The Houston Astros stand for the national anthem prior to Game Six of the 2019 World Series against the Washington Nationals at Minute Maid Park on October 29, 2019 in Houston, Texas. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images/AFP
Houston Astros stars George Springer and Alex Bregman joined the ranks of US sports figures stepping up to help out stadium workers and others impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Astros outfielder Springer, the 2017 World Series MVP, is donating $100,000 to Minute Maid Park workers who stand to lose wages after Major League Baseball pushed back the start of Opening Day, scheduled for March 26, “at least two weeks.”
“These are the people that help take care of my family when I go to work,” Springer said through his agency, Excel Sports Management. “Now I want to help take care of them when they’re in a time of need.”
Bregman donated 1,000 quarantine food kits which the Houston Food Bank said would make sure students who normally receive free lunches at school will get 28 meals per kit while their schools are closed.
The Astros players swell the ranks of athletes and teams who have pledged to provide financial assistance to hourly wage workers who will be hard-hit by the disruption to the sporting schedule.
The Los Angeles Clippers, Lakers and Kings, along with Staples Center, have established a fund to provide financial assistance to all hourly employees at the arena impacted by the pandemic.
The Los Angeles Times reported the assistance package is expected to be worth more than $5 million, although an exact number is fluid because the number of games and events that will be cancelled is unknown.