I'm hoping you never make any money from RU-vid. Grifter. It's so sad to see ballplayers in memorabilia shops, even worse when you attempt to monetize their stories. Disgusting.
This story is about Frank Howard as much as it is about Mantle.....Howard was some kind of player.....not as talented as Mickey but lots of kids idolized him none the less.....He was a hugh man who didnot fit the look of a ball player but had everyone respect him on and off the field.....at bat he looked out of place until his bat made contact with the ball.....at that point his homeruns shattered the air and landed in a different zipcode.....i will always remember him as someone who was fun to watch play.....thanks for the great memeories Frank Howard.....Some of his Homeruns are still traveling to this day i a sure...
I was lucky enough to have him as a coach my first year in pro ball. He was the absolute best. Commanded respect from everyone no matter who they were.
Has a young boy growing up in Northern Virginia in the 60’s that man right there was a God to me!!!! Thank you Frank for making my childhood full of baseball and hero’s fun.
I was 16 years old with 3 friends at this game, the first of a doubleheader. I’m 68 and I’ll never forget it. About 39 years ago the Mick was signing for the opening of a new sporting goods store where I brought a student in my class to see the Mick and get a ball signed. I mentioned this game to Mick and he remembered it well. I asked why he didn’t come out for the second game and he replied “ if I coulda walked out for the second game I would’ve, my legs were shot “ “ I was seeing the ball like a beach ball. It still is an amazing memory!
I was at the game when I was 12. Great memory of me with my Dad. See my comment above. Mantle was on deck with 2 outs at the end of the 2nd Game. I think it was Tresh who struck out so Mantle didn't get a chance to go 6 for 6.
I was there too for that game! I was 15 . The greatest day of my life. They ripped the Senators 13 to 4. They lost the 2nd game. You may remember that Mantle was in the on deck circle about to pinch hit when the game ended.
Frank Howard, a hugely popular giant of a man who singlehandedly elevated Washington baseball from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s, has died, the Nationals announced on Monday October 30, 2023. He was 87. Though Howard never guided the Washington Senators to the postseason, he was an All-Star four times, had two top-5 finishes in MVP voting and won two home run crowns during his time with the club from 1965-71. Howard, who stood 6-foot-7 and weighed more than 250 pounds during his heyday, was aptly nicknamed “The Capital Punisher” and “The Washington Monument.” His mammoth home runs -- including a 500-foot shot at RFK Stadium in 1970 -- only added to his legend. He finished his career with 382 home runs, leading the Majors with 44 in 1968 and the American League with 44 in '70.
rest in peace to frank howard! although i never met him personally, i was always so proud to know he came into my dad’s store all these years ago. seemed like such a nice guy
Frank Howard lived in the offseason in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Someone took a picture of him during one winter when the snow had to be at least three feet deep. The picture showed Frank shoveling snow - in his shorts and in his T-Shirt! What a man!
I found it interesting that Frank lived in Green Bay. While Mantle was my favorite baseball player, Paul Hornung was my favorite in the NFL. They had more in common than their blonde hair. Both could do it all. Thanks for posting this story. As his career was fading, Hornung scored FIVE touchdowns in 1965. A last hurrah for both stars.......
Frank's home run at RFK during the '69 All-Star game is one of the highlights of my baseball fandom. He was the idol of Senators fans, who refused to sit down until Big Frank emerged from the dugout to tip his cap - a rarity in those days. Goosebumps!
My Dad had season tickets to the Senators and our 4 seats were row 1 next to the Senators dugout. I have fabulous memories watching Frank and got to meet him once. Class Act to say the least and no one could hit a ball harder than him. I once saw him hit a ball that the shortstop jump for and miss. It kept going, BANGED off the outfield metal wall and came back in towards 2nd base. Everyone just gasped then cheered.
I saw Frank upclose during warm ups in 1971 Yankee Stadium- I was 11 years old- My dad was a 6"4 Irish Cop in NYC- when I saw Frank I saw a man who was bigger than my own Dad, I did not know that was possible- a memory I will never forget.
Frank Howard played winter league baseball with my father, Carlos Bernier in the 1960s. I once asked my Dad who hit the longest homerun that he ever saw. He did not hesitate to say Frank Howard. They were playing a twilight game at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. My father said that he hit the ball like he was golfing. The ball kept rising as it left the park via the center field fence and into the night. It went past the lights and they estimated it could have been 500ft. He said it was like watching an aspirin leaving the stadium. The ball kept getting smaller and smaller as it left the park. Clearly, this wasn't an everyday occurrence at Hiram Bithorn. Only three players have had that distinguished accomplishment: Frank Howard, Reggie Jackson and Roberto Clemente.
