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We Salute The Spectacular

DOMED STADIUM
A TRIB UTE TO THE CITIZENS OF HARRIS COUNTY

6COMPLETE

SEARS STORES
JOIN IN CONGRATULATING
THE NEWEST WONDER
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and TO THE

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SllOP TUESDAY. WEDNElSDAY, SATURDAY 9:30-6

:rH& .HOUSTON .CHIOHICLE

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~~5~paeb<\l~logo

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TuleYs

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lets

lor sets fit flus

~.

" 23" console in contemporary swivel cabinet of~

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a month . . . . . .. . ................... 629.95

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ton metal cabinet. Features a full 282 sq. in . of
perfectly reg is tered, color pictures. Easily ope rated
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509.95

SHOP TONIGHT TILL 9 .

THE l!OUSTON CHRONICLE

"23" color consolette beautifully housed In sl immer- than-ever Early American cabinet of
maple veneers over selected hardwoods. Full 282 square inches of viewing area g ives o
bigger, more noturol color picture. No down payment, 20.00 o month .... . .... 599.95
TELEVI SION (71 " )-Downtown, 9th floor; Shorpstown; Posodtno

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PLAN

lo1eboll,.,_Pa91 1 .

Al Spangler

Jim Wynn

Rusly Staub

Asfros Goal:

Mike While

Win 15

as impressive al bat The Aslrns are count~

ing on Jimmy being 1heir regular cenler
fielder for many yrars to l'Ome. He is fast
a nd has a good arm.
S1aub coold provide lhc club with some
much needed p1..nch. Last season this 6-.J
bonus redhead was oplioned out to Oklahoma
City or !he Pacific Coast League. The ex
pericnce did him worlds of good. He hit
.31 4 and belled 20 home runs.
Joe Gaines. "ho swings ;1 good bat and
can run. showrd improvement afield this
sprin~ and he and htTle )like White, "'lO

tight.
Same Old Slurv

" Ifs the ~1ml! old storv ~i1h our rlub."

H:irris admits. "Good pitChing ;md dctcnse
and !'horl on punch. We're going In h;1ve to

Bob Aspromonle

Eddie Kasko

Pictures. Ruslt r on Page I!

try to find ways 10 score rnme runs.

To lry to achieve this. l-larris saw 1h:.11

_ _....-... ,.,.
LUMAN RABRIS ... d<p<nd on youngslers
club in hilling wilh .280. He smacked 12
homers and drove in 69 runs.
" My goal this year is to improve in Pvery

department," say! Aspromonte, who had a

fine spring.
Harris recognized Kasko "s leadership by
naming him the team captain. Two weeks
before lhe start of the season. Kasko suffered a fractured big 100 on his left foot
when struck by a foul ball.
we don 't know how long ii will be before Eddie can play," says Harris.
In the meanlime, Bob Lillis. the handyman, is available for the ~pot. Lillis can play
all positions on the infield as " ell as catch.
Long Ball llilttr
Bond. 6-6. makes a great target .1t first
bci<=e. He's no butcher with the glove. but his
~itrong suit is the long ball. He~ a threat 10
l11l the bal lout or sight every time he ~teps
lo 1hc plalc.
Las1 sea~on big Walt. v.ho is called the
Bomber. hit 20 hom{'rs and drove in R5 runs.
Jl;ims experimented in the ~p rin~ \\Ith
Jun Beauchamp. rormer ra rdi~J 'A ho un
tkrwent shoulder surgery, at first hase and
ldt field. Jn thP part '"~ ...t'asons he hil 65
h'1me runs in the minors. Harris would like
to take ad\'antage or his power. but lieauchamp's defensi\'e ability Y.as a bit disappoint
ing in spring games.
Al Spangler. a good defensive performer.
will be in left field for the fourlh lraight
season. Hampered by injuries that began
in spring training when he suHered a broken
wrist, Spangler had his worst season in rive

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Paga l-lcnebolt

More Games
Wynn Sparkles in Cc-nter

lasl year were c:enterrield. catching

The handsome third baseman also led the

Bob Lillis

Wr nn has been a revelalion in centerfield

are going to have lo improve The weak

(ill.

