HOUSTON -- With an extended road trip to open their season, the Astros will have to wait a while longer to play in front of their home fans for the first time in 2022. But that hasn’t stopped the party from getting started in Houston, especially among baseball-loving kids who were treated to a few surprises on Wednesday at their Little League field.
Members of the Astros organization and Astros Foundation visited young players at East End Little League at Diez Park, adding to an already bustling, activity-field evening on the three-field complex. Astros legend José Cruz headlined the event, along with popular furry mascot, Orbit, and the Shooting Stars.
Team representatives handed out free collectibles, ballpark-themed snacks and other surprises. Cruz, who has made multiple visits to this field since the Astros refurbished it early in Jim Crane’s ownership tenure, signed autographs and posed for pictures for over an hour.
“I love to come to this ballpark,” Cruz said. “I like to be around the young kids. I really have a good time when I come here, because there are a lot of Latino kids, and their mothers, fathers, grandfathers saw me play. I enjoy it. I enjoy being here.”
This “surprise and delight” activity is part of a league-wide effort to generate enthusiasm among fans leading into Opening Day. The effort is part of MLB’s “Enjoy the Show” campaign, which is all about celebrating the various ways fans can enjoy baseball -- both on and off the field. The campaign extended to 10 markets across the country.
“I like to see the kids having a good time,” Cruz said. “Watching them, I can remember when I was younger, and I think of my own grandkids.”
The Astros will open their season Thursday in Anaheim, the first of a four-game set with their intradivision rivals. They are off Monday and then will resume the road trip in Arizona and Seattle. The home opener will be on April 18 vs. the Angels.
The extra time provided the perfect backdrop to squeeze in a youth-oriented event, like the one that took place at Diez Park near downtown Houston.
“Starting this week, we all kind of got excited and are waiting for it to happen,” said Daryl Wade, director of the Astros Youth Academy. “And now it’s here, and even though we’re not going to be [starting the season] at home, it’s a good opportunity for us to really kick it off and be ready to go when we get our own Opening Day.”
April 07, 2022 at 10:18AM
https://www.mlb.com/news/astros-visit-fans-at-little-league
Fans get welcome surprise at Little League field - MLB.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=little&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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