No News!

I have subscribed to a newspaper in Houston for over thirty years. For a while, it was the Post, but when it went out of business, I switched subscriptions to the Chronicle. Now, I read the comic strips most days, but the only reason I subscribe is to keep up with the sports. To be more accurate, I want to keep up with baseball, specifically the Astros.

So I really hate it when there is no mention of the ‘Stros in the paper. I just put down the sports section and today is one of those days! I read the headlines about the Rockets’ win over the Timberwolves last night and about the Texans’ ineptness. I even read the story about the success of the University of Houston and their superb quarterback, Kevin Kolb. You will probably hear about him as the draft draws near nest spring.

But no word on the Astros, even though there are pressing world issues like, “will Andy Pettitte play again next season”, and “can we get someone more productive to play third base in 07?” I mean, “Come on!”

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I Actually Went to a Hockey Game!

I was invitied by a friend to see a Houston Aeros hockey game last week. I was concerned because I had never been and was afraid I would not kno how to act, despite having been to countless baseball, football and basketball games. But I accepted the invitation, and I do not think my host was embarrassed by my behavior. I enjoyed the experience and was ready for a lot of things that took place, because of the input I received. I had asked, on another blog of mine , for suggestions on proper behavior at a hockey game. I was advised about proper menu, cheers, exits from the arena during play, and other pertinent information.

But I did not realize I needed dance lessons! Every break in the action had loud music playing and the real fans in the stands dancing to the tunes and getting their picture up on the screens in the rafters. I was ill prepared for that part of the event.

Houston won and I was surprised at the graceful athleticism of the skaters. I had expected raw power, but was impressed by the skills. I might actually go back sometime!

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The Bagwell Era Is Over!

For those of us who remember how bad the Astros were before Jeff Bagwell came on the scene, the announcement yesterday that made it official that he will never again play for the team was sad. Before Bagwell the team had not had a consistent and legitimate star power hitter. Jimmy Wynn and later Glenn Davis were the closest resemblance to long ball threats in the first 30 years of the franchise's existence. But Bagwell changed that.

He was rookie of the year in 1991, and became the League MVP in 1994, in which he averaged driving in more than a run a game for the season. His batting average that year was 368. Until the arthritic shoulder impaired him, he was one of the most dominant players in the game. His homerun totals would have been much higher if his first ten years had not been played in the spacious Astrodome.

Bagwell was a tremendous force in the rise of the Astros to serious contention every season. Before Jeff came along, there were a few good seasons, but not the consistent level of competitiveness displayed throughout his career.

Farewell, Jeff. Some of us can remember the gift you brought to Houston. And we appreciate it!

I Am Having to Watch College Football!

The end of the World Series every year signals the beginning of football season for me. I like football okay, it is an nice diversion to fill time while I am waiting for baseball to begin again.

I have watched part of Oklahoma State and Nebraska today, and am watching an entertaining game between Texas Tech and Texas right now. Too bad I missed the upset of USC by Oregon State.

Tomorrow, after services, I will watch some professional football. The Texans and Titans will play. It will be the first game of Vince Young playing against his hometown team. That should also be entertaining. It will help fill the gap that I must bridge till baseball resumes!

It is about 115 days till spring training! I hope I can make it!

Craig Biggio Will Be The First In The Hall of Fame Wearing the Astro Logo!

That is my opinion. If he stays healthy, Biggio will go past 3000 hits next summer, probably in late June. He has more home runs and far more doubles and runs scored than Ryne Sandberg. Bidge has been an All Star at catcher as well as at second base. He has been the instigator of the Houston offense for 2 decades. One year Biggio hit 50 doubles and stole 50 bases, a feat only accomplished one other time in MLB history, by Tris Speaker. I believe he is a first ballot Hall of Famer.

