Sports in Houston
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Houston, Texas has a rich sporting culture and the area residents are active in many spectator and paricipant sports. Spectators attend events including teams from many of the Major U.S. Professional Sports League and collegiate sports. Participants enjoy activies from running in Memorial Park to sailing on Galveston Bay and Clear Lake.
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[edit] Major league sports
Houston has teams in nearly every major professional sport, including the Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Texans (NFL), Houston Rockets (NBA), Houston Comets (WNBA), Houston Dynamo (MLS),Houston Aeros (AHL), and Houston Undertakers (ABA). The Astros advanced to the World Series for the first time in the team's history on October 19, 2005; however, they subsequently lost to the Chicago White Sox. In addition, the Dynamo won the MLS Cup 2006 in their first year after moving from San Jose, California.
Minute Maid Park (home of the Astros) and Toyota Center (home of the Rockets, Comets, and Aeros) are located in downtown—contributing to an urban renaissance that has transformed Houston's center into a day-and-night destination. Also, the city has the first domed stadium in the United States and also holds the NFL's first retractable roof stadium—Reliant Stadium. Other sports facilities in Houston are Hofheinz Pavilion, Reliant Astrodome, Robertson Stadium, and Rice Stadium.
| Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | MLB | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | 1962 | |
| Houston Rockets | NBA | Basketball | Toyota Center | 1967 | 1994, 1995 |
| Houston Comets | WNBA | Basketball | Toyota Center | 1997 | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 |
| Houston Texans | NFL | Football | Reliant Stadium | 2002 | |
| Houston Dynamo | MLS | Soccer | Robertson Stadium | 2006 | 2006 |
[edit] Minor league sports
| Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Aeros | AHL | Hockey | Toyota Center | 1994 | 1999 (IHL), 2003 |
| Houston Takers | ABA | Basketball | Health and Physical Education Arena | 2006 |
[edit] College sports
| School | Nickname | Major Venues | Conference | NCAA Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Houston | Cougars | Robertson Stadium, Hofheinz Pavilion | Conference USA | Division I (I-A) |
| Rice University | Owls | Rice Stadium, Autry Court | Conference USA | Division I (I-A) |
| Texas Southern University | Tigers | Health and Physical Education Arena | Southwestern Athletic Conference | Division I (I-AA) |
[edit] Annual events
Houston hosts annual sporting events such as the PGA Tour's Shell Houston Open, the college football Texas Bowl, and college baseball Houston College Classic. In early 2006, the Champ Car auto racing series returned to Houston for a yearly race, held on the streets of the Reliant Park complex. The city had previously been home to a Champ Car round from 1998 to 2001.
| Event | Month | Sport | Venue | Established |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Marathon | January | Running | George R. Brown Convention Center and streets of Houston | 1972 |
| Houston College Classic | February | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | 2001 |
| Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo | February and March | Rodeo | Reliant Park | 1932 |
| Shell Houston Open | March | Golf | Redstone Golf Club | 1946 |
| Grand Prix of Houston | April | Auto racing | Reliant Park | 2006 |
| Texas Bowl | December | Football | Reliant Stadium | 2006 |
[edit] Other major events
Houston has hosted recent, major sporting events, including the 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Super Bowl VIII, Super Bowl XXXVIII, the 2005 World Series, the 2005 Big 12 Conference football championship game, the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships from 2001-2006, and the Tennis Masters Cup in 2003 and 2004.
| Event | Host | Sport | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Bowl VIII | NFL | Football | Rice Stadium | 13 January, 1974 |
| Super Bowl XXXVIII | NFL | Football | Reliant Stadium | 1 February, 2004 |
| 2005 World Series | MLB | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | October 2005 |
| 2004 MLB All-Star Game | MLB | Baseball | Minute Maid Park | 13 July 2004 |
| 2006 NBA All-Star Game | NBA | Basketball | Toyota Center | 19 February 2006 |
| 2011 NCAA Men's Final Four | NCAA | Basketball | Reliant Stadium | 2 and 4 March 2011 |
| Big 12 Championship Game | Big 12 | Football | Reliant Stadium | December 2002 and 2005 |
[edit] External links
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City of Houston History | Geography | Economy | Culture | Politics | Architecture | Transportation | Education | Houstonians |
|---|---|
| Areas | Downtown | Uptown | Texas Medical Center | Midtown | Neartown | Museum District | Upper Kirby | Greenway Plaza | Rice Village | Westchase | Greenspoint |
| Communities | Acres Homes | Addicks | Aldine | Alief | Braeburn | Braeswood Place | Clear Lake City | Genoa Township | Harrisburg | Houston Heights | Independence Heights | Inwood Forest | Kingwood | Maplewood | Memorial | Meyerland | Northshore | Oak Forest | River Oaks | Sharpstown | South Park | Spring Branch | Sunnyside
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| Enclaves | Bellaire | Bunker Hill Village | Hedwig Village | Hilshire Village | Hunters Creek Village | Piney Point Village | Southside Place | Spring Valley | West University Place |
