Milo Hamilton, Not Quite R.-ing I. P.

​Those of you who are still bothering with following the Astros, and who are still bothering to follow the Houston Chronicle's Jose de Jesus Ortiz's reporting on the Astros, were probably shocked the other day to read Ortiz's announcement that Astros broadcaster Milo Hamilton was suffering from cancer.

Shocked because Hamilton's not exactly known for being publicity shy, and shocked because the announcement came from Ortiz and not from the Astros. It might also shock you to know -- or maybe not -- that Ortiz kind of got the facts wrong.

According to Alyson Footer at Astros.com, that while technically true, the Ortiz report is a bit of a stretch in that Hamilton has been suffering from a chronic form of leukemia since the mid-1970s and he just finished a series of treatments to lower his white blood count.

And unlike Ernie Harwell, the Hall of Fame broadcaster with the Detroit Tigers, Hamilton is not suffering from inoperable cancer. So yes, Hamilton has leukemia. But no, his venturing to Citi Field to call the Astros/Mets games this weekend isn't the last act of a dying man, as Ortiz might have led you to believe.