[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by GeoPoto

Frank O. "Hondo" Howard. Outfielder for Washington Senators and Texas Rangers in 1965-1972. 1,774 hits and 382 home runs in 16 MLB seasons. 4-time All-Star. 1963 World Series Champion. 1960 NL Rookie of the Year. 2-time AL HR Leader. 1970 AL RBI Leader. He had a career OBP of .352. He debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958-1964. His best season was 1969 with Washington as he posted a .402 OBP with 48 home runs, 111 runs scored, and 111 RBIs in 702 plate appearances. In 1968 he hit 10 home runs in 20 at-bats. He finished his MLB playing career with the Detroit Tigers in 1972-1973. He managed the San Diego Padres in 1981 and the New York Mets in 1983. He was a coach with 5 different teams.

I will also note that Howard batted .296 in 1969 and was 4th in the MVP voting. Also, "Hondo" struck out only 96 times that year, which is the only time he struck out fewer than 100 times in a full season. His success can be attributed to the arrival of Ted Williams in 1969 to manage the Senators to a record of 86 - 76, the only year the expansion Senators achieved a winning record before the team owner took them to Texas (which is why I will never root for the Rangers to win the WS - ditto for the Minnesota Twins!).

Having lived my entire life in the No. VA suburbs of DC, I greatly enjoyed watching Howard during the 7 years he played for the Senators. He was about all Washington fans had to root for, other than the 1969 team. "Hondo" will never make it into the MLB Hall of Fame, but he will always be in mine. Below are my two scarcest Howard cards (how often do you see a Darigold Farms card with the "superfluous" (per the Standard Catalog) tab still attached?) and the 13"x20" 1970 DC DMV Traffic Safety poster that hangs on a wall of my man cave.