Houston Astros fans wait hours outside Academy Sports to meet Jose Altuve

KATY, Texas – Close to 200 diehard Jose Altuve fans wrapped themselves around the building at Academy Sports in Katy Sunday. 

They were sleeping in tents, in sleeping bags, they have heaters and hot cocoa and even some camping stoves as they huddle outside the store at I-10 and The Grand Parkway waiting for their hero to arrive.

PHOTOS: Astros fans wait hours outside Academy Sports to meet Jose Altuve

“Hey this is Mr. MVP, Jose is the man, so of course it’s worth it to be here, no matter how long we have to wait”, said Aly Dunavant, a mother from League City who brought her 17-year-old daughter Danielle and her girlfriend Bella to the store as early as Midnight Saturday.

“Yes, by the time we actually get to see Jose at 5:30 tomorrow, we will have been here close to 30 hours”, Danielle said.

Altuve, who owns three American League batting titles, four straight A.L. hitting crowns and is now the brand new MVP signed pictures of himself at Academy beginning at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

"Where can you get a better atmosphere for the MVP of the league? We're excited to have so many fans out supporting this hopefully we can get as many people as possible," said Academy spokeperson, Chris Wood.

The first 300 people in line got a pass to meet the Astros second baseman. That wasn't a guarantee that they would get to meet him and get his autograph, it was a guarantee that they hold that place in line.

"Altuve is just an amazing energizer for this team, I think he started it really," Astros fan Ali Dunavant said.

 "As long as these girls get to see a role model it's absolutely worth it," Dunavant's mother said.


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Emmy-winning investigative reporter, insanely competitive tennis player, skier, weightlifter, crazy rock & roll drummer (John Bonham is my hero). Husband to Veronica and loving cat father to Bella and Meemo.