In all of its glory: World Series trophy works way to PA
Published 5:39 pm Saturday, March 24, 2018
- Danny McClintock Jr. of Port Neches poses by the Commissioner’s Trophy awarded to the World Series champion Houston Astros at the Mid-County H-E-B on Saturday. (I.C. Murrell/The News)
Danny McClintock Jr. didn’t get to attend any of the Houston Astros’ World Series games.
It was OK for the Nederland native and Port Neches resident. The Commissioner’s Trophy came to him — and many others in Jefferson County.
This is no replica, folks. The Commissioner's Trophy is unveiled at the Mid-County H-E-B. @astros @panews pic.twitter.com/myr6UKC706
— I.C. Murrell (@ICMurrellPB) March 24, 2018
It meant “everything” to McClintock to see the Astros’ first world championship trophy in person Saturday, coming off a year the entire Houston region needed a reason to celebrate.
“As for me as a fan, I’ve been waiting my whole life for that trophy, to see it and experience it” he said, “because my family has been fans all of my life.”
Del Papa Distributing, in association with Anheuser-Busch, teamed with the Astros to bring the Trophy Tour to the county Saturday. The trophy made a stop at the Mid-County H-E-B on FM 365 in Port Arthur after being displayed at Buffalo Wild Wings on Dowlen Road in Beaumont.
A long line of locals at the H-E-B formed from the northeast entranceway to the deli area to gaze at the mini-statue of golden banners. And McClintock was first in line.
“I think it’s very important for the area,” Del Papa sales manager Sean Atnip said. “I think it’s a really cool deal to be able to get this close to the trophy and take kind of a personal photo. We’ve been waiting for a long time for the Astros to win a championship. It’s a pretty cool experience for everybody.”
This season will be the Astros’ 57th year of existence.
McClintock might not have gotten to see in person what many rank as one of the greatest games ever — the Astros’ 13-12 win in Game 5 that lasted more than 5 hours and saw seven home runs in 10 innings — but even after posing next to the Commish’s Trophy, he’s not done celebrating Houston’s finest baseball achievement, which was done in seven games.
“I will be there opening day to see the banner drop,” he said.
The Astros’ regular season begins Thursday against the Texas Rangers in Arlington. The championship banner will be unfurled and rings presented during the Astros’ home opener April 2 against the Baltimore Orioles at Minute Maid Park.
I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews
About I.C. Murrell
I.C. Murrell was promoted to editor of The News, effective Oct. 14, 2019. He previously served as sports editor since August 2015 and has won or shared eight first-place awards from state newspaper associations and corporations. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, grew up mostly in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
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