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| Frank Howard | |
|---|---|
| Name | Frank Howard |
| Position | Outfielder / First baseman |
| Bats | Right |
| Throws | Right |
| Birth date | 8 September 1936 |
| Birth place | Columbus, Ohio |
| Death date | 21 October 2023 |
| Death place | Costa Mesa, California |
| Debutleague | MLB |
| Debutdate | 1958, 4, 14 |
| Debutteam | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Finaldate | 1974, 9, 28 |
| Finalteam | San Diego Padres |
| Statleague | MLB |
| Stat1label | Batting average |
| Stat1value | .273 |
| Stat2label | Home runs |
| Stat2value | 382 |
| Stat3label | Runs batted in |
| Stat3value | 1,119 |
| Highlights | * All-Star Game (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964) * National League home run leader (1960) * Washington Senators retired number 32 |
Frank Howard
Frank Howard was an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1958 to 1974. Renowned for his prodigious power and towering stature, he was a four-time All-Star and led the National League in home runs in 1960. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Senators, Houston Astros, New York Yankees, and San Diego Padres and later coached and scouted in Major League Baseball.
Howard was born in Columbus, Ohio and attended Stivers School for the Arts before enrolling at Ohio State University on a football scholarship, where he played for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team under coach Woody Hayes. He later transferred athletic focus to baseball after being signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers organization, then led by general manager Brach; his early development included time at minor league affiliates such as the St. Paul Saints (AA) and Montreal Royals, where he learned from veteran coaches and teammates in the Minor League Baseball system.
Howard made his Major League Baseball debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958 and was part of the Dodgers organization during the club's move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. In 1960 he was traded to the newly established Washington Senators, where he became the franchise's marquee slugger. During his tenure with the Senators he produced consecutive seasons of high home run totals and became a cultural figure in Washington, D.C. sports alongside contemporaries from the National League and American League such as Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, and Willie Mays. Later career moves included stints with the Houston Astros, where he played in the Astrodome, a trade to the New York Yankees, and a final season with the San Diego Padres before retiring as a player in 1974.
Howard's playing style combined exceptional raw power with a towering physique, standing 6 ft 7 in, which fueled comparisons to other sluggers such as Babe Ruth and Mark McGwire in popular discourse. He led the National League in home runs in 1960 and recorded multiple seasons with 30-plus and 40-plus homers, finishing his career with 382 home runs and 1,119 runs batted in. Defensively he played both outfield and first base, and his range and arm strength were factors noted by contemporaries including Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale during interleague play and exhibition games. Howard earned four All-Star Game selections (1961–1964) and received MVP votes in multiple seasons, contributing to team milestones and franchise records for the Washington Senators and later influencing offensive metrics tracked by statisticians associated with institutions such as Baseball Hall of Fame researchers and chroniclers at publications like The Sporting News and Sporting Life.
After retiring as a player, Howard transitioned into coaching and scouting roles, including positions with the San Diego Padres organization and as a coach for teams in the Major League Baseball coaching circuits. He worked as a hitting coach and first base coach, mentoring younger players and drawing on experience he shared with managers such as Billy Martin and executives like George Steinbrenner during exhibitions and spring training collaborations. Howard also scouted for several franchises and made appearances at alumni events for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals organizations, contributing to community outreach and charity games tied to organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters and local sports foundations.
Howard's personal life included family ties to Columbus, Ohio and later residence in Costa Mesa, California. He was celebrated by fans and franchises for his imposing presence and signature batting style; the Senators retired his number 32 in honorific recognition, and his milestones are preserved in franchise histories and exhibits at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Howard's legacy endures in comparisons made by later generations of sluggers and in statistical retrospectives by entities such as Baseball-Reference, Retrosheet, and analytical work emerging from Sabermetrics proponents. He has been featured in documentaries and retrospectives produced by networks and outlets including ESPN and MLB Network, and he is remembered by contemporaries and historians who cite his role in the evolving power era of Major League Baseball.
Category:1936 births Category:2023 deaths Category:Major League Baseball outfielders Category:Los Angeles Dodgers players Category:Washington Senators (1961–1971) players Category:Houston Astros players Category:New York Yankees players Category:San Diego Padres players