UT to visit Whataburger Field
The
Longhorns' much- anticipated trip to Whataburger Field to meet Texas
A&M-CC is scheduled for Tuesday, March 6 at 4:00 p.m.
by
Lee Goddard, Corpus
Christi Caller~Times
November 9, 2006
(NOTE:
GAME TIME HAS SINCE BEEN MOVED TO 4:00 P.M.)
It's written online instead of in stone. But it's
official that The
University of Texas' baseball
team will play in Corpus Christi this upcoming season.
Texas
posted the schedule on its athletic
department website, and the Longhorns'
much-anticipated trip to Whataburger Field to meet Texas A&M-Corpus
Christi is scheduled for Tuesday, March 6 at 2:30 p.m.
Former Islanders baseball coach Hector Salinas said in
the past that Texas
would play A&M-Corpus Christi at Whataburger because of
a scheduling snafu last season. Salinas had said the Islanders were
inadvertently left off the Longhorns'
schedule
last year, and Texas
coach Augie
Garrido would make it up with a game at Whataburger Field.
The only thing left was official notice that the game
would be played. Garrido delivered.
Hooks president J.J. Gottsch said Texas'
appearance should help stoke the area's fervor for baseball.
Whataburger Field also is poised to host the second
Whataburger College Classic the weekend following the Longhorns
game. That field will showcase Rice, TCU and Texas Tech, in addition
to the Islanders.
"Obviously, we're very excited," Gottsch said
of the Longhorns
coming to town. "From a personal level, I'm a huge college
baseball fan. Anything we can do with the College Classic - or in
addition to the College Classic - to help promote college baseball and
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is great.
"With name recognition, only (Texas) A&M could
possibly generate as much excitement and interest in college baseball in
this area."
While Texas
posted its schedule,
A&M-Corpus Christi does not traditionally release any part of its
schedule until it is complete. The Longhorns
are slated to play only one other non-conference road game in the state -
an April 17 contest at Rice.
Rice will host the Islanders Feb. 25, according to its
athletic website. Texas A&M has a Feb. 27 date listed online for
hosting A&M-Corpus Christi.
The only drawback in terms of potential crowds is the
2:30 start for Texas.
But, as Gottsch pointed out, many midweek college baseball games are
afternoon starts.
"Obviously for fans, and families and kids in
school, it would be better at night," Gottsch said.
"Coaches and academic advisors want players to miss the least amount
of time possible, so they like to play (during the afternoon)."
(NOTE: GAME TIME HAS SINCE BEEN
MOVED TO 4:00 P.M.)
-----
(Information courtesy of the Corpus
Christi Caller~Times.)
