Astros Caravan Luncheon January 24

CORPUS CHRISTI -- Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton, first baseman Chris Carter, outfielder Marc Krauss and pitching legend J.R. Richard comprise Houston's contingent at the 2014 Astros Caravan Luncheon, set for Friday, January 24, at the Solomon P. Ortiz Center.

Doors open at 11:30 and individual tickets are $25, tables for 10 $750. The event is presented by the Caller- Times and ClearChannel Media + Entertainment. Tickets are on sale at the Whataburger Field Box Office. To order by phone, call 361-561-HOOK (4665).

Hamilton returns to the Sparkling City after capturing the Lifetime Achievement Award at last year's South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet. In 1992, he won the Ford C. Frick Award for major contributions to baseball. Since induction into the broadcaster's wing of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Hamilton has been named to the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame (1994), Radio Hall of Fame (2000), Texas Radio Hall of Fame (2002) and Iowa Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame (2011). The Fairfield, Iowa, native, Houston's primary play-by-play voice from 1985-2012, began his major league broadcasting career 61 years ago with the St. Louis Browns. He also served the Cardinals, Cubs, White Sox, Braves and Pirates.

Carter's 29 home runs and 82 runs batted in topped the 2013 Astros. The 27-year-old was Texas League Player of the Year in 2009 as a member of the Midland RockHounds (.337/24/101 for Oakland's Double-A affiliate). He went on to play parts of three major league seasons with the Athletics. Carter came to the Astros last February in the Jed Lowrie deal.

Krauss, 26, debuted for the Astros last season and played in 52 games. He hit .209 with four home runs and 13 RBIs. At Triple-A Oklahoma City, the former Ohio Bobcat batted .281/10/39. Hooks fans best remember Krauss for a sizzling week in the summer of 2012, when he tore up the Texas League at a .414/5/16 clip after joining the Astros from the Diamondbacks organization, prompting a promotion to OKC.

Richard, Astros 1976 20-game winner and MVP, established club records with nine consecutive complete games and 313 strikeouts in 1979. The next year, he pitched three straight shutouts (Giants - 2; Cubs). Richard won 107 games between 1971-80 and was Houston's Opening Day starter each season from 1976-80. The fireballing 6-foot-8, 220-pound Louisianan suffered a stroke during the 1980 campaign.

Richard was a 1980 National League all-star who twice led the circuit in strikeouts and captured the 1979 ERA title (2.71).