Frank Howard, legendary Washington Senators slugger and four-time MLB All-Star, passes away at 87

Frank Howard, the Washington Senators’ beloved slugger and four-time All-Star, has died at the age of 87.

Howard’s death was announced by the Washington Nationals – a club he technically never played for, but which nonetheless honored him with a statue outside the stadium.

“We are deeply saddened to announce that Washington Senators legend Frank Howard has passed away at the age of 87,” the club statement said. “We mourn with Frank’s loved ones.”

A native of Columbus, Howard was a two-sport star at Ohio State, where he played both baseball and basketball.

In fact, he proved so skilled at the latter that the hulking, 6-foot-1, 255-pound Howard was drafted by the NBA’s Philadelphia Warriors in 1957.

A native of Columbus, Howard played both baseball and basketball at Ohio State University

Howard, the Washington Senators’ beloved slugger and four-time All-Star, died at 87

Instead, Howard signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, for whom he would win the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1960, while hitting 23 home runs.

When the Senators became the Texas Rangers in 1972, the outfielder/first baseman was one of the players who made the move. According to the Rangers, he was the oldest living member of that expansion team at the time of his death.

The 6-foot-2 Howard hit 237 of his home runs during his seven-year stint with the Senators; only Ryan Zimmerman hit more for a Washington team.

The Nationals inducted him into their Ring of Honor in 2016 for his contributions to Washington baseball.