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On September 24, Astros legend Craig Biggio attended Westbrook Intermediate School as the special guest of seventh-grader Ryleigh Love. Ryleigh was the winner of the Astros and Whataburger's "Take A Legend To School" program. Over the summer, fans participated in an online essay contest that explained why their nominated student was the most deserving of special recognition. More than 500 entries were received on behalf of elementary and intermediate school students from parents, relatives and friends. Junction Jack, the Astros mascot, escorted Ryleigh to school in a limousine. Biggio joined Ryleigh at Westbrook Intermediate for lunch and a meet and greet session with Ryleigh's classmates. That evening, Ryleigh threw out a ceremonial first pitch and enjoyed the Astros-Cardinals game from a suite.
Each Sunday home game, the Astros host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. A small group of active duty military personnel who have recently returned from overseas service take part in a special Astros experience that includes a player meet and greet. The group watches the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and they are introduced prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America." The Astros welcomed U.S. Coast Guard members on September 23 and the group met interim manager Tony DeFrancesco, Enerio Del Rosario, Lucas Harrell, Dallas Keuchel, Fernando Martinez, J.D. Martinez, Justin Maxwell, Scott Moore, Jimmy Paredes, Jordan Schafer, Chris Snyder, Mickey Storey, Jose Valdez and Brett Wallace.
On New Year's Eve 1972, Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The prestigious Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevrolet pays tribute to the 15-time MLB All-star's achievements and character by recognizing current players who truly understand the value of helping others. 
The Houston Astros and Devon Energy rewarded Ms. Jolanta Stern's fourth grade students for their environmentally friendly efforts with a special visit on September 21. Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel and broadcaster Dave Raymond took a trip to Browning Elementary School as part of the Astros Play Green® program. Keuchel read Miss Fox's Class Goes Green and each student received their own autographed copy of the book. After the reading, students asked questions about Dallas' life as a Major League Baseball player and then they planted trees with the southpaw. The tree planting was a collective effort as Dallas, Dave, the students, Astros interns and Trees for Houston employees pitched in to help.
Each Sunday home game, the Astros host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. A small group of active duty military personnel who have recently returned from overseas service take part in a special Astros experience that includes a player meet and greet. The group watches the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and they are introduced prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America." On September 16, the Astros welcomed members from the U.S. Army and Coast Guard and the group met Brandon Barnes, Dallas Keuchel, Justin Maxwell and J.D. Martinez.
During the fourth annual Astros Adopt-A-Firehouse program, Astros players "adopted" the firehouse that corresponded with their uniform number. Brian Bogusevic, Justin Maxwell and Chris Snyder along with Astros great, Jose Cruz signed autographs and presented framed, autographed jerseys to firefighters as a thank you for their service. Chick-fil-A provided lunch at each firehouse. Established in 2009, Astros players have now "adopted" 23 total fire stations through the Adopt-A-Firehouse program.
In addition to the pregame ceremonies, the Astros hosted a special edition of the club's Sunday Home Sweet Home program.
Each Sunday home game, the Astros host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. A small group of active duty military personnel who have recently returned from overseas service take part in a special Astros experience that includes a player meet and greet. The group watches the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and they are introduced prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America." The Astros welcomed U.S. Air Force and Army members on September 2 and the group met Tyler Greene, Justin Maxwell and Kyle Weiland. 
This summer, Astros starting pitcher Bud Norris sponsored Team 20, a program that provides an upbeat Astros experience for pediatric cancer patients. Norris worked with Candlelighters, an organization that provides emotional, educational and practical support to children with cancer and their families. On August 31, each of the 20 attendees received a ticket to the game and $15 towards ballpark purchases. After watching batting practice, they met Bud and had the opportunity to get autographs.
