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Former main league participant, coach, and supervisor Frank Howard has handed away, per an announcement from the Nationals. He was 87 years outdated.
“Rising up a baseball fan in Washington D.C., Frank Howard was my hero,” reads a press release from Nationals managing principal proprietor Mark D. Lerner. “The towering residence runs he hit into the stands at RFK Stadium gave him the nickname ’Capital Punisher,’ however I’ll all the time bear in mind him as a sort and delicate man. Your entire Lerner household want to supply our ideas and condolences to Frank’s household throughout this tough time. The world of baseball has actually misplaced a large.”
Though Howard by no means performed or coached for the Nationals/Expos franchise, he was a beloved determine within the metropolis of Washington due to his seven-year tenure with the Senators. From 1965 to 1971 (the crew’s final years within the nation’s capital earlier than changing into the Texas Rangers), Howard performed in over 1,000 video games for the Senators, hitting 237 of his 382 profession residence runs. He made 4 consecutive All-Star groups from 1968-71 and earned MVP votes in 4 separate seasons, ending fourth in 1969. In 2016, he was chosen to the Washington Nationals Ring of Honor for his vital contributions to the sport of baseball in Washington, D.C.
After seven years in Washington, Howard moved with the crew to Arlington for the inaugural season of Rangers baseball in 1972. Nonetheless, following an uncharacteristically gradual begin to the season, his contract was offered to the Tigers in August. He would play yet one more season in Detroit, the final of his MLB profession, earlier than ending out his taking part in days with a quick stint for the Taiheiyo Membership Lions in Japan. Nonetheless, Howard can be greatest remembered for his time with the Senators/Rangers franchise.
“The Texas Rangers are saddened by the passing of one of many high sluggers in franchise historical past, outfielder-first baseman Frank Howard, who died this morning on the age of 87. He was the oldest dwelling growth Washington Senator on the time of his passing,” reads a press release from the Rangers group. “Howard was a much bigger than life character who was extremely popular together with his teammates and the followers in Washington and Texas. The Rangers prolong their deepest condolences to Mr. Howard’s household and mates. He can be tremendously missed.”
Earlier than his time with the Senators, Howard performed components of seven seasons for the Dodgers. Certainly, the 6-foot-7 outfielder turned down a chance to play within the NBA to signal with baseball’s model new LA crew out of faculty. He performed a handful of video games in 1958 and ’59 earlier than breaking onto the scene in 1960, slashing .268/.320/.464 with 23 residence runs in 117 video games, en path to NL Rookie of the 12 months honors. Three years later, he was a member of the 1963 World Collection champion crew. He began in proper discipline in three out of 4 video games, batting .300 with a 1.000 OPS and serving to the Dodgers sweep the Yankees to gather their third World Collection title. His go-ahead, Recreation 4 residence run off of Whitey Ford is undoubtedly one of the vital memorable blasts in franchise historical past.
Following his days as a participant, Howard wasted little time getting again within the dugout. He spent 4 seasons as a coach for the Brewers from 1977-80 earlier than incomes his first managerial gig with the Padres. The previous slugger lasted only one 12 months on the helm for San Diego (the strike-shortened 1981 marketing campaign) however obtained proper again on his toes with the Mets, who supplied him a training job in 1982 and one other temporary shot within the supervisor’s chair in 1983. Howard spent many of the subsequent 16 years in numerous teaching roles round baseball, working for the Mets and Brewers once more, in addition to the Mariners, Yankees, and Rays (then the Satan Rays). He stepped down from teaching in 2000, as a substitute taking up a job as a participant improvement teacher for the Yankees.
From Rookie of the 12 months to world champion, from perennial All-Star to residence run king, Howard glided by many names and titles all through his decades-long profession in skilled baseball. Nonetheless, he’ll all the time be remembered as “Hondo,” a promising up-and-comer in LA, a neighborhood legend in Washington, and a real baseball lifer. We at MLB Commerce Rumors prolong our condolences to Howard’s household, mates, and family members.
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