Some upper deck seats RFK Stadium was painted whiteshowing where Frank Howard’s monster home runs went during his time in the Washington Senate (1965-1971).
Howard, known as Hondo or Capital Punisher, hit 237 career home runs. Ted Williams, the big-hitting slugger and one-time Senators manager, joked that those white sheets were a sign of Hondo’s legendary power: The other seats represented all the times he struck out.
Photo courtesy of Focus on Sport, Getty Images
The humble giant, 6 feet 7 inches tall and 255 pounds, whose history and influence in the nation’s capital resonated long after he and his fellow senators left for Texas, died yesterday at the age of 87.
“Growing up as a baseball fan in Washington, D.C., Frank Howard was my hero,” Washington Nationals managing principal owner Mark D. Lerner said in a press release about Howard’s passing. Ta.
“The towering home runs he hit into the stands at RFK Stadium earned him the nickname ‘The Punisher of the Capital,’ but I will always remember him as a kind and gentle man.
“The entire Lerner family would like to express our thoughts and condolences to Frank’s family during this difficult time. The world of baseball has truly lost a giant.”
Howard has 237 career home runs, second only to Ryan Zimmerman on the Senators.and his 284) He made most of his long balls for Washington, D.C., in his career, and to this day he continues to say this: He holds Washington DC baseball records for most home runs in a season (48), most home runs in consecutive games (6), and career slugging percentage (.513). ” As the club pointed out.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25046810/153937370.jpg)
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
“I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family of Frank Howard,” Nationals general manager and president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said Monday.
“Frank was a legend in this town and a player that D.C. baseball fans deeply respected.
“I have the utmost respect for him both as a baseball player and as a person, and it was always a pleasure to see him at Nationals Park. He was generous with his time and shared his knowledge and wisdom. He was never afraid to tell. He will be missed.”
