Frank Howard was my Man

[BaseballBrain46]

I'm 46 years old and I remember Frank Howard very well, about 6-7 215 pounds and wore glasses. He could hit some mammoth shots. Too bad he didn't play for a really good team like the Yankees back then.

[Baseball Guru]

I got to meet Mr. Howard when he was a coach for the D-Rays a few years ago and got his autograph...

He is a big, big man!!!!

[The Real McCoy]

In Game 1 in '63, Howard, then with the Los Angeles Dodgers, comes up in the first inning against Ford and hits a line drive over shortstop (Kubek actually jumped for the ball). It is hit so hard, it goes all the way to the left center field wall on the fly, (this is pre-renovation at the Stadium) over 400 feet and caroms back so quickly to Mantle in centerfield that Howard stops at first with what had to be the longest single in Stadium history. Frank Howard may have hit the ball harder than anyone in the game (he's sure in the top 5).

[shlevine42]

...and in Game 4, Howard gets the only 2 hits off Ford -- one of them a MONSTER home run -- to help Koufax and the Dodgers complete the sweep.

How sweet that was!

[The Real McCoy]

Game 2 was my first WS game. Watched Johnny P extend his pinstripe scoreless streak to 19.1 before Ron Perranoski got the last two. Sweet? Absolutely, but we both know how it could have been much sweeter!

[shlevine42]

Of course it would have meant more if the winners had worn caps with a "B," but tell the truth: Didn't you get some satisfaction from having a team called the Dodgers cream the Yankees in 4?

Given our history, a large part of being a Dodgers fan was wishing the worst for the Yankees. For me, '63 met that goal, and provided some measure of redemption, even if the winners were wearing the wrong uniform.

[BaseballBrain46]

Can anyone give me the regular lineup for the Senators when Frank Howard played for them. Like in the early 60's I guess. Wasn't Brinkman the shortstop or something?

[The Commissioner]

Here might be typical lineup from circa 1968, the first year that Howard led the A.L. in homers with 44:

CF Del Unser
RF Ed Stroud
1B Mike Epstein
LF Frank Howard
2B Bernie Allen
C Paul Casanova
3B Ken McMullen
SS Ed Brinkman/Ron Hansen
Pitcher

[BaseballBrain46]

Thanks I appreciate that.

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

I came across two beautiful 8X10 photos of Frank Howard. One is from his playing days with the Senators, and the other is as a Yankee coach.

I would like to have just posted the pictures. But, they are very large, and "vB code" evidently does not allow you to resize images. So, I linked each photo to a small thumbnail-sized image below.

Click on the thumbnail of Frank in a Senator cap to see the photo of him with Washington (not the same shot as the thumbnail); click on the thumbnail of Frank in a Tampa Bay hat to see the shot of him as a Yankee coach.


http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/tex/photo/ph_history_timeline_small_1970.jpg (http://www.sportscollectorsinc.com/images/ul.jpg) http://www.sptimes.com/DevilRays/teammugs/howard.JPG (http://www.sportscollectorsinc.com/images/uk.jpg)

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

Frank was a Yankee coach under both Dallas Green and Stump Merrill in the late 80s and early 90s. He is now back in the organization, and serves as a spring training instructor. This year he even managed the AAA Columbus Clippers for a while on an interim basis.

[BaseballBrain46]

Did any of the other players on the 68 team becomes coaches or managers, like Brinkman or Mike Epstein?

[The Commissioner]

I believe at one point in the '80s while Howard was coaching, Brinkman was also a coach with the White Sox, Unser with the Phillies, and Hansen with the Expos.

[Bob Hannah]

I saw Frank Howard in '66 or '67 hit a home run to dead center field in DC in what is now RFK Stadium. I was eight or nine at the time. As I remember it, the pitcher seemed to turn his back and duck to get out of the way of the shot. The ball contiually rose on a straight line and hit the wall past the fence in center (where the Longines clock kept time), the ball still on the rise when it hit. I have never seen a ball hit so hard. The only batter close to hitting the ball that hard, that I have ever seen, is Dave Winfield in the '80s.

As kids, we all worshiped Howard in the DC area. He was about the only shining light DC baseball had (Bosman was a very good pitcher, I can't take that away from him). The Senators were our team. We rooted for Frank, Eddie Brinkman, Ken McMullen, Epstein, Casanova, et al, through thick and thin. From this team, I learned DEFINITELY that winning isn't everything. Loved that team so much I even followed the Rangers for two or three years after DC got Shorthorned in '71.

Baseball in DC '03! :gt

[Markus58]

Growing up in Northern Virginia in the late `60's and beyond, me and my buddies worshipped the `Nats although there was little reason to do so. Frank Howard was The Man, the Gentle Giant who was a fearsome slugger. In `68 thru `70, he posted up some MVP type numbers only to lose out to Denny McLain, Killebrew and Boog Powell. Epstein was a slugger, but he got shipped off to Oakland for Don Mincher.

Remember Frank's 10 homers in 20 AB's streak in `68? Shawn Green rivaled that this past season, 35 years later.

Remember Frank homering in his home park at RFK in the `69 All-Star Game?

Brooks Robinson once talked about seeing a ball leave Frank's bat, and he instinctively came out of his normal crouch. The ball just ticked his left ear lobe, never seen. Brooks looked over his left shoulder and saw the drive carom off the left field wall on the fly. At the end of the inning, he sat down in the dugout and was shaking visibly, once he realized how close he came to sustaining a serious injury.

In the Senators last game ever prior to being "Bob Shorted" to Texas, Frank homered against the Yankees, and the fans went wild. The `Nats were leading 7-5 going into the 9th, but the game was officially forfeited due to fans running on the field.

God bless you Frank....thanks for the memories.

[The Commissioner]

That's a great story about Brooks Robinson! I think that goes a long way towards explaining why aluminum bats have never gained acceptance on the professional level.

I never saw him play, but met him when he was a coach with the Mets and he still looked like he could cream the ball. Judging by how some of those Mets teams played, that may not have been a bad experiment.

[Markus58]

I can still see Frank in my mind's eye in the batters box, swinging the bat 360 degrees and running his left hand up and down the bat (sounds provocative there, but it worked... ). I used to copy that style in Little League although I was about 18 inches and 170 lbs less than Frank. He was a fearsome sight for AL pitchers to contend with.

I've always been happy for Frank that he did get 1 WS ring for the `63 Dodgers, plus the 1960 ROY award. He was part of the 1959 Dodger team but did not play in their WS.

I vaguely remember Frank in a Detroit Tiger uniform in `72-`73, at the end of his career. He may have played in Japan for a year after that, memory is hazy on that one.

When Gil Hodges took over managing the Senators in 1963, I always wonder if he was the driving force that said "Go get me Frank Howard" in the winter of 1964, as they were teammates on the Dodgers from 1958-1961.

[The Commissioner]

I'm highly impressed that you can remember Frank Howard as having played in Japan. Apparently he only played there for exactly one at bat! On his first time to the plate he struck out and hurt his back swinging at the final strike. That marked his first and only at bat in a Japanese uniform and his last professional at bat.

[The Real McCoy]

What impressed? Remembering Frank Howard in Japan is like remembering Gulliver in Lilliput. Not exactly Burl Ives with the House of David!:)

[The Commissioner]

Lol, yeah I guess Howard probably stood out just a wee bit there.

[Markus58]

I have a vivid recollection of a picture in the Washington Post sports page, circa 1971, with 6' 7" Frank Howard playing first base and 5'4" Freddie Patek of the Royals taking a lead. Nothing unusual about the photo except for the contrast in sizes between the men, most probably the tallest and shortest men in the game at the time.

[CALSGR8]

Believe it or not Frank now works for the Yankees in some capacity. He came to a card show in Chantilly VA. I got his autograph and asked him if Washington ever got a team again would he be interested in Managing. He said that depends on Mr. Steinbrenner because he's employed by him now!

I was in total shock!

I haven't felt this bad since Mussina went to the Yankees!!!

Oh, well, I've been to countless card shows and Frank has always been gracious and kind. I'm still a Frank fan!

[charleygross]

I too have fond memories of Hondo. As a child, I recall going to many opening day games at RFK. I seem to remember 2-3 seats in the upper deck towards right-centerfield painted a contrasting color in order to mark Frank's shots. I also recall that streak of homeruns in 1969. I admired Frank Howard and named our pet after him. Does anyone remember a Opening Day base running snafu by Frank that lost the game sometime in the mid-60's? He had either over run second or to second with the runner ahead of him forced back to second at the same time. Great memories!!!!!!

