HOUSTON, TX – The Astros Foundation and the Astros Youth Academy honored the remarkable legacies of former Texas Southern baseball coach Candy Robinson and former Prairie View A&M baseball coach John Tankersley with the Dusty Baker Coaching Impact Award.

The Dusty Baker Coaching Impact Award is given out by the Astros Foundation and the Astros Youth Academy to baseball coaches from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who have made a significant impact on and off the baseball field.

Robinson was the head coach of the Texas Southern baseball team for 19 years, starting in 1989 as the first TSU head coach who exclusively coached baseball. During his career, he recorded 332 wins. He led the Tigers to their first two Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship titles and their first two NCAA postseason appearances in 2004 and 2008. In the 2004 NCAA Division I Regionals, Robinson and his team defeated the then-defending NCAA World Series Champion Rice Owls. Robinson was also a two-time SWAC Coach of the Year (2004 & 2008). His teams qualified for 12 conference championship tournament appearances, nine of them consecutive.

Tankersley was associated with Prairie View for over 33 years, serving his first stint from 1969-72 and then for 30 years as the chief architect of Panther baseball. During a two-year break from Prairie View, Tankersley served as the athletics director at his alma mater, Wiley College, before returning in 1974. He also served as a consultant for the 1996 NCAA College World Series. His achievements in the sports world have earned him induction into the Texas Black Sports and Prairie View A&M University Sports Halls of Fame.

The Cactus Jack HBCU Classic continues tomorrow at Minute Maid Park. See below for the schedule.

Sunday, February 18, 2024

11:05 a.m. Jackson St. vs. Grambling St.

3:05 p.m. Alcorn St. vs. Prairie View

7:05 p.m. Southern University vs. Texas Southern

*Game times are subject to change; home teams are listed second

ABOUT THE ASTROS FOUNDATION:

The Astros Foundation, the official 501(c)(3) team charity of the Houston Astros, seeks to harness the passion of baseball fans to support youth baseball and softball programs, the recognition and honor of our nation’s military, childhood cancer awareness, domestic violence awareness and efforts to reduce homelessness. Our cornerstone initiatives include the Community Leaders program, the Astros Youth Academy and the Astros RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) Program. For more information on the Astros Foundation, please visit www.astros.com/foundation.

ABOUT THE ASTROS YOUTH ACADEMY:

The Astros Youth Academy (AYA), which officially opened in 2010, is run by the Astros Foundation and provides free year-round baseball and softball instruction, life skills training and academic support to Houston youth, with a focus on serving inner-city and at-risk children and teens. Baseball and softball camps, clinics, programs, and other activities are provided by experienced instructors, free of charge. The AYA also provides educational programs, leadership development and assistance with college readiness. For more information, visit astrosyouthacademy.com.