Former Carver High School Athlete, Aldine ISD Coach Willard Dean Ester Honored by Houston Astros During HBCU Classics Game

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Former Aldine ISD coach and Southern University baseball standout Willard Dean Ester (the man in the blue shirt holding award) received special recognition from the Houston Astros during the HBCU Classics Game at Daikin Field on Saturday, Feb. 15.

Ester and his family — his grandchildren attend Aldine ISD schools — were escorted onto the field and introduced during pregame festivities before the matchup between Southern University and Grambling State. The honor follows Ester’s recent induction into the Southern University Sports Hall of Fame in December 2024.

He was a force at Carver High School, earning All-District and All-State honors in basketball and baseball. By his senior year, he had cemented his athletic reputation, playing for the Texas All-Star Basketball Team and being drafted by the Houston Astros in the 1969 Amateur Baseball Draft. However, he opted to pursue college instead. A standout athlete at Southern, Ester played a key role in the university’s baseball program before continuing his career as a coach and mentor at Aldine ISD. His contributions to the sport and his impact on student-athletes were celebrated during the event, highlighting the legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in baseball.

The Ester’s Hall of Fame induction story from December 2024 can be found here.