[AFanOfTheGame]

My father and Frank became friends when Frank played in Green Bay and Frank visited my father's bar grill in GB - I was fortunate enough to have an acquaintance after his playing days with Mr. Howard and there are a few things I will never forget: 1 - He was a giant of man; 2 - He was sincere; 3 - He was kind and gentle.

A quick story of his sincerity: When Frank was a (ist base?) coach for the Mets, my dad and I were to have dinner with Frank after the game (in LA). This happened to be the day that the Met's promoted Frank to the Manager position. Frank kept his dinner with us, while keeping the Met's owner (impatiently) waiting for Frank to join him.

Yes, Mr. Howard was a giant of a man.

[Goosenoggle Slipgear]

Back in '69 when the Pilots were in Seattle one of my friends during a Pilots/Senators game at Sicks Stadium sought to get Frank's autograph atop the Senators dugout. Not only did Mr. Howard give him an autograph but he also hoisted my friend over the railing and let him sit in the dugout with the Senators for awhile. What a lucky guy!

[KCGHOST]

I forget what year it was but Piniella was still with the Royals in old Municipal Stadium (the KC version). Must have been 1970 or 1971. Municipal Stadium was huge being 369 down the left field line and 408 to left-center. Anyway Piniella is in left field when Hondo comes to the plate. Piniella backs up all the way to the wall in straight away left. Howard hits a rocket right at him. Piniella didn't have move (which is good as Lou was a rather indifferent defender). He sticks his glove up to catch the ball and it hits the glove so hard that it slams the glove back into the wall. This in turn dislodges ball and it bounds down in front of Lou. This had to be one of the rare plays where the home-town crowd laughed at one of their own players.

[Timbones]

I just came upon this thread while doing a little surfing for memories of Hondo. This morning I headed out to the Home Depot to pick up some stuff and noticed a giant of a man standing in front of the store, casually watching people coming and going. I knew instantly who it was (as an old Senators fan of the sixties). So I walked up and said : "Excuse me, are you Frank Howard?"
He grabbed my hand and said "I used to be, that's me alright!" We chatted for a few minutes about the good old days. He really is a warm guy, he took a real interest in me and asked me questions about myself as if he wasn't really comfortable being the center of attention! I was thrilled to find out he was signing autographs that morning and he gave me two autographed pictures. I thought sure I'd have to pay something, but he never asked for anything. He just loves to talk baseball with just about anybody. Even at 70 years old now, he still looks great, like he could slam a few over the fence anytime. I was hoping he might come back to D.C. and work for the Nationals but he's real happy working for the Yankees who just extended his contract for two more years. As I was leaving, he thanked me (!?) and said "You really made my day!" Now that is a class guy!

[JohnGelnarFan]

That's a great story Timbones. Where did this happen? I grew up in the suburbs of Maryland and saw Hondo play several times. He was as popular as the President in D.C. I have a 24" x 36" framed poster of him surrounded by four 8" x 10"s on my living room wall. My shrine to a past hero. I also have an autographed ball that says "1960 ROY,Frank Howard". The mention of his name still fills us (semi)older guys with wonderful memories. Thanks for letting us know that "The Capitol Punisher" is doing well! :waving

[Timbones]

Hello JohnG, thanks for the response. This happened at the Rhode Island Avenue Home Depot in Washington D.C. Frank told me he still has his home in Virginia, in the rural part of Loudon County. I guess he is on the road a lot though as he told me he is also doing some kind of work with the Major League Alumni Association besides his work for the Yankees. The guy never made more than $150,000 when he was playing. I hope I see him again so I can encourage him to write a book. He must have some great stories of baseball in the sixties, and I am sure some interesting stories of Ted Williams. There was an article and interview in the Washington Post in March 2005.
Here's a link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55573-2005Mar21.html
Let me know if that link doesn't work, I'll post the article up here if needed.

[JohnGelnarFan]

Hi TB- I didn't realize he still lived in the area. What a thrill that must have been for you. The link to the article was fine.I always enjoy reading about our Senators memories. I just listened to the last game in 71' on CD. This game and others are available on ebay and other Internet sites like MLB.com
It would be great if Hondo would write a book. I know there's one called "Frank Howard,The Gentle Giant" (1973) by Al Hirshberg. It's hard to find but there are a few copies online. amazon.com has one for $17.00 plus shipping. If you like the expansion Senators,there's a great book called "Washington's Expansion Senators,1961-1971" by James R. Hartley. It has everything you could want to read,including stats of every player that got into a game. Thanks for the article!




Hello JohnG, thanks for the response. This happened at the Rhode Island Avenue Home Depot in Washington D.C. Frank told me he still has his home in Virginia, in the rural part of Loudon County. I guess he is on the road a lot though as he told me he is also doing some kind of work with the Major League Alumni Association besides his work for the Yankees. The guy never made more than $150,000 when he was playing. I hope I see him again so I can encourage him to write a book. He must have some great stories of baseball in the sixties, and I am sure some interesting stories of Ted Williams. There was an article and interview in the Washington Post in March 2005.
Here's a link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55573-2005Mar21.html
Let me know if that link doesn't work, I'll post the article up here if needed.

[Timbones]

Hi JohnG,
Thanks for all the great info. Always a pleasure to meet a Senators fan.
:) I'll have to start checking out card shows to see Hondo again, I guess.
I've heard he sometimes shows up at those.
T.

[JohnGelnarFan]

My pleasure too TB! Enjoy this site and I'm sure we'll share other Senators Memories! :waving

[Aa3rt]

JGF-Thanks for the great link, somehow I'd missed this one.

Probably 15 to 20 years ago now, Frank Howard was working for a beer distributor and would occasionally venture into southern Maryland. While I never managed to meet him, there was an autographed photo of him in both Colonial Liquors and Ledo Pizza here in La Plata.

I have a color photo of Frank Howard hanging in the spare bedroom and have one of those photo posters of him that came with Topps cards in 1971.

[Captain Cold Nose]

JGF-Thanks for the great link, somehow I'd missed this one.

Probably 15 to 20 years ago now, Frank Howard was working for a beer distributor and would occasionally venture into southern Maryland. While I never managed to meet him, there was an autographed photo of him in both Colonial Liquors and Ledo Pizza here in La Plata.

I have a color photo of Frank Howard hanging in the spare bedroom and have one of those photo posters of him that came with Topps cards in 1971.
He still travels all around for this. I have some good friends who work for a beer/wine store here in Ohio, and Howard comes here quite a bit.

[JohnGelnarFan]

Actually our new friend Timbones put up the link. I don't know how I'd act if I saw Hondo on the street. I think I'd be a thirteen year old kid all over again. It's nice to hear that we still have his,and the Senators, memorabilia. You must be married Aa3rt. When I was,my memorabilia was in boxes and my pictures hung in a walk in closet! :)
Captain Cold Nose,Have you ever seen him?


P.S. - Marriage is a good thing!


JGF-Thanks for the great link, somehow I'd missed this one.

Probably 15 to 20 years ago now, Frank Howard was working for a beer distributor and would occasionally venture into southern Maryland. While I never managed to meet him, there was an autographed photo of him in both Colonial Liquors and Ledo Pizza here in La Plata.

I have a color photo of Frank Howard hanging in the spare bedroom and have one of those photo posters of him that came with Topps cards in 1971.

[Aa3rt]

Actually our new friend Timbones put up the link.

Timbones-my apologies and my thanks!

I don't know how I'd act if I saw Hondo on the street. I think I'd be a thirteen year old kid all over again.

Yeah, I'd probably revert 40 years and turn into a tongue-tied teenager myself! I sometimes wonder how some of the former ballplayers who go to fantasy camps feel when guys over 40 or 50 say "You were my favorite player when I was growing up! I had all your cards!"

You must be married Aa3rt. When I was,my memorabilia was in boxes and my pictures hung in a walk in closet! :)

I have a photo of the 1971 Senators and a Senators pennant hanging on my wall in the office where I work. Fortunately, my bride of 25 years indulges some of my interests. When the Nationals came to town, I received a Nationals hat and shirt for Christmas of 2004.

Marriage is a good thing!

