Astros caravan tour kicks off next week
Annual road trip to make stops in Katy, Kemah and more
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com
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HOUSTON -- The calendar has flipped to 2008, and that means only one thing: The countdown to Spring Training is officially on.
As the Astros enjoy their final weeks of the offseason before they report to Spring Training, many will participate in an annual rite of passage: the annual caravan tour, which this year will include stops in Katy, NASA/Kemah, The Woodlands, Conroe, and Sugar Land.
The Caravan features visits to schools and hospitals, meet-and-greets, luncheons, media sessions, and baseball seminars at a variety of locations across Texas and surrounding areas, as well as free autograph sessions for Astros fans at Academy Sports & Outdoors locations.
The following is a rundown of the Houston-area Caravan stops, which begin Wednesday.
On Jan. 16, manager Cecil Cooper, right-handers Dave Borkowski and Brandon Backe, former outfielder Jimmy Wynn and television announcer Bill Brown will sign autographs, free of charge, at the Saltgrass Steakhouse in Katy (21855 Katy Freeway) from 12:30-1:30 p.m. CT. The group will then move to the Academy Sports & Outdoors in Katy (23155 I-10 West at Grand Parkway) from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
On Thursday, Jan. 17, right-hander Roy Oswalt, infielder Geoff Blum, television analyst Jim Deshaies and radio announcer Dave Raymond will sign autographs at the Academy Sports & Outdoors in Conroe (1414 Loop 336 W.) from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 18, will feature two autograph sessions with new second baseman Kazuo Matsui, third baseman Ty Wigginton, right-hander Woody Williams, general manager Ed Wade and radio announcer Brett Dolan. They'll sign at the Aquarium at the Kemah Boardwalk (11 Kemah Waterfront St.) from noon until 1 p.m. and will move to the Academy Sports & Outdoors in Webster (21351 Gulf Freeway) to sign autographs to sign from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
On Saturday, Jan. 19, Wynn, Backe and Dolan will sign autographs at the Academy Sports & Outdoors in Sugar Land (16610 U.S. Highway 59) from 11 a.m. to noon.
All autograph sessions are free.
HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros 2008 Winter Caravan starts next week (Jan. 16-19) with stops around the Greater Houston area, including Katy, NASA/Kemah, The Woodlands, Conroe, and Sugar Land. The Caravan features visits to schools, hospitals, meet-and-greets, luncheons, media sessions, and baseball seminars at a variety of locations across Texas and surrounding areas as well as free autograph sessions for Astros fans at Academy Sports and Outdoors locations.
Several Astros players, alumni, coaches and front office staff will take part in the Caravan stops. Members of the Astros organization featured on these visits include General Manager Ed Wade, manager Cecil Cooper, Brandon Backe, Geoff Blum, Dave Borkowski, Kazuo Matsui, Roy Oswalt, Ty Wigginton, Woody Williams, Astros great Jimmy Wynn, and broadcasters Bill Brown, Brett Dolan, Jim Deshaies, and Dave Raymond.
The Astros will conclude the 2008 Winter Caravan with stops in Round Rock, Austin, College Station, Corpus Christi, Victoria, Laredo, McAllen, Brownsville, New Orleans, La., Baton Rouge, La., Lake Charles, La., Beaumont, Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico and San Antonio (Jan. 21-25 and Feb. 7-8). (subject to change)
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16
FREE AUTOGRAPH SIGNING AT SALTGRASS STEAKHOUSE - KATY, TX
CECIL COOPER, DAVE BORKOWSKI, BRANDON BACKE, JIMMY WYNN, AND BILL BROWN
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
OPEN TO ALL FANS AND MEDIA
Location: 21855 Katy Freeway, Katy, TX
FREE AUTOGRAPH SIGNING AT ACADEMY SPORTS & OUTDOORS - KATY, TX
CECIL COOPER, DAVE BORKOWSKI, BRANDON BACKE, JIMMY WYNN, AND BILL BROWN
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
OPEN TO ALL FANS AND MEDIA
Location: 23155 I-10 West (At Grand Parkway) Katy, TX 77494
THURSDAY, JANUARY 17
FREE AUTOGRAPH SIGNING AT ACADEMY SPORTS & OUTDOORS - CONROE, TX
ROY OSWALT, GEOFF BLUM, JIM DESHAIES AND DAVE RAYMOND
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
OPEN TO ALL FANS AND MEDIA
Location: 1414 Loop 336 W., Conroe, TX 77304
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18
FREE AUTOGRAPH SIGNING AT THE AQUARIUM - KEMAH BOARDWALK
KAZUO MATSUI, TY WIGGINTON, WOODY WILLIAMS, ED WADE, AND BRETT DOLAN
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
OPEN TO ALL FANS AND MEDIA
Location: 11 Kemah Waterfront St., Kemah, TX 77505-7901
FREE AUTOGRAPH SIGNING AT ACADEMY SPORTS & OUTDOORS - WEBSTER, TX
KAZUO MATSUI, TY WIGGINTON, WOODY WILLIAMS, ED WADE, AND BRETT DOLAN
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
OPEN TO ALL FANS AND MEDIA
Location: 21351 Gulf Freeway, Webster, TX 77598
SATURDAY, JANUARY 19
FREE AUTOGRAPH SIGNING AT ACADEMY SPORTS & OUTDOORS - SUGAR LAND
JIMMY WYNN, BRANDON BACKE, AND BRETT DOLAN
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
OPEN TO ALL FANS AND MEDIA
Location: 16610 U.S. Highway 59, Sugar Land, TX 77479