grabbing the spotlight
Houston Astros hero José Altuve hilariously hugs it out in viral fan moment
Our hero really embraced the moment,
As a World Series champ, perennial All Star (eight, to be exact), American League MVP, Hank Aaron Award winner, and more — not to mention base-stealing wizard and clutch batter — Houston Astros superstar José Altuve knows how to adjust on the fly.
So it's little surprise that the humble hometown hero not only held his composure, but offered a calming presence when a fan stormed the field during the ALCS Game 2 at Minute Maid Park Thursday, October 20.
Just as the 8th inning ended and before the 9th began, the man — sporting a retro Craig Biggio jersey (nicely done) — sprinted across the field to Altuve and gripped him in an adoring embrace. The Astros second baseman shared his exchange with the zealous fan with CultureMap news partner ABC13:
"He just said, 'We need to win, I spent all my money on this ticket,'" Altuve said. "I said, 'Yes, we're trying to win.'"
When asked if he was willing to take a selfie with the soon-to-be-tackled fan, Altuve actually said he was willing, but that's when security swarmed in and smothered and removed the fan.
Of course, the city can laugh about the moment now was the Astros went on to beat the Yankees 3-2, thanks to a 3-run Breggy Bomb by Alex Bregman and stalwart pitching by Framber Valdez. Fans charging games is common in sports, but can be dangerous to players — and fans — and can lead to prosecution for the offenders as well as being roughed up by security details.
Meanwhile, The 'Stros are two games up as they head to New York for Games 3 and 4, Saturday and Sunday for what Houstonians are hoping is a clean, 4-0 sweep.
Fans catching those games can hit these popular spots that CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler recommends; be sure to arrive decked out in our favorite Astros gear.
