Cocoa Astros (1965-1972)

Florida State League (1965-1972)

Background

The Cocoa Astros were a Brevard County, Florida farm club of the National League’s Houston Astros from 1965 through 1972. Cocoa Stadium also played host to Houston’s spring training operations from 1964 until 1984.

In their finest season, Cocoa faced the Miami Orioles in the 1971 Florida State League championship series, falling to the Miamians two games to one.

Key Players

Top future Major League stars who came up through Cocoa during the Astros’ years included:

• Pitcher Don Wilson (Cocoa ’65)
• First Baseman Bob Watson (Cocoa ’66)
• Catcher Cliff Johnson (Cocoa ’67-’68)
• Outfielder Cesar Cedeno (Cocoa ’68)
• First baseman John Mayberry (Cocoa ’68)
• Outfielder Mike Easler (Cocoa ’70-’71)
• Pitcher J.R. Richard (Cocoa ’70)

Don Wilson, Bob Watson, Cesar Cedeno & J.R. Richard are all members of the Houston Astros Hall-of-Fame.

Mike Easler and Cliff Johnson, two of the Cocoa Astros’ top alumni, are now brothers-in-law. Easler married Johnson’s sister Brenda.

Demise & Revival

Houston owned the Cocoa franchise outright. The Astros’ long-simmering dissatisfaction with Cocoa’s poor attendance for Florida State League baseball and annual operating losses led Houston general manager Spec Richardson to fold the Florida State League club in November 1972, on the same day he committed to renew Houston’s spring training partnership with Cocoa for another five years.

Houston left the Florida State League entirely after the 1972 season, moving their Class A farm operation to Cedar Rapids in the Midwest League.

In October 1976 the Astros reversed course, giving up their Midwest League operation and returning to Cocoa and the Florida State League for the 1977 season. The timing of Houston re-embrace of Cocoa and the FSL seemed rather odd, given that serious structural problems at Cocoa Stadium caused Houston to lose their entire home schedule of spring training exhibitions in 1976. As it turned out, the re-booted 1977 Cocoa Astros lasted only one season before Houston moved the team to Daytona Beach in 1978.

Cocoa Astros Shop

In Memoriam

Pitcher Don Wilson (Cocoa ’65), who pitched two Major League no-hitters for Houston, died of carbon monoxide poisoning on January 5th, 1975 after parking in his enclosed garage with the motor running. Wilson was just 29 years old and the incident also took the life of his five-year old son, who was sleeping above the garage. Wilson’s death was ruled an accident. The Mysterious & Tragic Death of Don Wilson – Mike Lynch, SeamHeads.com.

First baseman Bob Watson (Cocoa ’66) died after battling kidney disease on May 14th, 2020. After retiring as a player in 1984, Watson became a successful front office executive, serving as General Manager of the Houston Astros in 1994 and 1995. In 1996, Watson became the first African-American General Manager to lead his organization to a World Series title with the New York Yankees. Watson was 74 years old when he passed. New York Times obituary.

Outfielder Ed Armbrister (Cocoa ’67-’68) died at the age of 72 on March 17th, 2021. Armbrister won back-to-back World Series with Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine” teams of 1975 and 1976. He famously executed a pivotal and controversial sacrifice bunt in the 10th inning of Game 3 of the 1975 World Series, helping the Reds to victory over the Boston Red Sox. Armbrister collided with Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk in fair territory on the play leading to a stray throw, but umpire Larry Barnett declined to make an interference call against Armbrister. The Reds won the game three batters later.

Pitcher J.R. Richard (Cocoa ’70) passed away on August 4th, 2021 from the effects of COVID-19. Richard was one of baseball’s most dominant power pitchers of the late 1970’s until a devastating stroke abruptly ended his career at age 30 in 1980. New York Times obituary.

Links

Florida State League Programs

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