Elston Gene Howard was an American professional baseball player who was a catcher and a left fielder.
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23 Facts About Elston Howard
2.
Elston Howard was named the American League's Most Valuable Player for the 1963 pennant winners after finishing third in the league in slugging average and fifth in home runs, becoming the first black player in AL history to win the honor.
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3.
Elston Howard won Gold Glove Awards in 1963 and 1964, in the latter season setting AL records for putouts and total chances in a season.
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5.
In 1948, nineteen-year-old Elston Howard turned down college football scholarship offers from Illinois, Michigan, and Michigan State and instead signed to play professional baseball for $500 a month with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League under manager Buck O'Neil.
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6.
Elston Howard was an outfielder for three seasons and in 1950 roomed with Ernie Banks.
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7.
Elston Howard missed the 1951 and 1952 seasons due to his military service in the US Army.
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8.
Elston Howard made the Yankees' major league roster at the start of the 1955 season.
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9.
Elston Howard hit a single in his only plate appearance of the day.
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10.
Elston Howard became the first African American to play for the Yankees.
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11.
When Elston Howard first came to the Yankees, Stengel referred to him as "Eightball".
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12.
Elston Howard was later given the Babe Ruth Award, presented by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, as the top player in the Series, although the World Series MVP Award was won by teammate Bob Turley.
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13.
In 1960, Elston Howard finally took over the majority of Berra's catching duties, although his.
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14.
Elston Howard finished tenth in the MVP voting that year, won by Maris.
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15.
Not known for having a strong arm, Tartabull's throw sailed high and was caught by a leaping Elston Howard, who blocked the plate with his left foot as he came down, and swipe tagged Berry — ending the game.
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16.
Elston Howard is credited with being the first to use the extended index and pinky finger to indicate that there were two out in the inning, this being more visible to teammates in the outfield than the usual "two" gesture of the index and middle fingers.
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17.
Elston Howard returned to the Yankees the following year, where he served as first-base coach from 1969 to 1979.
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18.
Elston Howard was diagnosed with myocarditis, a rare heart disease that causes rapid heart failure.
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19.
Elston Howard was considering a heart transplant, but his condition quickly deteriorated.
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20.
Elston Howard was interred at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.
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21.
Elston Howard is credited with inventing the batting "doughnut", a circular lead weight with a rubber shell used by batters in the on-deck circle by placing it around a bat to make it feel heavier, so that it will feel lighter at the plate and easier to swing.
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22.
Elston Howard helped two New Jersey entrepreneurs, Frank Hamilton and Vince Salvucci, to market the bat weight and lent his name to the product.
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