The Texas Houston Astros don’t boast centuries of history or long racks of trophies. However, it is the current champion of the National League and, therefore, stands out from the crowd for that reason alone. Since his debut in 1990, the team’s mascot, Orbit, has won over fans with his antics and shenanigans. In the Astros’ history, fourteen different players have taken home Gold Glove Awards. Craig Biggio, who was a member from 1988 to 2007, holds the record for the most hits, runs, and games played on the franchise.
Meaning and History
Like the rest of the MLB, the Houston team was born under a different name. In 1962, it was called Houston Colt.45s – after the iconic weapon of the Texas Rangers and cowboys, a revolver that is a symbol of the Wild West. They didn’t think about this in 1965. Just then, Houston became the center of NASA’s space program, and space fever began in the city. Everything was stellar: the club’s first-ever indoor stadium was named the Astrodome, and the club itself was renamed the Astros. Of course, the players of such a club automatically became “stars”. It cannot be said that the name change was beneficial: the very first title in its history was won only 15 years later, in 1980. They repeated the success in 1986, and four more times, when they finished first in the central division, where they were promoted in 1994. In 2000, Houston baseball players moved to Enron Field (now better known as Minute Maid Park).
What is Houston Astros?
The Houston Astros is an American professional baseball team based in Houston that has won multiple World Series baseball titles, namely in 2017 and 2022.
1962 – 1964
The logo of the team is a literal reflection of their name. The location of the team, which was reflected in its name, is printed in dark blue bold font with serifs using all uppercase characters. The blue color appears in other elements of the logo, the main one being a blue and white revolver pointing left. It is placed between two lines that say “Colt .45s”. The latter is done in cheerful, vibrant orange that has never appeared in sports logos before. The orange characters were outlined with blue, which gave some depth to the inscription.
1965 – 1974
This logo not only reflects the new name of the team but also the inspiration behind it. Their new indoor stadium is featured in the upper half with the name arching at the bottom. The astronomical feel is created with curved lines coming out of the top of the stadium. The orange color is not gone. It is used as a round base and injects a lot of energy into the overall image.
1975 – 1993
The logo was slightly redone ten years later. The main change was the introduction of a new font for the name. it was significantly bolder and darker, featuring sharp angles and pointed tops. This made the team appear stronger and more daring. The stadium also got a bit darker, so it would not get lost. The lively orange background is no longer pulling the attention away from the main logo elements.
1994
This logo appeared because the team had changed its name once again. It was not used for a very long time but served as a perfect base for the following version. The orange base was replaced by a rectangle with an arched top and triple-line border that brought all the colors together. The first half of the name was printed using a sans-serif, italicized font of a white color. The word “Astros” ran across the top and featured the same font. At the same time, the designers gave it a golden color and used white as a thin outline. Its larger size as well as the color reflect the astronautical nature of the name. A star in the upper right corner further strengthens an image of an astonishing team.
1995 – 1999
As the designers had more time, the logo was improved. The dark blue background is gone and the blue is now used for the inscription. The latter stayed otherwise unchanged and only the first word got slightly smaller and moved closer to the second line. The overall image is lighter and more cohesive. The inscription was decorated with a golden star, which reminded of the earlier version.
2000 – 2012
This version has a completely new feel thanks to the introduction of a terracotta color as well as a new cursive font. The inscription is done in a rich black with a thin golden and terracotta outline. An elegant line running under the name gave the logo an even more sophisticated appearance. The star crowned the logo. It was done in the same color palette as the name, but the terracotta was the main color here.
2013 – Today
The blue, orange, and white color palette has returned. It was surely the right move as the team was closely associated with it. The designers also brought back the round logo shape and preserved the well-recognized star. The latter featured a voluminous shape and vivid orange color and placed right in the center. A large, white “H” was placed in front of it. It symbolized the “Houston” portion of the name, while the star could stand for “Astros”. The full name, though, was printed around the border in white, serif font. This version looks modern and stylish, while the color palette creates a rich and impressive image.
Font and Color
The team’s official colors are orange and dark blue. They are the first US baseball team to use orange as their primary color. These two colors are featured on jerseys, logos, and overall branding, showcasing the spirit and identity of the franchise.
The designers always went for bold font options that reflected the courage, speed, and endurance of the team. In the 1965 version, for instance, the serifs created a feeling of movement as if the name was spinning around the stadium. The latest logo features a sophisticated, yet simple, serif font with clean lines, straight cut, and some corners being cut at a diagonal for a more geometric feel.
