He was a professional to the end, thanking the fans and the
sponsors while trying to keep his emotions in check.
MLB.com is reporting Milo Hamilton's last game
as the Astros' full-time radio play-by-play announcer resulted in a win, which
was the one thing he wanted more than anything else.
Hamilton, who is stepping aside after 28 years calling
Astros games and nearly 60 years announcing Major League games, was behind the
microphone for all nine innings of the Astros' 2-0 win over the Cardinals at
Minute Maid Park on Wednesday night, and exhibited the kind of passion fans
have come to expect in his swan song.
"Whoa, baby, put a blue star all over that!"
Hamilton said when the Astros turned a 6-4-3 double play in the ninth.
And when Allen Craig grounded out to Jose Altuve for the
last out of the game -- and the final out of Hamilton's career -- the
excitement was still there at age 85.
"Astros win the final game at home!" he said.
As fireworks shot off beyond the outfield and team president
and CEO George Postolos popped the cork on a bottle of champagne in the radio
booth, an era in Houston baseball came to a close.
"Whether it's next year or five years from now or 10
years, we hope to have you back in this booth because this will always be your
booth," broadcast partner Brett Dolan said on-air. "Thanks for the
memories, and don't be a stranger."
Hamilton, 85, announced in February that this season would
be his last behind the microphone for the Astros. He has been in broadcasting
for 67 years, including Major League stops in St. Louis, Chicago, Atlanta,
Pittsburgh and Houston.
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