Washington Senators slugger Frank Howard, who spent seven seasons in D.C. and was the driving force behind the teams of the late 1960s and early 1970s, has died at age 87, the Washington Nationals announced Monday. .
A Nationals spokesman said his family informed the team of Howard's death. No cause of death was provided.
Howard came to D.C. in 1965 in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he won a World Series in 1963. Known for his towering 6-foot-7 frame and tape-measure home runs, Howard hit 237 of his 382 career . home runs during his seven years with the Senators.
“Growing up as a baseball fan in Washington, DC, Frank Howard was my hero,” said Washington Nationals Principal Owner and Manager Mark D. Lerner. “The towering home runs he hit in the stands at RFK Stadium earned him the nickname 'Capital Punisher,' but I will 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 baseball world has truly lost a giant.”
Also nicknamed “Hondo,” Howard played 1,895 regular-season games and three postseason games between 1958 and 1973. He spent brief time as a manager, with the San Diego Padres in 1981 and the New York Mets in 1983.
At DC, Howard played outfield and first base and was a 4-time All Star, finishing in the top 5 in MVP voting in 1969 and 1970. He holds the DC baseball record for most home runs in a season (48 ), plus consecutive games. with a home run (6) and the highest slugging percentage of his career (.513).
