Baseball is truly America’s sports. No playoffs are as intense, scary and exciting. Each pitch, each hit, each run scored is total drama. So amazing.
It has taken me a few days since the Astros won the World Series by beating the LA Dodgers to figure out just what to say. When you’ve been a fan of a team most of your entire life and they finally win it all, the words are hard to come by.
Did I cry a little? Yes. Did I scream and party a little? Yes. Did I believe they would do it? No! I was too scared to hope for anything better than a 2nd WS appearance. I was happy with that sadly. Days later and I am still in shock with an endless smile on my heart. They freaking did it!!!!
My dad passed away in July and my prayer then was the Astros, and my Cowboys, would win it all for him.
After all I owe my love of sports to my dad.
I’ve been an Astros fan since 1974 when we moved to Houston as a kid. I’ve waited my entire life cheering them on, and the Rangers, hoping one of my teams would finally bring the World Championship to the great state of Texas. Fitting that the Astros would do it first!
My dad took me to a handful of games nearly every year I can remember as a kid. We would sit way up high in the Astrodome. We’d leave early most games because I had school the next day and I would fall asleep listening to Milo Hamilton call the end of the game. (Sadly he passed away just two years short of seeing this happen!)
These games hold some of the most precious times with my dad…especially now looking back on them without him here. I know he was watching in his ugly orange Astros shirt cheering them on with me and forever I will hold those memories close to my soul. I miss him so much every day.
Now I have the goal of passing on the love of the game to my kids. They are full throttle Rangers fans and I can only hope and pray I have given them so of those great memories like dad gave me. I take them to as many games as I can and every now and then I run them down to Houston for an Astros game. Maybe one day the Rangers too will win a ring for us all.
Texas proud. Houston strong.
Thank you Astros. And if you want to win it again in 2018, please do!
The Brady Speers Family 