Larry Dierker
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Edward Dierker (born September 22, 1946, in Hollywood, California
) is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
and manager
. During a 14-year baseball career as a pitcher, he pitched from 1964–1977 for the Houston Colt .45s/Astros
and the St. Louis Cardinals
. He also managed the Astros for five years (1997–2001).
Drafted by the Colt .45s at age 17, Dierker made his major-league pitching debut on his 18th birthday – and struck out
Willie Mays
in the first inning. In 1969, he became the Astros' first 20-game winner
, while compiling a 2.33 earned run average
, 20 complete game
s and 232 strikeouts over 305 innings
. He was elected to the National League All-Star
team in 1969 and 1971. On July 9, 1976, Dierker pitched a no hitter against the Montreal Expos.
On May 19, 2002, the Astros honored Dierker, retiring his No. 49 jersey.
on the Astros' radio and television broadcasts, a position he returned to in 2004 and 2005.
In 1999, Dierker had a close brush with death during a game against the San Diego Padres
. The Houston manager had been plagued by severe headaches for several days. During the game, Dierker had a seizure
that rendered him unconscious. He required emergency brain surgery for a cavernous angioma
and after four weeks of recovery, returned to the helm of the Astros and guided the team through the duration of the season. The Astros won 97 games and a third consecutive National League Central Division title.
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. During a 14-year baseball career as a pitcher, he pitched from 1964–1977 for the Houston Colt .45s/Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
and the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. He also managed the Astros for five years (1997–2001).
Playing career
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
in the first inning. In 1969, he became the Astros' first 20-game winner
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
, while compiling a 2.33 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, 20 complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s and 232 strikeouts over 305 innings
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
. He was elected to the National League All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team in 1969 and 1971. On July 9, 1976, Dierker pitched a no hitter against the Montreal Expos.
On May 19, 2002, the Astros honored Dierker, retiring his No. 49 jersey.
Broadcasting
From 1979 to 1996, Dierker served as a color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on the Astros' radio and television broadcasts, a position he returned to in 2004 and 2005.
Managerial career
Dierker was elected National League Manager of the Year in 1998. Houston finished in first place in four of the five years Dierker managed the team, failing only in 2000 when the Astros placed fourth.In 1999, Dierker had a close brush with death during a game against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. The Houston manager had been plagued by severe headaches for several days. During the game, Dierker had a seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...
that rendered him unconscious. He required emergency brain surgery for a cavernous angioma
Cavernous angioma
Cavernous angioma, also known as cerebral cavernous malformation , cavernous haemangioma, and cavernoma, is a vascular disorder that alternately has been classified as neoplastic or hamartomatous. It is characterized by grossly dilated blood vessels with a single layer of endothelium and an...
and after four weeks of recovery, returned to the helm of the Astros and guided the team through the duration of the season. The Astros won 97 games and a third consecutive National League Central Division title.
Later career
He currently serves as a community outreach executive for the Astros. Dierker has also penned a book entitled This Ain't Brain Surgery, which detailed his baseball career as a pitcher and a manager. He later penned My Team, in which he ruminated on the greatest players he'd been witness to in his years of baseball.Managerial records
| Team | |Regular Season | List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
External links
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