1962 Houston Colt .45s season
| 1962 Houston Colt .45s | |
|---|---|
| League | National League |
| Ballpark | Colt Stadium |
| City | Houston, Texas |
| Record | 64–96 (.400) |
| League place | 8th |
| Owners | Craig F. Cullinan Jr., Roy Hofheinz |
| General managers | Paul Richards |
| Managers | Harry Craft |
| Television | KTRK (Al Helfer, Gene Elston, Guy Savage) |
| Radio | KPRC (AM) (Al Helfer, Gene Elston, Loel Passe) |
The 1962 Houston Colt .45s season was the inaugural season for the expansion team in Major League Baseball (MLB) located in Houston, Texas, which competed as a member of the National League (NL), and were based at Colt Stadium.
The first manager named for the Colt .45s was Harry Craft, having previously guided the Triple-A Houston Buffaloes in the same post through the 1961 season. Established along with the New York Mets, the Colt .45s formed their major league roster through the 1961 expansion draft, and their first pick was shortstop Ed Bressoud.
The first game in franchise history took place on April 10, 1962, at Colt Stadium against the Chicago Cubs, which Houston won, 11–2. Opening Day starting pitcher Bobby Shantz threw the first pitch in club history, while Bob Aspromonte took the first at bat. Shantz tossed a complete game and Román Mejías connected for two home runs. This was the first MLB game played in the state of Texas.
Pitcher Turk Farrell represented the Colt .45s for both MLB All-Star Games that year, his second and third career selections.
The Colt .45s concluded the season with a 64–96–2 record, in eighth place among 10 NL clubs, and 36+1⁄2 games behind the league champion San Francisco Giants.
Shantz, traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on May 7, also won a Gold Glove Award following the season, the sixth of eight total in his career.