no. 620 - frank howard

Who is the man: Frank Howard was entering the 1971 season as the reigning "Most Feared Slugger" in the American League. He led the AL in home runs and RBIs in 1970, as well as walks and intentional passes.

Can ya dig it: Howard looks so damn intense on his cards.

Right on: The double hat look, a.k.a. "the subhelmet alliance" (god, I miss writing like that on card blogs and the reaction it received) is very strong here.

You see that cat Howard is a bad mother: Howard was 6-foot-7 in a time when they didn't make baseball players that big. He won NL rookie of the year honors in 1960.

Shut your mouth: Dodgers teammate Jim Gilliam once said about Howard: "A man that big should hit 50 homers every year -- and I mean every year."


No one understands him but his woman: Howard was always critical of his ability, saying he could hit for power, but he was average or below average in other areas. After his career he said: "When people look back on their careers, they say they wouldn't change a thing. I would have. I would have made the adjustments. I would have given myself the chance to put up big numbers."

(A word about the back): Howard had two giant hits for the Dodgers in the '63 World Series -- one a double and one a home run but both at least 450 feet.

no. 65 - 1970 american league home run leaders

Who is the man: Frank Howard is the man again! Gracious, he strikes a frightful pose.

Can ya dig it: The Carl Yastrzemski photo is the same photo that was used on his 1968 Topps card, and then again on his 1969 Topps card. So, three out of four years, you were staring at the same photo of Yaz.

Right on: It is so cool having a card featuring the Capital Punisher, Killer and Yaz.

You see these cats are bad mothers: We'll explore that in future posts.

Shut your mouth: Harmon Killebrew, notoriously quiet and gentle, was once asked if he had any hobbies. "Just washing the dishes, I guess," he said.

No one understands him but his woman: Howard was particularly upset by Washington's move to Texas in 1972. He liked the area and was popular with the few fans the Senators had. "I'm sure Dallas deserves a team," he said. "But I'm sorry it had to be ours."

(A word about the back): Terry Tommy Harper's 31 home runs in 1970 were 13 more than he would hit in any other season if his 15 year career. Check him for steroids!

no. 63 - 1970 american league rbi leaders

Who is the man: Frank Howard is the man! Howard had just completed the third in an absolute scorching trifecta of slugging seasons. Howard was one of the most feared sluggers from 1968-70, playing for a terrible Senators team.

Can ya dig it: Howard looks like he's a second away from spitting.

Right on: Tony Conigliaro is shown with the Red Sox on this card, but with the Angels on his base card.

You these cats are bad mothers: I have no doubt, but we'll wait until their individual cards appear.

Shut your mouth: Boog Powell was the Most Valuable Player in 1970 but gets third-billing on this card. Doesn't seem right.

No one understands him but his woman: Howard hit the last home run for the Senators at RFK Stadium on Sept. 30, 1971. After acknowledging the cheers from the fans, he said after the game, "This is utopia for me."

(A word about the back): There are a couple of players on this list that are completely new to me. Brant Alyea of the Twins and Tony Horton of the Indians. I still need to brush up on players from the '60s.