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Finding Diamonds While Scaling Everest (Part 3 -- Planting The Flag Atop the Summit)

November 12, 2019  •  Leave a Comment

Most people’s coverage of the World Series was slated to begin on October 22nd, however my own coverage started the day before with picking up my credential and covering World Series Media Day and the workouts by the Astros and the National League Champions, the Washington Nationals. Quick back story: after a 19-31 start, the Nationals caught fire and qualified for the NL Playoffs. Despite being a wild-card team, Washington was undeterred all October long, defeating Milwaukee in the Wild Card playoff game. Next, Washington rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, ending the season of a Dodger team that won 106 games during the regular campaign. Finally, on the heels of that mega-upset, the Nats completely dismantled the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. Not only did Washington sweep St. Louis, 4-0, they did not trail at any point in the series. By no means were the Nationals lucky participants in the World Series, so it made for a very intriguing narrative for the series, “Cinderella vs. the Juggernaut”. Anyways, Media Day was rather low-key as both managers and all players were available for interviews as the day progressed and it was very cool to get photos of the players in a relaxed setting. And I was relaxed as well……until I got on the field for the Astros’ workouts, and that’s when I encountered all the media on the field from across the country (and dare I say, from around the world). A multitude of TV crews, three stage setups (one for ESPN, MLB Network and FOX Sports), many still photographers, it finally dawned on me, the occasion and the task ahead of me. I was going to be front and center for history. And I was going to be alongside some of the photographers I had spent time admiring as well. I was ready for the series to start, and it would with Game 1 that next night.

 

 

October 22nd saw the start of the World Series and I was unfazed by all the pomp and circumstance surrounding the opening game of the affair, though I was excited to get a wide shot of Minute Maid Park with a gigantic American flag in the outfield. I had always envisioned that shot, and securing it made me feel better about the night going forward. As far as the game, the Cinderella Nationals overcame an early deficit to knock Houston starting pitcher Gerrit Cole out of the game midway through. Though the Astros would make late rally, Washington held on to win, 5-4, snatching away home-field advantage. The next night, the Nats would rip the game open in the seventh inning, scoring six runs to break open a tie game amidst many Houston miscues. Washington blew out Houston, 12-3, taking a 2-0 lead back home, and there was a sinking feeling that Houston’s 2019 World Series stay would be a very short one.

 

 

However, in truly weird fashion, the Astros galvanized and rallied to win all three games in Washington by a combined score of 19-3, taking a 3-2 lead back home for Game 6. In the space of three games, the Astros went from basically on life support to coming home with two chances to win the series and regain the world championship. However in Game 6 (on Oct. 29), even with the entire city of Houston anxiously waiting for a celebration, the Nationals didn’t panic whatsoever. Behind the strong pitching of starter Steven Strasberg, the timely hitting of third baseman Anthony Rendon and being able to frustrate Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, Washington won the game, 7-2, to force a seventh game on Wednesday, October 30th. Though I was beyond tired from all the work and all the action that the month had brought, I had to rally my strength for the final task of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

 

 

For the seventh game, my own stakes and duties were changed as I was being asked to shoot the game from a position in center field as opposed to my normal elevated position above the first base line. It was an adjustment, especially with a new camera body in use (which I procured on Friday, Oct. 25) and a much longer lens as well, but I was ready for it, to be front and center for the final baseball game of the year. As far as the game itself, the Astros were in full control for six innings, but in true Nationals fashion, Washington did their damage late, scoring six runs in the game’s final three innings, winning Game 7 by a 6-2 score to win the 2019 World Series, the franchise’s first MLB championship. While the mood around Minute Maid Park was a dour one except for the travelling Nationals fans, I was completely and totally exhausted. Exhausted yet fulfilled.

 

 

Though the outcome wasn’t exactly the result I wanted (an Astros victory), I can say that I was present during the clinching of a world championship and subsequent celebration. As I said earlier, being able to cover a World Series wasn’t a goal I had realistically envisioned, at least not until recently. And to finally achieve said goal was draining yet joyous, especially with the series going to the full seven games for an added bonus. Life is a journey and nothing worthwhile is attainable without hard work. And over the course of my time as a photographer, I’ve worked hard with no guarantee it would lead anywhere. Now I know that all the hard work, sacrifice, late nights, pain and such, it all did have an end result, a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, as it were. As of now, this has been the pinnacle of my professional career, and while I hope it’s not the only ultra-big-super-fantabulous accomplishment of mine, it’s the biggest so far. And for the opportunity, I am truly thankful and grateful.

 

 

I cannot end this entry without thanking the countless individuals who have helped, guided and assisted me over the last seventeen years. I hope that my work during the World Series was a great service to you all. To those who are reading this, I hope you found it enlightening and a little enjoyable. It’s been a wild ride and it was fun to share it with you all. Thank you immensely for reading this, do take care and fare thee well.

