Fans chanted George Springer's name at his charity bowling event
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The Astros might be in first place, but outfielder George Springer isn't just getting cheers at Minute Maid Park these days. For each of the past three years, he has held a bowling benefit to provide support for Camp SAY (the Stuttering Associaton for the Young), and they had something fun in store for him at the annual event on Sunday.
After Springer spoke, Taro Alexander (the founder of SAY and a man slight of build, but with a huge presence) implored the crowd of about a hundred people to participate in a team-building exercise of sorts. That meant everyone was involved, from the wide-eyed, 8-year-old kid standing with his parents, to superstar shortstop Carlos Correa and about a dozen Astros teammates who gathered in the circle.
"When I say George, you say Springer!" Alexander began. "George!"
"Springer!"
"George!"
"Springer!"
The exercise, which lasted about two minutes and went into cheers for the Astros as well, seems a little amusing, but this is routine when Alexander is with the kids from Camp SAY. For kids who stutter, little comes easy when it comes to talking, singing and even rapping, Alexander-style. But as a stutterer himself, Alexander's mission is to show kids they can express themselves in their way, without stigma.
It's a point supported by Springer, too.
"How can I tell you guys something and not do it myself? Everything that I say to you, I've gone through it and I go through it every day. I promise you."