Astros reliever Wesley Wright sponsored Wesley's Change-up treating teens from CROSSROADS: Community Partnership for Youth, Inc. to special Astros experiences this summer. The 2012 program ended on August 28. The 20 attendees received a game ticket, $15 towards ballpark purchases, and they met Wesley after watching batting practice from the field. CROSSROADS' mission is to prevent or reduce youth involvement with the juvenile justice system by fostering positive mentoring relationships between youth and volunteers in the Houston area.
The Astros once again partnered with HomeAid Houston, a charitable organization of the Greater Houston Builders Association, to help combat homelessness.
Each Sunday home game, the Astros host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. A small group of active duty military personnel who have recently returned from overseas service take part in a special Astros experience that includes a player meet and greet. The group watches the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and they are introduced prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America." The Astros welcomed U.S. Air Force and Army members on August 19 and the group met Tyler Greene, Mickey Storey, Kyle Weiland and Wesley Wright.
Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie and his wife Milessa this season are sponsoring Jedi Warriors, a program supporting wounded soldiers. One Friday a month, Lowrie is hosting a group of former military members from the Wounded Warrior Project. On August 17, 20 attendees received a ticket to the game, $20 towards ballpark purchases and they met Jed after watching batting practice from the field.
Astros starting pitcher Bud Norris welcomed pediatric cancer patients from Candlelighters to the ballpark through his Team 20 player program on August 17. Candlelighters is an organization that provides emotional, educational and practical support to children with cancer and their families. A group of 20 attendees received a ticket to the game and $15 towards ballpark purchases. After watching batting practice, they met Bud and had the opportunity to get autographs.
On August 16, the Astros wives hosted the 23rd Annual Black Ties and Baseball Caps Gala. Current and former Astros players and their wives mingled with fans and Houston Area Women's Center supporters. The gathering was on the field at Minute Maid Park and included a cocktail reception, dinner and a silent and live auction.
Each Sunday game, the Astros host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. A small group of active duty military personnel who have recently returned from overseas service take part in a special Astros experience that includes a player meet and greet. The group watches the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages and they are introduced prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America." The Astros welcomed U.S. Marine Corps members to the Milwaukee-Brewers game on August 12. The group met Dallas Keuchel, Brandon Barnes, Chris Snyder, and Lucas Harrell.
The Astros and the Sunshine Kids have worked together for many years to provide unique baseball experiences for children with cancer. Several times each season, Sunshine Kids families visit the ballpark for a pregame meeting with Astros players. 
The Astros Buddies Kids Club is the team's official fan club for kids 14 and under. Members receive exclusive benefits including tickets, cool Buddies merchandise, Astros trinkets, and invitations to member-exclusive events. Kids experience Astros baseball the "Buddies way."
Astros starting pitcher Bud Norris welcomed families from Candlelighters to Minute Maid Park through his Team 20 player program on August 10. The 20 attendees received a ticket to the game, $15 towards ballpark purchases, and they met Bud after watching batting practice from the field. The mission of Candlelighters is to provide emotional, educational, and practical support to children with cancer and their families.
Each Sunday game, the Astros partner with USO Houston to host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. On July 29, the team welcomed U.S. Marine Corps members, who recently returned from overseas service. The group met Craig Biggio, Justin Maxwell and Scott Moore. They watched the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and they were introduced prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America."
Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie and his wife Milessa this season are sponsoring Jedi Warriors, a program supporting wounded soldiers. One Friday a month, Lowrie is hosting a group of former military members from the Wounded Warrior Project. On July 27, 20 attendees received a ticket to the game, $20 towards ballpark purchases and they met Jed after watching batting practice.
This summer, Astros starting pitcher Bud Norris is sponsoring Team 20, a program that provides an upbeat Astros experience for pediatric cancer patients. Norris is working with Candlelighters, an organization that provides emotional, educational and practical support to children with cancer and their families. On July 27, 20 attendees received a ticket to the game and $15 towards ballpark purchases. After watching batting practice, they met Bud and had the opportunity to get autographs.
