You see, my husband Bill and I got to know each other over baseball games in college. We both played in our youth. Before we were parents, we played co-ed softball together, our team won our league championship. In 2008 I supported him and cheered for his Phillies in the World Series. Nearly 10 years later during the 2017 World Series he supported me and cheered for my Astros.
We’ve been to loads of Astros games and Phillies games. I’ve been decked out in Astros gear in a sold out Phillies ballpark, he’s been decked out in Phillies gear in the Astros ballpark. In 2019 we visited the Baseball Hall of Fame with the All American Women’s Baseball league. We love the game, like LOVE the game.
Needless to say, baseball has been a constant in our relationship. Back in 2013, when the Astros switched to the American League we looked at each other and said, “an Astros / Phillies World Series could happen.” Though we never thought it would, it was a pipe dream really. My dad had season tickets that year, and we sat in the nearly empty stadium cheering on the Astros, even though they were the worst team in baseball that year.
This September we had a serious conversation. Bill’s childhood friend was getting married, and he was asked to be a groomsman. The wedding would be during games 1 and 2 of the World Series. We knew the Astros would probably make the Series, and committing to the wedding would mean Bill wouldn’t get to work the games {he works production}. Then we tossed out the idea, and chances were slim, but we could have an Astros v Phillies World Series. Would he be willing to miss that for his friend’s wedding? The Phillies were a long shot wild card and we both decided it probably wouldn’t happen.
My husband has adapted to being a Houstonian, he always says he came to Texas as fast as he could. He’s even adopted the Astros as his home team, cheering them on…as long as they aren’t playing the Phillies. We were at game one of the recent Astros v Phillies series in the beginning of October. The game the Phillies won, the one we were at, secured their spot in postseason. Even then at that game, we looked at each other and said, “there’s no way.”
Fast forward to around 11pm on October 23, 2022, we sat on our bed in utter disbelief. An Astros Phillies World Series was going to happen. We stayed up until nearly 1am talking about strategy, the games, who we thought would win and how we were going to handle what was about to go down in our own household. I presented the option of backing out of the wedding, I even told him he could blame me. But he’s a good man and was committed to being there for his friend on his big day.
On Friday, Game 1 of the series, we were in Arkansas for the wedding. I laid out my clothes the night before; orange Astros shirt, Astros World Series Hat, Astros Space City Socks. He looked at my clothes, “really wife, that’s what you’re wearing?” He proceeded to pull out a red Phillies shirt and his blue and red Phillies cap. As we walked down the streets of Hot Springs, Arkansas a man yelled out, “something is not right about this!” We were stopped multiple times with comments on our gear. I’m happy to report almost everyone who stopped us were also rooting for the Astros.
We’re back home in Houston and the tensions are high in our household right now. I have strong superstitions that if I watch the Astros in a postseason game, they will lose. My husband wants me to watch the games. We’re both throwing some serious smack at each other, while trying to maintain a loving household for our daughter. She’s already told us she’s tired of all the Astros and Phillies gear. We’re both kind of holding our breaths. On paper the Astros are the better team, but it’s been a while for the Phillies and as the wild card, they may just want it more.
We’ve decided we will continue to love each other, no matter what happens at the end of the series. We’re both hoping for a game 6 and possibly 7, just because watching our two teams play each other has been beyond exciting. In the meantime we’ll both just keep wearing our gear and try not to cheer too loud {out of respect for each other}. At the end of the series, one of our teams will win and our marriage will go on, through sickness and through health, and through both of our teams playing each other in the World Series.
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