HOUSTON - Former Houston Astros pitcher, manager and broadcaster Larry Dierker visited Husky Field Friday to talk to the HBU baseball team.
 

Dierker weaved stories from his time as a player and manager into his message to the Huskies that the most important trait of a championship team is good chemistry. He encouraged them to play for their teammates, not for themselves, and to make sure their individual successes contribute to the greater good of the team.

Originally from Hollywood, California, Dierker made his major-league debut for the Houston Colt .45s in 1964 on his 18th birthday. He became the Astros first-ever 20-game winner in 1969 and made the first of his two all-star game appearances that season. He pitched a no-hitter against the Montreal Expos on July 9, 1976, his final of 13 seasons with the Astros, before finishing his career the next year with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Dierker served as the color commentator on Astros RV and radio broadcasts from 1979 to 1996, then he was named the team's manager the following season. He led the Astros to the division title in four of his five seasons at the helm and was named the National League Manager of the Year in 1998. He had his number 49 retired by the Astros in 2002 and returned to the broadcast booth in 2004 and 2005. Dierker now serves as a Special Assistant to Astros Team President Reid Ryan.

The Huskies open the 2019 season with a three-game series against Northeastern Feb. 15-17 at Husky Field.