The first championship for any franchise always delivers a satisfying celebration. But when it happens during the recovery from a natural disaster, it generously serves as a welcome and exhilarating distraction for its fans and city. The dynamic Houston Astros thrilled fans with a riveting and fearless playoff run through the Red Sox, Yankees, and Dodgers. That’s strong. They won 101 games during a challenging but tremendous regular season led by Jose Altuve and bolstered by the late-season acquisition of Justin Verlander. Meanwhile, homegrown heroes Altuve, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers, and Willie Mays World Series MVP George Springer made the team especially exciting to watch. The offense smashed 27 home runs to tie the Major League record for homers hit by one team in a single Postseason, including 15 longballs in the World Series. Under the leadership and direction of General Manager Jeff Luhnow, the Astros staged one of the most successful building efforts ever seen. And Manager A.J. Hinch and Carlos Beltran – of 2004 Astros Postseason fame – combined with veterans Brian McCann and Charlie Morton for a steady on-field presence. These Astros personify the struggles, resilience, and hope of their fans and community, and their World Series championship represents the fruits of a well-designed strategy for preparation, execution, and celebration. Astros fans are strong believers.
