Larry Howard, baseball player, 1970-1973

Larry Howard

Born: 6/6/1945 in Columbus, OH, USA

Died: 5/11/2019 in Kingman, AZ, USA

MLB Debut: 1970-08-09 | Final Game: 1973-07-02

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Lawrence Rayford Howard

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Biography

Larry Howard, born in 1945, was a professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1970 to 1973. He primarily played as a position player and made his mark in Major League Baseball during a transitional period marked by the gradual shift from the tail end of the deadball era to the more offensive-minded approaches of the 1970s. Over the course of his career, Howard appeared in 133 games, recording 86 hits and driving in 47 runs, showcasing his ability to contribute offensively, albeit with a batting average of .236. Howard's power at the plate was evident, as he hit six home runs throughout his career, which, while modest by today's standards, reflected the evolving nature of hitting during his playing years. Despite not being known for his speed, evidenced by zero stolen bases, Howard's role as a consistent presence in the lineup highlighted his importance to the teams he played for during his time in the league. Though his career was relatively short, Howard's contributions to the game remain a testament to the numerous players who shaped the transition of baseball in the early 1970s.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
133 365 36 86 19 0 6 47 0 37 85 0.236 0.305 0.337 0.642 -306.8

Career AVG .236 vs. league average .251 across their career seasons — 6.2% below league average.

Career OBP .305 vs. league average .320 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .337 vs. league average .371 across their career seasons — 9.2% below league average.

Career OPS 0.642 vs. league average 0.691 across their career seasons — 7.0% 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
1970 HOU NL 31 88 11 27 6 0 2 16 0 10 23 0.307 .253 (+21%) .325 (+16%) .385 (+15%) .711 (+15%) 240.4
1971 HOU NL 24 64 6 15 3 0 2 14 0 3 17 0.234 .249 (-6%) .316 (-16%) .365 (+3%) .682 (-6%) -90.5
1972 HOU NL 54 157 16 35 7 0 2 13 0 17 30 0.223 .243 (-9%) .310 (-4%) .353 (-14%) .664 (-9%) -204.5
1973 HOU NL 20 48 3 8 3 0 0 4 0 5 12 0.167 — — — — -252.2
1973 ATL NL 4 8 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 0.125 — — — — -252.2

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 2 0 5 1 0 0
C 123 99 641 46 10 4
OF 2 0 0 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1970 HOU 1B 2 0 5 1 0 0
1970 HOU C 26 22 125 11 1 0
1970 HOU OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1971 HOU C 22 14 106 12 1 2
1972 HOU C 53 48 323 15 7 2
1972 HOU OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1973 HOU C 20 13 79 7 1 0
1973 ATL C 2 2 8 1 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 123
First Base 2
Left Field 2