Houston Astros: Deep in the Heart
Bill Brownmarks his 27th season as the Astros’ primary play-by-play voice on television in 2013. With over 30 years of broadcasting MLB games, Bill has received many honors and awards, including the 2012 Fred Hartman Award for Long and Meritorious Service, induction into the Houston Media Wall of Honor in September of 2011, the Texas Italian-American Sports Foundation’s award for “outstanding accomplishments as a television broadcaster for the Houston Astros and community service,” and representation of the Astros on the fan ballot for the 2012 Ford C. Frick Award. A finalist for the 2010 National Sportscaster and Sportswriters Association Texas Sportscaster of the Year Award, he was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004. Before joining the Astros, Bill worked as Senior Producer and anchor of the Financial News Network’s SCORE program, Sports Director of the Sports Time Cable Network, and was the television voice of the Cincinnati Reds. A member of the Advisory Board at Houston Sight Into Sound, he has been a volunteer reader for 22 years. He is the co-author ofMy Baseball Journey, A Sportscaster’s Storywith Tim Gregg.Mike Acosta, who researched and provided the images forHouston Astros: Deep in the Heart, joined the Astros in the 1990s as a broadcasting intern and worked his way into a job the Astros created especially for him. As authentication/archives manager, he handles documentation, archive, and retail operations for the team’s memorabilia. Known for his in-depth knowledge of team history, Mike is a frequent source for reporters and writers wanting information about all things Astros—from uniforms to homerun balls, stadium seats to logos. He serves as a public address announcer at Minute Maid Park and broadcasts area high school and college baseball and football.