September 8, 2006

LARRY DIERKER TO BE GUEST SPEAKER AT CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE GALA

Larry Dierker, former manager of the Houston Astros, will be the guest speaker at the 2006 Celebration of Excellence Gala Honoring Hometown Heroes, according to C.J Haynes, event chairperson and 2003 Hometown Hero.

Dierker began his career in baseball on his 18 th birthday, when he struck out Willie Mays in the first inning. His many accomplishments in the major leagues include Astros first 20-game winner in 1969; National League All-Star in 1969 and 1971; and

No-Hitter vs. the Expos in 1976. For 18 years, he was a principal analyst on radio and television, and wrote a weekly column for the Houston Chronicle for 11 years. Dierker produced and recorded a three-minute vignette, “The Baseball Library”, that played for five years on the Astros radio network pre-game show.

He managed the Astros for five years and won the central division four times. He was named Manager of the Year in 1998, with the best managing record in Astros history. In 2000, he was elected to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. His uniform number 49 was retired by the Astros in 2002.

He currently works as a free lance writer, speaker and broadcaster. His first book, This Ain’t Brain Surgery was published in 2003, and his second book, My Team, came out this summer. He also writes a blog for the Houston Chronicle. Autographed copies of My Team will be available for purchase at the Gala.

“We are thrilled that Larry has accepted our invitation to speak at the Gala,” Haynes said. “With his incredible accomplishments in Major League baseball and recent experiences as a motivational speaker and author, he is sure to be an inspiration to us all.”

The 2006 Celebration of Excellence Gala is set for Saturday, September 30, 2006 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. The theme for this year’s event is “An Evening in Tuscany”. This event is the major annual fundraiser for Interfaith, the primary social services organization in The Woodlands that has been serving residents of Montgomery County for 32 years.

The evening will also include honoring the 2006 Hometown Heroes – Edie Connelly, Jeff Early, Dan Hauser, Lon Larsen, Bruce Withers and Woodforest National Bank. Lisa Trapani Shumate will be master of ceremonies.

For more information about the Gala, contact Dr. Ann Snyder, executive director of Interfaith at 281-367-1230 or send e-mail to asnyder@woodlandsinterfaith.org. For information about sponsorships, call Joel Deretchin at 281-719-6107 or jderetchin@thewoodlands.com.