National League MVP Dale Murphy
called Nolan Ryan “the only pitcher you
start thinking about two days before you
face him.”
Ryan’s storied career spanned 27 years.
He played with four teams; The New York
Mets, Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros
and Texas Rangers where he hung up his
spikes at the end of the 1993 season. Ryan
hurled 3 major league records: seven no
hitters, 5714 strike outs and 2795 bases
on balls. Retirement has not slowed the
“Ryan Express” down. He went on to have
ownership interests in two minor league
teams; The Round Rock Express of the
Pacific Coast League and the Corpus
Christi Hooks of the Texas League.
Ryan served as an executive in the Ranger
organization through the 2013 season. He
was hired as an adviser to the Houston
Astros in 2014. In 1999 Ryan was enshrined
in Cooperstown, PA, as a member of the
Baseball Hall of Fame. The Refugio
County Museum houses a collection
of memorabilia donated by the “Ryan
Express” to honor the town of his birth.
The museum is located at 102 W West St,
Refugio, TX 78377 and is open Tuesday
thru Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday hours are
1pm-5pm.
When you attend a minor league game
you just be may be watching a future
Hall of Famer play his heart out as he
hopes for the chance to make it to “The
Show” (slang used to describe a chance
to play in major league baseball). It
is not unusual for the affiliate major
league team to send an injured player
on a rehabilitation assignment to their
AA team before returning him to the
major league club. Minor league teams
put on a great show for their fans with
promotions sure to keep you wondering,
“What are they going to do next?”
Promotions such as; HAT NIGHT, sack
races around the bases, dot races in the
outfield and ticket giveaway’s for future
games to keep fans coming out to the old
ball park. O
WHATABURGER FIELD
The Corpus Christi Hooks kick off their 2015 season April 2 with an exhibition game against
their major league affiliate, The Houston Astros at Whataburger Field. The first pitch is at
6:05 p.m. Rodney Linares begins his first season as skipper of the Hooks having
spent nine consecutive seasons with the Astros minor league organization.
Before assuming the helm of the Hooks’ he managed the High-A Lancaster
Jethawks of the California League during the 2012-2014 seasons.
Season and individual game tickets for the Hooks can be purchased online, by
phone at 361-561-HOOK (4665), or at the ballpark from one of the Hooks ticket
sales representatives. Whataburger Field is located at 734 E. Left Ave., Corpus Christi,
TX. Take the family to a baseball game in your area and experience our national pastime
in the comfort of your own backyard, well almost your backyard.
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