AVON — George Springer was 5 feet 2 and 110 pounds when he got to Avon Old Farms, and he was trying to overcome a stutter.
He grew physically, athletically and matured in a way that still amazes and inspired those around him.
“George’s time here could be defined by what he did athletically,” baseball coach Rob Dowling said, “but what he does for a team outside of the actual game, making things fun, relaxing the guys, making sure they bring their most-competitive, not-stressed-out attitude to baseball, I saw him do that here and I saw him do that as a major-leaguer at the highest level.”
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Springer, 35, who went on to UConn, where he hit a program record 44 home runs and was the highest drafted Husky ever (11th overall in 2011), and stardom with the Astros and Blue Jays, was back on campus Saturday morning, inducted into the prep school’s athletic Hall of Fame.
“Obviously, he’s over-qualified,” Dowling said.
With his parents, his wife, Charlise, and two young sons, Springer, now 6-3 and 220, spoke eloquently and confidently to the “Avonians” in attendance, honoring the teachers in the 500-seat auditorium and offering inspiration to students.
“Whatever you do in life, however you do it, do it with conviction,” he told them. “And you do it with 100 percent of whatever you’ve got that day. It’s not always going to work out, but there’s always a way. You’re going to have challenges in life, you are going to fail, but when you do, stand up. Get back up. Adversity introduces somebody to themselves.”
Seven years ago, Springer found himself facing the greatest pressure baseball could offer. He was in the World Series with Houston, and he was struggling, 3-for-30 against the Yankees in the ALCS and 0-for-4 in Game 1 against the Dodgers.
“I got told to just ‘enjoy the moment,’” Springer remembered. “I was trying to do too much at the time. The whole team message was just enjoy the moment.”
He can imagine what the Dodgers and Yankees are feeling right now, as they play in the 2024 World Series.
“Excitement, anxiety for sure,” Springer said. “Once you get past that first day, you realize ‘this is the greatest experience of your life when it comes to playing baseball and you’ve just got to enjoy it. I’m glad I was able to enjoy it.”
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Springer went on to win MVP of that World Series, hitting .379 with five homers. Three years later, the Houston team was shadowed with the sign-stealing controversy that emerged, but he made it through that, too, and just finished his 11th major league season. He has a .262 career averaged with 261 home runs and a 37.3 career wins-above-replacement (WAR) figure. Springer will leave his mark as a impactful postseason performer, with 19 home runs in 67 games, a .339 average with seven homers in two World Series, and for his knack for hitting lead-off home runs – he has 60, second in MLB history to Rickey Henderson’s 81. He has also worked on behalf of children, including as spokesman for SAY, the Stuttering Association for the Young.
Springer signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021 to offer his experience and brand of leadership to a young team and he helped them reach the playoffs. Last season, he hit .220 with 19 homers in 145 games.
The Jays (74-88) could be overhauling their roster after finishing last in the AL East. Where that will leave Springer, who has two years left on his contract and an eight-team no-trade clause.
“I know the ultimate goal is to be a very good team and to compete for championships and win,” Springer said. “I think over the next few months, you’ll see some stuff unfold. As long as my mind and body can hold up, I’m going to go as long as I can.”
Dean Graham, long-time member of the Board of Directors, and Brett Jefferson, teammates on AOF’s championship lacrosse team in 1984, were honored as distinguished alumni. Jefferson went on to play on an NCAA championship team for Syracuse.
