Frank Howard, legendary Washington Senators slugger and four-time MLB All-Star, has died at the age of 87
- Howard’s death was announced by the Washington Nationals on Monday
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Frank Howard, the beloved Washington Senators slugger and four-time All-Star, has died at the age of 87.
Howard’s death was announced by the Washington Nationals – a team he never actually played for, but which honored him with a statue outside the stadium.
“We are deeply saddened to announce that Washington Senators legend Frank Howard has passed away at the age of 87,” the club’s statement said. “We grieve with Frank’s loved ones.”
A Columbus native, Howard was a two-sport star at Ohio State, where he played both baseball and basketball.
In fact, he proved so adept at the latter that the lumbering 6-foot-1, 220-pound Howard was drafted by the NBA’s Philadelphia Warriors in 1957.
Howard is a Columbus native and played both baseball and basketball at Ohio State University
Howard, the beloved Washington Senators slugger and four-time All-Star, has died at the age of 87
Instead, Howard signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, for whom he won the 1960 National League Rookie of the Year award, hitting 23 home runs.
When the Senators became the Texas Rangers in 1972, the outfielder/first baseman was among the players who made the switch. According to the Rangers, he was the oldest living member of that expansion team at the time of his death.
The 6-foot-3 Howard hit 237 of his home runs during his seven-year tenure with the Senators; Only Ryan Zimmerman scored more for a Washington-based team.
The Nationals inducted him into their Ring of Honor in 2016 for his contributions to baseball in Washington.