Bury Me in the H: The Makings of An Astros Fan

Confession: I don’t actually love baseball. Or I should say I did not grow up loving baseball, let alone Astros baseball. We were very much a college football game day family on Saturdays and golf on Sundays for nap time. Growing up in Dallas though, the Rangers were our team – if we had one. I do know that my childhood was punctuated watching the epic moment that Nolan Ryan threw his 7th no hitter. I still feel that moment as viscerally as I did almost 30 years ago. But beyond that… yeah. Not our thing. I can’t recite stats, I don’t always understand why they do the things they do, and I don’t typically spend HOURS watching players round bases and hit homeruns.

So, to me, it makes ZERO sense that I should be all in with the Astros. Like why? Why was I physically nauseated when the Phillies nabbed 7 runs in Game 3? And inexplicably, why did I burst into loud sobbing tears last night, both scaring my dogs and bemusing my husband and children? And I mean HUGE, racking sobs. The kind where it almost felt like my emotions were not longer my own and instead some force greater than my control had taken over my heart.

I dabbled in softball growing up and I appreciate the sport. But it’s not like I’ve ever been some sort of crazy baseball fanatic, save for the cleat chasing I allegedly did while playing soccer at LSU.

But I care passionately for the same reasons that so many others do: The Astros have provided a much needed lifeline for Houston. They have overcome the odds and a cheating scandal that could have destroyed their club. OUR club. They took those dark times, channeled that energy, and made themselves even better.

The best in the world as of today.

We care because at the time when our city was searching for HOPE, they provided it in spades with their 2017 clinch after Hurricane Harvey. We needed something to believe in then. Something to remind us that the rebuilding was worth it. A welcome respite from the stress that had encapsulated our homes and our minds and our work.

We care because these men inspire us with their passion. In some professional sports, the love of the game doesn’t come through, marred by money, fame, and other worldly distractions. Our boys truly play like they LOVE what they do. Seeing people live out their dreams in front of the glare of our TV screens will never get old.

We care because as a mom, I can actually point to OUR team on the screen, and I’m not ashamed that Altuve or Bregman or McCormick or Mancini or {insert any other name here} may be their role model. That doesn’t happen often these days.

We care because Jeremy Pena. I can pretty much just leave that one right there. This dude. I question if you have a heart at all if you don’t smile ear to ear seeing that guy grin and round the bases and throw out hearts to his momma. Well, and those arms… just saying.

We care because we are creating and cultivating life-long memories with our children and our dear friends. My children are being brought up on Astros love and it has bonded us. The late night games, the gentle trash-talking, the treks to Minute Maid Park, the gear – all of it. One of my favorite memories this season was the epic 18th inning game against the Mariners when Pena finally nailed a homer to send us to the ALCS – and my son was right beside me the whole time. You can’t replace those moments.

We care because the Astros show us what we can accomplish when we work together as a TEAM. What a beautiful sight to see them all working in different ways towards a common goal. And then the capper on that? Every.single.player gives credit to their teammates. There is no glory hog. They recognize they cannot accomplish a title without the others having their back. We could learn a lot from them. Oh, and let’s talk about the leader, Dusty Baker. Calm, cool, collected, toothpick toting, and obviously beloved.  He’s an all star in his own right and they did it for Dusty.

And we care because for all too brief a moment, our city is united in one thing, one love. We tout our orange and blue all over town and throw up Facebook statuses with clever memes and tweet out that love. My feed this weekend was covered in Astros love and gosh bless it all, what a welcome relief from the negativity that flows too freely.

Friends, this is bigger than clever hashtags of #LevelUp. It is bigger than Clutch City. It is bigger than “just baseball”. It’s seeing our boys become men. It’s seeing a team that used to have 100+ regular season losses continue to make beautiful playoff history. It’s witnessing humanity and friendship. It’s being a beacon of hope that is so desperately needed.

I’m 100% here for it. I am all in for the Astros forever. I mean, just bury me in the H. This is OUR team. The entire city of Houston’s team. And while we will never become the nation’s team because they are too busy hating us, we are too busy winning World Series titles to give a damn.

Congratulations, Astros. You make our city so proud.

Pin this post and be sure to follow
Houston Moms
on Pinterest!