PLAY - which stands for Promoting a Lifetime of Activity for Youth - is a public awareness campaign developed by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) to combat child obesity. On July 25 at Minute Maid Park, Astros trainers Nate Lucero and Rex Jones led 60 children from the Astros Urban Youth Academy through a series of four stations that addressed being active through proper athletic training, sustaining healthy lifestyles and the dangers of performance enhancing drugs. Outfielder J.D. Martinez and reliever Wesley Wright talked about their routines and reinforced healthy living. The clinic was followed by a healthy lunch in the FiveSeven Grille.
Each Sunday game, the Astros partner with USO Houston to host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. USO Houston coordinates the participating military members. On July 8, the program welcomed a small group of active, recently returned military personnel and their guests to a special Astros experience. The group met David Carpenter, Lucas Harrell, J.D. Martinez, Bud Norris and Jordan Schafer. They watched the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and were introduced prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America."
On July 6, Astros starting pitcher Bud Norris welcomed families from Candlielighters to Minute Maid Park through his Team 20 player program. The 20 attendees received a ticket to the game, $15 towards ballpark purchases, and they met Bud after watching batting practice from the field. The mission of Candlelighters is to provide emotional, educational, and practical support to children with cancer and their families.
The Houston Astros and Houston Leadership for Tomorrow (HLT) hosted a leadership seminar for the HLT Class of 2013 at Minute Maid Park on June 26. HLT is a program that identifies the best and brightest African-American, Hispanic and Native American high school students and transforms their leadership potential. During the day, consultants from McKinsey & Company, an international consulting firm based in Houston, coached the students on business strategy. Later that evening, the group interacted with HLT board members, alumni and supporters during a networking reception.
This summer, Astros reliever Wesley Wright is sponsoring Wesley's Change-up for kids from CROSSROADS: Community Partnership for Youth, Inc. On June 26, the 20 attendees received a ticket to the game, $15 towards ballpark purchases, and they met Wesley after they watched batting practice from the field. CROSSROADS' mission is to prevent or reduce youth involvement with the juvenile justice system by fostering positive mentoring relationships between youth and volunteers in the Houston area.
Astros staff and Play Green® Ambassador Chris Johnson planted approximately 35 trees at Memorial Park on June 25. Native to southeast Texas, the tree species planted were Bald Cypress, Chinquapin, Empire Live Oak and Shumard Oak. Each tree represented a home run hit by an Astros player at Minute Maid Park in April, May and part of June.
Each Sunday game, the Astros partner with USO Houston to host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. On June 24, the team welcomed a small group of active, recently returned military personnel and their guests to a special Astros experience that included a player meet and greet. The group watched the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and were introduced prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America."
Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie and his wife Milessa are sponsoring Jedi Warriors in 2012. One Friday a month, Lowrie is hosting a group of former military members from the Wounded Warrior Project. The 20 attendees receive a ticket to the game, $20 towards ballpark purchases, and they meet Jed after watching batting practice from the field. Guests enjoyed the third of six visits this season on June 22.
Astros reliever Wesley Wright is sponsoring Wesley's Change-up, a summer program that welcomes kids from CROSSROADS: Community Partnership for Youth, Inc. to Minute Maid Park. CROSSROADS' mission is to prevent or reduce youth involvement with the juvenile justice system by fostering positive mentoring relationships between youth and volunteers in the Houston area. On June 19, 20 attendees received a ticket to the game, $15 towards ballpark purchases, and they met Wesley after they watched batting practice from the field.
This spring, more than 600,000 children between the ages of seven and 14 participated nationwide in Major League Baseball's free Pitch, Hit & Run (PHR) program. Before the June 3 Astros game, the top 24 baseball and softball qualifiers from the Gulf Coast region competed at Minute Maid Park in hopes of advancing to the national finals at the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Kansas City. PHR provides an integrated competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball and softball skills - pitching, hitting and running abilities.