Most of the time ;)

[Timbones]

Hey guys,
Glad I could contribute something here. You are right, meeting Frank Howard makes you feel like a kid again. I really was in awe, but the guy is so friendly and down to earth it makes you relax. I had a hundred questions I wanted to ask him and he's asking me about ME! And my family, where do you live, etc. Nothing pretentious about him at all.
He seems to remember the past fondly, but doesn't live in it. It seems to me he is really just all baseball, and if he can be involved in it in anyway, that's enough for him. Ted Williams once said Frank Howard was the nicest guy he ever met anywhere. I can believe it! I'm gonna email the Washington Nationals and tell 'em to make a deal with Steinbrenner to get Hondo back here, he would be a great PR guy and he's still spry enough to coach somewhere.
Say, isn't there some kind of Washington Baseball Society or something like that? I understand they have "get togethers" sometimes? That would be interesting.

K.

P.S. Hondo autographed an extra picture for me and asked me to give it to "a little boy in your neighborhood who likes baseball". I think I know one...

[JohnGelnarFan]

If you send $20.00 to:
Nats News
9039 Sligo Creek Parkway #1116
Silver Spring ,Md. 20901
This will get you a subscription to the Nats 16 page quarterly newsletter and make you a member of the WBHS.
If you have any questions,E-mail Jim Hartley at natnative7@aol.com

They haven't had a reunion for a few years as they were losing money paying for players to fly in and everything else involved. When they do have them,they're great.They still want to and will announce any events in the newsletter. They do,ocassionally,plan trips to games.It's still worth the $20.00! :clapping

[JohnGelnarFan]

That's exactly how I acted at the last Nats reunion. I really tried to control it but It's hard when you tell Tim Cullen that he was your hero and he asks you to sit at his table. I was thrilled but someone that was part of the planning committee wouldn't let me. Timmy came up to the table where I ended up sitting,put his hand on my shoulder and said "I thought you were going to sit with me?" I almost cried! :(
Mingling and having pictures taken with these guys Is something I'll always treasure. Ron Menchine,the announcer was there and was very friendly. Phil Wood,The sports columnist always gives speeches and writes articles for the newsletter.
Aa3rt,you have a great wife. You're a lucky man!! My girlfriend is very accepting of my love of baseball but doesn't know anything about it and never will. She did just buy me a Camden Yards collectors baseball in a case and an Atlanta Braves keychain. Her daughter bought me a Nationals Jersey with "Vidro" on the back. I'm pretty lucky too!




Timbones-my apologies and my thanks!



Yeah, I'd probably revert 40 years and turn into a tongue-tied teenager myself! I sometimes wonder how some of the former ballplayers who go to fantasy camps feel when guys over 40 or 50 say "You were my favorite player when I was growing up! I had all your cards!"



I have a photo of the 1971 Senators and a Senators pennant hanging on my wall in the office where I work. Fortunately, my bride of 25 years indulges some of my interests. When the Nationals came to town, I received a Nationals hat and shirt for Christmas of 2004.



Most of the time ;)

[Timbones]

JohnG,
Thanks for the info. Maybe they should consider a winter meeting and ask Frank Howard to come. Since he is still in the area, it might be something he'd really like to do and maybe his schedule is lighter in the winter. Doesn't Fred Valentine live nearby too?
JohnG, Can't imagine why they would not let you sit with Tim Cullen. I saw him hit a home run once if my memory is reliable. I think it was to straight away center, must have been 1967. Say, why was he gone by 1972, was he injured? Glad your girlfriend gives you some space for souvenirs. My wife is a big Nationals fan but can't connect with my interest in the Senators, since she wasn't in D.C. then.
Aa3rt, Good to know your wife is supportive too. It's great to "connect" with you guys!

[JohnGelnarFan]

It would be great if the WHBS could arrange another reunion. They're alot of fun. Fred Valentine was at a previous reunion but I'm not sure where he lives. The organizers of the reunion said that the seats at Cullen's table were already filled. I do have a picture,shaking hands with him on my wall. I also have one of him sitting on the dugout steps with his two small children,both in little senators uniforms. If you saw Timmy hit a homer,it was a rare occurence! I have a game on tape when he hit a homer but It's not the same as your experience.
As far as retiring,he said that he learned to hit while with Oakland's AAA team at the beginning of the 1972 season. He did fairly well when they brought him up but received an offer to work for Dean Witter as a securities trader,which was his off season job. It was too good to pass up so he retired. He lives in the San Francisco area(too far away!). He's a very nice guy.
You're lucky to have a wife that likes Baseball TB! It's always nice meeting new Senators fans! :waving There are some very knowledgable ones here.







JohnG,
Thanks for the info. Maybe they should consider a winter meeting and ask Frank Howard to come. Since he is still in the area, it might be something he'd really like to do and maybe his schedule is lighter in the winter. Doesn't Fred Valentine live nearby too?
JohnG, Can't imagine why they would not let you sit with Tim Cullen. I saw him hit a home run once if my memory is reliable. I think it was to straight away center, must have been 1967. Say, why was he gone by 1972, was he injured? Glad your girlfriend gives you some space for souvenirs. My wife is a big Nationals fan but can't connect with my interest in the Senators, since she wasn't in D.C. then.
Aa3rt, Good to know your wife is supportive too. It's great to "connect" with you guys!

[Whitesoxnut]

Players had so much class from that era. They werent like many of the spoiled millionaires we have today, tho in fairness theres still a lot of classy players in the game. Still it was a different time and player/fan relations were much better. Back then my Dad used to get a lot of pro-sports players in the AmVets bar he ran. They liked it because the beer was real cold, the TV was well situated, and they liked the pool table. Imagine that now?

Ive had the pleasure to see Frank Howard play on several occasions. He was a very exciting player.

[JohnGelnarFan]

I think you may be right WSN. They were more like us when the average salary was around $25,000. Every era is going to have it's share of unfriendly players but that's just like society. I used to wait outside the players entrance after games for autographs(can't believe that my mother was so patient!) when I was about 12 or 13 and my memories of the majority are very fond. I remember the few that were "not so nice" very vividly to this day. Maybe they just had a bad day.......Jim French,Mike Epstein,Joe Grzenda,Tom Grieve.... Darold Knowles was the best. He'd just tell us to line up and he'd sign everyones. Classy guy! Guys like Howard,Bosman and Coleman rarely came out of that entrance. Most of the visiting players were fine but they had to get on the bus,so they didn't have as much time.
Your dad had a great job!




Players had so much class from that era. They werent like many of the spoiled millionaires we have today, tho in fairness theres still a lot of classy players in the game. Still it was a different time and player/fan relations were much better. Back then my Dad used to get a lot of pro-sports players in the AmVets bar he ran. They liked it because the beer was real cold, the TV was well situated, and they liked the pool table. Imagine that now?

Ive had the pleasure to see Frank Howard play on several occasions. He was a very exciting player.

[musial6]

Did you know that Frank, a convert to Cathoocism, used to attend Mass and receive Communion EVERY DAY? I'll bet he still does.

[Timbones]

WSN,
I have to agree with you. I think we had more "classy" players in Hondo's era than now but I think there will always be a few decent ones that will stand out I hope.

Hey JohnG. That is interesting about Tim Cullen. I would have thought he would have learned something about hitting from Ted Williams, who seems to have had quite an impact on Senators' hitting in 1969.

Hi Musial6. I did not know Frank was a convert,(I'm one myself) you can tell he is a very decent fellow, that really shines through, so it has been a good thing for him as far as I can see. I could not get him to say anything critical of George Steinbrenner, I don't think Hondo ever criticized anyone. He is very grateful that Steinbrenner keeps him working at 70, and he really gives off lots of positive feelings in everything he says. Must be very good for him to be around young players in the Yankee organization.

T.

[musial6]

Timbones, Frank became a Catholic after meeting his future wife, a Catholic, while he was playing for Green Bay. He will probably die in the odor of sanctity. +Pax tecum.

[Captain Cold Nose]

John, I haven't seen him, but he did sign a few baseballs for the people who work at the beer and wine store. I gave one of my friends, the deli manager there, a baseball cube to put the ball in, which he proudly displays.

