Frank Howard
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1958-1973)
Frank Howard was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1958 to 1973 for 4 teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, a span of 16 seasons. In 1,895 career games, he hit .273 with 1,774 hits, 382 home runs, and 1,119 RBI. Frank Howard was a 4-time All-Star and a Rookie of the Year. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 30,024.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'7" / 255 lb
- Died
- 10/30/2023 in Aldie, VA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1958-09-10
- Last Game
- 1973-09-30
- Awards
- 4× All-Star · Rookie of the Year
Full name: Frank Oliver Howard
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,895 | 6,488 | 864 | 1,774 | 245 | 35 | 382 | 1,119 | 8 | 782 | 1,460 | .273 | .352 | .499 | .851 | 30,024 |
Career AVG .273 vs. league average .250 across their career seasons — +9.3% above league average.
Career OBP .352 vs. league average .317 across their career seasons — +11.2% above league average.
Career SLG .499 vs. league average .375 across their career seasons — +33.0% above league average.
Career OPS .851 vs. league average .692 across their career seasons — +23.0% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | LAN | NL | 8 | 29 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | .241 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1959 | LAN | NL | 9 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 9 | .143 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1960 | LAN | NL | 117 | 448 | 54 | 120 | 15 | 2 | 23 | 77 | 0 | 32 | 108 | .268 | .255 (+5%) | .323 (-1%) | .387 (+20%) | .711 (+10%) | 777.4 |
| 1961 | LAN | NL | 92 | 267 | 36 | 79 | 10 | 2 | 15 | 45 | 0 | 21 | 50 | .296 | .258 (+15%) | .328 (+6%) | .399 (+29%) | .727 (+19%) | 872.3 |
| 1962 | LAN | NL | 141 | 493 | 80 | 146 | 25 | 6 | 31 | 119 | 1 | 39 | 108 | .296 | .257 (+15%) | .326 (+6%) | .393 (+42%) | .719 (+26%) | 2323.9 |
| 1963 | LAN | NL | 123 | 417 | 58 | 114 | 16 | 1 | 28 | 64 | 1 | 33 | 116 | .273 | .246 (+11%) | .308 (+7%) | .371 (+39%) | .680 (+25%) | 1793.0 |
| 1964 | LAN | NL | 134 | 433 | 60 | 98 | 13 | 2 | 24 | 69 | 1 | 51 | 113 | .226 | .250 (-10%) | .312 (-3%) | .377 (+14%) | .690 (+6%) | 459.0 |
| 1965 | WS2 | AL | 149 | 516 | 53 | 149 | 22 | 6 | 21 | 84 | 0 | 55 | 112 | .289 | .245 (+18%) | .310 (+15%) | .371 (+28%) | .682 (+22%) | 2229.6 |
| 1966 | WS2 | AL | 146 | 493 | 52 | 137 | 19 | 4 | 18 | 71 | 1 | 53 | 104 | .278 | .248 (+12%) | .309 (+12%) | .376 (+17%) | .685 (+15%) | 1504.3 |
| 1967 | WS2 | AL | 149 | 519 | 71 | 133 | 20 | 2 | 36 | 89 | 0 | 60 | 155 | .256 | .242 (+6%) | .306 (+10%) | .357 (+43%) | .663 (+28%) | 2704.8 |
| 1968 | WS2 | AL | 158 | 598 | 79 | 164 | 28 | 3 | 44 | 106 | 0 | 54 | 141 | .274 | .236 (+16%) | .298 (+13%) | .340 (+62%) | .638 (+39%) | 4084.4 |
| 1969 | WS2 | AL | 161 | 592 | 111 | 175 | 17 | 2 | 48 | 111 | 1 | 102 | 96 | .296 | .248 (+19%) | .320 (+26%) | .369 (+56%) | .689 (+42%) | 5140.4 |
| 1970 | WS2 | AL | 161 | 566 | 90 | 160 | 15 | 1 | 44 | 126 | 1 | 132 | 125 | .283 | .253 (+11%) | .325 (+28%) | .385 (+42%) | .711 (+35%) | 4623.1 |
| 1971 | WS2 | AL | 153 | 549 | 60 | 153 | 25 | 2 | 26 | 83 | 1 | 77 | 121 | .279 | .249 (+12%) | .316 (+16%) | .365 (+30%) | .682 (+23%) | 2573.1 |
| 1972 | TEX | AL | 95 | 287 | 28 | 70 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 31 | 1 | 42 | 55 | .244 | .243 (avg) | .310 (+10%) | .353 (+4%) | .664 (+7%) | 470.6 |
| 1972 | DET | AL | 14 | 33 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 8 | .242 | — | — | — | — | 470.6 |
| 1973 | DET | AL | 85 | 227 | 26 | 58 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 29 | 0 | 24 | 28 | .256 | .256 (-1%) | .325 (avg) | .378 (+22%) | .703 (+12%) | 468.2 |
| Career · 17 seasons | 1,895 | 6,488 | 864 | 1,774 | 245 | 35 | 382 | 1,119 | 8 | 782 | 1,460 | .273 | — | — | — | — | 30,494 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1892 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 943 | 3213 | 430 | 905 | 186 | 583 | .282 |
| Away | 949 | 3264 | 434 | 868 | 196 | 534 | .266 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-09-30 | DET | NYY | W | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1973-09-26 | DET | BAL | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973-09-25 | DET | BAL | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973-09-22 | DET | BOS | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973-09-21 | DET | BOS | W | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973-09-20 | DET | BAL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973-09-19 | DET | BAL | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973-09-15 | DET | MIL | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973-09-10 | DET | MIL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973-09-09 | DET | BOS | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 334 | 261 | 2298 | 195 | 47 | 201 |
