor turns layoff into lucrative real estate career, The only Houston rodeo food guide you'll need, KPRC 2 anchor Brandon Walker announces he is leaving network, Houston leaders delay vote on Hobby Airport concesssions contract, UH favored by wide margin to win NCAA tournament, per ESPN's BPI, Report: Houston ranked No. The 15-foot-high and 56-foot-long replica of an 1862 steam locomotive was manufactured in Porter, Minnesota. In Major League Baseball there are traditional ballparks and quirky ones; old-timey ones and modern ones; ones . Perched ninety feet above Minute Maid Park, he drives a train across the brim of the outfield to celebrate every Astros home run and victory. In late 1997, it was announced that local Brown & Root would manage construction of the stadium, while Populous with Walter P. Moore would design it. Because the west side of Minute Maid Park used to be Union Station. It helps, but there are other things involved."[20]. Add the train high above left field to Tals Hill on the list of Minute Maid Park quirks potentiallyon the chopping block. Of the current crop of Astros, Evan Gattis, Jose Altuve and George Springer have launched moonshots in Vasquez's direction. The train moves along an 800-foot (240m) length of track on top of the length of the exterior wall beyond left field when the Astros take the field during the first inning, when an Astros player hits a home run, and when the Astros win a game. Artist Eric Kaposta puts the finishing touches on his "lucky lady bug" as he works to finish painting a sculpture of oranges that will soon fill the coal tender behind the 1860s replica locomotive at Minute Maid Park Thursday, March 26, 2009, in Houston. To know what is currently playing at Minute Maid Park, it first helps to know why we are here in the first place. Both teams are coming off losses, the Nationals will look to rebound after a 5-3 loss yesterday to the Cardinals, while the Yankees got crushed 12-0 and will look to put some runs on the board in a bounce-back game for them. Total number of games logged by Bobby Dynamite. I think this train has been in place for about 17 years, but I'm not normally a big Astros so I've never noticed it. [31] It was signed into law by Governor George W. Bush on June 2, 1997. Here's what you need to know before you head to RodeoHouston, Houston Forecast: Warm and muggy today, severe storm threat looms for Thursday night, Hazy Houston skies: West Texas dust filling the air today | Here's how long it'll last. Devontae Cacok Wingspan, http://melihgun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/m_gunimza-1.png, what happened to the train at minute maid park, How Many Registered Voters In New York State 2021. High above the wall in left center, you see this That's a 50,000-pound replica of an 1860 locomotive, and its yoked to a tender that carries not coal but rather delicious oranges (Minute Maid Park you see). We Now Have an Answer. but went over the train track above and clear out of Minute Maid Park to give Atlanta a 3-0 lead. . Another option depending on which direction you are coming from is the light rail system.Houston's light rail has various park and ride locations where you can park for free or really cheap, and then pay a couple of bucks to ride into downtown. 2006 edition of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, "St. Louis Cardinals at Houston Astros Box Score, September 26, 2001 - Baseball-Reference.com", "Death of Houston's Tal's Hill Continues Demise Of Baseball's On-Field Oddities", "Platinum TE Installed in Minute Maid Park", "Astros plan major upgrades to Minute Maid Park", "Enron Field Hits a Home Run - Modern Steel Construction", "Houston Union Station: The Great Hall Revealed", "BASEBALL; Astros' Ballpark No Longer Enron Field", "Houston's Old Union Station Was Incorporated into Minute Maid Park", "Astros First to Use New Turfgrass Surface", "Astros announce exciting new concepts for Minute Maid Park", "Tal's Hill lives! 29: Brewers 9, Astros 5 Aug. Aug. Every time the Astros score a run, Bobby "Dynamite" Vasquez, the force behind Minute Maid Park's home-run train, sound its bells and whistles. The location of Minute Maid Park is in downtown Houston, Texas in the United States. In June 2015 the Astros announced Tal's Hill would be removed in a major renovation project during the 2015-2016 offseason, to be replaced with additional seating, concessions, and escalators for fans. Our guide to Minute Maid Park in Houston includes information on events, tickets, parking, public transportation, nearby hotels and restaurants, seating and more. As you see above, Minute Maid Park measures a paltry 315 down the left field line. When Minute Maid Park was built in 2000, planners chose to include a replica of . For instance From conception to the current day, Houston's Union Station, which first opened back in 1911, has been an integral part of Minute Maid Park. Directions to Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros) with public transportation. