Astros call on Ric Flair for inspiration before ALCS Game 7

Mark Townsend
·Yahoo Sports Contributor

If you said “it’s more baseball” was the best reason to be excited about the New York Yankees and Houston Astros meeting in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday night, you’d be exactly right.

But there was another acceptable response, and it was this:

That’s right. A “woo” and a “Play Ball!” was WWE Hall of Famer Ric “Nature Boy” Flair.

The Astros announced Flair’s video appearance on Friday, before defeating the Yankees 7-1 in Game 6. NBA Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler handled first pitch duties for that game, but everyone seemed to have their mind on the looming possibility of Flair’s call. We might even suggest it served as inspiration for Houston, because where there’s a “woo” there’s a way.

Bad attempts at humor aside, we’re certain Astros right fielder Josh Reddick was pumped about it. The diehard wrestling fan has paid homage to the Ultimate Warrior and other wrestling stars in the past, and he’s brought Flair’s “Wooo!” with him to Houston’s clubhouse. That’s where this seemingly unlikely connection was born.

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair will call
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair will call “Play Ball!” on a special video message before ALCS Game 7 in Houston. (AP)

Unfortunately, Flair couldn’t be there in person as he continues recovering from recent health issues. But his woos, just like his famous wrestling chops, can be heard for miles. His resilience speaks volumes too, making him the right person to open a decisive Game 7 between two remarkably resilient teams.

As for Reddick, he could certainly use any type of motivation. He enters the game 0-for-21 during the ALCS. If he snaps out of it and the Astros advance to the World Series, Houston might become Ric Flair country.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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