Dick Howser
Encyclopedia
Richard Dalton Howser was an American
Major League Baseball
shortstop
, coach
and manager
. He is best known as the manager of the Kansas City Royals
during the 1980s, and for guiding them to the franchise's only World Series title in 1985
.
, Howser grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida
, graduated from Palm Beach High School and attended college at Florida State University
. He was a member of the Sigma Nu
fraternity. At Florida State, he received honors twice as an All-American shortstop and set a school record with a batting average
of .422 in 1956. Signed by the Kansas City Athletics, he hit .280, stole
37 bases, scored 108 runs, and led American League
shortstops in putout
s and error
s in his rookie season. For this, he was selected to the 1961 All-Star
team and named The Sporting News
rookie of the year.
A
His production declined in the following two years, and his only other season as a regular was with the Cleveland Indians
in 1964
. His major league career spanned eight seasons with three clubs: Kansas City, Cleveland, and the New York Yankees
.
Immediately following his playing career, he was the third base coach
with the Yankees for ten seasons (1969–78), then spent one year, 1979, as head baseball coach at his alma mater, Florida State.
, managing one game with the Yankees between Billy Martin
's and Bob Lemon
's first tours as skipper in the Bronx. In 1980
, he returned from Florida State to become a full-time manager of the Yanks
, taking them to the AL Eastern Division championship with a 103-59 record, but losing three consecutive games to the Kansas City Royals
in the playoffs
.
Howser was one of the few Yankee managers who refused to let owner George Steinbrenner
push him around. Steinbrenner had a rule about facial hair, which Reggie Jackson
would skirt around from time to time in 1980. Howser, thinking it was unimportant with the year Reggie was having, refused to correct Jackson, but Jackson later relented and shaved out of respect for Howser. Also, whenever Steinbrenner would call the manager's office before or after games while Howser was meeting with coaches or reporters, Howser would pick up the phone, say "I'm busy!", and hang up.
Steinbrenner, however, got the last word. In Game 2 of the 1980 ALCS, Yankee third base coach Mike Ferraro
waved Willie Randolph
home on a double by Bob Watson with two outs in the top of the eighth inning and the Yankees down 3-2. Randolph was gunned down at the plate on a relay throw by George Brett, prompting Steinbrenner to jump out of his seat and shout what appeared to be profanities on live national television. Steinbrenner wanted Ferraro fired on the spot after the game, but Howser refused. The Yankees would go on to lose the ALCS in three games, and Steinbrenner fired Howser shortly after that.
In the 2007 ESPN
produced mini-series The Bronx Is Burning
, Howser was portrayed by actor Max Casella
.
, his postseason rival, hired him to manage the last 33 games of the strike-shortened 1981
season. Under Howser, the Royals finished second in 1982
and 1983
. Prior to the 1984
season, their clubhouse ravaged by drug problems, the Royals started disassembling their team and starting over. Kansas City expected 1984 to be a rebuilding year, but Howser guided the young team to a division title. The Royals were defeated by the Detroit Tigers
in the American League Championship Series
, three games to none.
The following year, Howser guided the Royals
to their first and to date, only World Series
title, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals
in seven games.
, Howser managed the 1986 All-Star Game
at the Astrodome
in Houston
. Broadcasters noticed he was messing up signals when he changed pitchers, and Howser later admitted he felt sick before the game. It was the last game he would manage in the major leagues, as he was diagnosed with a brain tumor
and underwent surgery. Howser guided the AL to a 3–2 victory, starting a 25-year stretch that has seen the junior circuit go 19–5–1 in the Mid-Summer Classic after going 2–21 from 1963
through 1985
.
of 1987
with Kansas City
, but quickly found he was physically too weak and abandoned the attempt in late February, when Billy Gardner
took over. Three months later, he died in St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri
, and was buried in Tallahassee, Florida
. His death was caused by a brain tumor.
On July 3, 1987, Howser's number 10 became the first number retired by the Kansas City Royals. Also in that year, the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce established the Dick Howser Trophy
, college baseball's equivalent of college football's Heisman Trophy
, in Howser's honor.
Florida State University
's baseball team plays on Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium
, named in his honor, and he is honored with a bronze bust on the stadium grounds.
The Royals also commission a new bronze statue for their Outfield Experience to cap off the end of Kaufman Stadium renovations in 2009. The statue was revealed in a dedication ceremony on Opening Day, April 10, 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. He is best known as the manager of the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
during the 1980s, and for guiding them to the franchise's only World Series title in 1985
1985 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 19, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri-Game 2:Sunday, October 20, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri...
.