Wah<r Bond

this spring. He has lhe confidence that

comes ~ ith exp<>rience ;ind has been just

and offense.
The pitthing is just about :i~ J?ood ;1s
you'll find anywhere and the i nJ1 ~ ld i!i

all his playPrs had more balling. bunttng

and base runninj? praclice than !hey ever
had before in i;:pring training.
.. I lhink we'll be better." Luman admits.
" How mueh. I don't know. A grPal deal will
depend on our yOU11g player< like Joe Morgan. Ron Brand. Rusly Sl;rnb and Jim
Wynn."
Morgan is a ~7 speed demon who was
voted the most valuable player in the Texas
League last year where he balled .32.1 and
slole 47 bases. He is expected lo keep Nellie
Fox relegaled lo the role or coach.
Pirate Drahtt
Brnnd. 25. is a $25,000 draftee from !he
P111sburgh organization.
\V\ nn and Staub have been with the club
off ;nd on for the past two seasons. Harris
believes they're ready to stay this time.
Wvnn "ill be in centerfield and Staub in
right.
Morgan looks like lhe real l~ing ; Harris admits. " He's a little fellow but he
packs power. He didn't hit for rr.uch or an
average this spring. but he hit a lot of balls
real good but right al somebody. I lhink
h111 hil okay. I 1old him lo forge! about
hilling until April 12 10pening Day L He has
made some gmat plays in the field.
lf )Jorgan continues to play like he has.
W<' should have an cxcelicnt inrield. Bob
/l...promonte at 1hird and Eddie Kasko at
shorr rale wilh the best in the league.
\\'altrr Bond at first base Jed our club
in home runs and runs-baited-in." S(IYS Harris.
Top!ii in 1964
List year Asprcmonte and Kasko were
tops at their respective positions in the Na11onal League. Aspromonte set a league
mark for fewest errors by a third baseman

Jim Beauchamp

year.1 In lhe Nalional Leag,... He balled

only .2i>.

BY nICK PEEBLES
Exe<'uti\e Sport.. Edilor

\\'hrn Luman Harris mo, 1cd up from third

b.1~ co;l<'h lo managl'r of the Housto11
Aslros hr said hi! goal for 1965 wa' to have
the team wm 15 more games th:m it did in
1964.
If lhc Aslros. lhcn lhc Coll .4'5. had won
15 more ganH'S las t searnn the~ unuM ha\e
rinished with :in 81-81 record. J!ood enough
for s1x1 h plare.
Naturally. to pl:>y .500 hall 1he A!'tros
~-pols

Joe Gaines

Thurs<ley, April -8, t96S '

can also ply lhe infield, will be the spare

ouUiclders.
Brand, >-8 and 170 pounds, is the lirst
string catcher. A pepper-pot, Brand is a
good receiver, has an adequate arm and
gets his share of base hits.

Learned Strike 7.une

Big John Baleman repcrled over-weight

and hes still carrying exrcss ~uet around

wilh him. But he has a lot ol pcwer at the
plate and this spring 1t looked like he knows
lhe strike zone a lot belier than last year.
" As rar as our pitching is concerned,
wt have virtually the cast cast. says Har
ris. " It was good last year but it could
be better because of our improved defense."
Bob Bruce (l(;-9), Ken Johnson ( ll-16).
Dick Farrell 111-10) and Don Notlebart
(S-11) a re known as lhe ' Big Four." Don
Larsen 14-9) will be used a< a spot starter.
Hal Woodeshick, .Jim Owens and Claude
Raymond make up 1h ebullpen staff.
Larry Dierker and Oanm Coombs are a
couple ol first year men and lhey 'll be carried on the club 10 protect them from the
draft. But Harris has 110 inhnlion or .lllOW
ing them to sit around and get fail. He's
going to pitch them at 1\'trv opportunity.
They showed enough this snrmg to indicate
they can help. Diertter, 18, J'i a righthander .
Coombs. 23. is a lefty.
Nr. Quick Der:..,ion
Tl's between rii!hlh:irwlcr IJ::\C Ciu'ili and
southpaw Ken MarKcnw (or the nlher
place on the mound rtarr llarri c; doesnt
have to make that d ec'.'\;11111 until 30 days
arter !he start or 1hr sra..,0:1 and he'll cross
the bridge when he com{'!' h1 ii.
Harris believes lhe fabulcus Domed Stadium will help his club
"First. it will attrart morr customers.
and playing before laq.!er anwds. l believe
will ~ive the playeri;: mf'rr or an incentive.
J believe, too. that lh<" oarJ.. is more ravor~
able to a defensive dub. lhe kind we are
trying to have."

Larry Dierker

Joe Moren

Roa Brand

J ohn Bateman

Jerry Grote

Claude Raymond

Doa t.arsu

Jim Owns
Roi Woodeshlck
- - - - - THE HOUSTON CHllOHIOlE

Danny Coombs