Often times, the world steps in and reminds us that life is bigger than baseball. This week's events in Houston have once again provided us with that sobering reality.
Our trip to Houston was 11 months in the making, and we were excited to bring Mets fans from 29 different states to Minute Maid Park. But as the city deals with the fallout of massive flooding as a result of Hurricane Harvey, and the series likely to be moved to a different locale, we think it's only appropriate to cancel the outing.
Of course, if game is still played in Houston and you can safely make it there, you're more than welcome to go, represent in the outing shirt, and cheer on the Mets. But we feel it's in everyone's best interest to err on the side of caution and give fans time to make adjustments to their plans.
First and foremost, our thoughts are with the people of Houston. Many have lost everything, and their road to recovery will be a long and hard one. We wish there was more we could do. Some of us had hoped to still get to Houston to simply lend a hand, but with the situation as dire as it is, and all available resources better off in the hands of trained first responders, that just doesn't seem possible, safe, or wise.
While baseball is the last thing from our minds, many of the fans who planned on making the trip are still in limbo and turning to us for answers. Unfortunately, we don't many many as of yet.
A portion of fans have already had their airfare reservations canceled. And while the Astros have not officially decided where this weekend's series will be played, it seems very unlikely it will be in Houston. That's why we're advising everyone to start looking into getting refunds and/or flight credits for themselves, if possible. Once we do have firm information, we will of course share it.
Before we dive into some of the mechanics of the possible game scenarios, we wanted to provide some ideas on how to help:
How to Help Houston:
On Monday afternoon, our friends Loretta and JoAnna donated their hotel accommodations they had intended to use this weekend so that those in need of shelter can have a safe, dry place to seek refuge. It's a wonderful gesture, and we definitely would encourage others who have the means to do the same to do so. All you have to do is contact your hotel provider for further information. It can be as simple as a phone call and signing a form.
As always in times of crisis, The
American Red Cross (text HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation) is working feverishly to provide immediate aid to victims. The United Way (text UWFLOOD to 41444) and The
Salvation Army are others who are working to help in the aftermath. There are other relief funds you can give to.
Click here to read about some of the other ways you can help the Houston area.
We'll also be exploring a way for us to somehow turn our planned "Hoedown in Houston" into a "Hoedown FOR Houston." As we come up with a firm idea, we'll let you know.
As for the game:
If the game is somehow played in Houston (which again, seems very unlikely), there will be no refunds from the Astros.
If the game is played in Tampa (
rumored) or elsewhere, The 7 Line will be refunded for the tickets we purchased.
In the event of the game being moved, we will refund each fan for the ticket portion of the package. The t-shirt and patch, which went into production far before any of this was forecasted, becomes a little collector's item for the outing that never was, and are both yours to keep. After we recoup production cost from those items, we'll be taking a portion of the money from the t-shirt and patch sales and donating it to a Harvey relief effort.
As we get more details, we'll update this post. In the meantime, keep the people of Houston and the surrounding areas in your thoughts. Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.
The7line.com
You and your son could be playing ball at the historic Cooperstown N.Y. on one of America’s most quaint and beautiful fields, Doubleday Field. We promote this event as our annual “Father/Son tournament. We hope to have between 4 and 6 teams in upstate New York this year.