HOUSTON — Houston Astros fans going to Wednesday night’s sold-out game against the Oakland Athletics will get a replica World Series ring.
It’s the third time the team has done the giveaway during the 2018 season.
Fans began lining up outside the ballpark early Wednesday afternoon, with lines stretched around the corner of the park when gates opened at 4 p.m.
Every ticketed fan attending Wednesday’s game against the Oakland A’s gets a replica championship ring.
“With this new giveaway opportunity, we are proud to have made more than 120,000 Replica World Champions Rings available to fans in Houston and through our minor league affiliates,” said Reid Ryan, Astros President of Business Operations, in a written statement.
KHOU crews met fans outside the ballpark who drove three hours from Corpus Christi to get the replica rings, along with lifelong fans who said getting one lets them and their loved ones feel like they’re a part of the historic 2017 season.
“Unless they keep doing them season after season, which I doubt, there won’t be a whole lot of them out there,” said Kevin Connors, an Astros fan. “I’ve been a fan since I was old enough to watch TV, so I just, I had to get a piece of that.”
Angie Sotelo said she’s been an Astros fan for decades.
“Oh gosh, since my husband was still around,” Sotelo said. “He’s been gone 18 years, and he was a big Astros fan. He even asked to be buried in his Astros cap. To me, it’s like I’m getting (the ring) for him.”
Astros officials say they will stop giving out replica rings after the 6th inning of Wednesday’s game, so they’re urging fans to arrive early.
Fans will either need to have printed copies of their tickets or be able to access them through the MLB Ballpark app.
Tickets are sold out through the Astros web site, but there are some available on resale sites.