Wilbur Howard

Born: 1/8/1949 in Lowell, NC, USA

Died: 12/17/2022 in Houston, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1973-09-04 | Final Game: 1978-09-30

Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: Wilbur Leon Howard

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Biography

Wilbur Howard was a professional baseball player born in 1949, who played in Major League Baseball from 1973 to 1978. Primarily serving as a position player, Howard appeared in 466 games during his career, showcasing a blend of speed and contact hitting. He finished his time in the league with a batting average of .250, accumulating 267 hits and driving in 71 runs. Known for his agility on the bases, he also recorded 60 stolen bases, reflecting his ability to create scoring opportunities for his team. Howard's career unfolded during a transitional era in baseball, as the sport was moving away from the deadball era and beginning to embrace a more dynamic style of play. His contributions on the field were significant in demonstrating the value of speed and versatility, characteristics that became increasingly important in the game. Although he hit only six home runs throughout his career, Howard's ability to get on base and steal bases made him an asset to any roster. His legacy is remembered as part of the fabric of 1970s baseball, a time marked by evolving strategies and player roles.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
466	1068	149	267	37	11	6	71	60	45	175	0.250	0.283	0.322	0.605	-2586.6

Career AVG .250 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .283 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 12.9% below league average.

Career SLG .322 vs. league average .377 across their career seasons — 14.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.605 vs. league average 0.702 across their career seasons — 13.8% 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
1973	ATL	AL	16	39	3	8	0	0	0	1	0	2	10	0.205	—	—	—	—	0.0
1974	HOU	NL	64	111	19	24	4	0	2	5	4	5	18	0.216	.256 (-16%)	.324 (-23%)	.369 (-17%)	.693 (-20%)	-396.8
1975	HOU	NL	121	392	62	111	16	8	0	21	32	21	67	0.283	.257 (+10%)	.327 (-1%)	.374 (-2%)	.701 (-2%)	-213.4
1976	HOU	NL	94	191	26	42	7	2	1	18	7	7	28	0.220	.255 (-14%)	.320 (-23%)	.360 (-19%)	.681 (-21%)	-778.7
1977	HOU	NL	87	187	22	48	6	0	2	13	11	5	30	0.257	.264 (-3%)	.329 (-16%)	.401 (-20%)	.730 (-18%)	-642.7
1978	HOU	NL	84	148	17	34	4	1	1	13	6	5	22	0.230	.257 (-11%)	.323 (-17%)	.378 (-23%)	.702 (-21%)	-555.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2B	7	2	7	9	1	1
C	3	0	4	1	0	0
OF	320	202	523	18	7	3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1973	ML4	OF	12	9	29	2	1	0
1974	HOU	OF	50	23	65	3	0	1
1975	HOU	OF	95	81	194	7	1	0
1976	HOU	2B	2	2	2	6	1	1
1976	HOU	OF	63	35	96	2	4	1
1977	HOU	2B	4	0	5	3	0	0
1977	HOU	OF	62	33	100	2	1	1
1978	HOU	2B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1978	HOU	C	3	0	4	1	0	0
1978	HOU	OF	38	21	39	2	0	0