I believe Jeff Bagwell will be elected to the Hall of Fame, but I think he will not be a first ballot electee. Bags has 449 home runs and has been the most prolific offensive player in Astros' history. His injury cut his career short, hindering his candidacy and allowing Biggio to be the first in the hallowed museum.

I Am The Biggest Fan In Blogville!

I doubt very much if there is a bigger baseball fan in all the blogging community. First of all I have been a fan longer than most of the writers here have been alive. I played in my first organized league in 1954, as 6 year old. But I had been playing in the yard and on the sand lot for a long time prior to that team. And my dad would play catch with me almost every day it was not raining.

I think that fact alone is a big reason I loved it. It is the place I got my dad’s full attention and where I could get his praise. The day after I saw “Field of Dreams”, I drove an hour and a half to see my dad and play catch again. I still have two gloves and a baseball in the trunk of my car, just in case my grandson wants to play catch with me.

My first visit to a Major League game was the next year. We were on vacation and my dad took me to Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. We saw the Phillies against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robin Roberts was the Phillies’ pitcher, Clem Labine pitched for the Dodgers. Roberts only gave up one run that night, a homer to Roy Campenella. What a thrill. I had a box score from the paper of that game (a reprint I got from the Hall of Fame archives). I put it in a frame, surrounded by 1954 baseball cards of the players from that game, and presented it to my grandson on his 12th birthday. It is quite valuable for the cards alone, but there is a lot more to its significance to me.

As a boy we went to see the Cardinals farm team in Houston, the Buffs, before the creation of the Houston Major League team. I saw a doubleheader between the Colt 45s on July 4th in Pete Rose’s rookie year. I saw Sandy Koufax pitch in the Astrodome, 8th Wonder of the World. I have seen all three All Star Games that have been played in Houston, as well as the Home Run Derbys that preceded them. I was at the 16 inning game that concluded the 1986 playoff run for the Astros. I saw Jeff Kent hit the homer that won game 5 of the 2004 LCS against the Cardinals, in person. And last fall I got to see the first ever World Series game played in the state of Texas. All but 2 of my first 39 wedding anniversaries have been spent with my bride at the opening game of the Astros’ season. The 25th was spent on a cruise to the Bahamas and the 35th was spent watching Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.

I have been to see games in most of the cities that have major league games and a few in minor league cities. I have been to Yankee Stadium, and sat in seats provided by Andy Pettitte, via his brother. I have been to The Hall of Fame three times, though it is more than 2000 miles from my home. I was there last to see Nolan Ryan be inducted. It was a great celebration.

Several years ago I became convinced that they were actually going to put lights up in Wrigley Field in Chicago. I had not been there, and I was very eager to see it before the lights were put up. I began to make plans to go, but I had trouble finding anyone who could go. Undaunted, I decided to go alone. I could not afford to fly in those days, so I drove.

The first day I went as far as St. Louis. I watched a game in Busch Stadium that night. The next day I drove on to Chicago. I saw a game in Comiskey Park that night. The next day I saw Wrigley in all its charm, as it had been for a long time. Dwight Gooden was pitching for the Mets, he had a great day, and so did I. When the game was over, I got in my car and drove straight through to Houston, 24 hours.

Now do you have any doubt I am the biggest baseball fan in blogville?

Why My Girls Are Baseball Fans--Part 3!

One day while preparing to close our donut shop for the day, my oldest daughter told me she wanted to send a thank you to Jimmy Wynn for the autographed baseball he had given her. She was only four years old and we wanted to nurture in her a spirit of gratitude, so I told her I would write down what she wanted to say, and we would mail it on the way home. I don’t remember the exact words of the note, but she thanked him for the ball and for calling her beautiful. She told him if he ever came to our little town he should come to our shop and she would give him a free donut.

We did not know the actual address, so we just sent the note to Jimmy Wynn, Astrodome, Houston, Texas. I had my doubts it would ever reach the Astros’ star, but I did not tell my little girl. We dropped it in the mailbox on the way home that night.

