Frank Howard, a towering power hitter for the Washington Senators during the 1960s, has died at the age of 87.
Howard’s death was announced by the Washington Nationals, A spokesperson for the team said that Howard’s family notified the Nationals about his death on Monday, The Associated Press reported.
Howard, a 6-foot-7, 255-pound first baseman and outfielder, played 16 seasons in the major leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Senators (who later became the Texas Rangers) and the Detroit Tigers, according to Baseball-Reference.com.
We are deeply saddened to share that Washington Senators legend Frank Howard has passed away at the age of 87. We join Frank’s loved ones in mourning. pic.twitter.com/PCEk13TSLs
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) October 30, 2023
Howard, nicknamed “Hondo,” “The Capital Punisher” and the “Washington Monument,” was a four-time All-Star. He was the National League Rookie of the Year with the Dodgers in 1960 and helped Los Angeles to a World Series title three years later.
He played seven seasons with the Senators, playing in four consecutive All-Star Games from 1968 to 1971. He followed the team to Texas when the franchise became the Rangers in 1972.
“He was the ultimate teammate,” former teammate Dick Bosman told the AP. “Next to my dad, he’s the greatest guy I know.”
Howard hit 237 of his 382 career home runs with the Senators from 1965 to 1971, according to WTTG-TV.
He led the American League in home runs twice, hitting 44 home runs in 1968 and 1970, according to Baseball-Reference.com.
His 48 home runs in 1969 are the most in Washington baseball history, according to the AP. He was inducted into the Nationals’ Ring of Honor in 2016.
Howard ended his playing career with Detroit in 1973.
Washington Senators slugger Frank Howard hammers a HR vs. STLCards pitcher Steve Carlton during the 1969 All-Star Game in Washington, D.C. #RIPFrankHoward #TheCapitalPunisher #MLB #Baseball #History pic.twitter.com/yIemNEWZst
— Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile) October 30, 2023
Howard managed the San Diego Padres during the strike-torn season of 1981 and piloted the New York Mets for 116 games two seasons later.
Howard was born in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 1936. He attended South High School in Columbus and later went to The Ohio State University.
In his major league debut on Sept. 10, 1958, against the Philadelphia Phillies, Howard went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI, according to Baseball-Reference.com.
“Growing up a baseball fan in Washington D.C., Frank Howard was my hero,” Nationals owner Mark Lerner said in a statement. “The towering home runs he hit into the stands at RFK Stadium gave him the nickname ‘Capital Punisher,’ but I’ll always remember him as a kind and gentle man. The entire Lerner family would like to offer our thoughts and condolences to Frank’s family during this difficult time. The world of baseball has truly lost a giant.”
Sign Up
