Houston Astros Logo PNG
To emphasize their high significance in the world of sports, the Houston Astros franchise chose a seal as their logo. This classic element is a sign of leadership and a symbol of authority, in this case, within the realm of a baseball field. The image of a star, positioned in the center, underscores the idea of superiority or, at the very least, the aspiration towards it.
Houston Astros: Brand overview
| Founded: | 1962 |
| Founder: | Jim Crane |
| Headquarters: | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Website: | mlb.com |
The Houston Astros are a team of professional baseball players. Until 1999, it was part of the National League, where it spent 51 seasons. Since 2000, it has been a member of Major League Baseball, competing in the Western Division. The team was founded in 1962 and is based in Houston, Texas.
After its formation, the club bore a different name: for two years (until 1964, inclusive), it was called the “Houston Colt .45s”. The name was revised during Roy Hofheinz’s reign, who led the team until 1975 and then sold it to General Electric & Ford Motor Company.
In 1979, the franchise was acquired by entrepreneur John McMullen. It belonged to him for almost 15 years. In 1993, it was transferred to Drayton McLane Jr. In 2011, it was purchased by Jim Crane. On November 15th of the same year, it was announced that the new owner would transfer the team to the AL for the 2013 season. This event was part of the overall MLB reorganization plans, for which the league’s leadership paid Crane $70 million.
The club’s original name was “Houston Colt .45s”. It changed in 1965 due to the growing popularity of the space industry, as the city where the franchise is located is directly related to it. Houston has been preparing American astronauts since 1961, and “Astros,” derived from Greek, means “star.”
The “Houston Astros” have several logos – from simple inscriptions to complex graphical symbols. The debut version featured a blue colt, but it was removed after the name change. In ’65, it was replaced by the so-called rondel – a classic sign in the center surrounded by other elements.
Meaning and History
The “Houston Astros” club appeared in 1962, then called the “Houston Colt 45s”. The team has seven different logos, the first four of which included both the name and an image, while the current logo consists almost entirely of the name on a blue background. Almost the entire history of the “Houston Astros” logo is a step-by-step transformation of the word “Astros.” This continued until the appearance of a logo with the capital letter “H,” which starts the first part of the club’s name. Designers proposed it in 2013. The management liked it, so further logo modifications were temporarily halted. The approved version meets all modern requirements: it’s easy to place on informational media, it’s well-recognized, has convenient typography, and contains the full “encryption” of the name.
What is Houston Astros?
The baseball team “Houston Astros” represents the most populous city in the South of the USA and has participated in the Western American League since 2013. It appeared relatively recently – in 1962. Initially, the franchise was known as the “Houston Colt .45s”, but after moving to a new stadium in 1965, it adopted a different name that has remained unchanged since.
1962 – 1964
The club’s first logo was created in 1962. It featured a blue pistol, with smoke from the barrel forming the letter “C” in the word “Colt.” Below the pistol was the word “45s”. At the very top, in a blue semicircle, the word “Houston” was depicted.
1965 – 1976
The club changed its name to the “Houston Astros.” The second logo featured a white “Astrodome” on an orange background. Around the building, two baseballs rotate, and besides the balls themselves, their trajectories are drawn. This concept resembles the movement of atoms. Together with the stadium, the name “Astros” in blue is depicted.
1977 – 1993
The “Astros” logo changed due to the reduction of the “Astrodome” size in blue and white tones and a slight increase in the letters in the word “Astros.” Baseballs and their trajectories remained on the logo as before.
1994
The new logo design included a dark blue stadium shape with a thin golden outline with the team’s name written on it. The word “Houston” is in white, and “Astros” is in gold with a white outline. Also, in the top right corner, there’s a flying golden star.
1995 – 1999
The 1995 logo completely removed the stadium shape, leaving only the golden flying star and the team’s name in blue. The arrangement of the logo elements remained unchanged.
2000 – 2012
In the early 2000s, the club’s logo changed again. The new version uses the abbreviated name of the team – “Astros” in black with a thin yellow-brown contour and the same underline. Above the name, there is a brick-gold star.
2013 – today
The current emblem is concise, where the graphics perfectly convey all the necessary information. The central letter “H” stands for “Houston,” the five-pointed star represents “Astros,” and the circular rondel continues traditions.