On June 3, Coca-Cola Astros Buddies Kids Club members worked for the team on Buddies Behind-the-Scenes Day. Randomly selected MVP members saw first-hand what it was like to work for a Major League Baseball team performing various game day jobs including grounds keeper, public address announcer and scoreboard operator. Buddies MVP members were also honorary "Astros players" and stood with Astros players on the field during the national anthem.
Each Sunday game, the Astros host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. USO Houston coordinates the participating military members. On June 3, the team welcomed members from the Coast Guard and Marine Corps. The group met David Carpenter, Lucas Harrell and Justin Maxwell. They watched the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and were introduced prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America."
The Astros welcomed a special group of men and women who were in Houston for the eighth annual Impact A Hero weekend to the June 2 game against the Cincinnati Reds. In addition to the organization's fundraising events - 5K run, gala and golf tournament - the goal of the weekend is to bring a message of appreciation to the troops. More than 50 wounded heroes and their guests received tickets courtesy of the team and enjoyed a special player meeting prior to the game. Impact A Hero is a non-partisan 501(c) (3) organization, created to provide a simple mechanism for individuals and corporations to provide emotional and financial support for severely wounded/disabled veterans and their families.
Both the 10K and 5K races began at Minute Maid Park in front of Union Station on Crawford Street and finished inside the ballpark. Participants received an official race T-shirt. The top overall 5K female and male winners received two free airline tickets courtesy of United Airlines. The top overall female and male winners of the 10K were each awarded a $1,000 Chevron gas card. Winners in each division received a race certificate and a $50 Academy Sports + Outdoors gift card. All first through third place category winners as well as the overall male and female finishers from both the 5K and10K races were celebrated during an on-field pregame ceremony at the Astros-Cardinals game on June 6.
On May 22, Astros Play Green® ambassador Chris Johnson and broadcaster Bill Brown made a special visit to Ms. Shannon Warren's special needs students at Landrum Middle School. The sixth-graders were chosen as this year's Greenest Classroom. The students were honored in an on-field ceremony prior to the game that evening. A Spring Branch ISD school, the students are actively involved in school recycling projects. The class funded some of their field trips from the money they earned through recycling.
The Houston Astros teamed up with BTF and Academy Sports + Outdoors to host an equipment collection drive at the Astros-Rangers game on May 20. Academy Sports + Outdoors pitched in over 200 new baseball gloves.
Each Sunday home game, the Astros host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. This program welcomes a small group of active, recently returned military personnel and their guests to a special Astros experience that includes a player meet and greet. The group watches the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and is introduced to the crowd prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America." USO Houston coordinates the participating military members. The program welcomed U.S. Army soldiers on May 20.
The Astros welcomed a group of approximately 60 people from the Sunshine Kids to Minute Maid Park for a pregame meet and greet with the team. Players and coaches visiting with the group were Fernando Abad, former Astro Craig Biggio, Javier Bracamonte, Doug Brocail, Rhiner Cruz, Marwin Gonzalez, J.A. Happ, Jed Lowrie, Jordan Lyles, Brandon Lyon, Justin Maxwell, Brett Myers and Jordan Schafer.
Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie and his wife Milessa are sponsoring Jedi Warriors in 2012. One Friday a month, Lowrie is hosting a group of former military members from the Wounded Warrior Project to a unique Astros experience. The program continued on May 18, 20 attendees received a ticket to the game, $20 towards ballpark purchases, and they met Jed while watching batting practice from the field.
Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life is a national Major League Baseball education program developed in conjunction with Scholastic, Inc., that teaches students the nine core values that Jackie Robinson exhibited in his life. Each year, students in fourth through eighth grades can participate by submitting essays that discuss personal stories of overcoming barriers. On May 16, Sharon Robinson, daughter of the legendary Jackie Robinson, honored Houston area seventh-grader Aeliya Arif, the 2012 national second place winner, in a pregame ceremony.
Also participating were breast cancer survivors Roberta Schwartz, executive vice president for The Methodist Hospital and Maryanne McCormack, entrepreneur and founder of Visible Changes hair salon.
