Houston v Atlanta baseball playoff history (more interesting than you might think)

On the cusp of the World Series, here’s some Houston v Atlanta playoff history for you, showing a surprising link in the very existence of Major League Baseball in both cities.

The Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves have faced each other five times in the postseason, all in the National League Division Series back when the Astros were in the NL (as God intended). Here are those results:

*1997 NLDS: ATL win 3-0 *1999 NLDS: ATL win 3-1 *2001 NLDS: ATL win 3-0 *2004 NLDS: HOU win 3-2 *2005 NLDS: HOU win 3-1

Those five series kind of reflect the middle, end and passing of the great Atlanta Braves dynasty, as well as the first true winning era of the Astros. Glavine, Maddux and Smoltz were just dominant against the Astros in 1996-2001, and the 1999 loss closed out the Astrodome. However, the Biggio-Bagwell Astros eventually got the upper hand, beating the Braves in 2004 and 2005 en route to the team’s first World Series appearance.

However, that does not tell the whole tale. Going further back in Houston v Atlanta history, the minor league Houston Buffs (affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) played the Atlanta Crackers (affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves) in the old Dixie Series (between the winners of the Texas League and the Southern Association) three times in the 1950s. Here are those results:

*1954 Dixie Series: Atlanta Crackers def. Houston Buffs, 4-3 *1956 Dixie Series: Houston Buffs def. Atlanta Crackers, 4-2 *1957 Dixie Series: Houston Buffs def. Atlanta Crackers, 4-2

The 1954 Dixie Series included a Buff player named Bob Boyd, the first black player in Houston integrated pro baseball, who hit .321 with seven home runs that year. That 1950s championship rivalry was a big element in convincing civic leaders in both cities that Major League Baseball could thrive in Houston and Atlanta, as it certainly has.

Enjoy the World Series!

Great Buffs info here: https://bill37mccurdy.com/2012/10/18/the-dixie-series-1920-1958/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

And Bob Boyd info here: https://bill37mccurdy.com/2013/07/13/buff-biographies-bob-boyd/amp/?__twitter_impression=true