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Astros turn back the clock this season to mark Astrodome opening

The Houston Astros marked the anniversary of the opening of the Astrodome with a "Turn Back the Clock" night yesterday, complete with original uniforms, field crews in space suits, usherettes in "Spacette" uniforms and $3.50 tickets.

When the Astrodome opened in 1965, it was hailed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." It still stands but is rarely used, a depressing reminder of the excitement surrounding its opening.

The Houston Astros marked the anniversary of the April 12, 1965 opening of the Astrodome with a "Turn Back the Clock" night yesterday, complete with original uniforms, field crews in space suits, usherettes in "Spacette" uniforms and $3.50 tickets.

Some things could not be replicated, of course. The Astrodome opened with translucent panels on the roof and grass on the field. Despite the best efforts of the field crew, the grass mostly died during the course of the year, leading to the invention of artificial turf — Astroturf — that was debuted in 1966.

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