Just as fielders on a baseball diamond have a choice in executing a play, kids are also faced with their own challenges every day. On May 7, Astros players David Carpenter, Jed Lowrie, Fernando Rodriguez, and Chris Snyder and broadcasters Jim Deshaies, Brett Dolan, Dave Raymond and Francisco Romero visited four local schools and presented the Astros Whataburger Fielder's Choice school assembly.
Each month, the Astros In Action Foundation, in partnership with Wells Fargo, honors an area citizen with the title of Hometown Hero. Those recognized have gone above and beyond and performed extraordinary acts within their communities. Prior to the Astros-Marlins game on May 9, the Astros honored six-year old Rafe Nobles Kotalik as the May Hometown Hero.
Each Sunday home game, the Astros host the Home Sweet Home program sponsored by Budweiser. This program welcomes a small group of active, recently returned military personnel and their guests to a special Astros experience that includes a player meet and greet. The group watches the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and is introduced to the crowd prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America." USO Houston coordinates the participating military members. The program welcomed members from the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps on May 6.
Home Sweet Home recognizes active duty service members at every Sunday home game for their recent overseas service. The experience includes a player meet and greet, the group watches the game from a suite, catered with complimentary food and beverages, and is introduced to the crowd prior to the seventh inning singing of "God Bless America." The club welcomed Marines from the 1/23rd "Lone Star" unit on April 22.
Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie and his wife Milessa are sponsoring Jedi Warriors in 2012. One Friday a month, Lowrie is hosting a group of former military members from the Wounded Warrior Project to a unique Astros experience. The 20 attendees receive a ticket to the game, $20 towards ballpark purchases, and they meet Jed while watching batting practice from the field. Lowrie hosted the first of six groups to the Astros-Dodgers game on April 20.
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier. Sixty-five years to the date, all players wore Jackie's number, No. 42, as Major League Baseball commemorated the milestone on April 15. The Astros' festivities followed MLB's celebration and honored Robinson's legacy with various activities on April 20.
Prior to the Astros-Dodgers game, the club hosted a reception for African-American community leaders. Members of the Texas Southern University Debate Team spoke about Robinson's footprint on America's pastime and special reception guests included current players Justin Maxwell and Wesley Wright, coaches Dave Clark and Bobby Meacham, former Astros player Jimmy Wynn, Baseball Hall of Famer Monte Irvin, along with Jackie Robinson Foundation alumna Nakia Davis.
Astros Urban Youth Academy (UYA) members, selected for their leadership, took the field with Astros players during the national anthem each wearing a t-shirt representing one of Robinson's life principles.
The Houston Astros, Chevrolet and Houston area Chevy dealers are celebrating the Astros 50th anniversary during the 2012 season with several activities that give fans a fun and up-close experience with Astros baseball.
On April 14 and April 15, Chevrolet sponsored two baseball clinics at Minute Maid Park providing area youth the opportunity to learn baseball fundamentals and promote the values of sportsmanship and teamwork.
Baseball instructor Mike Harris and players from the Miracles Baseball Academy provided instruction. After the clinic, lunch was provided for all participants and Larry Dierker (April 14) and Jimmy Wynn (April 15) spoke to the kids and participated in a question and answer session.
Each month, the Astros In Action Foundation, in partnership with Wells Fargo, honors an area citizen with the title of Hometown Hero. Those recognized have gone above and beyond and performed extraordinary acts within their communities. Prior to the Astros-Braves game on April 11, the Astros honored former Houston Area Women's Center Chair Shawn Raymond as April's Hometown Hero.
The Houston Area Women's center has made huge strides in ending sexual and domestic violence in Houston. When it comes to advancing the mission of the Women's Center, Raymond has always demonstrated a willingness to invest it all- his time, his talent, his resources, his heart and soul. He transforms his understanding into action, ensuring that the Women's Center has the leadership and resources needed to provide excellent services that support survivors of domestic and sexual violence in their efforts to move their lives forward.
