In the wake of Harvey, Houston enjoys the chance to dance

World Series MVP George Springer planted the Houston Astros' championship trophy at the front of a fire truck to a cheering crowd as the team began their victory parade Friday, with orange and blue confetti raining down as they passed tens of thousands of fans in downtown Houston.

Four military jets soared above a sea of orange and blue T-shirts, jerseys, pennants and banners along the 20-block parade route, which was quickly extended to accommodate the larger-than-expected crowd. Fans stood more than 10 rows deep, with chants of "Let's go Astros" echoing off skyscrapers, while some claimed bird's-eye views from the upper floors of parking structures, draping banners down the walls.

"I want to thank every person here, every person in the city, every person in the state of Texas that believed in our team," Springer said at a brief rally in front of City Hall following the parade. "It's about time we brought home something for the great city of Houston.

"I want everybody to celebrate, enjoy it," the outfielder said. "Houston, we have a championship team and nobody can take that away from us."

Several Astros players and manager A.J. Hinch waved at fans from the top of a double-decker bus as the parade started. Some fans threw caps and jerseys in their direction. Players autographed the items and tossed them back.

"Houston, we did it, these guys did it," Hinch said at the rally, pointing to players standing behind him and then thanking them. "Thank you for how much you love each other. And thank you for making Houston a championship city."

Scored of fans had gathered downtown hours ahead of the parade's start, including Manuel Mejia and his 15-year-old son, Jonah. They snatched a key spot along the route by 9 a.m. and set up four folding chairs at a street corner to be able to see the start and end of the parade.

"I'm just trying to get a good spot. It's going to get packed," the 43-year-old father said before the parade began, noting he'd been an Astros fan since his father took him to his first Astros game when he was eight years old.

But he and other fans said the World Series win is great for all of Houston, as the city continues to recover from Harvey and the devastating rains and flooding that followed the late August storm.

"We needed this win real bad for the city of Houston," said 47-year-old LaShawn Harris, who lives in the suburb of Baytown. "Harvey is gone. Harvey is smashed. Harvey is no more. It is all about today."

Harris, dressed in an orange Astros T-shirt and cap, and a fanny pack with gold-colored sequins, said she got up at 5 a.m. so she, her two nieces and her granddaughter could get to the site of the parade and rally in front of City Hall and get "a good spot."

The Astros took home their first championship in franchise history with a Game 7 win Wednesday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. Playing for a city still recovering from Hurricane Harvey, and wearing an "H Strong" logo on their jerseys, the Astros won the title that had eluded them since they started out in 1962 as the Colt .45s.

The parade is the first championship for professional sports team in the city since the Houston Rockets Rockets won back-to-back NBA titles in the mid-1990s. The 1995 Rockets parade attracted an estimated 500,000 people.

Houston mayor Sylvester Turner hoped Friday's event would top that number.

The Houston school district cancelled classes on Friday so students, staff and their families could attend the parade. And the city's public transit agency waived all fees and people were encouraged to use public transportation because parking downtown was limited.

Many underground garages remain closed because of damage caused by the flooding that devastated parts of the city after Harvey.

No decision on White House visit

Tempering the good feelings were the inevitable questions about whether they would visit the White House and President Donald Trump to celebrate the victory.

"We just won the first world championship in Houston Astros history," Hinch said. "We're also in one of the most divided countries, polarizing countries in politics. I don't know that this is the best stage for everybody to declare one way or the other and try to comment on the moment and be too much of a political statement."

The New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Penguins and Clemson Tigers have all visited the White House in recent months to be congratulated by the president for their titles. The Golden State Warriors did not make the trip after being disinvited by Trump. The president has been outspoken for weeks about his opposition to players kneeling during the national anthem to protest social injustices.

Springer said his grandfather worked in Washington for years and he has respect for what a visit to the White House would mean.

"That's the most historic place in our country, it stands for a lot, it means a lot to a lot of people," Springer said. "If the team goes I'm going. I'm not going to say no. I understand the impact of it. ... I understand the stuff that's been happening. Yes there are things that have to change but there are always things that have to change. There isn't anything that is ever going to be perfect. If the team goes I'll go."