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03-25-2006, 04:46 PM
Ciruti collects 500th career baseball win
500 Wins
Wharton baseball coach Floyd Ciruti collected his 500th career win after the Tigers beat Waller 7-2 Friday afternoon in the Jersey Village Tournament
By MIKE KONVICKA
Journal-Spectator Sports Editor -
HOUSTON – Longtime Wharton baseball coach Floyd Ciruti got an unexpected drenching Friday night in the Jersey Village Tournament.
It wasn’t from rain but from his players, dumping the water cooler over his head after they beat Waller 7-2, sealing Ciruti’s 500th career win in his 30th season at the helm.
Well, maybe not completely unexpected.
Fans and parents have been informing him of how many more wins he needed since the season started.
“I had people telling me after every game which one was coming up,” he said.
“Mike Maddox, the Jersey Village coach, told me before we played on Friday that I needed only one more.”
The Tigers then dropped a 6-4 decision to Pasadena Sam Rayburn on Saturday in the tournament.
“I’m ready to get over 500 and get to 501,” he said. “
I didn’t like the loss on Saturday.”
The Baytown Sterling graduate entered the season with a 492-279 record and Friday’s win was Wharton’s fourth straight victory.
The Tigers had already beaten Jersey Village last Saturday, Edna on Tuesday and Northbrook on Thursday in the tournament.
When Ciruti came to Wharton, he found a town that loved baseball. And the town found a coach who loved the game.
“My family has sacrificed quite a bit so I can do what I like to do,” he said.
Ciruti, who led the Tigers to the 1980 state tournament, is now coaching the sons of players he coached earlier in his career.
He has repeatedly said he’ll continue to coach because of his love for the game.
“I still love it,” said Ciruti. “I’ll quit when I don’t get that feeling before a ball game. I get juices flowing and that competitiveness.
“It hasn’t felt like 30 years because I like watching those kids play. I like watching them get better. You can be successful in a lot of different ways.”
Hitting the 500 mark was a joy, too.
“I feel very honored and humbled by this accolade,” said Ciruti, who came to Wharton in 1975.
“It’s not only a big accomplishment for me but for this whole community.”
He credited his players, assistant coaches, his wife and family, the Wharton Babe Ruth league and statistician Maury Sallinger.
He also praised the support the community and Wharton County Junior College have given baseball here.
“The Babe Ruth League has helped with the field and stadium improvements, and they give our young kids a place to play in the summer.”
He still appreciates the break he got in getting hired in Wharton.
“When I came here in 1975 I was happy as a lark just to get a job,” said Ciruti.
He particularly credited Eddie Joseph, then Wharton’s athletic director, Carl Reynolds and Tom Pickett in launching his long career.
“This is a good place for me and I was real fortunate.”
And he’s eager for more wins.
“We would like to end up in Austin at the state tournament and I think we’re capable of it.”
Wharton played Columbus Tuesday night and hosts Sealy on Thursday night.
500 Wins
Wharton baseball coach Floyd Ciruti collected his 500th career win after the Tigers beat Waller 7-2 Friday afternoon in the Jersey Village Tournament
By MIKE KONVICKA
Journal-Spectator Sports Editor -
HOUSTON – Longtime Wharton baseball coach Floyd Ciruti got an unexpected drenching Friday night in the Jersey Village Tournament.
It wasn’t from rain but from his players, dumping the water cooler over his head after they beat Waller 7-2, sealing Ciruti’s 500th career win in his 30th season at the helm.
Well, maybe not completely unexpected.
Fans and parents have been informing him of how many more wins he needed since the season started.
“I had people telling me after every game which one was coming up,” he said.
“Mike Maddox, the Jersey Village coach, told me before we played on Friday that I needed only one more.”
The Tigers then dropped a 6-4 decision to Pasadena Sam Rayburn on Saturday in the tournament.
“I’m ready to get over 500 and get to 501,” he said. “
I didn’t like the loss on Saturday.”
The Baytown Sterling graduate entered the season with a 492-279 record and Friday’s win was Wharton’s fourth straight victory.
The Tigers had already beaten Jersey Village last Saturday, Edna on Tuesday and Northbrook on Thursday in the tournament.
When Ciruti came to Wharton, he found a town that loved baseball. And the town found a coach who loved the game.
“My family has sacrificed quite a bit so I can do what I like to do,” he said.
Ciruti, who led the Tigers to the 1980 state tournament, is now coaching the sons of players he coached earlier in his career.
He has repeatedly said he’ll continue to coach because of his love for the game.
“I still love it,” said Ciruti. “I’ll quit when I don’t get that feeling before a ball game. I get juices flowing and that competitiveness.
“It hasn’t felt like 30 years because I like watching those kids play. I like watching them get better. You can be successful in a lot of different ways.”
Hitting the 500 mark was a joy, too.
“I feel very honored and humbled by this accolade,” said Ciruti, who came to Wharton in 1975.
“It’s not only a big accomplishment for me but for this whole community.”
He credited his players, assistant coaches, his wife and family, the Wharton Babe Ruth league and statistician Maury Sallinger.
He also praised the support the community and Wharton County Junior College have given baseball here.
“The Babe Ruth League has helped with the field and stadium improvements, and they give our young kids a place to play in the summer.”
He still appreciates the break he got in getting hired in Wharton.
“When I came here in 1975 I was happy as a lark just to get a job,” said Ciruti.
He particularly credited Eddie Joseph, then Wharton’s athletic director, Carl Reynolds and Tom Pickett in launching his long career.
“This is a good place for me and I was real fortunate.”
And he’s eager for more wins.
“We would like to end up in Austin at the state tournament and I think we’re capable of it.”
Wharton played Columbus Tuesday night and hosts Sealy on Thursday night.