On April 8, the club welcomed Marines from the 1/23rd "Lone Star" unit, who returned from Afghanistan last fall, to Minute Maid Park as part of the Astros Home Sweet Home program. Home Sweet Home is an important program that recognizes active duty service members at every Sunday home game for their recent overseas service.
The Houston Astros and the City of Houston worked together to host a special parade and ceremony for veterans of the Iraq War on April 7. Iraq War veterans were invited to parade through downtown Houston with the procession concluding inside Minute Maid Park with an on-field pregame ceremony.
In addition, Chase, in partnership with Operation Homefront, presented Iraq War veteran Quentin Muirhead and his wife, Jennifer, with the gift of a mortgage-free home. The Astros donated tickets for the evening's game to all uniformed parade participants and their immediate families. The veterans were served dinner during the game courtesy of Minute Maid, Papa John's and Frost National Bank.
Many activities surrounded the Astros Opening Day on April 6. Hosted by the Astros, ARAMARK and the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, the team's annual Opening Day Blood Drive was held in Union Station at Minute Maid Park. Anyone that donated or attempted to donate received a special Astros T-shirt. The drive resulted in 179 units that can be used to save up to 537 lives.
Launched last season, the Astros are pleased to be hosting On The Home Front again in 2012. With the help of USO Houston, the Astros welcomed several military families with a loved one serving away from home to a special Astros experience that included an on-field batting practice visit and tickets to the Astros-Rockies game on April 6. The program happens one Friday a month. Each participant's ticket is loaded with $15 that can be spent at most concession and retail stands at Minute Maid Park. Information about all the Astros military efforts is available at www.astros.com/militaryappreciation.
On February 17-19, Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Houston Astros teamed up to host the Urban Invitational in Houston, Texas for the first time in its five-year history.
Hosted the first four times in Compton, Calif., the site of the first MLB Urban Youth Academy, the round-robin tournament is designed to give Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their baseball programs national exposure.
Games were played at Minute Maid Park over the three days. The 2012 tournament featured five HBCUS: Alabama State University, Grambling State University, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University and Texas Southern University along with NCAA Division I school University of California, Irvine.
On February 18, several festivities at Minute Maid Park complemented the weekend event. A college fair, in which over 20 colleges and universities were represented, provided information about college preparation, undergraduate and graduate degree programs, financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Fans enjoyed performances by the Prairie View A&M "Marching Storm" and Texas Southern "Ocean of Soul" marching bands. Jennifer Holliday, Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist and HBCU alumnus of Texas Southern University, performed "America the Beautiful" before the final game that evening. Holliday's performance and games played at Minute Maid Park that day aired live on MLB Network and MLB.com.
Proceeds from the event benefited the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Foundation.
FanFest returned to Minute Maid Park on February 11, allowing fans to enjoy all things Astros. Many popular activities were back including autograph sessions, the garage sale and mystery grab bags along with new experiences, such as kids inflatable games on the field and the opportunity to take batting practice. Fans were also able to paint or sign their name to the Astros 50th Anniversary mural, which will be displayed in the ballpark throughout the 2012 season.
This year's festival included several current and former Astros player autograph sessions. Current players participating were Brian Bogusevic, Jason Bourgeois, Jason Castro, Chris Johnson, J.D. Martinez, Bud Norris, Humberto Quintero, and Brett Wallace along with newcomers Jed Lowrie and Chris Snyder. Manager Brad Mills met with fans as well. The former player group included Kevin Bass, Enos Cabell, Jose Cruz, Larry Dierker, Bob Watson, Jimmy Wynn, Shane Reynolds and J.R. Richard.