A few weeks later we went to another game at the Dome. As was usual for us, after the game we went to the loading docks gate, which is where the home team players exited the building. We were waiting at the base of a long ramp, maybe fifteen or twenty yards from those crowding around the door. I saw a boy from the summer league team I coached among the gathering, he was working hard for autographs. He greeted us and asked what we were doing so far back from the action. I told him we were waiting for Jimmy Wynn, so my girl could say hello to her friend. Phil had his doubts that Jimmy Wynn was her friend, and he went back to the door to obtain more signatures.

A little while later Jimmy came through the door. He had a box under one arm and a couple of bats in his other hand. He was walking fast and obviously was not interested in signing a bunch of autographs that night. Phil was trailing him all the way down the ramp, trying to get him to stop, without any luck. As he approached, my daughter called out, “hi Jimmy.

Wynn walked directly to where I was holding my little one, switching the bats to his other hand so he had an arm free. He said, “Good Evening, Stacey, I received your card. Thank you very much. He took her from me, kissed her on the lips and proceeded to visit with her about what kind of donut he should get if he came to the shop.

Phil’s jaw bounced off the sidewalk!

Why My Girls Are Baseball Fans--Part 2!

The same season Jimmy Wynn climbed on the dugout to talk with my firstborn, I was coaching a summer league team of 13-15 year olds. One night I took four of them, along with my family to a game at the Astrodome.

Before the game my daughter wanted to go down to the rail of the fence near right field to talk to Jimmy Wynn. The boys knew my family, but it is not particularly cool for teenage boys to hang around with four year old girls, so only one of them was willing to accompany her to the rail. The others kept their cool distance.

Jimmy did come over to the rail to greet my daughter. A crowd quickly formed, seeking autographs and proximity to the Toy Cannon, as Wynn was known. The usher for the section came down to break up the crowd, but Jimmy pointed to Stacey and said, "This is my friend." So the crowd was shooed away, leaving only Stace and the one teenage ballplayer who had gone with her. He suddenly felt very important!

As the end of the game approached, my daughter again wanted to go down to say good night to Jimmy as he ran off the field. This time when she went to the rail, she had FOUR teenage escorts!

What A Fabulous Catch, Endy Chavez!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you see the catch by Endy Chavez for the Mets tonight? If you missed it, be sure to watch the sports news to see the replay. It was a fabulous catch in an extremely crucial moment of the game that decided whether the Mets or Cardinals will face the Tigers in the World Series.

In a tie game, in the sixth inning, with Jim Edmonds on first base, Scott Rolen hit a ball that went over the left field fence!But Chavez leapt and caught the ball. Edmonds had already rounded second. So when Chavez came back to the ground, he was able to double Edmonds out at first to end the inning! I have disliked the Mets since 1986, but no true fan could do anything but applaud that play!

It has been 55 years since Willie Mays made the play that is still called “THE CATCH” in the World Series against the Indians. The only reason I would rate that play as more awesome than the one I saw tonight is because it was actually in the World Series.

What is the best catch or most important play you have ever seen?

Why My Girls Are Baseball Fans!

Our first daughter was born in December, 1967. She could only have been 3 to 4 months old when she attended her first Astros game in the Dome. My sister worked as an usher, wearing the space girl costumes required. She could get us in for the cheap seats for free if we would arrive early.

Early is my middle name, so we went frequently to the games. We sat in the stands and made acquaintance with some of the ballplayers. It was especially fun when my daughter got old enough to call out the players' names and ask them to come see her.By the time she was three she was a personal friend of Jimmy Wynn.

Wynn was one of the best sluggers in the game in those days, despite being only about 5'7". They called him the Toy Cannon. My little girl would call out to him when we arrived and he would often stop and come greet her or introduce her to some of his friends. She has a ball autographed by Hank Aaron and Phil Neikro, two of Wynn's friends, and now in the Hall of Fame!