[JohnGelnarFan]

That's the way we want to remember our childhood heroes.That was very nice of you to do captain. Balls can get messed up pretty easily. About two years ago,I dated a woman that was a big Orioles fan. I had my doubts about that until the first time I went to her house and she pulled out two giant gym bags filled with probably 50 autographed balls! I couldn't bring myself to ask her If I could have the Steve Barber or Gene Brabender balls. Wish I had :ughh




John, I haven't seen him, but he did sign a few baseballs for the people who work at the beer and wine store. I gave one of my friends, the deli manager there, a baseball cube to put the ball in, which he proudly displays.

[StevesBaseball]

If anyone is interested I have several photos of Frank Howard on my website which have never been published anywhere else. They are in the Rangers/Senators gallery. If you're a glutton for punishment there is also one of Frank as a coach for the Brewers in their road blue "pajamas" in the Brewers/Pilots gallery.

"Steve's Baseball Photography Pages" (http://www.geocities.com/dewing19)


Steve

[Yankwood]

If anyone is interested I have several photos of Frank Howard on my website which have never been published anywhere else. They are in the Rangers/Senators gallery. If you're a glutton for punishment there is also one of Frank as a coach for the Brewers in their road blue "pajamas" in the Brewers/Pilots gallery.

"Steve's Baseball Photography Pages" (http://www.geocities.com/dewing19)


SteveAnd for you serious Senators fans, if you scroll down the first page there is a picture of Darold Knowles pitching, albeit in an A's uniform. Great pictures.

[JohnGelnarFan]

Welcome Steve. You have quite a collection of great photos. I sent you an E-mail about some of the unidentified Rangers. I couldn't maximize them but I think I recognized a few.



If anyone is interested I have several photos of Frank Howard on my website which have never been published anywhere else. They are in the Rangers/Senators gallery. If you're a glutton for punishment there is also one of Frank as a coach for the Brewers in their road blue "pajamas" in the Brewers/Pilots gallery.

"Steve's Baseball Photography Pages" (http://www.geocities.com/dewing19)


Steve

[StevesBaseball]

Here's a sneak peak of a brand new Frank photo I received on Thursday. I have two more that I'll post soon.

Steve
"Steve's Baseball Photography Pages" (http://www.geocities.com/dewing19)
http://www.geocities.com/dewing19/images/howardfever1.jpg

[Aa3rt]

Thanks once again, any idea what year the photo dates to? Obviously 1969 or later given the red helmet-Frank looks pretty svelte in the photo!

[JohnGelnarFan]

I was thinking the same thing about Hondo's physique. He looks great in this picture. Steve has some wonderful,never before seen photos. I always look forward to seeing new ones.

[Timbones]

Here's a good link with a lot Senator pictures all on one page (including the infamous Denny McLain) : http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/al/wastex/senators61images.html

[JohnGelnarFan]

Hi TB. :waving This is a great site for all teams histories. Dick Donovan had a great year for the 1961 Senators,leading the league in ERA with just a 10-10 record. Jim King sure didn't look like a professional athlete,did he?
I have alot of the cards for the red uniformed players. The Toby Harrah card is from 1972,the Rangers first year,so no logo on the cap is shown.The one of Howard at the plate,is a 24" x 36" poster. I have that framed on my living room wall. Notice who's standing next to Denny McLain? The other 1971 disaster story,Curt Flood. Thanks for putting this up for us!




Here's a good link with a lot Senator pictures all on one page (including the infamous Denny McLain) : http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/al/wastex/senators61images.html

[Timbones]

Hello JohnG! Nice to hear from you again.:) Yeah, Jim King looked like he was about 46, funny how the ball players from the 40's and 50's always looked older than they really were. Somehow we got more "baby faced" in the 1970's it seems. Being a kid then though guys like Jim King and Don Lock were our "sluggers" and we just hoped they would tag one! As for Donovan he might have won 15 games that year with a little support. And you can sure see why they called Claude Osteen "Gomer"! Bud Zipfel? For sure I don't remember him. I heard Denny McLain was spotted working as a cashier in a 7-11 in Detroit after he was paroled in 2004. Geez, what a shame!
I wish I had saved my old cards. I remember having a Lou Piniella in a Hawaii uniform when he played for the Senators' farm team...

[Aa3rt]

Yeah, guys, age is a relative thing-"old" is always 20 years older than you. You know it's getting bad when you went to school with younger co-workers parents! :( Or even worse, you're older than your co-workers parents.

I guess that was why I followed Dave Winfield's career-he was one of the last major leaguers that was older than me.

I have the last three years of Topps Senators cards (1969-1971) as well as those infamous 1974 offerings from Topps lettered Washington-National League with the San Diego Padres players depicted.

The ironic thing is, that after suffering miserable attendance in their first five years of existence, the Padres, after being purchased by Ray Kroc, of McDonald's fame, prior to the 1974 season, finally drew 1 million fans. Courtesy of my very low draft number, I was wearing the uniform of the U. S. Coast Guard at that time, stationed in San Diego, and happened to be in attendance the night they topped the 1 millon mark for the first time. Buried somewhere in my treaures (that the bride calls "crap") is a scorebook and a bumper sticker that reads "1 Million Padre fans-I was there". The irony is that only six months earlier I was rooting for the Padres to come to DC-and still had long hair. ;)

But I digress-what I wanted to mention was a set of Washington Senators cards in my possession put out by the D. C. Department of Motor Vehicles, Office of Traffic Safety. This set of cards, on yellowish cardboard, with black and white photos, and not very evenly cut includes:

Joe Foy, Toby Harrah, Paul Casanova, Frank Howard, Tim Cullen, Don Wert, Tom McCraw (last year's Nationals batting coach and holder of the distinction of scoring the very last expansion Senators run), Denny McLain :mad: , Elliott Maddox and Dick Bosman.

Each of these cards has some type of safety reminder-for instance, the Tom Mc Craw card reads, on the back, "Speed on the bases-you win! Speed on the streets-you lose! Play it Safe!"

I've had these cards for years-this was the first time I've taken them out of their protective plastic bag in many moons.

Since this thread is about Frank Howard, I suppose it would be fitting if I included the safety reminder on his card as well. It reads:

"I wait for my pitch in baseball-You wait for your light in traffic. Play it safe!"

[JohnGelnarFan]

Hi TB!- I have a Smokey Burgess card from 1965 which must have been his last year. He was 38 but looks at least 50 on the card. I keep this one in a card case. He played in 80 games,hit .280 in 77 At bats with 24 RBI's! He was one of the great pinch hitters of all time.I have a game on CD from 1961 and Donovan beat the Yankees 5-1 on a pinch grand slam by Gene Green. He had won about 7 in a row to even up his record. A young Bud Zipfel played first in that game and they talked about his power and great future! He had won the game the night before with a triple(I think). Maris hit his 43rd homer in that game. King and Lock could only be stars for our Nats! :laugh
Denny McLain totally screwed up his life.I heard a radio clip of an interview with him not long ago. He still says he was innocent of all of the Fraud charges that sent him to prison.
I have a lou piniella rookie stars card with the Nats. That Hawaii card would be great to still have. Where are all of our old cards now? Somebody has them!



Hello JohnG! Nice to hear from you again.:) Yeah, Jim King looked like he was about 46, funny how the ball players from the 40's and 50's always looked older than they really were. Somehow we got more "baby faced" in the 1970's it seems. Being a kid then though guys like Jim King and Don Lock were our "sluggers" and we just hoped they would tag one! As for Donovan he might have won 15 games that year with a little support. And you can sure see why they called Claude Osteen "Gomer"! Bud Zipfel? For sure I don't remember him. I heard Denny McLain was spotted working as a cashier in a 7-11 in Detroit after he was paroled in 2004. Geez, what a shame!
I wish I had saved my old cards. I remember having a Lou Piniella in a Hawaii uniform when he played for the Senators' farm team...

[JohnGelnarFan]

Hi Aa3rt - Old will always be 20 years older than we are. :laugh I had a low draft number too but never got called. I think the war ended about then. I guess it got you that great program,if nothing else! I have a few of those Washington Padres cards too. Dave roberts is one I know I have. Remember that they broadcast a few games on Channel 5 when they thought the team was coming for sure. The Padres were really bad. I remember that a kid named Dwain Anderson was batting third with 0 homers. I thought,"This team is worse than the Nats!".I'll never forget it. I'll have to see if I can find it on Retrosheet.
I also have those DMV cards! My brother gave them to me framed as gifts but I didn't know they had type on the back. He got them on ebay and was really disappointed in the quality. I'll tell him that yours is yellowish too. I have one from 1970 as well and it has John Roseboro,Epstein,Casanova,Howard,Aurelio Rodriguez,Brinkman,Maddox,Knowles,Lee Maye and Bosman. That's quite an upgrade from the guys on the 1971 card. I'll take them out of the frames and read them. Thanks for bringing these up!




