WHY I THINK ELSTON HOWARD SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK ELSTON HOWARD SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Elston Howard was a very important player in baseball history. He was the first black player ever to play for the Yankees and even the inventor of the batting donut. He was also plenty good as a player, winning four World Series rings, an MVP Award, and a fielding title behind the dish. To this day he remains one of the top catchers in MLB history. Elston Howard started his career with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League in 1948 at age 19, batting .260 with 11 RBI's and 14 runs scored in 18 games as a leftfielder. He spent two years in Military Service in 1951 and 1952 before joining the Yankees in 1955. That season, he batted .290 with ten home runs in 97 games. He batted .262 in 98 games in 1956 and .253 in 1957 before establishing himself as perhaps the best catcher in baseball, Yogi Berra or no Yogi Berra. Howard batted .314 with 11 home runs in 1958 and .273 with 18 home runs in 1959, but slumped to .245 in 1960. It must have been a momentary lapse, as he batted an amazing .348 in 1961, which was the third best mark in the Major Leagues. The twelve time all-star then batted .279 in 1962 and hit .287 in 1963. Howard also had 28 home runs and 85 RBI’s in 1963, and his performance both at the plate and behind it won him the AL MVP Award. Howard hit .313 with 15 homers, 84 RBI’s and a second straight Gold Glove award in 1964 (and finished as the third place MVP) but suddenly couldn’t hit very  well anymore. His batting averages dropped down to .233, .256 and .178, and he split time between the Yankees and the Red Sox in 1967. Howard batted .241 in 71 games for the Red Sox in 1968 (the “Year of the Pitcher”) before being released. Despite the slow finish, Elston Howard was overall one of the best catchers in the history of baseball and one who was good enough to be a Hall of Famer, but was overlooked in an era of great home run hitters and pitchers. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games career: 1,623 season high: 150 in 1964 

At Bats career: 5,436 season high: 550 in 1964 

Hits career: 1,490 season high: 172 in 1964 

Doubles career: 223 season high: 27 in 1964 

Triples career: 52 season high: 7 in 1955 

Home Runs career: 168 season high: 28 in 1963 

Runs career: 633 season high: 75 in 1963 

Runs Batted In career: 773 season high: 91 in 1962 

Stolen Bases career: 10 season high: 3 in 1960 

Walks career: 374 season high: 48 in 1964 

Strikeouts career: 786 season high: 73 in 1964 (Howard's strikeout information for his stint in the NAL is unavailable)

Batting Average career: .274 season high: .348 in 1961 

On Base Percentage career: .321 season high: .387 in 1961 

Slugging Percentage career: .427 season high: .549 in 1961 

Total Bases career: 2,321 season high: 257 in 1963 

Sacrifice Hits career: 29 season high: 6 in 1957 

Fielding Percentage career: .991 season high: .998 in 1964 led AL C: .998 in 1964 

Double Plays career: 160 season high: 41 in 1959 

Putouts career: 7,592 season high: 939 in 1964 led AL C: 939 in 1964 

Assists career: 541 season high: 67 in 1964 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .439 season high: .548 in 1962 (Howard's caught stealing information for his stint in the NAL is unavailable) led AL C: .548 in 1962 

DID YOU KNOW?

-nicknamed “Eightball” 

-tied a record by cracking out two hits in one inning in the 1960 World Series

-homered, doubled, and scored four runs in the NALC in 1948

-homered in five different World Series and batted at least .400 in two of them

-replaced Hall of Famer Yogi Berra as the Yankees' catcher, who in turn replaced fellow Hall of Famer Bill Dickey 

-won the 1958 Babe Ruth Award for the best offensive performance in the postseason 

-retired with the career record for fielding percentage by a catcher 

-finished 17th in the AL MVP voting in both 1958 and 1967 and tenth in 1961 

-was the first black player ever to win the AL MVP Award 

-played on the most World Series losing teams in a career (six, tied with Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese) 

-led the AL in games caught (146) in 1964 

-was the first black coach in AL history (1969) 

-also played 85 games at first base, 246 in leftfield, 42 in rightfield, 175 as a pinch hitter, and two as a pinch runner 

-his number 32 is retired by the Yankees 

-is honored with a plaque in Monument Park