[brian1961]

Thanks, Brian and Val, and all of youse guys, for your wonderful contributions in saluting a great baseball player and a great man, Frank Howard. His passing hurts real bad; I'm having a tough time with his departure. Sure, he was up there in years; really, he lived a long time for such a huge man. Still, we're hurtin' bad, aren't we?

Val, like you, I placed Frank Howard in my personal hall of fame a long time ago.

I don't know how to load up an image, but my favorite threesome of Hondo items are a 1967 Coca-Cola Premium by Dexter Press, a complete, unfolded 1971 Milk Duds box, and a 1971 Kellogg's 3-D, which I consider one of his best-looking cards. Then again, I remembered I purchased his 1970 Topps Super Baseball in PSA 8. Now, that is a great Frank Howard card, encompassing his towering size, and taken in '69, his best year.

Man, his advice to the younger players was sure wise.

We often judge players worth, whether as people or cardboard / collectible value, by whether or not they're enshrined in the BBHOF. Frank Howard is enshrined in my heart and mind, and I have a strong feeling he's also in those of a LOT of other baseball fans.

RIP, Mr. Howard. We love you and we're gonna miss you. May God comfort and console his widow and their children. --- Brian Powell