Yeah, guys, age is a relative thing-"old" is always 20 years older than you. You know it's getting bad when you went to school with younger co-workers parents! :( Or even worse, you're older than your co-workers parents.

I guess that was why I followed Dave Winfield's career-he was one of the last major leaguers that was older than me.

I have the last three years of Topps Senators cards (1969-1971) as well as those infamous 1974 offerings from Topps lettered Washington-National League with the San Diego Padres players depicted.

The ironic thing is, that after suffering miserable attendance in their first five years of existence, the Padres, after being purchased by Ray Kroc, of McDonald's fame, prior to the 1974 season, finally drew 1 million fans. Courtesy of my very low draft number, I was wearing the uniform of the U. S. Coast Guard at that time, stationed in San Diego, and happened to be in attendance the night they topped the 1 millon mark for the first time. Buried somewhere in my treaures (that the bride calls "crap") is a scorebook and a bumper sticker that reads "1 Million Padre fans-I was there". The irony is that only six months earlier I was rooting for the Padres to come to DC-and still had long hair. ;)

But I digress-what I wanted to mention was a set of Washington Senators cards in my possession put out by the D. C. Department of Motor Vehicles, Office of Traffic Safety. This set of cards, on yellowish cardboard, with black and white photos, and not very evenly cut includes:

Joe Foy, Toby Harrah, Paul Casanova, Frank Howard, Tim Cullen, Don Wert, Tom McCraw (last year's Nationals batting coach and holder of the distinction of scoring the very last expansion Senators run), Denny McLain :mad: , Elliott Maddox and Dick Bosman.

Each of these cards has some type of safety reminder-for instance, the Tom Mc Craw card reads, on the back, "Speed on the bases-you win! Speed on the streets-you lose! Play it Safe!"

I've had these cards for years-this was the first time I've taken them out of their protective plastic bag in many moons.

Since this thread is about Frank Howard, I suppose it would be fitting if I included the safety reminder on his card as well. It reads:

"I wait for my pitch in baseball-You wait for your light in traffic. Play it safe!"

[Yankwood]

Regarding the writing on the backs of baseball cards-I remember guys like Mickey Mantle would have really impressive things on the back line "Mickey has 18 home runs in World Series competition". And Gil Hodges one year had "Gil hit 14 grand slams in his career". Well, poor Joe Hicks who played for the Senators in '61 and '62 once had on the back of his card, "Joe Hicks gets his licks". I guess that was the best they could come up with. :gt I always felt sorry for Joe Hicks from the day I first read that.

[JohnGelnarFan]

Those little blurbs were great. I loved the artwork too.
Here are some other interesting facts on the back of player cards:

George Culver - "George likes to wear mod clothes"
Tim Cullen - "Tim socked 2 grand slammers in one inning in semi-pro ball"
Ken McMullen - "Ken works in a service station in the off-season"
Choo Choo Coleman - "Choo Choo enjoys playing tennis"
Bobby Darwin - "Bobby works for a car towing firm"
Billy Conigliaro - "Billy is an amateur astronomer"
John Grubb(Washington Natl' League card)-"John hit safely in 5 of 6 games he started for the Padres in 1972"







Regarding the writing on the backs of baseball cards-I remember guys like Mickey Mantle would have really impressive things on the back line "Mickey has 18 home runs in World Series competition". And Gil Hodges one year had "Gil hit 14 grand slams in his career". Well, poor Joe Hicks who played for the Senators in '61 and '62 once had on the back of his card, "Joe Hicks gets his licks". I guess that was the best they could come up with. :gt I always felt sorry for Joe Hicks from the day I first read that.

[Yankwood]

I remember Bob Bruce the pitcher had on the back of his, "Bob Bruce keeps the hitters loose". Hilarious.:laugh

[JohnGelnarFan]

You'd think that Hicks,bruce and guys like these had done something special to get to the majors. I'll bet they got teased about these "stats"!

[HondoHR33]

Hello everybody!!!

I just discovered this site, sitting home on my day off and I have to admit, what a great surprise!!!!

I have always considered myself the BIGGEST FRANK HOWARD fan ever, but judging from some of the posts I have read, there are lots others just like me!!

I am almost a native Californian and met Hondo for the first time when I was about 10 and he appeared at a shopping mall while a member of the Dodgers. I was in awe!!!! I had never met anyone SOOOO BIG!!! I remember listening to Vin Scully in 1960, his rookie year, talking about Hondo and how big he was and how far his homers flied and I became a fan instantly at 7 years old.

I'm not as lucky as many of you. I didn't live in the D.C. area to see Hondo in person or listen to all the games on the radio, so I had to listen to "reports" and in-progress scores every 15 minutes on my transistor radio on the all-news stations. I'd go see as many games as I could when the Senators would come to Anaheim to play the Angels, and I was lucky enough to see Hondo hit his 300th career HR at Anaheim Stadium (now Angel Stadium). I have always thought he went through a 3 or 4-day HR drought just so that I would see his 300th!!!

I have a game-used bat from his late years with the Tigers, and a 1969 Mitchell Ness replica Senators home jersey autographed that is inscribed: "Frank Hondo Howard, 1968, 1970 AL HR King." I also have that huge poster of him standing at home plate that another member mentioned, and I also have it framed. I got him to autograph it at a memorabilia show in gold sharpie. With the dark background and the gold, it looks awesome and is inscribed: "Frank Howard -- The Capital Punisher -- 1968 and 1970 AL Home Run King." I would sooner die than part with any of my Hondo memorabilia.

I am really looking forward to trading stories and memories with you all!!

Art

[JohnGelnarFan]

Hi Art- Welcome to BBF! This is a great site with something for a fan of any team,past or present. You certainly are a Hondo fan. He was our superstar. I envy you being able to see him in his early years. He still shows up at reunions and special events here. I'm the other guy with that framed poster. I have an autographed ball that says 1960 Rookie of the year,a Senators batting helmet(Plastic unfortunately) that he signed,1968,1970 Homerun king and a few autographed photos. I also have a Senators Tattoo! :)
I was lucky enough to grow up in the suburbs of Maryland and went to quite a few games between 1969-71 and saw a couple of Hondo blasts. I see that you have a Rangers logo under your name. I lived in Dallas for 9 years and went to both stadiums. The Senators catcher in 1971,Rich Billings,worked for them when I moved there in 1992 and I arranged to meet him at the Rangers executive offices.He was the group sales manager. He was very nice and told me stories,autographed my memorabilia and offered me tickets. I gave him a game I had on audio cassette from the Rangers first year in 1972.He was batting cleanup. A great experience! You can find games on cassette or CD online. I have about 6 or 7 Nats games. You'll enjoy the posts from other Senators fans here. They're full of memories. Take care!

[HondoHR33]

John,

Thanks for the welcome!! I also envy you for seeing Hondo get to play so often when he was in his prime and hit those upper-deck blasts at RFK!!!

One of my favorite Hondo stories from his days with the Dodgers I heard once from Vin Scully. One night, I believe it was '62 or '63 season, Frank struck out and cursed at himself on way back to the dugout. Turns out a young fan heard him and when Frank found out about it, he felt terrible. The next day, he asked the second Dodgers announcer, a guy named Jerry Dogget who has since died, if he could go on the pregame show on radio and apologize to the young fan and all the other Dodgers fans. Shows what a class guy he was then and still is!! Can you imagine any of today's players doing such a thing.

Looking forward to reading everyone's recollections of not only Hondo, but the other Senators during that golden era. I also have a 1970 autographed Senators team ball that I won at an auction. It's one of my favorite items, along with my Hondo collection that my wife sometimes shakes her head at!!



