Larry Dierker

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Lawrence Edward Dierker (born September 22, 1946, in Hollywood, California) is a former pitcher and manager in Major League Baseball who had a 14-year pitching career from 1964 to 1977 and a five-year career managing the Houston Astros from 1997 to 2001. He played for the Houston Colt .45s/Astros and the St. Louis Cardinals, both of the National League.

Drafted by the Colts 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 an impressive 2.33 earned run average. 20 complete games and 232 strikeouts over a now-astonishing 305 innings. He was elected to the National League All-Star team in 1969 and 1971. On July 9, 1976, Dierker pitched his only no hitter against the Montreal Expos.

From 1979 to 1996, Dierker served as a color commentator on the Astros' radio and television broadcasts, a position he returned to in 2004.

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 this game against San Diego, Dierker had a seizure that rendered him unconscious. He required emergency brain surgery 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 won a third consecutive National League Central Division title.

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. Dierker also penned a book entitled It Ain't Brain Surgery, which detailed his baseball career as a pitcher and a manager.

[edit] External links

• Baseball-Reference.com - career playing statistics and managing record
• [1] - Larry Dierker Tribute Page

Preceded by Dusty Baker	National League Manager of the Year 1998	Succeeded by Jack McKeon
Preceded by Terry Collins	Houston Astros Manager 1997-2001	Succeeded by Jimy Williams