I know the KC announcers respected him, and when I was a kid at the old Municipal Stadium in KC, he signed a ball for me, and chatted me up with a smile. ❤️
Howard was a huge man, the bat looked like a toothpick in his hands. I remember a game late in his career against the Orioles on TV when he got fooled on a breaking ball and his lower hand came off the bat as he flicked wildly at the ball. He caught enough of it that it actually went out and cleared the left field fence, one handed on a pitch he was fooled on and didn't get a full swing-no leg action into it. Crazy. Also heard stories about him living in Green Bay Wisconsin and shoveling snow in the winter in a T-shirt.
I’m a old sailor here in the Philippines. I was stationed in Maryland back in 1967 & 1968. Fond memories of going to watching him and the Senators play in DC.
I was fortunate enough to see him in person at a Liquor Store called Esquire Liquors in Oxon Hill, Md. He was being sponsored by Jim Beam and was such a wonderful and nice person to talk to. Thank you Mr. Frank Howard for many great memories.
I remember Vin Scully telling about a fight between the Dodgers and Reds . Frank Howard and Big Klu just stood on the side talking together as if to say we’re too big for this we might hurt someone😆
Frank Howard was my idol! When the Nationals started playing in DC they played at RFK. They repainted the seats white where Howard's home runs landed. It was awesome. I recall an interview with him and he was asked about how he felt about the seats being painted white to represent his towering Homer's. He responded with it was wonderful, they painted one green everytime I struck out. What a great man.
I'd like to know more about some of Frank Howard's prodigious home runs. I remember reading newspaper accounts of his home runs the following day. If my memory serves me correctly, did he knock a foul ball over the left field roof at Yankee Stadium in game 1 of the 1963 World Series. I heard about the ball he hit in 1970 over the same roof that was called foul.
"Hondo", Frank Howard... His old room mate "The Hawk", Ken Harrelson talks about him all the time on the White Sox broadcast... He loved having Frank Howard as a teammate... As far as Mickey Mantle goes, one of the greatest natural talents I ever saw, natural power!... New York, #7, YES!
I used to go see Frank Howard at RFK in DC. He either crushed the ball into the upper deck or struck out. Great guy one of the nicest people ever to play in MLB.
Frank "Hondo" Howard, one of a kind. Along with Mickey Mantle and Harmon Killebrew, one of the great power hitters, and long ball home run hitters in Major League Baseball history.
yeah, didn't Howard hit a Home Run outta Tiger Stadium in Detroit!!?! the only one to do it over left field!!?! a friend at the game, said the next time Howard came up to bat, a guy was on the left field roof with a baseball glove and his arms outstretched!!!
I saw Frank Howard play with the Senators against the Yankees at the STADIUM in 1967. He hit a bullet line drive that ascended gradually until it settled in the right center field bleachers, a good 475 feet away. That was the hardest ball I ever saw hit.
I recall reading about a locker room interview with Ted Williams ,who was managing Frank's team. He was asked if they could beat the team they were playing that day. To paraphrase Ted, gesturing at Frank..."I don't know if we can beat 'em, but I wouldn't mind fighting 'em…".
I just saw that Dick Cavett Show with Hank Aaron, Leo Durocher, Mickey Mantle and Tom Gorman. Mantle said Hank Aaron was the best all round player he ever saw, and that Frank Howard hit the ball harder than anyone.
Heard of this man from my grandparents ( 73 now), and they tell me about these gentlemen, bandits a privilege and a thrill, to hear these stories. I hope Mr. Howard is alive and well. God bless you sir.
@@frankhoward7645 Now thats funny! I read the obits from time to time to make sure I'm still alive. I agree Al Kaline was a great player but then again I'm from Detroit. Have a great day.
I always loved hearing Frank. I was fortunate to have started watching or listening baseball in 1951, Mickey's rookie year. I watched every game I could then, and staid a huge Baseball fan and to this day. We went to the Stadium often. Ive never seen a player to compare to Mantle since. Switch hitter, longest HR hitter next to Ruth. Fastest player even on damaged knees. Great base stealer and amazing outfielder. I've never heard a sound comparable to when Mantle hit the ball. I wish fans today could experience Mickey Mantle. Oh, he played in a Stadium that was 463 feet in his power alley. When the Babe played, that wall was 495 feet. 😂 and the baseball was suped up at least 3 times starting in 1969.