Hi Art- Welcome to BBF! This is a great site with something for a fan of any team,past or present. You certainly are a Hondo fan. He was our superstar. I envy you being able to see him in his early years. He still shows up at reunions and special events here. I'm the other guy with that framed poster. I have an autographed ball that says 1960 Rookie of the year,a Senators batting helmet(Plastic unfortunately) that he signed,1968,1970 Homerun king and a few autographed photos. I also have a Senators Tattoo! :)
I was lucky enough to grow up in the suburbs of Maryland and went to quite a few games between 1969-71 and saw a couple of Hondo blasts. I see that you have a Rangers logo under your name. I lived in Dallas for 9 years and went to both stadiums. The Senators catcher in 1971,Rich Billings,worked for them when I moved there in 1992 and I arranged to meet him at the Rangers executive offices.He was the group sales manager. He was very nice and told me stories,autographed my memorabilia and offered me tickets. I gave him a game I had on audio cassette from the Rangers first year in 1972.He was batting cleanup. A great experience! You can find games on cassette or CD online. I have about 6 or 7 Nats games. You'll enjoy the posts from other Senators fans here. They're full of memories. Take care!

[Yankwood]

It's one of my favorite items, along with my Hondo collection that my wife sometimes shakes her head at!!Just remember buddy, they only shake their heads cuz they're jealous. Welcome aboard.:clapping

[HondoHR33]

Thanks, Yankwood ... I'll tell my wife that next time she asks me why I don't get rid of some of my "junk." LOL

Just remember buddy, they only shake their heads cuz they're jealous. Welcome aboard.:clapping

[JohnGelnarFan]

Junk! :laugh I lost all of my autographs and memorabilia in a house fire around 1975. That "Junk" was irreplacable to me and If it ever happens again,I'll have to be treated for burns! An autographed 1970 ball is a real collector's item. I have autographed pictures of lots of those players but most of them are in a 3-ring binder. Yours is always right there for you to look at. Having a game used bat is very cool. I have a 1970 Washington Senators bat day giveaway but it doesn't compare to a real one. I love it though!
Great story about Howard and the class he has always displayed.There are other stories here from people that have met him and they have the same tone. That's why he was called "The Gentle Giant". When I was a kid,the Senators would occasionally show up at our schools or car dealerships for autograph signing sessions. That was a big deal! I wish there was more video or actual game footage available. Maybe one day there will be.There was a book written about Howard in the early 70's but it's hard to find. You can find it on the internet but it's relatively expensive. I think it was called "Frank Howard,The Gentle Giant"

[Aa3rt]

Guys, if you are truly looking to obtain this book (and now I am as well) try:

http://www.abebooks.com

By typing in the search words "Frank Howard" and "gentle giant", I found 10 copies available, ranging in price from a very modest $ 16.00 to a rather outlandish $ 84.68. This also shows where each dealer is, so if you'd like to purchase locally, you have that choice.

I've used this resource to replace a couple of baseball books that I foolishly "loaned" to an acquaintence and never saw again.

[JohnGelnarFan]

Thanks Aa3rt. I just setup an account with abebooks and bought the cheapest copy of Frank Howard's book. They have a great collection of books and I looked at a few other subjects as well. I'll check out their baseball books. That might take awhile! If I can't find books locally,I'll check with them.
Earlier today,Yankwood sent me an e-mail showing Senators pennants on ebay. I was about to bid on one and noticed that the seller has a store about 2 miles from me. They are big Senators fans and have great merchandise. I'm going there tomorrow to see if I can save on shipping. ebay and online sites try to get tricky by offering an item at a low price and making it up in shipping. I used to fall for that!




Guys, if you are truly looking to obtain this book (and now I am as well) try:

http://www.abebooks.com

By typing in the search words "Frank Howard" and "gentle giant", I found 10 copies available, ranging in price from a very modest $ 16.00 to a rather outlandish $ 84.68. This also shows where each dealer is, so if you'd like to purchase locally, you have that choice.

I've used this resource to replace a couple of baseball books that I foolishly "loaned" to an acquaintence and never saw again.

[HondoHR33]

That is a GREAT book ... I bought a copy at a memorabilia show about 10-15 years ago. It was actually a library copy that was never returned and I had Hondo sign it when he appeared at a show in Anaheim around 1994 or so. Another of my cherished items that I'll never part with no matter how much I'm offered.

Junk! :laugh I lost all of my autographs and memorabilia in a house fire around 1975. That "Junk" was irreplacable to me and If it ever happens again,I'll have to be treated for burns! An autographed 1970 ball is a real collector's item. I have autographed pictures of lots of those players but most of them are in a 3-ring binder. Yours is always right there for you to look at. Having a game used bat is very cool. I have a 1970 Washington Senators bat day giveaway but it doesn't compare to a real one. I love it though!
Great story about Howard and the class he has always displayed.There are other stories here from people that have met him and they have the same tone. That's why he was called "The Gentle Giant". When I was a kid,the Senators would occasionally show up at our schools or car dealerships for autograph signing sessions. That was a big deal! I wish there was more video or actual game footage available. Maybe one day there will be.There was a book written about Howard in the early 70's but it's hard to find. You can find it on the internet but it's relatively expensive. I think it was called "Frank Howard,The Gentle Giant"

[JohnGelnarFan]

I'm looking forward to receiving it Art(Another Art!) I actually like old library copies. They have a sense of nostalgia. Maybe one day I can get mine signed. Look in the TRIVIA section for a thread I started called "Seperated at Birth". I put a few Senators pictures there with actors that I think they look like. Kind of funny!



That is a GREAT book ... I bought a copy at a memorabilia show about 10-15 years ago. It was actually a library copy that was never returned and I had Hondo sign it when he appeared at a show in Anaheim around 1994 or so. Another of my cherished items that I'll never part with no matter how much I'm offered.

[JohnGelnarFan]

Steve has a few new Hondo photos on ebay,including this one. I Bought a Few first year Rangers photos from his website today (Tim Cullen and Art DeFelippis) Anyone interested in rare Senators/Rangers or any other team photos should click on his website and check out his selection. His prices are very reasonable for such great and memorable photos! :clapping






Here's a sneak peak of a brand new Frank photo I received on Thursday. I have two more that I'll post soon.

Steve
"Steve's Baseball Photography Pages" (http://www.geocities.com/dewing19)
http://www.geocities.com/dewing19/images/howardfever1.jpg

[JohnGelnarFan]

MASN,the local cable network that carries the Nats and Orioles games(Finally!) showed game 2 of the 1970 World Series on Thursday. Tony Kubek was interviewing people in the stands and talked to our own Frank Howard! Hondo was wearing a suit and a pair of those old fashioned Black rimmed glasses. He looked like a school teacher but it was great to see him! He led the A.L. in homers and RBI's that season. The telecast was in black and white and sure took me back to the day. Kubek also interviewed Casey Stengel and first year Brewers manager,Dave Bristol. After talking to Stengel,Kubek said," now back upstairs for translation!"

[JohnGelnarFan]

I just finished reading,"Frank Howard:The Gentle Giant" and it was great. I did find two errors though. The author,Al Hirshberg, referred to the McLain trade as being McLain and three subs for Aurelio Rodriguez,Ed Brinkman,Joe Coleman and BOB Hannan!
He also said that between innings of a 1971 game,Hondo warmed up pitcher,Dick Billings!

These are bad errors,at least for us Nats fans! :mad:

[1964Senators]

Last summer I had the pleasure of listening to Frank Howard at a local card show. Before signing, he was out in the aisles telling stories, demonstrating batting stances of different players from his playing days, etc, etc... Totally fascinating, always enthusiastic, he looked healthier in 2005 than he did while playing. I know he had lost considerable weight, but not due to sickness. He is by far the most personable and acceessible show guest I have ever seen. What a positive individual. It is such a real treat when your childhood heroes are even nicer then you could imagine.
One of my fondest memories as a kid was going early enough to the games to see some BP. FRank would launch these moon shots into the upper deck at then DC Stadium. Places where no other Senator could even dream about hitting em.
I feel lucky to have been (and remain) a Senators fan.

[JohnGelnarFan]

Welcome to BBF 1964Senators! :waving Thanks for the memories of Hondo. Others here have said the same thing about meeting him. I've been to Nats reunion weekends but have missed the day that he was there. We were lucky to have seen a superstar like him that actually cared about his fans. You'd enjoy the book about him. Enjoy this site!

[1964Senators]

Thank you for the welcome. This is a fantastic site, and a great way to share memories, information and sources to pursue one's interests. Would someone be kind enough to direct me to the quarterly Senators publication ? I subscribed a few years back, and my attempts to get back in touch with the publisher were unsuccessful.
You have a lot of terrific posts on the first few subjects that I took a look at.
I look forward to reading more of them.
Best wishes,
Tom

[Aa3rt]

Hello Tom, glad to have you join us! Actually if you go back to post #38 in this thread (on page# 2) JohnGelnarFan posted the address there.