| OF | 1435 | 1409 | 2114 | 82 | 57 | 12 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | LAN | OF | 8 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | LAN | OF | 6 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1960 | LAN | 1B | 4 | 1 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 1960 | LAN | OF | 115 | 112 | 177 | 8 | 3 | 1 |
| 1961 | LAN | 1B | 7 | 5 | 43 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 1961 | LAN | OF | 65 | 61 | 79 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1962 | LAN | OF | 131 | 127 | 187 | 19 | 6 | 4 |
| 1963 | LAN | OF | 111 | 107 | 190 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| 1964 | LAN | OF | 122 | 121 | 183 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 1965 | WS2 | OF | 138 | 138 | 204 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| 1966 | WS2 | OF | 135 | 134 | 216 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 1967 | WS2 | 1B | 4 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1967 | WS2 | OF | 141 | 140 | 210 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 1968 | WS2 | 1B | 55 | 51 | 416 | 41 | 11 | 38 |
| 1968 | WS2 | OF | 107 | 105 | 160 | 11 | 8 | 1 |
| 1969 | WS2 | 1B | 70 | 47 | 455 | 31 | 10 | 38 |
| 1969 | WS2 | OF | 114 | 112 | 147 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 1970 | WS2 | 1B | 48 | 42 | 429 | 25 | 6 | 37 |
| 1970 | WS2 | OF | 120 | 118 | 172 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 1971 | WS2 | 1B | 68 | 48 | 414 | 58 | 4 | 40 |
| 1971 | WS2 | OF | 100 | 100 | 141 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972 | TEX | 1B | 66 | 55 | 440 | 27 | 9 | 39 |
| 1972 | TEX | OF | 21 | 21 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972 | DET | 1B | 10 | 9 | 55 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| 1972 | DET | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973 | DET | 1B | 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 334 |
| Left Field | 923 |
| Right Field | 533 |
| Designated Hitter | 76 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1969 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1968 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1960 | Rookie of the Year | |
| 1960 | TSN Rookie of the Year |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Ohio State University | Columbus | OH | 1956, 1957 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 91.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1969 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 115.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1968 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 63.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1965 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 29th | 2.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1962 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 9th | 32.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1960 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 1st | 12.0 | 24 | 12 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Frank Howard (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Frank Howard
Frank Howard: the record in brief
Between the debut on September 10, 1958 and the final game on September 30, 1973, Frank Howard built the record summarized on this page. Club by club, the record runs the Los Angeles Dodgers (1958 to 1964), the Washington Senators (1965 through 1971), the Texas Rangers (1972), and the Detroit Tigers (1972 to 1973). At 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds, Howard is listed as an outfielder. The bio says Howard batted and threw right-handed. Howard was born on August 8, 1936, in Columbus, OH, USA. Howard's death is recorded on October 30, 2023, in Aldie, VA, USA. Howard's full given name, per the bio, is Frank Oliver Howard.
Across 1,895 games at the plate, Howard's career line reads 1,774 hits in 6,488 at bats for a .273 average, plus 382 homers and 1,119 RBI. The on-base percentage is .352 and the slugging percentage .499, for an OPS of .851.
Frequently Asked Questions about Frank Howard
- What years did Frank Howard play?
- Frank Howard played in Major League Baseball from 1958 to 1973.
- Was Frank Howard a pitcher?
- No. Frank Howard was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Frank Howard hit?
- Frank Howard hit 382 career home runs with 1774 hits.
- What was Frank Howard's career batting average?
- Frank Howard batted .273 over his career, with 1,774 hits in 6,488 at bats.
- How many RBI did Frank Howard have?
- Frank Howard drove in 1,119 runs in his career.
- Is Frank Howard in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Frank Howard has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.