44 Years, Six Jerseys, Three Stadiums, and Two Names Later, Astros Win the Pennant

Now that I’ve had a few hours to celebrate, let me tell you just how important this victory is. Major League Baseball has been played in Houston since 1962, and the Astros have never, until now, played in the World Series. Craig Biggio, who personifies the franchise, holds the record for most post-season games played without playing in the World Series. The Astros are only the second team in MLB history to play in the World Series after being 15 games under .500. But, this pennant is bigger than mere trivia.

This win is for Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, and all the current Astros players and coaches. It’s for Houston and Texas. It’s for every kid who grew up rooting for the Astros. It’s for Jim Umbricht, Don Wilson, Jose Cruz, Mike Scott, Nolan Ryan, Larry Dierker, and Jimmy Wynn. It’s for Ken Caminiti, Shane Reynolds, Tim Bogar, Darryl Kile, Jim Deshaies, Alan Ashby, Glenn Davis, and J.R. Richard. It’s for Milo Hamilton. It’s for every fan who yelled Cruuuuuuuz! It’s for 43 years worth of players and fans. It’s for my Great-Grandmother, who loved her Astros and passed that love on to me. It’s for every fan whose heart has been broken more times than he’d like to say, but still came back to cheer on his team the next season. And yes, it’s even for those rainbow jerseys.

The easiest thing in the world is to be a Yankees fan, but to love your team, win or lose, to live and die on every pitch, that is what Baseball is about. That is how you learn to be a man.

I love this team. I always have, and God help me, I always will.

Now, if you think this post was emotional, imagine what it will be like if the ‘Stros actually win the Series.

–J.E. Heath
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