Astros’ Davis Would Dump TV Home Run Beer Toasts

Houston Astros slugger Glenn Davis, who leads the National League with seven home runs, doesn’t toast his success with a post-game beer and doesn’t think his clouts should be used on Astros broadcasts as a reason to promote beer.

Budweiser is the major sponsor of the Astros’ local television broadcasts and part of the commercial package calls for the team announcers to say the player’s name and proclaim, “This Bud’s For You,” whenever an Astro hits a home run.

Davis makes as many as 250 public appearances a year, many of them speaking in local schools about drug abuse. And he said he doesn’t want youngsters watching the games to think he’s living a double standard.

“I don’t have anything against the beer companies, but we have a problem in society and a message needs to be sent out to the public,” Davis told the Houston Post. “We need heroes, we need role models, we need guys who can stand up and say you don’t need to follow the crowd. You can get high on other things.”

Davis does not take the subject of alcohol abuse lightly. When he was 17, he was nearly killed in an alcohol-related car accident.

“That scared me sober,” Davis said. “I don’t want other kids to have to go through that.”

He said he was concerned Budweiser’s home-run promotion was sending mixed signals to his fans, some of whom might think he condones drinking.

Technically, the issue is beyond the Astros’ control since they sold the broadcast rights for 82 games to Houston television station KTXH. The station, in turn, sold commercial time to Budweiser.

Julio Bermudez, the station’s general manager, said he had not been contacted by Astros General Manager Bill Wood but would be happy to comply with Davis’ wishes.