Tano Tijerina
Pitcher - Nixon High (Laredo)
1992 Texas Prep "AAAAA"
North/South All-Star Game
Milwaukee Brewers (Draftee)
Tano Tijerina was born and raised in Laredo, Texas. His baseball career started when he was 4 years old. Over the next 24 yea rs he would earn the nickname "workhorse". He was a noted high school pitcher and lettered all four years. As a sophomore he was Glready pitching in the high SO's. Beginning as early GS his junior year in high schoo l he WGS scouted by high ranking colleges and was chosen to play in the Texas High School North and South All -Star game in the Astrodome. Even though he had many opportunities to attend leading colleges he chose to go to Navarro Junior college so that he would be eligible to be drafted at an earlier age. As a freshman in JUCO he was clocked at 98mph and was averaging 94mph. In June of 1993 at the age of 18 he was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the eighth round. The next two yenrs of his career as a professional baseball player went according to plan and he was movi ng up the ranks as a prospect. ln this third spring training Tano was advised to have elective surgery to repair hi s elbow. Unfortunately during his recovery time, in 1997, the Brewers fired a majority of their staff and many who were on the disabled list were released, including Tano. But his career was not over yet. He was hired by the Harlingen Whitewings and played for one year, averaging in the mid 90's and topping out at 97 mph. With a year still left on hi contract with the Whitewings and a tryout pending with the Orioles, Tano decided that he would retire from baseball. His time was now spent on his growing family and ranch life that he loves. Baseball had become part of his past until he was invited to speak at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes alongside Avery Johnson in 2002. After five years of not picking up a baseball, Tano felt that God was leading him back to the pitching mound. He decided that we would play again with a new focus. And at the age of 28 and a week after he graduated from college, he made a comeback with the Edinburg Roadrunners of the Central League. His focus this time around was on giving God the glory. After the most successful season in his career, he put up his glove again; satisfied he had done what he needed to do.