MISSING IN ACTION: 1963 FLEER ELSTON HOWARD

Time to go and add the great Elston Howard to my long-running 1963 Fleer extension set, giving the eventual 1963 A.L. MVP a card in this iconic set:

After putting in some time in the Negro Leagues, he would eventually break the Yankees' color-barrier in 1955, immediately showing he belonged, with a .290 batting average and 10 homers in only 97 games, driving in 43 runs and scoring 33.

Two seasons later he would make his first All-Star team, the first of nine straight seasons doing so, and of course in 1963 would also be named the A.L. MVP when he hit 28 home runs with 85 RBIs while hitting .287, taking home the first of two straight Gold Gloves for his work behind the plate.

After a nice 14-year career as a player, finishing up his playing days as a member of the Boston Red Sox, he returned to the Bronx as a coach, a position he would hold for the next ten years until his untimely death from heart disease in 1980.

Four years later the Yankees would retire Howard's #32 in 1984, and I was actually at that ceremony as a young teen-aged kid of 15.

Incredible to think that was already over 40 years ago.

NEGRO LEAGUE TO MAJOR LEAGUE STARS: ELSTON HOWARD

Fun new thread to start today, celebrating Major League stars who played in the Negro Leagues, beginning with New York Yankees legend Elston Howard:

Howard was only 19 when he suited up for the Kansas City Monarchs in 1948 before heading off to serve in the military.

He's credited with appearing in 20 games that year, hitting .250 with 20 hits over 80 at-bats, driving in 13 runs while scoring 16.

He would eventually break the Yankees' color-barrier in 1955, immediately showing he belonged, with a .290 batting average and 10 homers in only 97 games, driving in 43 runs and scoring 33.

Two seasons later he would make his first All-Star team, the first of nine straight seasons doing so, and of course in 1963 would also be named the A.L. MVP when he hit 28 home runs with 85 RBIs while hitting .287, taking home the first of two straight Gold Gloves for his work behind the plate.

After a nice 14-year career as a player, finishing up his playing days as a member of the Boston Red Sox, he returned to the Bronx as a coach, a position he would hold for the next ten years until his untimely death from heart disease in 1980.

Four years later the Yankees would retire Howard's #32 in 1984, and I was actually at that ceremony as a young teenaged kid of 15.

FANTASY COACH CARD- 1973 ELSTON HOWARD

Here’s a card that came out nice: a coach card for Yankee great Elston Howard, who worked with the Yankees in that capacity for most of the decade after his excellent playing career:

Howard, the 1963 American League MVP and heir to the great Yogi Berra behind the plate in the Bronx, came back to the Yanks after finishing his career in Boston as a player, and was a trusted coach through the lean years of the early part of the decade, straight through the World Championship years of 1977 and 1978.
Many of you will remember that Howard was one of the guys in the dugout separating Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin when they were having their much-publicized fight on national television.
A great player and baseball man who sadly died way too young at the age of 51 in 1980.

ACCIDENTAL PHOTO BOMBING: PART VIII

It's been a long while since I've had a "photo bombing" post, as it's getting tougher to spot the stars in the background of other cards.

Nevertheless, today we'll take a look at two managerial cards from the 1970 Topps set: Yankees manager Ralph Houk (#273) and Braves manager Lum Harris (#86).

First up, I was pleasantly surprised to notice that standing in the background behind the "Major" was none other than former Yankee star and coach in 1969, Elston Howard. He's on the right of the photo, wearing the #32 uniform number.

After a nice 14-year career as a player where he even garnered an M.V.P. Award in 1963 for the Yanks, he returned to the Bronx as a coach, a position he would hold for the next ten years until his untimely death from heart disease in 1980.

Four years later the Yankees would retire Howard's #32 in 1984, and I was actually at that ceremony as a young teenaged kid of 15.

 

We have the 1963 A.L. M.V.P. on the right in the background here...

 

Next up we have the Atlanta Braves manager, Lum Harris, and his card in the 1970 set. 

If you look to the right of the card, standing behind Harris at the batting cages is former M.V.P. And future Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda during his relatively short tenure in a Braves uniform (he'd only play for Atlanta between 1969 and 1972 with injuries claiming a chunk of the last two years).

However his two full seasons for the Braves were very good, averaging 28 homers and just under 100 runs batted in.

A nice little "bump" of Hall of Fame class for those of us who care about these little things…

 

 

...and the 1967 N.L. M.V.P. on the right in the background here.