Texas Unveils Historical Marker for Colt Stadium

A new historical marker in Houston honors the temporary home of the city's original Major League Baseball franchise.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Baseball

Texas Unveils Historical Marker for Colt Stadium

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Texas officials have unveiled a new historical marker commemorating Colt Stadium in Houston. The site marks the former location of the venue that served as the temporary home for the Houston Colt .45s for three seasons.

Why it matters

The marker preserves the legacy of the stadium that bridged the gap before the opening of the Astrodome. It highlights the early years of professional baseball in the city and the site's role as a testing ground for innovations like Astroturf.

Colt Stadium was built in eight months for $1.2 million and featured a seating capacity of 33,000. During its three-year lifespan, the team playing there lost 96 games while hosting milestones like no-hitters by Don Nottebart and Ken Johnson.

The players

Houston Colt .45s

This was the original Major League Baseball franchise in Houston that later became the Houston Astros.

Don Nottebart

He was a professional baseball pitcher who achieved the milestone of throwing the franchise's first no-hitter in 1963.

Ken Johnson

He was a professional baseball pitcher who threw a no-hitter for the team in 1964.

The details

Located 80 yards north of the Astrodome in front of the Reliant Center, the marker recognizes the stadium that hosted the franchise's debut against the Chicago Cubs. The venue was constructed as a short-term solution while the Astrodome was being built.

August 1961: Construction began on the stadium.
April 10, 1962: The Houston Colt .45s played their first game against the Chicago Cubs.
1963: Don Nottebart threw the franchise's first no-hitter.
1964: Ken Johnson threw a no-hitter at the stadium.
October 20, 2026: The historical marker was officially unveiled.

Season Trajectory

This marker connects the modern era of baseball in Houston to the inaugural franchise that predated the opening of the Astrodome. It formalizes the history of a site that served as both a temporary venue and an experimental facility for future stadium technology.

Visitors to the Reliant Center can now locate the specific site where the city's first Major League Baseball games were played. The marker provides a permanent reference point for fans interested in the structural history of professional baseball venues in Houston.

The takeaway

The installation of the marker serves as a reminder of the rapid evolution of sports infrastructure in the 1960s. Fans can visit the site near the Reliant Center to gain a better appreciation of how the city first entered the professional baseball landscape.