"Talkin' Baseball" sessions, which took place in Union Station, gave fans the opportunity to hear from Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow and President and CEO George Postolos. Other session topics, "2012 Season", "Astros.com Chat Session", "50th Anniversary Plans", "A Look at 50 Years" presented a season outlook, while "Story Time with Milo Hamilton" and "Talkin' Youth Baseball" provided entertainment for kids.
FanFest proceeds benefited the Astros Urban Youth Academy.
On February 10, the Astros In Action Foundation and Minute Maid hosted the 27th Annual Baseball Dinner benefiting the Grand Slam for Youth Baseball scholarship program. This year's event had a celebratory flair highlighting 50 years of Houston baseball. Astros Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton served as co-emcee, and was joined by veteran Houston broadcaster Lisa Malosky. Astros President and CEO George Postolos, General Manager Jeff Luhnow and manager Brad Mills also took part.
Past Astros MVP honorees included Bob Aspromonte, Enos Cabell, Jose Cruz, Larry Dierker, Roger Metzger, Bob Watson and Jimmy Wynn. The evening also featured awards given to current Astros and other area baseball standouts by the Houston Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of American. Astros honored for their 2011 seasons included J.D. Martinez (Rookie of the Year), Wandy Rodriguez (Pitcher of the Year), and Jason Bourgeois (Darryl Kile Award). Former Astro Lance Berkman received the Houston Area Player of the Year Award.
Longtime Astros television broadcaster Bill Brown received the Fred Hartman Award for Long and Meritorious Service to Baseball. The 2011 campaign marked Brown's 25th season as the Astros play-by-play TV voice.
The 2012 Houston Astros CAREavan made 47 stops in 13 cities over eight days, traveling more than 3,500 miles. From February 1-10, over 35 Astros players, alumni, coaches and front office staff participated in CAREavan reaching thousands of fans. Highlights included conducting several youth baseball clinics, visiting with military and pediatric patients at hospitals and serving fans lunch at Chick-fil-A and signing autographs at Academy Sports + Outdoors stores.
The annual winter trip hit the road on February 1, with visits throughout central and south Texas. The team made two-day trips to Austin (Feb. 1-2), Brownsville, Harlingen and McAllen (Feb. 1-2), and San Antonio (Feb. 2-3), and spent a day in Corpus Christi and Victoria (Feb. 3).
On February 1, infielders Jose Altuve and Jimmy Paredes, pitcher Fernando Rodriguez along with former player and current Astros Spanish broadcaster Alex Trevino all headed to south Texas. The tour began with a Chick-fil-A lunch stop in Brownsville, followed by a Fielder's Choice school assembly, a Welcome to Brownsville reception, a youth baseball and softball clinic, and a free autograph session for fans at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
On the second day (February 2), the group headed to Harlingen and McAllen. Players hosted another Fielder's Choices school assembly, attended a reception in McAllen, and gave one-on-one skill instruction to youth baseball and softball players. A free fan autograph session at Academy Sports + Outdoors wrapped up the tour.
Making appearances on the Austin CAREavan tour were Jordan Lyles, J.B. Shuck and Kyle Weiland, along with pitching coach Doug Brocail and radio broadcaster Dave Raymond. On February 1, the tour began with a visit to Cedar Park Middle School followed by a clinic with the RBI Austin program, a Ronald McDonald House visit and a free autograph session at Academy Sports + Outdoors. Astros President and CEO George Postolos also took part in appearances on February 1.
The Austin tour continued on February 2, and the day started with a patient visit at Dell Children's Medical Center. The team made an afternoon stop at River Oaks Elementary School for a Fielder's Choice assembly.
The San Antonio group - pitching prospect Jarred Cosart, pitcher J.A. Happ, catcher Humberto Quintero, infielder Angel Sanchez, alum Larry Dierker and broadcaster Brett Dolan- spent two days with fans, February 2 - 3. Postolos joined the group for parts of the tour on February 2.
The first San Antonio CAREavan visit was with wounded military members at the San Antonio Medical Center followed by a youth baseball and softball clinic with RBI San Antonio. The last stop on the first day was at Academy Sports + Outdoors for a free, public autograph signing.
