Howard stood taller than his 6-foot-7-inch frame as a baseball icon in a town with a desolate baseball history and not much to celebrate for many years -- losing and losing, not just baseball games, but entire teams.
Frank Howard played in the major leagues for 16 years. He spent seven of them with the Los Angeles Dodgers and seven more with the Washington Senators. He had some great teammates along the way — Sandy Koufax, Jim Gilliam and Ken McMullen, among others.
“I know it’s been written and said in many different ways, but the man’s heart far exceeded his great athletic talent,” Goss said. “His ability to deal with people was great. And he loved the game of baseball and felt fortunate to make a living doing it.” Howard gave of himself in every conversation he had with people who approached him, and given his size, he was easy to spot. “What a great storyteller,” Goss said. “He was never the star of the story, always a cast member. He could kiss the babies and talk to the grandmothers. Nobody was a stranger.”
The two worked together for years promoting Jim Beam, the Kentucky bourbon. They met while Goss worked at the legendary Georgetown bar J Paul’s. “When I was tending bar at J Paul’s, he was working for Jim Beam,” Goss said. “Frank enjoyed a drink or two. The place was packed. We were three deep, and he comes over the top like Godzilla and says, ‘Don’t tip the bastard, he is stealing enough on his own.
He was “the Capital Punisher,” the giant of a man who hit more home runs than anyone in Washington baseball history until Nationals star Ryan Zimmerman passed him in 2017 with his 238th career home run.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Frank Howard, the Washington Senators’ ‘Capital Punisher,’ dies at 87One of baseball’s most feared hitters, the gigantic slugger belted the final home run for the old Washington Senators in 1971.
Read more »
Frank Howard, 4-time Washington Senators All-Star, dies at 87Frank Howard, a four-time All-Star who slugged 382 home runs during a lengthy major league career that included a World Series title with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1963, has died. He was 87.
Read more »
Former Texas Ranger Frank Howard died on MondayThe 1962 Rookie of the Year hit the Texas Rangers’ first home run at Arlington Stadium.
Read more »
Legendary Washington Senators slugger Frank Howard dead at 87Frank Howard, a towering power hitter for the Washington Senators during the 1960s, has died at the age of 87.
Read more »
Frank Howard, ex-HR champ, World Series winner, dies at 87Frank Howard, a four-time All-Star who slugged 382 home runs during a lengthy major league career that included a World Series title with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1963, has died. He was 87.
Read more »
Frank Howard, former home run champ, Dodger ROY, dies at 87Howard won the National League Rookie of the Year award with the Dodgers in 1960, as well as the World Series in 1963. He was 87.
Read more »