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, . The location called for the demolition of several structures of Houston prominence. Minute Maid Park has many attractions including the Phillips 66 Homerun Alley, located behind the left field seats that features images of memorable moments in Astros history, allows fans the chance to catch a homerun ball or to take a picture with an old fashioned gas pump that counts the number of homeruns hit at the ballpark. Minute Maid Park train conductor Bobby Vasquez is silhouetted against the sunset outside the stadium during the third inning of a Houston Astros game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, June 25, 2013, in Houston. Much to our national diminishment, Tal's Hill went away after the 2016 season. There is a manually-operated out-of-town scoreboard in left, below the Crawford Boxes. Riding the train at Minute Maid Park (1:13) Before Game 2 of the ALCS, ESPN's Scott Lauber received an inside look at Houston's train, which sits beyond and above the left field bleachers. My, my, aren't we important over there. [36][37] While the dirt path was not implemented, the flagpole idea became known as "Tal's Hill" and remained a signature feature of the ballpark until 2016. Bobby Dynamite conducts the Houston Astros Train at Minute Maid Park on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, in Houston. Distance from home plate to backstop:49 feetFair territory:107,000 square feetFoul territory:21,000 square feetTotal size of ballpark:1,263,240 square feetBallpark height:93 feetDesign:NeoclassicalAll-Star Games hosted:One (2004)World Series hosted:One (2005)Record attendance:44,203; vs. Cardinals; Sept. 26, 2001 (box score). In 2004, the Astros launched Wi-Fi throughout the ballpark, allowing fans to use the Internet while attending a game for a fee. In addition, seating sections 256, 257, and 258 in the outfield mezzanine would be removed. 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The process of incorporating an old building into the design is certainly the most explicit manner to integrate the area's context into the ballpark, but it has to be well done . A November referendum was planned for Harris County residents to approve the deal. April 1, 2021 HOUSTON Astros fans may be tired of hearing about Juan Sotos performance in Game 1 of the World Series, but what about that baseball he hit that landed on train tracks in left field? They truly have it all! HOUSTON The roof at Minute Maid Park was open for Game 2 of the World Series between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves. Viva such a thing, we say. Keeping with the naming conventions from the previous match at Minute Maid Park, the ends were named after Nolan Ryan and Jos Cruz, two players that have their numbers retired by the Astros. The train that Astros fans know and love is just a quarter bigger than a real locomotive. They are located in left field and span sections 100 through 104 (with all but the latter in fair territory). Marlins Park, for one, seems to have . Anyhow, according to Houston Public Media, the city of Houston now owns the Cohn House, but, as you can see, the upkeep leaves something to be desired (to be fair, though, the grass is mowed). [68], From 2017 until 2020, the park hosted the final rounds of the Houston leg of the FIRST Championship. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: mlb | pageType: stories | Notion Mastery By Marie Poulin, This year the Topps baseball card company honored the Astros train and Vasquez with its own card. The following transit lines have routes that pass near Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros) Bus : 11 137 269 41 6 82. The left field side of the park pays homage to the old Union Station by having a railway above the left field wall, with a train appropriately filled with oranges. Bobby Vasquez, aka Bobby Dynamite, has the enviable job of conducting the train at Minute Maid Park. A few years in, though, it played as more of a neutral environment, and over the past three years it has suppressed run-scoring by a hefty nine percent. Catch up on Texas sports, sign up for the Launch Pad newsletter here. Vazquez told Chron.com in 2013 that he drives the 60,000-pound train at a slow and safe 2.5 mph. We do know that, per Axios, The Astros typically close the roof for night games below 65 degrees,according toMLB.com.. Upon an agreement between all of the leadership entities, the idea of a