Watch MLB Superstar Altuve Give All the Glory to God After Walk-Off HR Sends Team to the World Series
The Houston Astros are heading to their second World Series in three years after vanquishing the New York Yankees Saturday in a riveting Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.
After giving up a game-tying home run in the top of the ninth to New York’s DJ LeMahieu, it took some Houston heroics in the bottom of the ninth to help propel the Astros to the Fall Classic.
The Astros can thank their diminutive MVP for providing those heroics.
A #walkoff to win the pennant.
What a moment.
(MLB x @Supercuts) pic.twitter.com/4z7JzYnYS0
— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2019
Jose Altuve, all 5-foot-6 of him, launched a walk-off home run against New York closer Aroldis Chapman to notch a series-clinching 6-4 Houston win.
And while the sports world and Astros teammates heaped well-deserved praise on the 2017 AL MVP, Altuve directed all of his praise in a different direction.
“Take me through the at-bat against Chapman,” Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal said in the immediate post-game interview.
“First, I want to thank God and all the fans for the beautiful game, the beautiful playoffs,” Altuve said. “We deserve to be in the World Series because my team has been working real hard.”
Altuve’s comments are a true testament to his character. Notice how, when asked a question where he could have easily been boastful, Altuve credited God, the Houston fans and then his teammates, in that order. That’s an incredibly classy response during an emotional moment.
But just in case there were any doubts about where Altuve’s priorities truly were, the Houston second baseman made things crystal clear during the ALCS trophy presentation.
(Skip to the 3:30 mark)
“Jose, that was crazy. Your emotions as you’re running down to first base and you’re watching that ball, tell me what you were feeling that whole time as soon as you connected,” Fox Sports’ Kevin Burkhardt asked Altuve after the latter was presented with the 2019 ALCS MVP trophy.
“Well, the only thing I remembered is, I was just thanking God for the opportunity to go to another World Series. And thanks everybody in the ballpark because you guys are the bigger reason why we’re here,” Altuve said. “And my teammates, they’re the MVP’s of the game!”
Again, Altuve thanked God, the fans and his teammates, in that order. It’s a true testament to the character of a professional athlete who might very well have the highest approval rating among all the major sports. How can you possibly dislike an undersized underdog of an MLB superstar with his priorities so clearly straight?
Well, perhaps if you’re a Yankees fan you might harbor some resentment towards Altuve.
The Astros will start the World Series in Houston against the Washington Nationals. According to ESPN, the Astros are the biggest World Series favorites since 2007.
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