HOUSTON, TX--Astros first baseman Lance Berkman and former Major
League pitcher Burt Hooton, who currently serves as pitching coach at
Triple A Round Rock, will be among several individuals inducted into
the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco, TX on Monday, February 8.
The induction ceremonies will take place during a dinner being held at Baylor University’s Ferrell Center at 7:00 p.m.
The
Texas Sports Hall of Fame, which began in 1951, is for athletes,
coaches or administrators “that have brought lasting fame and honor to
Texas sports.” Each year, a committee selects a new set of inductees
from a list of nominees.
The 33-year-old Berkman, a five-time
All-Star with 313 home runs in his career with the Astros, is a Waco,
TX native and a graduate of New Braunfels Canyon High School. During
his three-year baseball career at Rice University (1995-97), Berkman
earned first-team All-America honors and in 1997 was named the National
College Player of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers
Association.
Hooton, who is in his sixth season as Round Rock’s
pitching coach, won 151 games in his Major League career. While at the
University of Texas, he posted a 35-3 record in three seasons (1969-71)
with a 1.14 ERA while leading the Longhorns to three SWC titles.
Hooton, who returned to the University of Texas as their pitching coach
for four seasons (1996-99), had his number retired by the Longhorns in
2009.
The TSHOF, which includes athletes from several sports,
also includes former Astros Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio and Larry
Dierker as members.