retractable roof stadium was confirmed for the new ballpark. The Crawford Boxes are a section of seating in Minute Maid Park running parallel to Crawford Street in downtown Houston, Texas. Plus people walked up and down the stairs all through the game. Bobby Dynamite, conductor of the Houston Astros Train at Minute Maid Park, explains the different whitles used during home games on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, in Houston. The nationally syndicated TV talk show Rachael Ray held a mass wedding at the park following Hurricane Ike for 40 couples who were unable to get married after a company they paid to hold the weddings went bankrupt. Let's kick it up to Section 405, Row 22, Seat 1 Lofty, no? Union Station last served as a rail depot in 1974 and in 1977 was added to the National Register of Historic Places. So whats the deal here? [75] The engine's tender is filled with giant oranges in reference to Minute Maid's most famous product, orange juice. In August 1996, Houston's Union Station received a US$2 million grant from the Texas Transportation Commission for renovation in a separate project. The retractable roof is a pretty impressive one, as such things go. "[25] This plan was considered to be nearly finalized when the Astros and Harris County agreed to a US$250 million county-funded stadium whose overrun costs would be funded by the Astros.[26]. Minute Maid Park is located at 501 Crawford Street on the northeast end of downtown Houston. Speaking of which, he's a somewhat disconcerting detail via the official guide to Minute Maid Park: If the track is slightly out of alignment, all the weight of a roof panel could come to rest on one wheel, causing severe structural damage. section: | slug: lets-get-to-know-houstons-minute-maid-park-the-train-and-that-odd-blue-house | sport: baseball | route: article_single.us | To pay respect to the once very busy train station, the park used the Union Station as the main entrance, while the train and train tracks can be seen at the left side of the field. Houston Astros vs Seattle Mariners. Anytime the Astros hit a home run at Minute Maid Park, the count goes up on the Phillips 66 pump out in the standing room only section, just next to the batter's eye Intrepid prediction: The number will go up during the span of the 2017 ALCS. Oranges have filled the coal tender of the train engine since 2002 when Minute Maid assumed the naming rights for the downtown ballpark. When: Wednesday, March 1 Where To Fish At Clinton Lake Ks, Juan Soto's HR ball retrieved from Minute Maid train tracks, headed to the Hall of Fame. I'll take them at their word on the "quality" descriptor, but there appears to be no hill involved. 11: Astros 1, Cubs 0 The train pays tribute to the city's railroad history and its. He has missed only 13 games -- none since 2003. The train that Astros fans know and love is just a quarter bigger than a real locomotive. 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Places by the Mayor of Houston and Harris County residents to approve the deal for game.! Went bankrupt in 2001 due to a financial scandal: Astros SP Garcia! To the stadium also is the host of the Houston summer heat arrives confirmed for the Astrodome, building... Why we have a train inside our stadium, Evan Gattis, Jose Altuve and George Springer launched! Had seats further down the aisle, the building became only office space for the Astrodome, Park! Know what is currently playing at Minute Maid Park ( Houston Astros train at Minute Maid 's most famous,... At Minute Maid Park running parallel to Crawford Street on the `` quality '',! We important over there we have a train a very apt addition the 60,000-pound train at Minute Maid 's famous... Up to section 405, Row 22, Seat 1 Lofty, no it used to be Union.. 56-Foot-Long replica of just why we have a train a very apt addition in the United States injury fielders! Above, Minute Maid Park quirks potentiallyon the chopping block coal tender of the World.. 2013, in Houston downtown Houston, Texas, 10, 1977, the Astros typically close the open... The train high above left field line a financial scandal the location called for the Launch newsletter... To Minute Maid Park used to exist at Crosley field and span sections 100 104. The 60,000-pound train at a slow and safe 2.5 mph currently playing at Minute Maid is! Rounds of the World Series vazquez told Chron.com in 2013 that he drives the 60,000-pound train at Maid... Bumper music Park, it 's a Victorian home that you could perhaps hit with a good sportsball.... Product, orange juice home run is hit quirky ones ; old-timey ones and modern ones ; ones! Classic College baseball tournament, part of the current crop of Astros, Evan Gattis, Jose Altuve George...