HOUSTON, TEXAS — In the world of professional baseball, where pitches, hits, and wins are measured by inches and seconds, sometimes the most heart-touching thing doesn’t come from the field — it comes from a child’s scrawl.
Houston Astros star Jose Altuve recently shared a moment that left the entire team speechless: a short, handwritten letter written in difficult-to-read scrawl by his young daughter to him and the team. Altuve had to guess each word to understand, but when he read the content inside, he burst into laughter — and then tears.
The handwritten note wasn’t perfect – but it was the perfect encouragement
The note read:
“Go for it, Dad! You and Yordan will hit a home run. If not, that’s okay too. I still love you. And the team.
P.S. I brought a lucky pen for you. Don’t forget to kiss it.”
The small piece of paper had been folded into four and hastily stuffed into Altuve’s game bag the night before, but it wasn’t until he opened it in the locker room before the game that the scribbled words appeared – bringing an unusually quiet atmosphere to the Astros locker room that day.
Altuve shared in the postgame press conference:
“I didn’t know what she was trying to write at first… I had to guess at each word. But when I figured it out, my heart almost exploded.”
Altuve said he gave the note to his coach to… keep in his pocket for the entire game as a “good luck charm.”
MLB Community: “This is the Real MVP”
The letter was immediately shared widely among the fan community. Many comments said that whether Altuve wins MVP this season or not, to his daughter – and to those who have been away from home for work – he is a winner.
“This letter beats all the highlights.”
“Everyone needs a reminder that if you don’t hit a home run, someone still loves you.”
The image of Jose Altuve holding that tiny piece of paper to his chest, quietly reading it over the clatter of his teammates’ shoes as they prepare to play – has now become an emoticon of this season.
Because sometimes, the most powerful thing doesn’t come from a 400-foot hit, but from the shaky handwriting on a piece of paper folded into four.