Astros’ success tied into area support
Positive effect after hurricane disaster
HOUSTON— Every time theAstros suit up, they wear asimple patch as a reminder of what Houston lost to Hurricane Harvey and its catastrophic flooding. The city is determined to rebuild, and the Astros are careful to honor Houston with every game as they chase a second trip to the World Series in thefranchise’s history.
“I hope we’re representing the city well and for our fan base and even non-fans that are in our community, that we can be something positive for the city and be part of the message that we’re still rebuilding,” managerA.J. Hinch said.
TheAstros have worn the patch each game since returning home. It sits on the upper left side of their chests and features the word “STRONG” in white block letters between an Astros logo and a rendering of the stateof Texas.
It’s a nod to the “Houston Strong” slogan the city adopted after the storm, and it’s become a catchphrase in the area. A woman in the crowd at Minute Maid Park held a sign with those words Saturday as she cheered on the Astros in their 2-1 victory against the Yankees that gave them a 2-0 lead in the American League Championshipseries.
“We’re doing this for the city,” shortstop Carlos Correasaid. “We want to bring a lot of joy and happiness to thefans out here in Houston, especially after everything they’ve been through this year. It’s been a tough year for the city. So if we can bring something through baseball, we’re going to do it.”
Though the Astros take pride in being a bright spot in a difficult time, Hinch doesn’t want to make too muchof their role.
“We all need to keep it in proper perspective, we’re a baseball team,” he said. “We play a game and we provide entertainment and a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of agonyalong the way, too. But it does bring some exposure to a community that needs as much support from around the country to rebuild itself formonths to come ... .”
The Astros have been active in supporting the city’s efforts to return to normal. Owner Jim Crane and the Astros foundation donated $4 million to relief efforts, and a number of players donated to various charities and helped collect supplies for those affected. AL MVP contenderJose Altuve is one of the few players remaining on the roster who was around for the lean rebuilding years when the Astros had 100-plus losses in three consecutive seasons (201113). He remembers the support he got from fans when the team was the worst in baseball and feels like he owesit to the people in Houston to help the Astros win as muchas possible.