Frank Howard
Born: 8/8/1936 in Columbus, OH, USA
Died: 10/30/2023 in Aldie, VA, USA
MLB Debut: 1958-09-10 | Final Game: 1973-09-30
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'7" | Weight: 255 lbs
Full name: Frank Oliver Howard
Biography
Frank Howard, born in 1936, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1958 to 1973. Renowned for his imposing stature and powerful hitting, Howard played in a total of 1,895 games and recorded 1,774 hits, 382 home runs, and 1,119 RBIs, culminating in a career batting average of .273. His significant contributions to the game were recognized early on when he earned the Rookie of the Year award, as well as the TSN Rookie of the Year honors, establishing him as a force to be reckoned with in the league.
Throughout his career, Howard was selected as an All-Star four times, showcasing his consistency and impact during the 1960s and early 1970s, a period marked by a competitive offensive landscape. Known for his power-hitting ability, he was a key player for teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Senators, where he became a fan favorite. In addition to his offensive prowess, Howard recorded 8 stolen bases, highlighting a level of athleticism that complemented his offensive skill set. His legacy endures as one of the significant power hitters of his era, making him a memorable figure in baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1895 | 6488 | 864 | 1774 | 245 | 35 | 382 | 1119 | 8 | 782 | 1460 | 0.273 | 0.352 | 0.499 | 0.851 | 30023.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | LAD | NL | 8 | 29 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0.241 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | LAD | NL | 9 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
| 1960 | LAD | NL | 117 | 448 | 54 | 120 | 15 | 2 | 23 | 77 | 0 | 32 | 108 | 0.268 | 777.4 |
| 1961 | LAD | NL | 92 | 267 | 36 | 79 | 10 | 2 | 15 | 45 | 0 | 21 | 50 | 0.296 | 872.3 |
| 1962 | LAD | NL | 141 | 493 | 80 | 146 | 25 | 6 | 31 | 119 | 1 | 39 | 108 | 0.296 | 2323.9 |
| 1963 | LAD | NL | 123 | 417 | 58 | 114 | 16 | 1 | 28 | 64 | 1 | 33 | 116 | 0.273 | 1793.0 |
| 1964 | LAD | NL | 134 | 433 | 60 | 98 | 13 | 2 | 24 | 69 | 1 | 51 | 113 | 0.226 | 459.0 |
| 1965 | WS2 | AL | 149 | 516 | 53 | 149 | 22 | 6 | 21 | 84 | 0 | 55 | 112 | 0.289 | 2229.6 |
| 1966 | WS2 | AL | 146 | 493 | 52 | 137 | 19 | 4 | 18 | 71 | 1 | 53 | 104 | 0.278 | 1504.3 |
| 1967 | WS2 | AL | 149 | 519 | 71 | 133 | 20 | 2 | 36 | 89 | 0 | 60 | 155 | 0.256 | 2704.8 |
| 1968 | WS2 | AL | 158 | 598 | 79 | 164 | 28 | 3 | 44 | 106 | 0 | 54 | 141 | 0.274 | 4084.4 |
| 1969 | WS2 | AL | 161 | 592 | 111 | 175 | 17 | 2 | 48 | 111 | 1 | 102 | 96 | 0.296 | 5140.4 |
| 1970 | WS2 | AL | 161 | 566 | 90 | 160 | 15 | 1 | 44 | 126 | 1 | 132 | 125 | 0.283 | 4623.1 |
| 1971 | WS2 | AL | 153 | 549 | 60 | 153 | 25 | 2 | 26 | 83 | 1 | 77 | 121 | 0.279 | 2573.1 |
| 1972 | DET | AL | 14 | 33 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0.242 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | TEX | AL | 95 | 287 | 28 | 70 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 31 | 1 | 42 | 55 | 0.244 | 0.0 |
| 1973 | DET | AL | 85 | 227 | 26 | 58 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 29 | 0 | 24 | 28 | 0.256 | 468.2 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.300 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | WS | LAN | 3 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.300 |
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 | DET | 1B | 10 | 9 | 55 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| 1972 | DET | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | TEX | 1B | 66 | 55 | 440 | 27 | 9 | 39 |
| 1972 | TEX | OF | 21 | 21 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973 | DET | 1B | 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by 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 |