The sixth annual Houston Sports Awards, hosted by Master of Ceremonies and Astros star Alex Bregman, will be a night to remember and will honor some of the most iconic athletes, legends, and moments of the century. This year two special Houston legends who have made their mark on Houston will be honored as the Executive of the Year and with the Sportsmanship Award.
Executive of the Year – Jim Crane
Houston Astros owner, Jim Crane, is being honored for the second time with the Executive of the Year Award. Crane has been a visionary for Houston, especially as it relates to supporting and amplifying Houston as a sports city. Since 2011, when he bought the Astros, Crane has helped lead the Astros to two World Championship wins. He also led the charge in bringing the Houston Open and the PGA Tour back to Houston.
Crane has always been committed to giving back to the community. Under his leadership, the Astros Foundation has invested in youth baseball and softball, childhood cancer, military, homelessness, and domestic violence. In 2022, The Astros Foundation leaned in on support for the Uvalde community, including a 5-year commitment to revitalizing their little league fields and programming.
Crane is being honored as the 2023 Executive of the Year for his commitment to the city of Houston and his dedication to those in the community.
Sportsmanship Award – José Altuve
José Altuve is known for his positive contributions both on and off the field. Since his start with the Astros in 2011, Altuve has positively impacted the city through his generosity and kindness. Altuve is involved with many organizations around town, including Kid’s Meals Inc., the Astros Foundation’s Community Leaders program, Astros Urban Youth Academy, and most recently, supported Houston non-profit Lily’s Toy Box in an effort to give back to Venezuela.
Along with his charitable contributions, Altuve is well-known for his spirit and determination on the field. Over the years, he has become a fan favorite, helping lead his team and the city to two World Series Championships. Since 2011, he has been honored as an 8x All-Star, 6x Silver Slugger Award winner, AL MVP, and ALCS MVP.
His dedication, passion, and spirit for the city and the game have earned him the 2023 Sportsmanship Award. He follows in the footsteps of Carlos Correa, J.J. Watt, Whitney Mercilus, and Justin Reid, who have all won the award previously.
We look forward to honoring Jim Crane and José Altuve, along with Hall of Fame inductees Elvin Hayes, Bruce Matthews, and Calvin Murphy and Lifetime Achievement recipient Larry Dierker at the sixth annual Houston Sports Awards.
Along, with the announced recipients, four other awards will be presented at the Houston Sports Awards on January 25, 2023, at the Wortham Center. The nominees for those awards are the following:
Athlete of the Year
Alex Bregman, Houston Astros
Jeremy Pena, Houston Astros
Justin Verlander, Houston Astros
Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros
College Athlete of the Year
Fabian White, University of Houston, Men’s Basketball
Kate Georgiades, University of Houston, Women’s Volleyball
Marcus Sasser, University of Houston, Men’s Basketball
Nathaniel Dell, University of Houston, Football
Coach of the Year
Dusty Baker, Houston Astros
Genny Volpe, Rice University, Women's Volleyball
Jon Kay, North Shore Highschool, Head football coach
Kelvin Sampson, University of Houston, Men's Basketball
Moment of the Year
Houston Astros Win the World Series for the Second Time in Franchise History
Houston selected as a host city for the FIFA World Cup 2026TM
Yordan Alvarez, Historic Postseason Homeruns
Chas McCormick's Catch, in Game 5 of the World Series
All nominees are chosen by the Selection Committee which is comprised of sportswriters and electronic sports media members who live and work in the Greater Houston area.