Spend some time reading the threads, this forum has picked up some recent interest and you'll find some great memories here. Always nice to have another SENATORS fan join our ranks! :clapping

[HondoHR33]

Welcome, 1964 Senators.

I have not been posting lately because (1) work, and (2) vacation. But I hope to be more active in the coming weeks. I, too, have seen Hondo at many card shows and you're right ... he is a GREAT guest!!! Only one who I have met who comes close is Brooks Robinson.

[BaseballHistoryNut]

I watched Frank Howard a lot when I was a child, because I was a diehard Giants fan, and all the Giants' games against the Dodgers were on TV and, of course, as would later be true of one Dave Kingman, you couldn't take a breath when Howard was at the plate against your team for fear the ball would wind up on Mars. The difference was, Howard was a gentleman and everyone liked him.

But my #1 Howard memory came in 1972, his next-to-the-last season, when the Tigers had acquired him for what proved to be their stretch drive to win the A.L. East. It was a nationally telecast game--A.B.C. Monday Night Baseball, or some such thing--and the Tigers were batting in the bottom of the 9th or 10th inning, down a run. The also-aging Al Kaline came up with one out and the tying run on second, but failed to get the job done. That left it up to Howard with two outs. Everyone in the park knew what he would try to do.

The pitcher threw some sort of offspeed breaking pitch which fooled Howard badly. Howard's left hand came off of the bat as he swung, but he nonetheless proceeded to hit the ball one-handed... INTO THE LOWER DECK OF TIGER STADIUM.

Needless to say, the place went insane.

BHN

[HondoHR33]

BHN,

I remember that game VIVIDLY because I was at home watching on TV and, being a huge Hondo fan, I went insane too!!!! The lefty on the mound that night was Sparky Lyle.

[skeletor]

I watched Frank Howard a lot when I was a child, because I was a diehard Giants fan, and all the Giants' games against the Dodgers were on TV and, of course, as would later be true of one Dave Kingman, you couldn't take a breath when Howard was at the plate against your team for fear the ball would wind up on Mars. The difference was, Howard was a gentleman and everyone liked him.

But my #1 Howard memory came in 1972, his next-to-the-last season, when the Tigers had acquired him for what proved to be their stretch drive to win the A.L. East. It was a nationally telecast game--A.B.C. Monday Night Baseball, or some such thing--and the Tigers were batting in the bottom of the 9th or 10th inning, down a run. The also-aging Al Kaline came up with one out and the tying run on second, but failed to get the job done. That left it up to Howard with two outs. Everyone in the park knew what he would try to do.

The pitcher threw some sort of offspeed breaking pitch which fooled Howard badly. Howard's left hand came off of the bat as he swung, but he nonetheless proceeded to hit the ball one-handed... INTO THE LOWER DECK OF TIGER STADIUM.

Needless to say, the place went insane.

BHN

it sure did....I've certainly enjoyed Howard's time with the NATS, and remember him crushing several balls into the stands in Detroit, as one
over the left field roof...i wished that he would have gotten him in his prime, instead towards the end of his career...however, even then, in the twilight of his career, he still was exciting to watch--especially inna Tiger uniform!!

[1964Senators]

Hey JG,
I like your handle. I'm guessing that you are also a big Pilots fan. I love to study the early years for expansion teams. Did you know that John Gelnar recorded the second save in Milwaukee Brewers history on April 12th, 1970. He was also the second pitcher to ever appear for the Brewers.
What made you a John Gelnar fan ? I read your note about Tim Cullen. What a great story. You really love the game.
Best wishes,
Tom

[The Kid]

Frank Howard was a great guy and a great ball player. He should be in the hall.

[Timbones]

I agree. He is a fine gentleman who didn't get the credit he deserves. Meeting him is one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life.
He is such a humble guy and I read that he doesn't have very many baseball souvenirs in his house because he gave them all to charity. Outstanding!

[mr.snitch]

I agree. He is a fine gentleman who didn't get the credit he deserves. Meeting him is one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life.
He is such a humble guy and I read that he doesn't have very many baseball souvenirs in his house because he gave them all to charity. Outstanding!

met him once,at the end of his career in detroit. he took time to say hello, and give us a hardy hand shake..he really was a big fan of the game, and
loved the fans...they don't make players like hondo, any more...sad...

[ColtscorrAL]

I was in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium for the 1963 World Series when he one bounced a ball right over the 461 sign. It was the longest GR double I've ever seen.

[Jim Abbott]

He was a force that dude was

[mzh99]

Frank Howard is my Father.

I came across this site while looking for links with video, images, etc. related to him. I'm preparing an electronic archive from some of his newspaper articles, pictures, video, etc.
His 70th birthday was on Aug 8th of 2006 and I was trying to get all this together for that date. Needless to say, I missed it due to the labor involved in scanning, OCR-ing the articles and reformatting the text.

There's not much video that I could find. There's a Nestle's Quik commercial, and some highlights from the '63 Dodgers World Series. That's about all I could get.

Anyway, it's nice to see some of the posts about him. I'm sure he would be thrilled to know there are still many fans that appreciated him (and still do).

I don't see him much these days, but he's still working and probably will as long as he can. Baseball has literally been his whole life. He's lived for the game and has put in roughly 50 years. I doubt there's been a better ambassador for baseball.

He's a generous, polite, hard-working man. I have always looked up to him as an athlete and as a man.

To sum his personality up, I've come up to this conclusion:
Frank does nothing half-way. Everything is over-the-top, 100%.
I have some funny stories and the inside track on this man. If anyone has questions about him, let me know. I can separate most of the fact from fiction.

Thanks and keep up the posts and stories. Maybe I'll include some of this content in his archives...

Mitch

[Aa3rt]

Frank Howard is my Father.

Mitch, a hearty "Welcome aboard!!!" Please feel free to come back anytime and share memories of your father (of course) but when you have the opportunity, please let us know of your father's days with the Washington Senators and your own memories of the DC area and baseball in Washington.

His 70th birthday was on Aug 8th of 2006...

Frank Howard 70?!? How old does that make me!?! :eek:

Anyway, it's nice to see some of the posts about him. I'm sure he would be thrilled to know there are still many fans that appreciated him (and still do).

He's a generous, polite, hard-working man. I have always looked up to him as an athlete and as a man.

I think you can be proud of the fact that every comment that has been made here about your father has been positive, not a negative thought over four pages of comments. I'm sure we all look up to him both literally and figuratively. ;)

Thanks and keep up the posts and stories. Maybe I'll include some of this content in his archives...

Mitch

Thanks again for stopping by Mitch, please come back anytime!

[1964Senators]

Hi Mitch,
Thanks for posting on this site. I think your dad's life in baseball would make
for a wonderful book with a talented writer who could let your dad's personality shine through. There has been a lot of water under the bridge since The Gentle Giant book was written. Two managerial stints (one in NY),
working for George Steinbrenner, coaching with many organizations. I hope that one day we could learn more about his many experiences.
I wanted to ask if you have a relative named Paul who lives (or has lived in the Richmond, VA area who loves to fish. I played softball with him many years back, and he could really jack the ball. It wasn't until years afterward that I was told it was Frank's son. I have never been able to confirm this.
If you ever get the chance, please entertain us with some stories about your
dad. As you can see this is probably the most popular topic within the forum.
I think that anyone who ever gets the chance to meet him, thinks more of
your dad as an exemplary human being than as a great ballplayer.
Thanks.

[mzh99]

I'll suggest the book idea to him and see what he thinks.
I asked him a few weeks ago about retirement and he laughed and said "I'd rather work until no one wants me anymore."

It's nice to read so many positive comments. I've lost much respect for atheletes in many sports since my childhood. Mostly the fame and money spoils many of today's athletes. Not much "for the love of the game."

When I get some free-time and get closer to completion on the archival project I'm working on, I can post some text, pics, and video links that interested people can browser. It will likely take a several months. Much of the material I have on Frank is from his Ohio State basketball/baseball days. He never collected any material about himself. The only newspaper and magazine articles we have were from other people saving it for us or my Mom saved.

