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One of the most physically intimidating hitters in the sport, Frank Howard debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958 and was named the National League's Rookie of the Year in 1960. Following the 1964 season he was traded to the Washington Senators and went on to lead the American League in home runs twice (1968 and 1970) and in slugging average, runs batted in and walks once each. His 382 career home runs were the eighth most by a right-handed hitter when he retired; his 237 home runs in a Washington uniform are a record for any of that city's several franchises, as are his 1969 totals of 48 HRs and 340 total bases. At the time Howard retired, he also held Washington/Texas franchise records of 1,172 games, 4,120 at bats, 246 HRs, 1,141 hits, 701 RBI, 544 runs, 155 doubles, 2,074 total bases and a .503 slugging average.
At 6 feet 7 inches and 260 pounds, Howard's hitting feats became legendary. Nicknamed "Hondo" in his early days in Los Angeles, his home run production in Washington made him a Washington fan favorite and earned him the nickname "The Capital Punisher." Hall of Famer Ted Williams, Howard's manager late in his career, called him "the strongest man in the history of baseball." He was a four-time All Star, earning the honor from 1968 through 1971, and was a member of the 1963 World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. In August, 1972 he was sold to the Detroit Tigers, finishing his career with the Tigers in 1973.
This is a Frank Howard game-used professional model baseball bat manufactured by the Hillerich & Bradsby Company. It is a signature model with Howard's name stamped in script on the barrel as he had an endorsement contract with the company at the time of manufacture. Although Howard's first order of bats from H & B were shipped on 4/18/1958, it is noteworthy that he did not sign an endorsement contract with the company until September, 1971, making Frank Howard signature model bats much more scarce than the block letter version.
This bat has what is commonly referred to as 1973-75 era labeling, however is specific to 1973, the final year of Howard's career. The Model Number R43 is stamped into knob of this bat. The bat has a natural, or regular, finish. It measures 36.5 inches in length and currently weighs approximately 33.5 ounces. This bat is uncracked. A review of Frank Howard's personal Hillerich & Bradsby factory shipping records documents three orders of model R43 bats during this labeling period matching the dimensions (36.5 inches / 33 ounces) and finish (natural) of this bat -- two of the shipments were shipped on 3/15/73 and one order (32 ounces) was shipped in early 1974, prior to Howard's retirement. The number 33 is evident on the knob of this bat, written in vintage marker. Howard wore uniform number 33 during his seasons with the Detroit Tigers. This bat exhibits a significant number of game use characteristics, including light pine tar remnants, hit marks, ball marks, and rack marks. Of particular interest is the barrel end of the bat, in which a piece of wood appears to have been removed and reset, possibly to alter the weight of the bat.
This bat was signed by Frank Howard in 1987, The signature, in black Sharpie, reads:
Frank 'Hondo' Howard 382 HR's
The signature is clear and unhurried, over 5 inches in length, and is a clear 10 on a scale of 10. This is a great opportunity to obtain a rare signature model game used bat from the last season in the career of one of the most feared sluggers in baseball, Frank Howard. The game use on this uncracked bat, along with Howard's perfect autograph, make this bat unbeatable.View Lot Detail page