Astros senior VP Jamie Hildreth dies at 72

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Jamie Hildreth, who as the Astros' longtime director of broadcasting embodied and championed the game's ability to win friends and fans across the airwaves and across generations, has died at age 72, the team said Saturday.

No details were immediately available regarding the cause of death, which came as Hildreth was in West Palm Beach, Fla., for Astros spring training.

Hildreth was one of the constants of Houston baseball for 31 years, working for the John McMullen, Drayton McLane and Jim Crane ownership groups from the team's final decade at the Astrodome through its early years of success at Minute Maid Park and its recent rebuilding job under the Crane ownership group.

He was, former manager and broadcaster Larry Dierker said Saturday, one of baseball's greatest salesmen in Houston.

"He had certain loyalties," Dierker said. "It didn't matter who owned the team or who he was reporting to or who was working for him at the time. He was married to the ballclub."

That sense of trust and loyalty extended to many of the team's broadcasters through the years, including incumbents Robert Ford and Steve Sparks, recently retired television play by play announcer Bill Brown and the late radio announcer Milo Hamilton, who died in 2015.

"Early on, when Milo was so volatile, Jamie protected Milo from himself," Dierker said. "And when Milo grew older, Jamie was always there for him."

Astros senior vice president Jamie Hildreth has passed away. He was 72 years old. Astros senior vice president Jamie Hildreth has passed away. He was 72 years old. Photo: Astros Photo: Astros Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Astros senior VP Jamie Hildreth dies at 72 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

"He saved my job for me at least two or three times," added Brown. "He was such a good mediator. He was able to put everybody at ease. People wanted to be around him, and he made everyone's day a little better."

Hildreth worked in sales for KRBE (104.1 FM) and KTRH (740 AM) in Houston and at stations in Beaumont before joining the Astros in 1987.

Among his longtime associates from his radio days was Eddie Martiny, president of iHeart Media Houston, which owns Astros radio flagship station KBME (790 AMM).

"When I think of Jamie I think of a great story teller, loyal husband, proud father and grandfather, honest partner, man of character and likely the most loyal Astros ambassador ever," Martiny said.

Was truly a privilege to have known you Jamie. Thank you for being so nice to my family and such… https://t.co/dlZ7RFVfJx — Dallas Keuchel (@kidkeuchy) February 25, 2017

He handled other duties with the team, including alumni relations and premium sponsor relations, but conversations with him invariably circled back to broadcasting and promotions, whether it was how to expand the team's broadcasting network or ways to extend or improve sponsor relationships.

"Everyone he met was a friend," said Reid Ryan, the Astros' president of business operations who spent his childhood around the Astros' players and front office staff as the son of pitcher Nolan Ryan.

"Once people did a deal with Jamie and the Astros, he treated them like family and took care of them. That was the power of Jamie Hildreth. He was a connector."

And, as a veteran of the McMullen, McLane and Crane ownership groups, he was a treasure trove of institutional memory regarding the players, stories, characters and tall tales of Houston baseball lore.

"He was one of the first guys who showed me around and told me about the history of the Astros," said Astros manager A.J. Hinch. "It's an incredibly sad day for anybody who has been part of the Astros for the last 30 years."

A graduate of the University of Houston, Hildreth was the 2014 recipient of the Fred Hartman Award for long and meritorious service from the Houston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

"His knowledge of the industry and great ability to connect with people were invaluable," Crane said in a statement from the Astros. "He has left an indelible mark on those of us that were fortunate to work with him."

Survivors include his wife, Theresa; two sons, Jeff and Shane; and five grandchildren.

The family has designated for memories the Astros Foundation, which will create an annual scholarship in Hildreth's memory for a student to attend the University of Houston for broadcasting.

Chronicle staff writer Jake Kaplan contributed to this report.