Eighth Wonder of the World

Robert C. Trumpbour, an associate professor of communications at Pennsylvania State University, Altoona, is the author of The New Cathedrals: Politics and Media in the History of Stadium Construction. Kenneth Womack, dean of the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences and a professor of English at Monmouth University, is the author of several books, including Long and Winding Roads: The Evolving Artistry of the Beatles. Mickey Herskowitz was a sportswriter and columnist for the Houston Post and the Houston Chronicle. He is the author of more than thirty books.

"The first domed stadium, a multipurpose venue for baseball, football, livestock shows, rodeos, trade shows, and more, gives us a window on the evolution of sports as entertainment and big business in the 20th Century."-G. Louis Heath, ARETE "The Eighth Wonder of the World is a solid work of sports, business, and political history."-Si Dunn, Lone Star Literary Life "A book worth reading. . . . It not only tells the story of the construction of the Harris County Domed Stadium . . . it does so with enough suspense to keep readers engaged from beginning to end."-Frank G. Houdek, NINE “The Astrodome was an architectural marvel when it opened more than a half century ago. This book documents the many wondrous people and events that starred inside this magical building. I know. I was there to see much of it happen!”-Jim Nantz, lead play-by-play announcer, CBS Sports “Trumpbour and Womack have produced a magnificent examination of one of our greatest undertakings, the Houston Astrodome. This book is a great tribute to the human energy and triumph that reached across the United States and the world.”-Mike Acosta, Houston Astros in-house historian  “If you want to learn why the Astrodome is an important part of Houston’s history, read this book. No self-respecting ‘Domer’ should live without it.”-Craig Hlavaty, reporter for the Houston Chronicle

• Foreword: The Dome Was So Nice They Opened It TwiceMickey HerskowitzPrologue: A Noble Idea for the Oil PatchI. Cow Town1. Roy Hofheinz: Houston’s Grand Huckster2. Of Cows and Construction: Houston’s Livestock Show and Rodeo3. Going Pro: George Kirksey, Craig Cullinan, and the Major League DreamII. Dome Town4. Zimmerman and the Grand Plan: Engineering a Marvel5. The Grass Isn’t Always Greener: AstroTurf and the Sports Purist BacklashIII. Space City6. Fractious Dome Futures7. The Dome and Its LegacyEpilogue: Wonders Never CeaseAcknowledgmentsNotesBibliographyIndex