In 1966 The Houston Astrodome Was The ‘8th Wonder Of The World’ – The Original Goliwoggs Brochure Photos

WHAT next for the Houston Astrodome – The ‘EIGHT Wonder Of The World’ – once home to baseball’s Astros and the NHL Oilers? A coalition of local and national preservation groups is using the Dome Mobile truck to promote a ballot measure to save the structure and turn it into a convention facility.

It was once so much grander.

Opened in 1965, the Astrodome was the world’s first multipurpose domed stadium. It was home to Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros and the NFL’s Houston Oilers. But it hasn’t been home to a sports team since 1999 and has been closed to all events since 2009.

The first artist to play the Astrodome was Judy Garland on December 17, 1965, where she was paid $43,000 for the one show. The Supremes were her opening act and tickets were priced $1.00 to $7.50.

Who Rented The Goliwoggs Room?

The actual dome is 18 stories above the playing field, and consists of “Lucite” skylights that originally allowed sunlight to help grow the natural grass playing field. However, these translucent panels presented a problem. During afternoon baseball games, outfielders were blinded by the sunlight. Thirty percent of the panels were coated with paint to reduce the problem. This led to the natural grass dieing because enough sunlight was not reaching it. A new type of turf named after the team, Astroturf was introduced after the 1965 season.

It also played host to numerous other notable events, from the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973, to the Republican National Convention in 1992.