 

All images copyright 2019 Erik Williams/USA Today Sports Images


Finding Diamonds While Scaling Everest (Part 2 -- From Agony to Ecstacy in 407 Feet)

November 08, 2019  •  Leave a Comment

 

 

Two days later, the Astros were back at home for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series as they squared off against the New York Yankees. During the season, the two teams went back and forth regarding the best record in the American League, with Houston outpacing the Yankees during the final two weeks of the season, securing home-field advantage in case of an eventual playoff meeting. However, the Yankees were very quick to rip away that advantage in the opening frame, beating up on Astros starter Zack Greinke in a 7-0 victory. With a hint of desperation, the Astros sent Verlander on the mound for Game 2 on October 13th, who had a better outing than Greinke. Still, the two sides battled long into the night, eventually going into extra innings. And in the 11th inning, Astros shortstop Carlos Correa ripped a home run over the right field wall to give Houston and 3-2 win, evening the series at a game apiece. It was an emotional win for Houston as they rallied back into the series in dramatic fashion. It was also a straining game for me, as my main camera failed in the bottom of the ninth inning. Fortunately, I had a backup on hand and was able to finish the game with not much missed.

 

 

The series shifted to New York for the middle three games where the Astros won Games 3 and 4 behind solid pitching in Game 3 and taking advantage of Yankee miscues in Game 4. The consecutive wins gave Houston a 3-1 lead in series, leaving them on the precipice of advancing to the World Series. New York stayed alive with a win in Game 5 in the Bronx, sending the series back to Houston for Game 6 on October 19th. In that sixth game, Houston jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning behind a three-run home run by Yuli Gurriel. The Yankees shaved two runs off the lead, but were stuck at 3-2 for many innings. Houston tacked on another run to make it a 4-2 lead, heading into the ninth inning and Minute Maid Park was on the brink of a celebration. However, Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu hammered a two-run home run off of closing pitcher Roberto Osuna to tie the game at 4-4, and the mood went from anticipatory to extremely tense, all within a few minutes. And the sinking feeling grew even deeper when New York closer Aroldis Chapman retired the first two Houston batters in quick succession. The mood seemed to brighten in the bottom of the ninth inning when George Springer got on base after a walk, bringing up Astros 2B Jose Altuve. And on the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Altuve hammered a pitch into the stands in left-center field, giving the Astros a 6-4 walkoff win to defeat the Yankees four games to two and advancing to the 2019 World Series.

 

 

My personal emotions on the Astros winning the ALCS were wide-ranging and all encompassing, and frankly, after Altuve’s home run, I was overcome by them. I was in the tunnel outside the Astros clubhouse waiting for the end of the game, as I was tasked to shoot the clubhouse celebration in case Houston won. And after LeMahieu’s home run, I was gutted as it seemed like the Yankees stayed alive and would seize the momentum to eventually win the game to force a winner-take-all Game 7. More than anything, I could see my hopes and dreams of shooting a championship series dissolve. (In 2018, I was approved to cover both the 2018 NBA Finals and 2018 World Series, provided that either the Houston Rockets or Houston Astros won their respective semifinal series. Alas, neither team was able to advance to their championship series and those hopes were dashed.) That’s why when Altuve hit the walkoff home run to win the game and the series in ultra-dramatic fashion, I was……shaken. And I’m not ashamed to admit it……I did cry. It wasn’t just a release of emotion, I was happy. No, I wasn’t just happy, I was overjoyed. The reality had hit me that I would be actually covering the World Series, a goal that I never envisioned not even five years ago, and I was sincerely grateful for the opportunity. As far as that night, the win was joyously celebrated by the team and it was interesting to be in the clubhouse to experience it as well. When I left Minute Maid Park that morning around 1:30a or so, I felt exhausted but excited. Excited for what was now before me.

 


Finding Diamonds While Scaling Everest (Part 1 -- Journey's Genesis)

November 05, 2019  •  Leave a Comment

Good day, I hope this finds everyone well. First off, I want to apologize for this rather lengthy blog entry, but considering the event and the journey and the time invested all October, I hope it proves entertaining and insightful. Having said that, this entry is so long that I will be splitting it into three parts, with part two coming out on November 9 and the third entry coming on November 12.

 

 

October 2019 was one of the most stressful and visceral yet fulfilling months in my career, and it was mainly due to the Houston Astros in the Major League Baseball postseason. Going into the regular season, the Astros’ stated goal was to reach the World Series and reclaim the title of World Champions, a title the franchise won two years ago. And after a regular season which saw the team set all sorts of records in offensive prowess and dominant pitching, confidence and excitement was building as the month of October began. As far as myself, I was looking forward to covering the playoffs again with a sense of tempered optimism. I was hopeful that the Astros could make a deep run or a title run, while also recognizing that its playoff baseball and playoff baseball can be VERY unpredictable because every single pitch, at-bat and decision matters greatly. Nonetheless, I was ready for the challenge at hand, especially since I wouldn’t be covering any playoff game from my normal shooting position in the on-field photo wells. Rather, I would be covering the playoffs from various elevated positions, shooting the action downwards. Fortunately, I didn’t have to worry about editing photos during the game as the team had remote (and later, on-site) editors taking care of our photos. (I do apologize, myself and two other Houston photographers were tasked to cover the games for USA Today Sports.)

