The Houston Astros won their first World Series last week, and they did so in epic fashion. In the first Fall Classic pitting 100-win teams in nearly half a century, the 101-win Astros took down the 104-win Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Game 7.
Outfielder George Springer was named World Series MVP after posting a .385 batting average with five home runs and seven RBIs, including a 2-run blast in the second inning that all but handed the Astros the trophy.
If you didn't watch the World Series, you may recognize him from the cover of the issue where Sports Illustrated predicted the Astros to win the 2017 World Series... in 2014.
After the game, KPRC-TV in Houston interviewed Springer's father, George Springer, Jr. Springer the Elder was obviously proud of his son, but not primarily for the hits and stats, but for the person his son has become.
“He has really worked hard to develop his talents,” Springer said. “He’s worked hard to try to continuously try to make a positive contribution to the team. But it’s not just about the Xs and the Os. It’s not just about the hits. It’s not just about running the bases or catching balls, it’s about being a good person. It’s about being a good teammate, and understanding that everybody has value.”
Springer III has also battled a stutter throughout his life, and has become a spokesman for the Stuttering Association for the Young.
“Part of what we tried to teach him growing up, aside from what techniques to help manage the stuttering, is to recognize that this is who you are,” Springer, Jr., said. “This is what makes you special and it’s OK. And I think he’s taken that message and he’s tried to deliver that message very powerfully using the platform he has as a major league baseball player to talk to other kids.”
“I can tell you that when he initially when public with the stuttering, like any parent, you want to protect him, and I had concerns – it’s a tough world out there. And he said to me, he said, ‘Dad, if there’s one kid that I can help, it’s worth it to me. It’s not about me. It’s about those kids out there.’ And I like to think that over the years, I thought through a lot of things, and these kids don’t come with an instruction manual. You know, like any other parents, you’re just trying to figure it out as you go, you’re trying to make the right decisions to put them in the right situations so that they can develop and grow as human beings. And you often don’t fully appreciate the impact you’ve had until it comes back to you in moments like that. And when he told me that that’s what he wanted to do and the importance of what he wanted to do, I couldn’t argue with him. I said, ‘You’re absolutely right and we’re going to do everything we can to support you’.”
Watch the full interview below.