High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Houston Astros are a professional baseball franchise based in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League (NL) Central in Major League Baseball (MLB). The team joined MLB in 1962 as an expansion team named the Houston Colt .45s and changed their name to the Houston Astros in 1965. The team won their first NL Championship in 2005. Having first played in Colt Stadium (1962–1964), and later in The Astrodome, now known as the Reliant Astrodome (1965–1999), the Astros have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, which was first named The Ballpark at Union Station, since 2000. The franchise is owned by Drayton McLane, Jr., and Ed Wade is their general manager.