 

 

October 4th saw the beginning of the American League Divisional Series, the first round of the Major League Baseball Postseason. By virtue of having the best record in the American League, Houston hosted the wild-card game winners, the Tampa Bay Rays in a best-of-five series. In front of a packed and LOUD house, the Astros dominated the game almost from start to finish. Behind a strong pitching performance by Justin Verlander and key hitting by Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, Houston won the opener, 6-2. It was a fast start to the postseason for Houston, and I got some viable shots from the game, which was VERY surprising as I was dealing with the onset of a very bad head cold/sinus infection.  Houston held serve at home in the first two games but the series turned when it moved to Tampa for Games 3 and 4 as the Rays struck back and struck often, winning both times in Florida. The stage was set for a decisive Game 5 on October 10th as Houston needed a win to take the series and advance. The Astros jumped on the Rays in the first inning, scoring four runs, and rode the dominant arm of starting pitcher Gerrit Cole to win the game, 6-1, winning the series three games to two to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

 


For family.....

September 05, 2019  •  Leave a Comment

With the start of the NFL season looming, I found myself looking back on the night of October 7th of last year. There are some events and some assignments that take on a higher meaning for me personally, and Oct. 7 2018 was very important to me as the Houston Texans hosted the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. On paper, it was a crucial game for two teams looking to take positive steps in their seasons. But for myself, it was a chance to honor someone very special to me. On the night of October 5 1992, my maternal grandfather passed away watching his favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, play the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. It was a passing that has stayed with me, and I promised myself that I would take full advantage of shooting a Cowboys game if the opportunity presented itself, especially if they faced off against the Texans.

 

 

The atmosphere during the game was electric as fans of both sides cheered loudly for their teams. But as far as the game itself, it was a bit of trench warfare between the two teams as both defenses reigned. Despite their prodigious talents, both quarterbacks (Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott) found it hard to move the ball at times. Eventually the game went into overtime, and in the extra session, a pass completion and whirlish maneuver by Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins resulted in a 49-yard gain upfield. Once well within field goal range, Houston kicker Kaimi Fairbairn ended the contest with a 36-yard field goal to win the game for the Texans, 19-16.  

 

 

 

Afterwards, I was ambivalent towards the final score and the game itself, but I was just thankful for the opportunity to be at THAT game. And as sappy and overly-emotional as it sounds, I do feel like my grandfather would have been proud of me for shooting his favorite team, up close and personal. I guess the point of this entry is to say that regardless of family or just very close friends, never forget why you do what you do in life, and who it’s for.

 


Reflecting Upon History

November 17, 2018  •  Leave a Comment
Reflections Upon History

Greetings and salutations, I hope this finds everyone well. The year has been flying by that I hadn’t had a chance to put some thoughts down and such. With 2018 coming to a close, I’ve had time to look back on my exploits this year and what it’s brought in terms of experiences and such. And while this year has been lighter than in years’ past, I am grateful for a few things that I shot firsthand.

 

The first of such special moments was back in mid-May when I covered Game 1 of the NBA’s Western Conference Finals between the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors. It was a highly anticipated series, the de facto NBA Finals to many people, and I was tasked to co-shoot the opener of the series. The gameplay was pretty even until the Warriors pulled away in the second half to take Game 1, enroute to winning a back-and-forth series which culminated in their third NBA title in the last four years.

 

 

The other special time came last month during the Houston Astros run in the 2018 MLB Postseason. On October 5, the Astros hosted the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, and again I was responsible for co-shooting it. Behind a solid pitching performance from Justin Verlander and timely hitting by Alex Bregman and George Springer, the Astros took the opener in convincing fashion.

 

 

Two weeks later, the Astros and the Boston Red Sox squared off in the American League Championship Series. After the teams split the opening two games in Boston, the series shifted to Minute Maid Park in Houston for three straight, and that’s when the Red Sox flexed their championship muscle. Boston rode timely hitting in Game 3, immaculate fielding in Game 4 and all-around power in Game 5 to win the series, 4-1. While it was sobering to see Boston celebrate the series win in Houston, along with dethroning the defending champions, there was no shame in being taken down by the soon-to-be champions, which Boston secured against the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 28. The two games I shot could have gone better, but it was still sobering to cover a soon-to-be championship team in the playoffs.

 

 

With an uncertain future looming larger by the day and a year that has been very eventful away from the camera, I’ve been looking back more and more on my exploits as a professional photographer. And now more than ever, I’m more grateful for some of my experiences and journeys thus far. I’m also grateful to know that hard work, sacrifice and perseverance did have its benefits down the line.

  

Anyways, thank you for your time and attention and. Take care and Fare Thee Well.

 

All images copyright 2018 Erik Williams/USA Today Sports Images

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