It is true that he gave almost all of his memorabilia away for free in the 80's.
It was a time when he was divorcing from my Mom and I think he did it for simplicity's sake. He didn't even offer any to us kids (6 of us, 3 boys). I think my sister grabbed a few items like a pair of all-star bats, etc. Kind of a shame. It should have stayed in our family. Once it was done, it was too late to undo.

No brother named Paul. We all grew up in Green Bay through 1981, moved to San Diego, then my Dad divorced around 1983, remarried in '84 or '85 and he's been in the Virginia area from '85 on. My oldest sister lived in the Virginia area on and off in since the 90's.

Our family and ages from oldest to youngest:
Tim (46), Cathy (45), Dan (44), Mitch (43), Mary (40), Becky (37)

Skeletor mentioned the game in Detroit where he hit the one-handed homerun. I was about 8 or 9 at the time and I remember going to bed about 20 minutes before he hit that homer. While in bed, I heard my 3 oldest siblings yelling at the top of their lungs downstairs, hooting, hollering, etc.
I find out the next morning what happened and never even saw a video or replay of it! Totally sucked to be too young.

Anyway, I'll check back in periodically and try to post some material or answer any questions people have.

Thanks.

Mitch

[Candlestick60]

Hello everybody!!!

I just discovered this site, sitting home on my day off and I have to admit, what a great surprise!!!!

I have always considered myself the BIGGEST FRANK HOWARD fan ever, but judging from some of the posts I have read, there are lots others just like me!!

I am almost a native Californian and met Hondo for the first time when I was about 10 and he appeared at a shopping mall while a member of the Dodgers. I was in awe!!!! I had never met anyone SOOOO BIG!!! I remember listening to Vin Scully in 1960, his rookie year, talking about Hondo and how big he was and how far his homers flied and I became a fan instantly at 7 years old.

I'm not as lucky as many of you. I didn't live in the D.C. area to see Hondo in person or listen to all the games on the radio, so I had to listen to "reports" and in-progress scores every 15 minutes on my transistor radio on the all-news stations. I'd go see as many games as I could when the Senators would come to Anaheim to play the Angels, and I was lucky enough to see Hondo hit his 300th career HR at Anaheim Stadium (now Angel Stadium). I have always thought he went through a 3 or 4-day HR drought just so that I would see his 300th!!!

I have a game-used bat from his late years with the Tigers, and a 1969 Mitchell Ness replica Senators home jersey autographed that is inscribed: "Frank Hondo Howard, 1968, 1970 AL HR King." I also have that huge poster of him standing at home plate that another member mentioned, and I also have it framed. I got him to autograph it at a memorabilia show in gold sharpie. With the dark background and the gold, it looks awesome and is inscribed: "Frank Howard -- The Capital Punisher -- 1968 and 1970 AL Home Run King." I would sooner die than part with any of my Hondo memorabilia.

I am really looking forward to trading stories and memories with you all!!

Art
Hi Hondo I had a chance to meet frank in florida when he was a coach with the mets plus I also sent him a pic of him with the senators in which he autographed for me

[Aa3rt]

Watching last night's (Thursday, May 31st) game between the LA Dodgers and the Washington Nationals, the announcers were pointing out the seats in the upper deck of RFK Stadium that were painted a different color to show where some of Frank's titanic home runs landed. Then they showed an old video clip of Frank, while playing for the Washington Senators hitting a home run at RFK. It was GREAT to see that old film clip!

By coincidence, the Nationals, after being shut out in the first two games of this series, went on to win 11-4 last night. Maybe this was the good luck charm the Nats needed! I hope they'll dig out some more of the clips out of the archives to be shown during future Nats broadcasts.

[welch]

One small correction: I believe Frank Howard was usually listed at 6 foot 7 and 250 (not 215) pounds.

Stories:

- I remember reading in the Post, more than 40 years ago, that Howard had had a "disagreement" with Leo Durocher...when Durocher was coaching the LA Dodgers and Howard was very young. Durocher screamed and snarled and cursed Howard, who picked up Durocher and sat him on top of a locker. Howard said, quietly, "Don't ever talk to me like that".

- Last summer, I took my baseball fanatic daughter down to Washington to see the new new Nats. I felt like laughing and crying all at once just to see the place dressed out for baseball again. I pointed out some of the upper-deck seats that mark Hondo homeruns, and she could not believe it. "He hit one there?" she asked. "No," I answered. "He hit about two dozen up there. Without sterooids".

I have seen Roy Sievers, Jim Lemon (another gentleman giant), Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew, and Frank Howard, and Howard hit the ball harder than any of them.

Harder than anyone in baseball today.

Doubts? Think of the comments that modern players made when they met RFK Stadium. Howard not only led the AL in homers while playing in that park, but he did it in the "dead ball" season that caused MLB to lower the pitching mound.

[mail5billh@earthlink.net]

I read a great interview your Dad did in September of 2007. It was very detailed. He mentioned that you had given him all the memorabilia that you had said you were collecting for him in a previous entry. I went to the last Nat's game they played before they moved to the Navy Yard. Frank was signing autographs at a table during the game. It was amazing how long the line was. One of my earliest sports memories was getting a ball on ball day at RFK and getting Hondo to sign it in the parking lot. The line was kind of long there too. I was seven or eight and living in Maryland. The man is an icon in DC sports history.

[welch]

Small correction: Howard was 6-7 and 250 -- not 215 -- pounds.

A story from his LA Dodgers years: the Dodgers had hired Leoe Durocher, briefly, as a coach. Durocher was snarlinag and cursing Howard in the clubhouse. Howard picked up Durocher and sat him on top of the lockers, saying, quietly, "Don't ever talk to me like that again." Leo-the-Lip didn't.

Big Bruno's Senators site has a picture of the longest ball ever hit in DC.RFK Stadium: about 500 feet before it hit a stairway in left-field. Hondo also hit a ball out of DC Stadium that the opposing left-fielder said was fair. It was so high above the foul pole that the umpires couldn't judge, and they called it a foul ball. But we know the truth, and anyone who ever saw Howard hit would expect that the left-fielder was right.

Didn't Howard once hit a ball so hard that it ripped the glove off of the shotstop and carried the glove into left field?

[NYMets523]

I just saw this thread and would like to share my experience with Frank Howard.

I went to my first baseball game in 1994 at the age of 5. My dad's company has seats at Shea Stadium which are very close to the field (even closer back then before they added the luxury seats in front) and he requests them a couple games each year. My family and I were in the 3rd box from the field between home plate and the Mets' dugout. Frank Howard was a Mets coach at the time and he comes over points to me and tells my dad to bring me over. The usher wouldn't allow it but Frank talked him into it. He took a ball and signed it Frank "Hondo" Howard 1960 NL ROY. My mom took a picture of my dad holding me up on the side next to Frank.

I'll never forget getting an autographed ball at my first game ever and I owe it all to Frank.

[mail5billh@earthlink.net]

It looks like Hondo might be back with the NATS. He available and from the comments in the Washington Post, it's clear that the FANS want him back. Frank is and was Washington Baseball.

[Tampa Bay Giants]

I met Frank Howard when he was a coach with the Mets in the 1980's. Living in a NL city and only getting to see him play on TV, he was bigger than life. I met him at the team hotel in downtown Cincinnati and he was just a great person to meet in person. He signed a baseball for me and a Mets team baseball from that year.

I have a friend who met him at a card show and Howard told him that in the 1970 All-Star Game at Riverfront Stadium, when he was up in the 5th inning, that if he would have hit that ball solidly instead of just getting under it and flying out, he would have hit that baseball out of Riverfront. What a difference a fraction of an inch makes.

[beisbolfiebre]

BIG HONDO!!!


Yes, he was a great batter. But I felt that his greatest contribution to the game of MLB was his great coaching.

Hondo's on-field coaching at 1B and his batting instruction has been about as good as it gets. But it is his unmatchable contributions as team morale officer which always stood out. I don't believe there was ever a more popular coach among the players. This is one matter that is always overlooked in the Hall of Fame voting every year. I say a coach's morale building, player development, and ability to keep a team together as a cohesive unit should make Big Hondo a member of the HOF.

[Aa3rt]

The Washington Nationals website is reporting that Frank Howard was at the "Hot Stove Luncheon" this past Friday (Jan. 23rd) and that he is "currently in negotiations" with the Nationals.

Frank Howard-A Washington National? (http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090123&content_id=3768110&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was)