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TL1 Corpus Christi Hooks

Pence, Castro Headline Astros Caravan Luncheon January 28

January 6, 2010 - Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release


CORPUS CHRISTI -- National League All-Star outfielder Hunter Pence, catcher Jason Castro, franchise icon Larry Dierker and Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton represent the Astros at their annual Corpus Christi caravan stop on Thursday, January 28.

Site is the Solomon P. Ortiz Center at the Port of Corpus Christi and doors open at 11:30. Tickets are $25 each and may be purchased through the Hooks at 361-561-4665 or by stopping at the Whataburger Field box office during business hours.

Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade is keynote speaker at the Sixth South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet a week later on Thursday, February 4, at the Corpus Christi Omni Bayfront Hotel. Start time is 6:30. Combination tickets are $100 and proceeds from both functions go to the Hooks Field of Dreams Program.

Additional banquet details are forthcoming, so visit cchooks.com in coming days.

Pence, 26, hit.282 with 25 home runs and 72 RBIs last year in his third season at the big-league level and made the National League All-Star team. He played in 159 of 162 games.

Pence was third in 2007 NL Rookie of the Year balloting (.322/17/69 in 108 games) and regular right fielder on Corpus Christi's 2006 Texas League championship club (.283/28/95/97 runs). Houston selected Pence in the second round of the 2004 draft out of Texas-Arlington.

Castro, 22, played in 63 games for the 2009 Hooks before joining Team USA in IBAF World Cup competition. The Stanford product, taken 10th overall in the 2008 draft, batted.293/3/29 in Texas League play after beginning the season at High-A Lancaster of the California League. Castro belted a three-run homer in the XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium.

In 38 years with the Astros, Dierker served as a pitcher, front-office member, broadcaster and field manager. He won 137 games in 13 seasons and owns franchise records for innings pitched, starts, complete games and shutouts. A two-time All-Star, he pitched the fifth no-hitter in franchise history on July 9, 1976 (Montreal).

Over five seasons as the club's skipper (1997-2001) Dierker led Houston to four division titles. The 1998 squad won an Astros-best 102 games as he earned NL Manager of the Year.

Hamilton is about to begin his 65th season as a play-by-play announcer, 57 in MLB. Previous stops included the Cardinals, Cubs, White Sox, Braves and Pirates. Hamilton received the Ford Frick Award in 1992 from the Baseball Hall of Fame, presented annually to a member of the broadcasting fraternity for major contributions to the game.

Additionally, the Iowa graduate is a member of the Radio, Texas Radio and Texas Baseball Halls of Fame. He is one of only 10 baseball broadcasters in the Radio Hall of Fame - Mel Allen, Red Barber, Jack Brickhouse, Jack Buck, Harry Caray, Ernie Harwell, Harry Kalas, Vin Scully and Bob Uecker are the others.

Hamilton has made many great calls in his storied career, most notably Hank Aaron's historic 715th home run on April 8, 1974.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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