When we moved to Rockville, Md in 1967, Hondo became my favorite player in the AL. We used to get our hair cut at the same barber shop at Congressional Plaza in Rockville. I was always hopeful that I would see him there, but I never did. He always referred to himself as a "good," not great hitter. One of his all-time greatest seasons (that has been greatly overlooked by all baseball people) was 1968-The Year of the Pitcher. Frank hit 44 homers when only two others hit 30 or more (Willie Horton and Willie McCovey). At the home all-star game in 1969, he dropped a short popup hit by Matty Alou for an error in the first inning. I almost cried I felt so badly for him. But he hit a rocket to right-center over the fence off of Steve Carlton to make up for it. I still have a calendar from the 1970 season on which I marked every homer he hit that year with a "HBH", Homer By Hondo (44 total). During the years 1967-70, he hit more homers than anybody, including KIllebrew, McCovey and Aaron. Ted Williams said that Frank Howard hit the ball harder and farther than anybody he had ever seen. His name may have gotten lost in the baseball shuffle over the years, but for about five years, he was as feared a hitter that ever played the game.
@@h0gwartz Yep, he hit 10 homers in six games, still an MLB record. It could have easily been 11 in six games. I didn't get to go to many games ( I was just a kid), but I was lucky enough to see the first game in that streak. The Tigers rolled in to town, and they were crushing the league that year. Mickey Lolich was the starting pitcher that day for the Tigers. Hondo hit two homers that day, and almost had three; Willie Horton caught one with his back against the fence.
I will always remember this game, as I watched it on WPIX (Channel 11) and kept score of the game on a tray table. The Mick's last great game, and what a great story teller Frank Howard is! Had the scorebook for years after then it got lost. Always regretted losing it. Thanks for posting!
Im awfully late responding but little gems like keeping score of a game from home or on the radio, is lost today. It's a shame. Personally, i'd LOVE to go thru a binder of old Baseball score sheets. I recently found some old handwritten Strat-O-Matic season stats i kept from 1987 and got a real kick out of going thru them.
I remember this game too! As I recall it was the first game of a doubleheader. Yanks won the first game. Mick was rested for the second game, but was in the on deck circle when Stick Michael struck out to end the game, obviously a loss.
@@Mike7911779 LOL Strat-O-Matic. Me and my friend played two seasons from 1981 and 1982 cards. Had a draft and we each had 8 super teams. Got to know all the players inside and out. Some of those old cards would be more valuable to me than the regular baseball cards.
I saw Frank playing baseball in 1962 during winter. During practice, he gave me quite a scare when he reached over the chain link at the spot where I was standing, as if trying to reach a ball hit that way. It was just a joke that frightened me a little bit, but Mr. Howard was laughing non-stop. He was a very congenial man.
I was lucky enough to be 3 rows back of first base when Frank Howard was the 1st base coach for the Mets. (Late 90's) He is a huge man with a bigger voice. Jason Isringhausen threw a 2 hit shutout (best game of his career?) but what I remember most is the booming voice out of this man. A true ball player!
I was at this game and it was my most incredible baseball experience. I even published an essay about the experience, "Memorial Day." When Mick singled and was standing on first base next to Howard, he looked like a little leaguer. He sat out the second game of the doubleheader, but in the ninth, with two outs he came on deck as a pinch-hitter. The roar of the crowd was astounding, but shortstop Gene Michael grounded out to end the game.
I saw the Yanks-Senators later that year. A Twi-night double-header. Remember those? The Yanks won 16-2, and 10-zip. Despite the 28 runs scored, the first game started at 5pm, and we were out around 10:30! And yes, BIG Frank Howard was there!
C. R. Stevens I saw most of those against the Tigers. including the one he put out of the stadium in Detroit in left field over the roof. Probably the longest ball I ever saw. Lolich was pitching.
Believe it or not, I heard about that HR, the last one he hit on that stretch I think. And he did it in 1968 the year of the pitcher. I read where he hit one out of old Yankee Stadium. Wish I could have seen him play.
In 1970 or 71 I saw him hit a homer at Tiger Stadium to dead straight center field over the 440 foot fence that went almost as high as it did in length. At first I thought it was a routine fly out. No ball hit that high could possibly go that far but it just kept going. It landed in the upper deck. Massive power.