The logo has thin dividing lines that define a wide band with the full name of the club. Such design makes the sign incredibly popular, as it resembles the stars in a ring on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. A solid blue band runs around the edge of the circle.
Houston Astros: Interesting Facts
The Houston Astros baseball team started in 1962 and has an interesting story.
- Name Change: They were originally called the Houston Colt .45s. In 1965, they changed to the Astros to celebrate Houston’s connection to the space program right when they moved into the Astrodome, the first stadium with a roof.
- The Astrodome: Known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” this stadium was famous for its groundbreaking design and for introducing artificial grass, which got the nickname AstroTurf.
- 2017 World Series: The Astros won their first World Series in 2017, which was a big deal for Houston, especially since the city was recovering from Hurricane Harvey’s damage.
- Sign-Stealing Scandal: During their 2017 championship run, the team got into trouble for using technology to steal signs from other teams, which resulted in fines and suspensions.
- League Switch: They started in the National League but moved to the American League in 2013, making them one of the few teams to have played in both leagues.
- Famous Players: Players like Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell, who spent many of their careers with the Astros, are in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Pitching Greats: The team is known for its pitching, including 12 no-hitters and a perfect game by Nolan Ryan, one of the best pitchers ever.
- Smart Strategy: The Astros are also known for using data and analytics to make decisions, changing how teams think about building their rosters and playing the game.
- Orbit: Their mascot is Orbit, an alien who fits with Houston’s space theme and entertains fans at games.
- Helping Houston: After Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the Astros helped the city heal by winning the World Series and supporting recovery efforts.
These highlights show how the Astros have been a big part of baseball, with ups and downs, but always interesting.
Font and Colors
The classic element of this baseball team’s emblem is the large five-pointed star with the capital letter “H” in the background. The star is a nod to the region’s space traditions, as it’s where the primary objects of the space industry are concentrated. The letters on the logo represent the club’s name and the city it’s based in. They are surrounded by a ring. Following it is a wide blue band with the full name of the team: “Houston” at the top and “Astros” at the bottom. Early versions also depicted the main building of the observatory and an orbit with a satellite.
Initially, designers proposed a chopped font with single-ended lines for the logo, embodying the rays of a star. Then came a version with handwritten text and lowercase letters. In 2013, a version with the strong serifs of Player Bold, created by Patrick Griffin and developed by Canada Type, was approved.
The official palette of the team includes three colors, each present in the emblem. The background is dark blue, the star and dividing lines are orange, and the central letter and the name of the club are white.
Houston Astros color codes
| Navy | Hex color: | #002d62 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 30 49 96 | |
| CMYK: | 100 68 0 54 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 282 C |
| Orange | Hex color: | #eb6e1f |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 234 110 36 | |
| CMYK: | 0 69 100 4 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 173 C |
| Light Orange | Hex color: | #f4911e |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 229 114 0 | |
| CMYK: | 0 51 100 1 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 152 C |
| Gray | Hex color: | #e7e9ea |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 187 188 188 | |
| CMYK: | 0 0 0 24 | |
| Pantone: | PMS Cool Gray 4 C |
FAQ
What does “Astro” in the “Houston Astros” mean?
The baseball club “Houston Astros” got its nickname in honor of the “Astrodome” stadium, where it moved in 1965. Due to its voluminous dome and technological innovations, the structure was granted the status of the Eighth Wonder of the World. In turn, the stadium’s name is a tribute to the US space program, which had a significant impact on the city of Houston.
Why did the “Houston Astros” change their logo?
Rumors suggest that the “Houston Astros” team changed its logo in 2013 to distance itself from its mundane past. Before, its performance wasn’t very successful, so the rebranding was meant to distract fans from the poor play and focus on the contemporary design. Moreover, the new style was meant to spur consumer interest in merchandise.
What does the “Astros” logo represent?
The basis of the “Houston Astros” logo is a blue circle. It’s divided by orange rings into two large segments. Inside is a large white letter, “H,” complemented by a thin grey outline and written in bold font with massive rectangular serifs. It’s depicted atop an orange five-pointed star. In the wide frame, the phrase “HOUSTON ASTROS” is written in white.
In what year did the “Astros” change their logo?
The “Houston Astros” logo has changed several times: in 1965, 1975, 1994, 1995, 2000, and 2013. The version that appeared in 2013 is still in use today.