Brandon Backe's Odd History With Bars Continues

Photo from Facebook

Brandon Backe's Bullpen, R.I.P.

​Brandon Backe, who for a fleeting moment was the Houston Astros' homeboy hope of the pitching future, just can't seem to catch a break when it comes to booze.

There was, of course, the little wedding-party brawl with Galveston police while he was still with the Stros. Nothing much came of it, except the odd decision to announce in the middle of the ensuing brouhaha that Backe planned to open a bar in Dickinson.

Backe's Bullpen opened to what passes for fanfare in Dickinson in January, offering food and drink "after months of permitting, excavating, building, decorating and sweat," according to its now-defunct website.

The website isn't the only thing that's defunct -- so is the bar. A "We're closed" notice marks the entrance, the Galveston County Daily News reports.

The reason for the closing? Look ye to Facebook.

There, a theory, which can't be confirmed, was offered up.

This is what I found: Apparently, some woman had an accident last week with a child in her car and she told the police that she had just left Backe's Bullpen ... and the rest is history... Backe's was told to either pay a fine or surrender their liquor license so they closed the bar. I wonder what the building will be next??

A commenter on the Daily News' story somewhat agreed: "He didn't want to mess with the liability," the commenter said.

Of course, it could have just been a business decision. The phone number for the place is no longer operable, though, so we don't know for sure.

All of this is somewhat crushing to the bars' fans. Just a week or so ago one eagerly posted "When is karaoke"?

It's gone, ma'am, it's gone. Just like Brandon Backe's Astros career.