Hamilton, Osterman Headline Banquet

CORPUS CHRISTI - Milo Hamilton, the Iowa Hawkeye whose Major League Baseball Hall of Fame broadcasting career spanned 59 seasons over parts of seven decades, receives the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ninth Annual South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet January 23.

Site is the Omni Bayfront Hotel and doors open at 6:30.The event is presented by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and ClearChannel Radio and tickets are on sale at the Whataburger Field box office. To order by phone, call 361-561-HOOK (4665).

Joining Hamilton on the dais is featured speaker Cat Osterman, assistant softball coach at St. Edward's University and member of the USSSA Pride National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) team. Osterman thrice earned national collegiate player-of-the-year honors during a 38-4 career at the University of Texas and pitched the Lady Longhorns to Women's College World Series appearances in 2003, 2005 and 2006.

The left-handed Houston native - a four-time UT All-American - pitched for the USA National Team from 2001-10. She captured gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics and silver at Beijing four years later. Osterman collected six golds in international competition. Her final Team USA mark was 59-4 (0.38 ERA).

Said Hooks president Ken Schrom, borrowing one of Hamilton's signature phrases: "Holy Toledo, we'll put a blue star on that one! What a treat for our baseball and softball communities. We had over 600 in attendance last year. It's always a blessing to get together and honor our greatest."

Hamilton, born September 2, 1927 in Fairfield, Iowa, began his major league play-by-play career with the St. Louis Browns in 1953. Before embarking on a 28-year run with the Astros in 1985, he also served the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates.

In 1992, Hamilton won the Ford C. Frick Award for major contributions to baseball. Since induction into the broadcasters wing by 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).

Through the years, Hamilton helped generate over $35 million for various charities as a master of ceremonies.

Some of Hamilton's highlights in the booth:
1954: Stan Musial's five home runs in a doubleheader
1955: Ernie Banks' five grand slams
1972: Nate Colbert's five home runs in a doubleheader
1974: Hank Aaron's 715th home run
1979: Pirates World Series championship
1985: Nolan Ryan's 4,000th strikeout
1986: Mike Scott's dramatic, division-clinching no-hitter
2001: Barry Bonds' record-tying 70th home run
2003: Astros six-pitcher no-hitter at Yankee Stadium
2005: Astros World Series appearance
2007: Craig Biggio's 3,000th hit
11 no-hitters

South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
2013 - Milo Hamilton
2012 - Steve Chapman
2011 - Steve Castillo
2010 - Gene Kasprzyk
2009 - Bart Shirley
2008 - Ox Miller
2007 - Rudy Jaramillo
2006 - Brooks Kieschnick
2005 - Burt Hooton