Cats Hire Hough as Manager
November 24, 2010 - American Association (AA)
Fort Worth Cats News Release
FORT WORTH, TX - The Fort Worth Cats have named Stan Hough as their new team manager. Hough also managed the team from 2006-2007, leading the Cats to the American Association championship in each season. Prior to that he was the team's hitting instructor from 2004-05.
Hough said, "I am excited to return to Fort Worth as the manager. The fans have always been so supportive of the team, and Fort Worth is a definite favorite of mine and the types of players we look for when building a squad."
Hough was named the Cats' manager on Dec. 6, 2005, taking over for Wayne Terwilliger, who remained with the club as Hough's first base coach in 2006. Over two seasons at the helm, Hough was 109-79 en route to both league titles.
The 2007 campaign was Hough's ninth full season as a minor league manager. Prior to the Cats' job, his last managerial job was with the Delmarva Shorebirds, the Class-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles in 2003. He also managed the Triple-A Ottawa Lynx in 2001.
His coaching career stretches back to 1983 when he served as a player/coach with the Daytona in the Houston organization. His first manager's job came in 1987 with the Texas Rangers' Gulf Coast League Affiliate.
"We are so happy to have Stan back in a Fort Worth Cats uniform." said Cats' team owner Carl Bell. "The experience that he and his staff have will be vital to the success of the team. We are looking forward to Stan bringing the championship trophy back to Fort Worth."
He was originally drafted by the New York Mets in the second round of the 1974 draft and spent seven seasons catching in their organization.
Since departing the Cats after the 2007 season, Hough has spent time as a collegiate scout for the New York Mets in central Texas, as well as a professional auditor. Hough resides in Waco, Texas with his wife Martha, daughter Casey and son Ty.
LANCE BROWN
Lance Brown, TCU's all-time winningest baseball coach, will be the team's bench coach. In 2010 he was the pitching coach for Grand Prairie, as well as head coach at All Saints Episcopal School.
Brown completed his 17th season as the Horned Frogs head coach in 2003, with a career record of 517-471. Brown played a large role in the success of TCU baseball, first as an all-America player who pitched the Horned Frogs to the 1963 Southwest Conference championship, then later as a coach. Thirty-one years after he earned the '63 Southwest Conference Player of the Year honors by posting an 11-1 record (8-1 in the SWC), he guided the Frogs to the 1994 SWC title as the head coach, making him one of only two men to win both the SWC Player and Coach of the Year honors. Brown is third for the school mark for pitching victories in a season (following Matt Purke and Lance Broadway) and ranks third in strikeouts in a single season with 109.
TCU won their first Southwest Conference regular season title since 1972 and first outright crown since 1956. They received an NCAA Regional tournament berth for the first time since 1956, where they recorded the school's first NCAA Tournament win, a 11-3 triumph over current C-USA foe Memphis in Stillwater, Okla.
Brown was selected as the 1994 Regional Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association. He was named the 1994 SWC Coach of the Year, his second such honor in his career. He also was the 1991 SWC Coach of the Year. Preceding his arrival at TCU, Brown served as the pitching coach at Rice University from 1983-86 and Texas Tech from 2005-2007.
During the summer of 1983 Brown coached the Kenai Peninsula Oilers in the perennially tough Alaskan League. He also served as a batting practice pitcher for the Houston Astros from 1984 through 1986, the National League All-Star team in 1986, the American League All-Star team in 1995 and the Texas Rangers during parts of the last decade.
Brown also holds an impressive list of coaching credentials at the high school level. He coached at Arlington's Sam Houston High School from 1967-69, Irving MacArthur High School from 1969-76, and Newman Smith High School in Carrollton from 1976-83.
A 1960 graduate of West Plains High School in West Plains, Missouri, Brown earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from TCU in 1967. He spent three seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization while finishing his degree at TCU. Brown's wife, Molly, graduated from TCU with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
MIKE BACSIK SR.
Mike Bacsik will serve as the team's pitching coach. Bacsik was signed as a free agent by the Texas Rangers in 1973. He spent three seasons, from 1975-1977, with Texas, then finished his career with two seasons with the Minnesota Twins.
Bacsik was one of 30 pitchers who pitched to Hank Aaron while Aaron was on 755 home runs, in 1976. Coincidentally, his son, Mike Bacsik, pitched to Barry Bonds when Bonds was on 755 home runs. Aaron went 1 for 2 against the elder Bacsik with a single; Bonds went 3 for 3 against the younger Bacsik with a double, a single and the record-breaking home run.
Both Bacsiks pitched for the Texas Rangers in their careers, making them the first father-son combination to play for the team.
Bacsik was born April 1, 1952 in Dallas, Texas and graduated from Trinity University, where he is a member of their baseball Hall of Fame.
NEW TICKET PRICING FOR 2011 SEASON
The Fort Worth Cats will have lower ticket prices for the 2011 season, and have just two ticket levels instead of four. All chairs will be considered "Reserved Box" seats, and all bleacher seats and berm will be "General Admission". The highlight of the new pricing will be "$5 Sundays", where all tickets are just five dollars. Here is the breakdown of pricing for the 2011 season, excluding the Fourth of July game:
Reserved Box General Admission
Sunday $5 $5
Monday -Thursday $10 $7
Friday-Saturday $14 $10
All chairs in 2010 were either $14 or $12 every day, so fans now have better pricing for almost every day of the 2011 season.
"We listened to what Cats' fans wanted to pay for tickets, and we think they will be very excited to realize that we do listen to what our fans say." commented team General Manager Dick Smith. "We look forward to families and fans from all over Texas coming out to enjoy a quality product for a quality price."
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American Association Stories from November 24, 2010
- Thunder Edged in 15-Round Shootout - Wichita Wingnuts
- Tagert to Host RailCats Winter Hitting Camp December 4 - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Cats Hire Hough as Manager - Fort Worth Cats
- Happy Thanksgiving from Your Hometown X's - Sioux City Explorers
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