Dick Howser

Born: 5/14/1936 in Miami, FL, USA

Died: 6/17/1987 in Kansas City, MO, USA

MLB Debut: 1961-04-11 | Final Game: 1968-09-27

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'8" | Weight: 155 lbs

Full name: Richard Dalton Howser

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Biography

Dick Howser was a talented position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1961 to 1968. Born in 1936, Howser made a significant impact in the league during the early years of what would become known as the “Expansion Era,” a time when new teams were added to the league and the game was evolving rapidly. Over the course of his career, he played in 789 games, tallying 617 hits, 16 home runs, and 165 RBIs, while maintaining a batting average of .248. Howser was known for his speed on the basepaths, evidenced by his 105 stolen bases, which showcased his aggressive playing style and ability to disrupt opposing defenses. Howser's contributions to the game were recognized when he was named TSN Rookie of the Year, highlighting his potential as a standout player. He was selected as an All-Star twice during his career, underscoring his status among the elite talents of his time. After retiring as a player, Howser remained influential in baseball, later serving as a manager and leaving a lasting legacy in the sport. His career reflects the dynamic changes in baseball during the 1960s, a pivotal decade that set the stage for the modern game we know today.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
789	2483	398	617	90	17	16	165	105	367	186	0.248	0.346	0.318	0.664	-514.4

Career AVG .248 vs. league average .248 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .346 vs. league average .313 across their career seasons — +10.8% above league average.

Career SLG .318 vs. league average .373 across their career seasons — 14.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.664 vs. league average 0.686 across their career seasons — near 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
1961	KC1	AL	158	611	108	171	29	6	3	45	37	92	38	0.280	.258 (+8%)	.328 (+15%)	.399 (-9%)	.727 (+2%)	580.4
1962	KC1	AL	83	286	53	68	8	3	6	34	19	38	8	0.238	.257 (-8%)	.326 (avg)	.393 (-11%)	.719 (-6%)	-268.4
1963	KC1	AL	15	41	4	8	0	0	0	1	0	7	3	0.195	—	—	—	—	0.0
1963	CLE	AL	49	162	25	40	5	0	1	10	9	22	18	0.247	.246 (avg)	.308 (+8%)	.371 (-20%)	.680 (-8%)	0.0
1964	CLE	AL	162	637	101	163	23	4	3	52	20	76	39	0.256	.250 (+2%)	.312 (+7%)	.377 (-16%)	.690 (-5%)	-399.5
1965	CLE	AL	107	307	47	72	8	2	1	6	17	57	25	0.235	.245 (-5%)	.310 (+14%)	.371 (-24%)	.682 (-7%)	-84.9
1966	CLE	AL	67	140	18	32	9	1	2	4	2	15	23	0.229	.248 (-8%)	.309 (-3%)	.376 (-7%)	.685 (-5%)	-137.7
1967	NYY	AL	63	149	18	40	6	0	0	10	1	25	15	0.268	.242 (+11%)	.306 (+24%)	.357 (-14%)	.663 (+4%)	250.3
1968	NYY	AL	85	150	24	23	2	1	0	3	0	35	17	0.153	.236 (-35%)	.298 (+7%)	.340 (-47%)	.638 (-22%)	-329.2

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2B	94	80	167	228	5	50
3B	14	13	9	26	2	3
SS	548	529	975	1428	93	284

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1961	KC1	SS	157	156	299	427	38	85
1962	KC1	SS	72	72	138	191	13	37
1963	KC1	SS	10	10	21	23	2	6
1963	CLE	SS	44	42	80	90	9	15
1964	CLE	SS	162	161	291	463	20	100
1965	CLE	2B	17	12	25	38	0	8
1965	CLE	SS	73	69	119	173	7	33
1966	CLE	2B	26	20	29	41	1	8
1966	CLE	SS	26	17	24	54	4	8
1967	NYA	2B	22	21	55	46	1	15
1967	NYA	3B	12	11	7	24	2	3
1967	NYA	SS	3	2	2	6	0	0
1968	NYA	2B	29	27	58	103	3	19
1968	NYA	3B	2	2	2	2	0	0
1968	NYA	SS	1	0	1	1	0	0