Crane Rules

Score one for history! Astros to keep smoking pistol on Colt .45s throwbackjerseys after gun fight

The smoking pistol on those Colt .45s jerseys that alarmed Major League Baseball so much are here to stay.

After MLB backed off its gun ban on the throwbacks that the Houston Astros will wear for select games during their 50th anniversary season, new owner Jim Crane wasted little time in listening to the fans' desire to stay true to history. The Astros announced Friday that the Colt .45s jerseys they wear during the 2012 season will have the original pistol.

Selig wouldn't let the Astros stay in the National League. But he gave in on the pistols.

There had been concern from commissioner Bud Selig and other MLB officials that the pistol is inappropriate in today's more gun-sensitive climate.

In the end, history won out though.

Keeping the authentic look of the jerseys the Astros wore from 1962 to 1964 when the franchise was called the Colt .45s was overwhelming favored by Astros fans the club informally surveyed.

"We're going to listen to the fans," Crane said at an event at Minute Maid Park Thursday night where season ticket holders took batting practice and played catch on the Major League field.

“We listened to our fans, who were almost unanimously in favor of wearing the original jersey," Crane added in a statement he released Friday. "We wanted to honor all of our past uniforms during this special 50th anniversary season, and we felt it was important to be true to the tradition of the franchise.”

The Astros will wear the pistol jerseys as part of its Flashback Fridays 50th anniversary season uniform nights — on April 10 vs. the Chicago Cubs and April 20 vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The club received hundreds of pleas from fans to fight to keep the original jerseys after it came out that MLB wanted to ban the original smoking pistol.

Call it a win for Houston baseball.

Selig wouldn't let the Astros stay in the National League. But he gave in on the pistols.

It's not the biggest win in the world, but it's still a win. And Crane, who started out talking about changing the Astros' name in one of his first press conferences as the official owner, is showing more and more that he gets a fan base that treasures its history.

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pucker up

Growing pickleball franchise smashes into Houston with 2 locations

Two men play pickleball on a Picklr court.

Photo courtesy of The Picklr

A Picklr court campus similar to the ones soon to open in Houston.

Pickleball is one of the hottest sports sweeping the nation, and one of the biggest names in the game is setting up two new facilities in Houston. Picklr is scheduled to open indoor sports campuses in Cypress and The Woodlands in the coming months.

“Bringing a pickleball facility to Cypress will not only provide a fun and engaging recreational outlet for residents of all ages, but will also foster a sense of community and promote a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Steve Nguyen, owner of The Picklr Cypress.“This facility will serve as a vibrant hub for social interaction, skill development, and friendly/competitive competition, enhancing community bonds and offering a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.”

Although the game is approximately 60 years old, pickleball saw a massive spike in popularity following the pandemic when people were looking for fun group activities with easy points of entry. Though a racket sport like tennis, it is far easier and slower thanks to using perforated balls, smaller courts, and lighter paddles. This means the game is open to players of all ages, and was originally most popular with retirees. Now, there are roughly 5 million players across America, with players under 24 making up the majority. Houston even has its own professional team, the Hammers (not the Texas Hammer; that's this guy).

The court in Cypress will be located in the old ASI Gymnastics building at 8920 Barker Cypress. It's a relatively modest facility with only six courts including a practice court. By contrast, The Woodlands location will be much more opulent. At 66,517 square feet, it will have 20 courts, 4 private event spaces (one with an exclusive viewing area), as well as a shower, changing room, dry bar, and kitchenette. Picklr The Woodlands will be located at 16590 Interstate I-45 South.

These locations are the first for Picklr in Houston. They have twelve locations all throughout Texas, including in Round Rock and McKinney, and many more nationwide. Picklr locations operate on a membership model similar to a gym. Memberships run $159 a month for adults and $89 for minors, with unlimited access to open play, league play, and tournaments , as well as four free clinics a month. Additional coaching is available.

There is currently no set opening date for the two Houston-area Picklrs. Players interested in learning more may sign up for updates at ThePicklr.com.

pickleball openings