During a six game stretch from May 12, 1968 to May 18, 1968 the 6'7″ tall and 270lbs, Frank Howard punished the opposing pitchers by hitting a Major League-record 10 home runs in a span of 20 at bats. Nobody will beat that stat!
I lived in New Rochelle, NY at the time and was sitting in box seats along the first base side while in attendance at that game I remember all too well, as a 15 year old high school student at Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle.
I remember seeing Frank Howard hit flyballs to the outfielders during warm-ups at old County Stadium while a member of the Milwaukee Brewers coaching staff. He was a big man and used to blast those flyballs so f#¥£ing high. I can still hear the crack of the bat even today, and my mom telling me "he used to play for the Braves back in the day".
I've got a bunch of Frank Howard baseball cards, '66 - '69. A Columbus boy and Buckeye. He got rooked for MVP in '70. Led the league in homers, RBIs, and BBs, and was voted fifth. Same as '68 when he led the league in homers, slugging, and TBs and was voted 8th. The curse of being on a losing team.
A remembrance of Big Frank Howard or "Hondo" as he was affectionally known is still in my memory. He played for the Detroit Tigers for the '72 & '73 seasons. Nobody wanted to pitch to him at Tiger Stadium and man, could he hit the ball a long way
For those curious, look up the 1971 All Star Game at old Tiger Stadium. Yup, that man talking in this video was one of those All Stars who participated! The Capitol Punisher, from The Expansion Era Washington Senators, spent that game playing with guys who went on to The Hall of Fame....🇵🇷🇺🇸😎
Chuck here: Dad was an announcer at KFI. KFI at the time was the Dodgers station. Dad got my brother and i into the course way behind the plate at the L.A. Coliseum before a game. Frank Howard is a rookie. He jogs by and Dad says Frank these our my sons blah blah. We stared at Mr. Howard. He stared at us. A huge man and shy, very shy. His eyes were bewildered. He just was a kid himself. Not use to little kids staring. An amazing little moment. Being nine at the time i was a year and a half older than Dave, my brother. We three just stared at each other. Dad kind of saved all of us by saying thank you for your time Mr. Howard. He kind of mumbled something and jogged to the field. 1960, Mr. Howard was ROY. My favorite still. (10-1-22)
So great to watch "Hondo" after all these years. Loved his insights and memories of his playing days. Would love to see more of the man. I saw him often enough over the years in person and what a sight he was. Big and Strong with awesome power. He scared the hell out of many pitchers he faced as he hit the ball pretty damn hard himself and he hit hit some incredible moon shots. It's too bad that he didn't get the chance to be coached by Ted Williams earlier in his career. No telling how many homers he would have hit. Although 382 in 16 seasons is nothing to sneeze at, especially since he played in such a pitching dominant era.
@@karlhess7064 He might have been in the top 25 all time when he retired, I'm not quite sure. He also retired with a .273 career batting average. He's still in the top 1000 all time out of around 20,000 who ever played and probably in the top 15 percent of all position players who had long careers.
yeah, I talked with Frank Howard in Kansas City in 1965! he let me take his picture! Eddie Brinkman told me not to get to close to him! really, how could I!!?! Howard was so BIG, I needed distance to keep him in the picture! the net year I saw him hit a Home Run in RFK! I swear, the ball never got over 12 feet high and made A BIG OL' DENT in the scoreboard!
As we all know, Hondo was a sensational batter during his great career. However, his career as a coach has been largely overlooked. It was said he was a great batting coach and morale booster in his role as bench coach. He was extremely popular with the players and coaching staff alike. And as we can readily see from the video and from comments below, he has always been and will always be a great ambassador for MLB. When you combine all these factors, I sincerely believe he should be in baseball's Hall of Fame.
merc cadoosis, While his accomplishments were pretty much unparalleled in the manner he achieved them, I have to disagree. Simply put, he doesn't possess the lifetime numbers to justify it. If one wants to claim he's in the nearly there, but not quite, grouping of players, I wouldn't argue, particularly since he piled up his bona fides in such a pretty abbreviated number of years. Should McGriff get in? His numbers are significantly better, but IMHO, neither of them were dominant players of their eras, by most metrics one can use, old or new school. Naturally, as I see it, Baines is even less qualified, and his election was a sham.
@@mitchellmelkin4078 ''metrics'' Today's generation is hung up on statistics. We old schoolers consider quality of play and impact on the game much more than mere stats. What we used to call "intangibles", not just numbers. While he make not make the HOF, if I were to start a team he'd definitely be on my list as one of the best of all time.
