Thanks to one of the Astros’ most famous fans, Dusty Baker will now head into retirement with another shiny piece of hardware that may, literally, outshine the now-former manager’s two World Series rings.
As tributes poured in for Baker, who retired on Wednesday after 26 seasons as a manager, the 74-year-old received a special announcement from Houston hip-hop legend and avid Houston sports fan Paul Wall on Instagram.
After shouting Baker out for his successful Astros run, Wall then declared he had a present for Baker in the form of the famed rapper’s signature accessory: custom-made “grillz,” which are removable jewelry worn over the teeth.
“I wanna say congratulations to Dusty Baker on an amazing career,” Wall wrote on Thursday. “Thank you for coming to manage the @astros It was an honor to watch you lead the Stros and make history! I wish you joy and blessings! As a retirement present me and @johnnydangandco [Houston celebrity jeweler Johnny Dang] got some grillz ready for you 🥶🙌🙏🤘.”
View the original article to see embedded media.
Outside of being a great moment for fans of both, Wall’s promise to send Baker grillz underscores just how much the manager endeared himself to the city during a four-year run that included four ALCS runs and a World Series win in 2022.
Of course, now that the public knows about the gift, here’s to hoping either Wall or Baker shares a follow-up picture of the future Hall of Famer sporting his new ice.
