Guest Orangeboy Posted January 27, 2008 Report Posted January 27, 2008 Leader photo by Mike Tobias Houston Astros’ Brandon Backe stops to chat with baseball fans Gracie, 3, and Gunner Johnson, 4, of Mauriceville, who received autographed, stuffed ‘Junction Jack’ from the pitcher. Backe, who was in town as part of the Astros ‘08 Caravan, also made an appearance at Port Arthur’s Academy Sports & Outdoors for an afternoon autograph session. None / The Orange Leader The Orange Leader By Amy Moore The Orange Leader BEAUMONT — Little Gracie Johnson held tight to her Junction Jack autographed rabbit. Even though the soon-to-be first year baseball player did not know who Brandon Backe was, she was proud of her souvenir from her trip to Christus St. Elizabeth’s hospital. “She just walked up to a lady downstairs and told her she was going to play baseball,†mother Jessica Johnson said of her 3-year-old daughter. “Then the woman told us the Astros were upstairs.†Backe, the Houston Astros pitcher, and broadcaster Brett Dolan visited children at the hospital as part of the Astros 08 Caravan, the team’s annual publicity tour. “I love to get to do these things,†Backe said. “You can see it in their faces how excited they are.†The pitcher said the kids are usually a little shy at first when they meet him, but warm up after he gets on their level and shows them that he’s just a regular guy. “All in all it was a great visit. It’s great to visit and share experiences with the kids,†Backe said. A Galveston native, Backe said he wasn’t worried about the stormy weather and looked forward to visiting more fans at Academy where he would sign additional autographs. Dolan, who has been an Astros broadcaster for three years, said Backe’s one of the best players when it comes to meeting and greeting fans. For Backe, he’s just glad to be able to look a kid in the eye and say that playing safe without steroids is something he sticks to. “I’m proof that you don’t need steroids to do good,†he said referencing the current conflicts in the baseball industry. “It’s about the game, the love of the game.†And while he loves spending time with toddler size fans, Backe said he has no plans to have any children of his own any time soon. “I don’t have kids in mind. I want to solidify myself in baseball and get more financially stable,†he said of his near future plans. The Johnson family said the star sighting at the hospital only spurred their love of the upcoming baseball season and they look forward to watching their new favorite player on the field. “I didn’t ask him any pitching tips,†Garrett Johnson, 10, confessed shyly of his meeting with Backe. Mom Jessica said she plans to put her sons’ rabbits on a shelf as collector’s items. She knows though that her daughter won’t soon let loose of hers.
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