In Big Hondo's days the strike zone was from the top of the shoulders to the bottom of the knees. From the 1980s onward, the K zone shrank from just above the waistline to the top of the knees. In a game of inches, just imagine what an impact that has had on the offensive numbers in MLB. Increase the K zone to what it was in the old days and the numbers for walks, hits, HRs, and other offense would drop dramatically. I'd like to see some one come up with a metrics measure of such numbers.
merc cadoosis, I have only a vague sense of the most common of modern metrics that have changed the game's parameters in the last decade +. At the same time, I'm of a vintage to have seen Howard play at RFK, for about the last half dozen years he did so (and I wasn't an infant during any of that time). I used that word in more of a general interpretation than how it's reflexively reacted to today. While I don't doubt the currency of those intangibles you speak to, it isn't accurate to contend that credence wasn't given to the orthodox statistics (or metrics) that were the qualitative standard, for so many decades of baseball's history. Individual players who filled the role of chemistry producers, or the glue holding a winning organization together, deserve their due, but not if their actual performance, wasn't outstanding in comparison to other greats at their positions, who played contemporaneously. So, Rizzuto may be fondly recalled as being in the middle of a dominant stretch of his team, but his presence in the Hall, can't be justified, IMO. My point is that Howard, save for a 3-4 year period in DC, never was a pacesetter (with league offensive titles to prove it). However stupendous his performances over that brief time, the fact that they weren't close to being duplicated by him, before and after, strongly intimates that enshrinenent isn't genuinely merited.
@@mitchellmelkin4078 Chuck here: Mr Howard had a couple three years that are very note worthy while playing in the Dodgers 'pitchers park'. I saw Howard hit a home run in a WS that was in the loge level deck. He hit them a long ways. Still have his rookie card.
I like the way he talked about Aaron adjusting his batting style to fit the ballpark. Too much pride to do that now - they'll go from .289 to .240 overnight and wonder why.
Frank Howard was a friend of my dads when I was in elementary school. My dad was an LAPD Homicide Detective. He asked Frank to pick me up from school one day (Woodlake Elementary in Woodland Hills CA.) and Frank showed up in a blue Chevy Corvair. He was so big, the car tilted to one side. When he went inside to pick me up, he was mobbed by the kids and the teachers. To this day, when I see friends from my elementary school they ask "Do you remember the day Frank Howard came to our school to pick you up"............. Yes I do. I also remember seeing Don Drysdale in his pink 1960 Lincoln Convertible on Ventura Blvd all the time. He lived in Hidden Hills in the early 60's and always had the time to talk to kids about baseball.
I saw Frank Howard hit a home run one time where he was fooled on a breaking pitch and dropped his back hand off the bat and hit the ball out with only his lead arm on the bat. Never seen anyone do that since.
Saw Frank play at RFK He had that huge strike zone and noone on that Senator team to back him up. Over 40 HRs a year and they were Bombs He hit one two seats from top of Stadium.Closest Anyone can from hitting one Out. Frank was the man on a poor team and too me, no one could hit like Frank. Great guy too.The trade for Claude Osteen, to Dodgers was a great movie in 1965. And in a pitchers era.
Hondo had 382 career home runs and a .273 career batting average. We thought of him in the day as a frightening physical freak who hit home runs but the numbers show he was a complete player including as a defensive player.
He was a Met coach under Bamberger. The Queens Chamber of Commerce had a Mets luncheon at the start of the season. I was at one of those luncheons and Howard came walking past my table. Put out my hand; he stopped to shake it and you couldn't see one of my fingers or a finger tip! And when he put his left hand on my shoulder, the shoulder was gone, too! He stood there for a minute or two talking and every Met behind him just had to wait or go around another way - there was no going past him. Big, big man.
I remember as a kid listening to the Yanks on the radio all the time. In one game against the Senators Horace Clarke hit a ball to SS. The SS made a throw that pulled Howard of first but he was able to swipe tag Clarke. I will never forget Rizzuto saying " Holy cow, Frank Howard just knocked Horace Clarke into the box seats.!"
Horace Clarke ,if you were a fan when he played your a real Yankee Fan After golfing in the late 1960’s The Yankees were on and a guy name Andy Kosko was batting 4th that was the low point in their history . They were bad . The comedy team of Bill White and Phil always made the games interesting .
Frank was a rookie sensation. Some people predicted that he would break all the home run records. He was never that good but had a solid career. Saw him hit a monster home run in the temporary stadium in Houston before the Astrodome was built.
