Bruce Howard, baseball player, 1963-1968

Bruce Howard

Born: 3/23/1943 in Salisbury, MD, USA

MLB Debut: 1963-09-04 | Final Game: 1968-09-07

Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Bruce Ernest Howard

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Biography

Bruce Howard, born in 1943, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1963 to 1968. Known for his strong right arm and competitive spirit, Howard played during a transitional period in Major League Baseball marked by the emergence of power hitters and a shift towards more dynamic pitching styles. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 26-31, showcasing his ability to compete against some of the best lineups of the time. With a career earned run average (ERA) of 3.18 and a total of 349 strikeouts, Howard demonstrated the skill and tenacity needed to excel in the league. While he recorded only one save, his contributions as a starting pitcher were significant, as he often took the mound in high-pressure situations. Howard’s playing era was characterized by the growing importance of relief pitchers, yet his ability to consistently challenge opponents made him a noteworthy figure on the mound. His career ultimately reflected the evolving nature of baseball during the 1960s, a decade that laid the groundwork for future generations of pitchers.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
26 31 120 75 7 4 1 528.7 449 187 45 239 349 3.18 0

Career ERA 3.18 vs. league average 3.39 across their career seasons — 6.1% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1963 CHW AL 2 1 7 0 0 0 1 17.0 12 5 14 9 2.65 3.46 (+23%) -
1964 CHW AL 2 1 3 3 1 1 0 22.3 10 2 8 17 0.81 3.58 (+77%) -
1965 CHW AL 9 8 30 22 1 1 0 148.0 123 57 72 120 3.47 3.50 (+1%) -
1966 CHW AL 9 5 27 21 4 2 0 149.0 110 38 44 85 2.30 3.52 (+35%) -
1967 CHW AL 3 10 30 17 1 0 0 112.7 102 43 52 76 3.43 3.30 (-4%) -
1968 BAL AL 0 2 10 5 0 0 0 31.0 30 13 26 19 3.77 2.98 (-27%) -1345.9
1968 WS2 AL 1 4 13 7 0 0 0 48.7 62 29 23 23 5.36 2.98 (-80%) -2145.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
120 147 5 17 5 1 1 7 0 11 49 0.116 0.181 0.184 0.365 -414.1

Career AVG .116 vs. league average .245 across their career seasons — 52.8% below league average.

Career OBP .181 vs. league average .308 across their career seasons — 41.1% below league average.

Career SLG .184 vs. league average .366 across their career seasons — 49.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.365 vs. league average 0.674 across their career seasons — 45.8% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1963 CHW AL 7 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.250 — — — — 0.0
1964 CHW AL 3 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1965 CHW AL 30 41 1 6 2 1 0 3 0 4 18 0.146 — — — — 0.0
1966 CHW AL 27 43 2 3 1 0 0 2 0 5 13 0.070 — — — — -414.1
1967 CHW AL 30 28 1 5 1 0 0 0 0 1 9 0.179 — — — — 0.0
1968 BAL AL 10 7 1 2 1 0 1 2 0 1 1 0.286 — — — — 0.0
1968 WS2 AL 13 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 120 75 26 94 4 6

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1963 CHA P 7 0 1 1 0 0
1964 CHA P 3 3 1 3 0 0
1965 CHA P 30 22 5 22 1 0
1966 CHA P 27 21 10 27 3 1
1967 CHA P 30 17 7 23 0 3
1968 BAL P 10 5 2 5 0 1
1968 WS2 P 13 7 0 13 0 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 120

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Villanova University Villanova PA 1962