Larry Dierker

Larry Dierker
Pitcher
Born: September 22, 1946 (1946-09-22) Hollywood, California
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 22, 1964 for the Houston Colt .45s
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 1977 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Career statistics
Win–loss record	139–123
Earned run average	3.31
Strikeouts	1,493
Teams
As player Houston Colt .45s / Astros (1964–1976) St. Louis Cardinals (1977) As manager Houston Astros (1997–2001)
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Star (1969, 1971) 1998 NL Manager of the Year Houston Astros #49 retired

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).

Playing career

Larry Dierker's Retired Number

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 games 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.

Broadcasting

From 1979 to 1996, Dierker served as a color commentator 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. 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.

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	Year	Regular Season				Post Season
		Won	Lost	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
HOU	1997	84	78	.519	1st in NL Central	0	3	.000	Lost NLDS to ATL
HOU	1998	102	60	.630	1st in NL Central	1	3	.250	Lost NLDS to SD
HOU	1999	84	51	.622	1st in NL Central	1	3	.250	Lost NLDS to ATL
HOU	2000	72	90	.444	4th in NL Central	–	–	–	–
HOU	2001	93	69	.574	1st in NL Central	0	3	.000	Lost NLDS to ATL
Total		435	348	.556		2	12	.143

See also

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
• [1] – Larry Dierker Tribute Page

Preceded by Vida Blue, Glenn Abbott, Paul Lindblad & Rollie Fingers	No-hitter pitcher July 9, 1976	Succeeded by Blue Moon Odom & Francisco Barrios
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