The San Antonio tour continued February 3, and the day started at Chick-fil-A where players served fans lunch. Afterwards, players visited Adams Elementary School for a Fielder's Choice assembly and the tour culminated with a youth baseball and softball clinic with RBI San Antonio.
Players making their way to Corpus Christi and Victoria (February 3) were infielder Jose Altuve, outfielders Brian Bogusevic and J.B. Shuck, former player Shane Reynolds, Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton, and Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane. While in Corpus Christi, the CAREavan visited Four Bluff Primary School and attended the Corpus Christi Hooks luncheon. The Victoria leg of the tour included a youth baseball and softball clinic along with a free, public autograph signing at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
During the CAREavan's second week, the Astros traveled to Oklahoma City (February 6) and visited with military personnel at Tinker Air Force Base, patients at Mercy Hospital, and Oklahoma City RedHawks season ticket holders and sponsors. Players making the Oklahoma City tour included Jose Altuve, David Carpenter, J.D. Martinez along with former player Larry Dierker, Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton and Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane.
The week also included five, day-long trips in Houston, Sugar Land, Spring, Cypress and Katy. The local tours visited numerous schools for reading activities and Fielder's Choice school assemblies, conducted youth baseball clinics and made daily stops at Academy Sports + Outdoors stores for free autograph sessions.
On February 6, the Houston tour featured outfielder Jason Bourgeois, pitcher Bud Norris, first base coach Bobby Meacham, manager Brad Mills along with former players Bob Watson and Jimmy Wynn and Jim Deshaies, now an Astros broadcaster. Stops included a Chick-fil-A lunch appearance, book readings as part of the Houston Real Men Read MENtoring program at Clemente Martinez Elementary School followed by a "Careers in Baseball" seminar featuring current and former players along with Astros front office staff. The day ended with a free autograph signing for fans at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
The Astros CAREavan made its way to the Sugar Land area on February 7. Players attending included pitchers David Carpenter and Bud Norris, infielders Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace, and broadcaster Brett Dolan. The day's visits included a Fielder's Choice school assembly at Colony Meadows Elementary School, a visit to the Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Birthing Center and a Fort Bend Family YMCA after-school event. The group wrapped up the day with a free autograph session for fans at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
On February 8, the tour rolled into Spring. Players making appearances were Bogusevic, Bourgeois, Martinez, Mills, Jose Cruz and Deshaies. The day began at the AVANCE-Southwest School with a Fielder's Choice school assembly focusing on making good choices. Youth baseball and softball players from the Oak Ridge Woodlands Area Little League and South Montgomery Girls Softball Association received one-on-one skill instruction from the group. Players then met fans during a free autograph session at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
On February 9, another group - Jed Lowrie, Martinez, Mills, Trevino, Bill Brown and Jeff Luhnow- headed out to the Cypress area. The day was filled with youth-centered events, including a bilingual story time for kids at the CyFair College Branch Library, a Fielder's Choice school assembly at Spillane Middle School, and a baseball clinic for CyFair Sports Association members. The tour ended with a free autograph session at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Visits in Katy wrapped up the annual tour on February 10. Players making visits included Jason Castro, Johnson, Lowrie, Wallace, Cruz, Brown. The day began with a visit to Brookwood Community, followed by a Methodist Hospital West visit and a free autograph session at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
On January 16, America celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. and his non-violent pursuit of civil rights. The Astros honored his legacy through various activities leading up to the holiday. Serving as co-emcee and presenting awards, Astros outfielder Jason Bourgeois appeared at the MLK Grande Parade Battle of the Bands competition on January 14 at Joe Kelly Butler Stadium. Junction Jack, the Astros mascot, participated in the MLK Grande Parade on January 16 in Midtown. The Astros donated in-kind resources to the Black Heritage Society's parade and the YMCA's MLK Freedom Fund breakfast at Minute Maid Park.
