Astros affiliate pulls seats from law firm that filed cheating scandal suits

Astros affiliate pulls seats from law firm that filed cheating scandal suits
By Daniel Kaplan
Feb 21, 2020

Bob Hilliard’s Corpus Christi, Texas-based law firm has long had a deep connection with the local Hooks minor-league baseball team, a Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. Since the ballpark opened in 2005, Hilliard Martinez Gonzales (HMG) started with six seats behind home plate, added a suite three years later, then a total of 11 seats behind home plate, and even a sponsored night in which the law firm annually buys a T-shirt for all in attendance. Hilliard’s kids threw out first pitches.

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Last week Hilliard filed lawsuits against the Astros on behalf of season ticket holders who want their money back in the wake of the team’s sign-stealing scandal. Days later the Hooks, owned by the Astros, notified the law firm that its $45,000-a-year partnership with the minor-league team was not being renewed. The email came from Wes Weigle, the team’s general manager, Hilliard said.

“So I wrote back, I said, ‘Wes, so disappointing as I looked at the Hooks organization as family. What’s it been like 20 years we have had this relationship?’ So you know I was extremely affected and offended by the Astros cheating scandal and never once thought it seeped down to the Hooks. The litigation is personal to me given what it represents and how I feel about that kind of thing.”

Weigle did not reply for comment to The Athletic, nor did Astros or Hooks communications executives.

HMG filed lawsuits in Harris County courts on behalf of season ticket holders Roger Contreras and Kenneth Young. There is also a third lawsuit filed by two other law firms on behalf of season ticket holders. That case, Adam Wallach v. Houston Astros LLC, on Thursday added three new named plaintiffs including the first corporation — CHA, Inc. of Lake Jackson, Texas.

Hilliard has familiarity with suing baseball. He several years ago sued all MLB teams to extend protective netting.

“I did it because I’d seen enough of it at the Hooks’ stadium,” Hilliard said. “I’ve seen how many kids line up along the foul lines, and I’ve seen old people who couldn’t react in time even if they were paying attention. 

“So they knew of me, and they kind of knew who I was and my view on life. And then this happened and I felt in a way similar, in a way more aggravated because it was so intentional. And they were just giving a not even a hat in hand apology and wanting to move on and keep the fruits.”

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Hilliard said he believes the Astros should hand back their 2017 World Series trophy. 

As for the ticket cases, Hilliard expects when the Astros respond in court papers in roughly two weeks for the team to take two positions: the cases should be sent to arbitration and also that the ticket holders were promised baseball games and that’s what they got, so no refunds are due.

“Yeah, I think that’s what they say. They say, ‘Yeah, we cheated. So what?’”

When HMG had tickets to the Hooks, Hilliard brought his family, clients and donated 40 percent of the tickets to charity. 

He waxes poetic about the game and the Hooks.

“It’s truly an old-fashioned stadium, but built recently so you’re overlooking the Harbor Bridge and the ships going through the Ship Channel,” he said. “And it’s a real night, the bay’s right there and it’s really nice seeing, nice baseball and it’s everything this cheating scandal is not.”

So it is not surprising the lawsuits he filed do not start out with legalese, but the following: “Baseball is America’s game. It is as American as apple pie. And it is not just a game.”

(Photo courtesy of Bob Hilliard)

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