Why I Gave Up On The Astros...and Why I Came Back

After a game a few weeks ago at Minute Maid Park, E was making fun of how much I love Orbit, the Houston Astros mascot. He made a comment about Orbit being well received for a new mascot and I quickly corrected him that Orbit was not a new mascot. Orbit was there when I went to Astros games as a kid. When the Astros moved from the Astrodome to MMP and changed their entire image, they also changed mascots and Orbit went away and Junction Jack came on the scene. He seemed a little shocked at this information, and it made me think of why I stopped following the Astros in the first place. 

I grew up in Louisiana, and we have no professional baseball team. In fact, the only professional teams we had growing up were the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Jazz (who were taken away before the NBA gave us the Hornets, now Pelicans). Growing up in Southwest Louisiana, I never had a hometown team. Our family vacations were split between going to Astros games in Houston or Rangers games in Arlington. The Astros would offer free tickets to kids who made honor roll and banner roll, and our school was one of the ones that participated in this program. I jokingly tell people that the Astros are what made me try in school, not my school teacher parents. Going to Astros games in the Astrodome are some of my fondest childhood memories. The blue and orange seats, the amazing rainbow jerseys, Orbit the mascot, the ice cream in the mini-helmets, learning how to keep score, and the quality time that my family spent together are the highlights of my childhood. But something happened that made me stop following the Astros. 

In 1993, the team decided on blue and gold as the official colors, which didn't sit to well with me, but I accepted it. However, in 2000, the Astros left the Astrodome and moved to Enron Field (now MMP). When they moved, that decided to revamp the team image. The team colors were now a brick red, black and sand. They also did away with Orbit and brought in Junction Jack. Everything changed. 

That was the moment I stopped following the Astros because they weren't the team that I grew up with. I felt as if they had taken all of my childhood memories and tossed them on I-10 and ran over them with semi-truck. I felt as if the Astros had betrayed my childhood and the happy memories that I had. I couldn't watch the team that I loved try to be someone else. I understood that change is a part of life, but I wasn't ready for them to completely get rid of everything that had made me love the Astros in the first place. 

Eventually, the Astros decided to bring back everything I loved (except the Astrodome...RIP). It just so happened that around that same time, I accepted a job in Texas, an hour and a half from Houston. It was the first time in my life that I've lived close enough to an MLB team to consider one my hometown team. As corny as it sounds, I like to think that it wasn't a coincidence, but divine intervention that brought all of my childhood favorites back around the same time I moved to Texas. For a cajun girl from SWLA, the thought of living in Texas was a difficult one. I spent many nights crying myself to sleep because I didn't want to be a Texan. The first few months were emotionally draining on me. 

To get through the emotional mess of my heart, I did the only thing I know how to do when I'm feeling confused and upset, I began going to Astros games. Sports have always been what I turn to help me get through the tough times. Being at a ballpark, racetrack, arena, stadium, etc. brings back memories with the most important and influential people in my life and it helps me get a clear head. The Astros were there when I needed them be. Not just the Astros, the Astros of my childhood...even if they were in a different location. Having my favorites back has made the transition of becoming a Texan much easier. 

Thanks Astros for all of the memories of the past and all the memories we will make together in the future.