HOUSTON — Baseball has its own hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York -- but soon, the Houston Astros will have a hall of fame all their own.
"We looked at other teams [in Major League Baseball] out there, most of the other teams have hall of fames. The Express [in Round Rock] have a hall of fame," Houston Astros President Reid Ryan said. "We're like, 'Look, it's time to do this.'"
The Astros franchise is nearing its sixth decade of existence, which equates to countless moments of baseball history in Houston.
Construction is expected to begin at the Astros' stadium, Minute Maid Park, next month.
During the Astros Winter Caravan stop at their triple-A home in Round Rock, Ryan was elated about this new addition in Houston.
"We're going to take Home Run Alley, turn it into Hall of Fame Alley, with the goal of us eventually having a permanent building once all of the construction around Minute Maid kind-of settles down," Ryan said.
A Texas Department of Transportation highway project will merge U.S. Highway 59 and Interstate 45 together near Minute Maid Park. Ryan said this project will result in the loss of portions of the A & B parking lots.
"So, there's going to be major construction on the east for the next five to 10 years. We don't know when it's going to start," Ryan said.
Hall of Fame Alley is expected to be completed by opening day in April.
The first group of 16 former Astros greats and broadcasters to be enshrined into Hall of Fame Alley include: Nolan Ryan, Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Jose Cruz, Jimmy Wynn, Don Wilson, Larry Dierker, Jim Umbricht, Mike Scott. J.R. Richard, Bob Aspromonte, Joe Morgan, Joe Niekro, Shane Reynolds, Gene Elston and Milo Hamilton.
Ryan, Bagwell and Biggio are also members of the Baseball Hall of Fame in New York.
Reynolds is a former Longhorn pitcher and father of current Longhorn third baseman, Ryan Reynolds.
Each class will be voted on by a committee, which includes Biggio, Dierker and Ryan.
"What's great about us having this first class is that now when we honor somebody starting in 2020 that are voted by this committee, we will have a group of their peers behind them wearing orange jackets," Ryan said.
These orange jackets will be revealed to the public at Fan Fest in Houston on Saturday.
The initial 16-member Astros Hall of Fame class will be enshrined during the first week in August when Houston hosts the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park.
"Being a member of this club that will be exclusive to the Houston Astros," Ryan said.