I think she may have been 4 the time I won tickets at work as a safety prize. They were front row, right behind the 'Stros dugout. My daughter saw one of the coaches standing in the dugout and called out to him that she wanted to see Jimmy Wynn.

Soon after the team started warming up in front of the dugout. The coach, named Hub Kittle, appeared out of the dugout, handed Jimmy a new baseball and pointed in our direction.Wynn came over, climbed on top of the dugout and sat down to speak to Stacey! He inscribed the ball for her, "To the world's Greatest, Most Beautiful Girl, Jimmy Wynn." She has it to this day.

And I was there a couple of years ago when she got to introduce her kids to Jimmy. It was sweet for a Dad to see the family tradition and the love of the game being transmitted to the next generation.

There is more to this story, so tune in again soon on most of these same stations!

Who Will Win The 2006 World Series?

Last year's World Series was much more exciting to me, as a long time Astros fan. I was privileged to attend the first ever World Series game played in Houston. And despite the fact that the White Sox came from behind to defeat the Astros and Roy Oswalt in that game, it was one of my favorite ever to attend!

This year I thought that because of the way the Tigers stumbled into the playoffs they would be no problem for the Yankees. Their youth and lack of playoff experience was going to do them in. But I should have known better.

Everyone knows the old adage that "Good pitching beats good hitting." The reason that everyone knows the adage is; it is true. And the Tigers have the arms to win the World Series. There are five guys on that staff that throw 97 mph or more. If they throw strikes, it should be a short Series and dancin' in the streets of Detroit!

And that is okay with me. As a fan of the Astros, I usually pull for the National League representative to the Series. But this year that would mean I have to either pull for Carlos Beltran or Preston Wilson to win a ring, and I don't want either one to get one. Sorry Billy Wagner!

My Date With a 90 Year Old Astros Fan!

Ruth moved to our community about a dozen year ago, to move in with her son. She seldom missed a church service until the past few months, when her health betrayed her. Mrs. Ruth was one of those folks who spoke very bluntly, not mean, just straightforwardly. If you wanted to know what she thought, you had only to ask.

Now, we had a very special bond, because she was an avid Astros fan. She could talk about stats or strategy or salary! She was a diehard, if the team was playing on the West Coast she would stay up till midnight to help pull them through with a win.

I have shared season tickets with several guys for the past six seasons, and had a mini-season ticket of my own for years before that. One of my favorite things to do is take folks to the game and spend an evening getting to know them better. But I had never taken Mrs. Ruth to the stadium. I was afraid she was too frail. She was 90 years old.

But in 2004, one day at church, I asked if she thought she would like to go to the game with me that week. She said, “I was wondering if you would ever get around to asking me.” So we went to the game. Usually I park 4 blocks away, for $5 and walk to the park. That night I paid $20 to park across the street from the Union Station gate to Minute Maid Park.

On the way to the game, I asked Ruth how long she had been an Astros fan. She told me she had been widowed 40 years before, and that for all that time, “the Astros have been my best friends. Every summer they come entertain me almost every night. I love them all.”

As we entered the park, I told Ruth that there was a wheel chair available and we could get an escort to take us up to our seats on an elevator. She said, “I can walk, I can go anywhere you can, just not as fast.” So we took the escalator up to the 4th level. My seats are on the front row, just behind the plate. She loved the view.

Before the game got started, a man and his wife came up and took their seats to my left. He introduced himself as J. C. Hartman. I said, “We used to have a shortstop by that name years ago.” He said that he was that J.C. Hartman. He and I swapped lots of stories and I got to hear a lot of things about how hard it was for black players in his early years.
I had great fun asking about some of my favorite players from the first years of the Houston franchise.

After the game, as we were leaving the stadium, I told Mrs. Ruth I was sorry I had not spent as much time visiting with her as I normally would if it had not been for Mr. Hartman. She said, “I did not come here to talk, I came to watch a ballgame!”

Oh yes, Mrs. Ruth had heart!

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