Playing career
A native of Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, Howser grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
, graduated from Palm Beach High School and attended college at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. He was a member of the Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu is an undergraduate, college fraternity with chapters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia...
fraternity. At Florida State, he received honors twice as an All-American shortstop and set a school record with a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .422 in 1956. Signed by the Kansas City Athletics, he hit .280, stole
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
37 bases, scored 108 runs, and led American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
shortstops in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s and error
Error
The word error entails different meanings and usages relative to how it is conceptually applied. The concrete meaning of the Latin word "error" is "wandering" or "straying". Unlike an illusion, an error or a mistake can sometimes be dispelled through knowledge...
s in his rookie season. For this, he was selected to the 1961 All-Star
1961 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1961 Major League Baseball All-Star Game may refer to:*The 1961 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was a 5-4 victory for the National League over the American League*The 1961 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was a 1-1 tie...
team and named The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
rookie of the year.
A
His production declined in the following two years, and his only other season as a regular was with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in 1964
1964 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in a tie for sixth place in the American League with the Minnesota Twins, while winning 79 and losing 83, 20 games behind the AL champion New York Yankees.- Offseason :...
. His major league career spanned eight seasons with three clubs: Kansas City, Cleveland, and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.
Immediately following his playing career, he was the third base coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
with the Yankees for ten seasons (1969–78), then spent one year, 1979, as head baseball coach at his alma mater, Florida State.
Managerial career
As a manager at the major league level, Howser was highly successful, never finishing lower than second place during his seven-year managerial career.New York Yankees
He made his debut in 19781978 New York Yankees season
The 1978 New York Yankees season was the 76th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 100-63, finishing one game ahead of the Boston Red Sox to win their third American League East title. The two teams were tied after 162 games, leading to a one-game playoff, which the Yankees...
, managing one game with the Yankees between Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
's and Bob Lemon
Bob Lemon
Robert Granville Lemon was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976....
's first tours as skipper in the Bronx. In 1980
1980 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:World Series: Philadelphia Phillies over Kansas City Royals ; Mike Schmidt, MVP*American League Championship Series: Frank White, MVP*National League Championship Series Manny Trillo, MVP...
, he returned from Florida State to become a full-time manager of the Yanks
1980 New York Yankees season
The 1980 New York Yankees season was the 78th season for the franchise in New York, and its 80th season overall. The team finished with a record of 103-59, finishing in first place in the American League East, 3 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles. The Kansas City Royals swept the Yanks in the...
, taking them to the AL Eastern Division championship with a 103-59 record, but losing three consecutive games to the Kansas City Royals
1980 Kansas City Royals season
The 1980 Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. The Royals finished first in the American League West with a record of 97 wins and 65 losses...
in the playoffs
1980 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 8, 1980 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MissouriThe series opener saw the Yankees throw their ace, Ron Guidry, against the Royals' Larry Gura. In the top of the second, the Bronx Bombers jumped out to a 2–0 lead when Rick Cerone and Lou Piniella smacked back-to-back...
.
Howser was one of the few Yankee managers who refused to let owner George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
push him around. Steinbrenner had a rule about facial hair, which Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
would skirt around from time to time in 1980. Howser, thinking it was unimportant with the year Reggie was having, refused to correct Jackson, but Jackson later relented and shaved out of respect for Howser. Also, whenever Steinbrenner would call the manager's office before or after games while Howser was meeting with coaches or reporters, Howser would pick up the phone, say "I'm busy!", and hang up.
Steinbrenner, however, got the last word. In Game 2 of the 1980 ALCS, Yankee third base coach Mike Ferraro
Mike Ferraro
Michael Dennis Ferraro is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman. He played for the New York Yankees , Seattle Pilots , and the Milwaukee Brewers...
waved Willie Randolph
Willie Randolph
Willie Larry Randolph is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and manager, most recently the third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles...
home on a double by Bob Watson with two outs in the top of the eighth inning and the Yankees down 3-2. Randolph was gunned down at the plate on a relay throw by George Brett, prompting Steinbrenner to jump out of his seat and shout what appeared to be profanities on live national television. Steinbrenner wanted Ferraro fired on the spot after the game, but Howser refused. The Yankees would go on to lose the ALCS in three games, and Steinbrenner fired Howser shortly after that.
In the 2007 ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
produced mini-series The Bronx Is Burning
The Bronx Is Burning
The Bronx Is Burning is a television drama that debuted on ESPN on July 9, 2007, after the 2007 MLB Home Run Derby. It is an eight-episode mini-series adapted from Jonathan Mahler's best-selling book, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning...
, Howser was portrayed by actor Max Casella
Max Casella
Max Casella is an American actor. He is known for his roles on the television series The Sopranos, Doogie Howser, M.D., and as the voice of Daxter in the Jak and Daxter video game series.-Life and career:...
.
Kansas City Royals
The next year, Kansas City1981 Kansas City Royals season
The Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing 4th in the American League West with a record of 50 wins and 53 losses...
