Houston Astros’ George Springer (4) celebrates after his two-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning of Game 7 of baseball’s World Series Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
George Springer is a UConn Husky, a First Team All-American, a first-round pick in the MLB Draft, an MLB All-Star and now a World Series MVP.
On Wednesday night, Springer went two-for-five with a home run and a double to help the Astros seal a 5-1 win over the LA Dodgers in game seven of the World Series. He also had two RBIs and two runs scored.
Springer hit .379 with five home runs, seven RBIs and eight runs total in the World Series.
He also hit a home run in each of the last four games of the series, becoming the first player to ever hit a homer in four straight games of a single World Series. On top of that, he became the first player to hit eight extra base hits and collect 29 total bases in a World Series.
“Big Dinger” Springer has come up huge when the Astros have needed him most. In game two, he hit a two-run homer in the top of the 11th to give the ‘Stros the lead. In the game five slugfest, he hit a no-doubt solo shot to tie the game at eight in the seventh inning.
And who can forget the clutch leaping grab that Springer made to rob Yankee third baseman Todd Frazier of extra bases in the seventh inning with two men on in game six of the ALCS?
In his postgame interview with A-Rod, Big Papi and the rest of the FOX Sports crew, Springer said, “This is a great day for our team and our city. I don’t even know if there’s a cloud higher than cloud nine, but I’m on it!”
The road to “Cloud Nine Plus” was one paved by hard work, success and many accolades earned along the way.
Springer grew up in New Britain, Connecticut. His journey to the World Series began at Avon Old Farms School. During his senior year, he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in round 48 of the 2008 MLB Draft. He declined and decided to play for UConn instead.
Springer had an immediate impact on the program. As a freshman, Springer led the Huskies in home runs, RBIs, slugging, OBP and runs scored. For most of the season, he was the clean-up hitter. He was also named Big East Rookie of the Year.
In his three seasons at UConn, he totaled 46 home runs and 196 RBIs while batting .346. The Huskies win/loss record in those three seasons was 129-60-1.
In 2011, he was named Big East Player of the Year and was also made a First Team All-American.
Springer was drafted in the 2011 MLB Draft in the first-round at 11th overall by the Astros, the highest a UConn baseball player has ever been drafted.
Through four seasons, he has hit 99 career home runs and made his first All Star team this season as the starting left fielder and hit clean-up.
Fast forward to Wednesday night and you can add World Series MVP to his already long list of accolades.
In his postgame interview with Buster Olney of ESPN, Springer said, “This is the happiest day of my life so far.”
Hopefully this foreshadows many more happy days for UConn Husky/World Series MVP George Springer. Man, that’s never going to get old.
Sean Janos is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at sean.janos@uconn.edu.