CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Astros Quality Assurance Coach and Refugio native Dan Firova will be recognized as the 2023 South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet Lifetime Achievement Award winner at the Corpus Christi Omni Hotel on Jan. 26, according to a press release from The Corpus Christi Hooks Baseball Club.
After a 43 year long professional baseball career, Firova has earned a World Series title and an American League pennant in two seasons with the Astros. His prior Major League Baseball coaching stint was with the Washington Nationals who won the National League East in 2016 and 2017.
Firova also had a very successful career as a Mexican League manager with the most managerial wins by a non-native of Mexico in circuit history.
As a student at Refugio High School, the standout catcher and pitcher took the Bobcats his last three years of high school. After graduation in 1975, Firova attended Bee County Junior College where he was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the seventh round in 1977.
Firova played 13 professional seasons, including 17 games in the Majors with Seattle (1981-82) and Cleveland (1988), before what has become a 31-year coaching career.
Reserved seats for the 17th South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet are $65. Call 361-561-HOOK (4665) or visit the Whataburger Field Box Office for tickets. John Paul II product Jose Trevino [milb.com], who earned all-star and gold-glove honors with the New York Yankees this past season, is the featured speaker. Doors open at 6 PM.