, his postseason rival, hired him to manage the last 33 games of the strike-shortened 1981
1981 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees ; Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, and Steve Yeager, co-MVPsNOTE: Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half...
season. Under Howser, the Royals finished second in 1982
1982 Kansas City Royals season
The Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing 2nd in the American League West with a record of 90 wins and 72 losses.- Offseason :...
and 1983
1983 Kansas City Royals season
The Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing 2nd in the American League West with a record of 79 wins and 83 losses.- Offseason :* December 8, 1982: Tim Ireland was released by the Royals....
. Prior to the 1984
1984 Kansas City Royals season
The Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing 1st in the American League West with a record of 84 wins and 78 losses.- Offseason :* October 17, 1983: Eric Rasmussen was released by the Royals....
season, their clubhouse ravaged by drug problems, the Royals started disassembling their team and starting over. Kansas City expected 1984 to be a rebuilding year, but Howser guided the young team to a division title. The Royals were defeated by the Detroit Tigers
1984 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers won the 1984 World Series, defeating the San Diego Padres, 4 games to 1. The season was their 84th since they entered the American League in 1901 and their fourth World Series championship. Detroit relief pitcher Willie Hernandez won the Cy Young Award and was chosen as the...
in the American League Championship Series
1984 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 2, 1984 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MissouriGame 1 was a blowout in Kansas City, as Jack Morris pitched seven innings and allowed a single run, with Willie Hernandez pitching the final two innings. The Tigers scored eight runs...
, three games to none.
The following year, Howser guided the Royals
1985 Kansas City Royals season
The 1985 Kansas City Royals season ended with the Royals' first world championship win over their intrastate rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals. The Royals won the Western Division of the American League for the second consecutive season and the sixth time in ten years...
to their first and to date, only World Series
1985 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 19, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri-Game 2:Sunday, October 20, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri...
title, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals
1985 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals' 1985 season was the team's 104th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 94th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 101-61 during the season and finished in first place in the National League East division by three games over the New York Mets...
in seven games.
1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
As manager of the defending AL champions, the Kansas City Royals1986 Kansas City Royals season
The Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing 3rd in the American League West with a record of 76 wins and 86 losses.-Notable transactions:...
, Howser managed the 1986 All-Star Game
1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1986 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 57th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 15, 1986 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, the home of the...
at the Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. Broadcasters noticed he was messing up signals when he changed pitchers, and Howser later admitted he felt sick before the game. It was the last game he would manage in the major leagues, as he was diagnosed with a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
and underwent surgery. Howser guided the AL to a 3–2 victory, starting a 25-year stretch that has seen the junior circuit go 19–5–1 in the Mid-Summer Classic after going 2–21 from 1963
1963 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1963 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 31st playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held in Cleveland, Ohio, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, home of the American...
through 1985
1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 56th playing of the game, annually played between the All-Stars of the National League and the All-Stars of the American League. The game was played on July 16, 1985, in the Hubert H...
.
Death
Howser attempted a comeback during spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
of 1987
1987 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over St. Louis Cardinals ; Frank Viola, MVP**American League Championship Series: Gary Gaetti, MVP**National League Championship Series: Jeff Leonard, MVP...
with Kansas City
1987 Kansas City Royals season
The Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing 2nd in the American League West with a record of 83 wins and 79 losses.-Offseason:...
, but quickly found he was physically too weak and abandoned the attempt in late February, when Billy Gardner
Billy Gardner
William Frederick Gardner is an American former Major League Baseball player, coach and manager. Gardner was a scrappy light-hitting second baseman who batted and threw right-handed. Gardner played for the New York Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees,...
took over. Three months later, he died in St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri
Saint Luke's Hospital (Kansas City, Missouri)
Saint Luke's Hospital is an tertiary care hospital located in Kansas City, Missouri. It is part of the Saint Luke's Health System.-Hospital Background:...
, and was buried in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
. His death was caused by a brain tumor.
Tributes
On July 3, 1987, Howser's number 10 became the first number retired by the Kansas City Royals. Also in that year, the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce established the Dick Howser Trophy
Dick Howser Trophy
The Dick Howser Trophy, considered to be the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, is an award presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year, presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ....
, college baseball's equivalent of college football's Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, in Howser's honor.
Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
's baseball team plays on Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium
Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium
Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium is a stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, located adjacent to Doak Campbell Stadium on the campus of Florida State University. Used primarily for baseball, it is the home field of the Florida State Seminoles baseball team. It opened in 1983 and was renovated...
, named in his honor, and he is honored with a bronze bust on the stadium grounds.
The Royals also commission a new bronze statue for their Outfield Experience to cap off the end of Kaufman Stadium renovations in 2009. The statue was revealed in a dedication ceremony on Opening Day, April 10, 2009.