The official pixel pub of Baseball-Fever's Yankees Message Board. The Front Page Five O'clock Lightning Amani Herron Mariano Rivera ha vuelto Amani Herron Joe D's 56 Game Hitting Streak Harvey Frommer Confessions Of A Collector Michael Aubrecht Elston Howard Harold Friend IMHO Phil Speranza Cone's Shot At Perfection Phil Speranza  Back Issues The Highlander Archives Bombers Bulletin Board Advertise here for FREE! Marvin Terry is an award winning cartoonist and New York Yankees fan. Purchase his signed prints - HOT OFF THE PRESS - Pinstripe Press Update IN PROGRESS A timeline of American and National League baseball from 2002-1901 Baseball-Almanac.com Recaps from 1903-2002 World Series with complete statistics are now online at Baseball-Almanac.com. Fan Feedback CARTOONIST WANTED! We have received several emails suggesting the addition of jokes and baseball cartoons. We are looking for a volunteer cartoonist to produce 1 monthly cartoon. Email samples to us at StlrsFan1@aol.com. April's Trivia: Mickey Mantle hit for the cycle only once in his career. When? Where? and against Who? Answer: "The Mick" hit for the cycle against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium in 1957.

Elston Howard by Harold Friend Yankee4@Bestweb.net Additional articles on Suite101 Simply put, Harold is a science teacher who loves baseball. Actually, he is a self described "baseball fan who became a science teacher because he couldn't hit or throw." He has been involved with the New York City Education system in various capacities since 1962 and he received his doctorate in science education from NYU in 1968. He credits Casey Stengel with being responsible for his first baseball "degree," and in 1998, Joe Torre and Don Zimmer saw to it that he received the advanced version. For that he says, "I cannot thank them enough." Elston Howard is one of the most underrated catchers of all time. While his excellence was recognized when he played, especially by his peers, his legacy has been diminished with the passage of time. This is due primarily to the fact that he was not a colorful player and was not fully appreciated by the fans since he replaced Yogi Berra as the Yankees catcher. Today, whenever great catchers are discussed, Howard's name is rarely mentioned, except among those who played in his era or who saw him play. That is unfortunate. Howard joined the Yankees in 1955 and as a rookie outfielder who caught only 9 games, batted .290 with 10 home runs. He batted .314 in 1958, caught 67 games as Yogi's back up and did not become the full time catcher until 1960. Elston had some outstanding offensive seasons, batting .348 with 21 home runs in 1961, .279 with 21 home runs in 1962, .287 with 28 home runs in 1963, and .313 with 15 home runs in 1964. He was the American League Most Valuable Player in 1963. But it was a defensive player that Howard excelled. He was not fast but he was quick. Howard had fantastic reflexes and in 1138 games at catcher, had 479 assists and was charged with only 51 errors for a fielding percentage of .993. To get some perspective, in 1699 games, Yogi had 798 assists and was charged with 110 errors for a fielding percentage of .989. Jorge Posada, after the 2002 season, in 684 games, had 291 assists and was charged with 42 errors, for a fielding percentage of .991. He learned from Berra, who had been taught by Bill Dickey. Elston Howard was truly a quiet leader who let his actions speak for him. Statistics can be misleading, especially for a catcher. Howard was an excellent handler of pitchers who called a great game. Most of today's catchers have the game called for them from the bench and never develop the ability to set up batters, which was something Howard could do better than most. He learned from Berra, who had been taught by Bill Dickey. Elston Howard was truly a quiet leader who let his actions speak for him. Perhaps the most significant moments of his career came as the Yankees left fielder during the 1958 World Series. Norm Siebern was the regular left fielder but he had problems with the sun in Game 4, losing two fly balls to set up Milwaukee's runs in a 3-0 Warren Spahn victory. Yankees manager Casey Stengel replaced Siebern in left field, which is one of the most difficult outfield positions because of the autumn sun, with Howard for Game 5. It was a cool, cloudless October Monday in New York. Bob Turley was facing former Yankee Lew Burdette, who had beaten the Yankees three times in 1957 to lead the Braves to the World Championship, and who was the winner of Game 2 of this Series. The game was scoreless until Gil McDougald hit a solo home run that hit the left field foul pole in the third inning. The Yankees had finally broken through against Burdette and were clinging to the slim lead McDougald provided. Then it happened in the top of the sixth inning. Speedy Milwaukee center fielder Billy Bruton was on first base with one out and Red Schoendienst was batting. Bruton took off on a hit and run play. Schoendienst hit a short drive to left field that looked as if it would fall in for a single but slow footed left fielder Elston Howard got a great jump on the ball, picked it off his shoe tops before it hit the ground, and fired to first to double up Bruton. That play turned the game and the Series around. The Braves did not score and then the Yankees scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth for an insurmountable lead, especially the way Turley was pitching. The Yankees won Game 6 in ten innings to even the Series and force Game 7. The Braves jumped off to a 1-0 lead, the Yankees went ahead 2-1, and Del Crandall hit a solo home run to tie the score. With two outs and no one on base in the Yankees eighth, Yogi led off with a double to right, bringing up Howard to face Burdette, who had started on two days rest. There was no thought on the part of Braves manager Fred Haney of relieving Burdette. This was 1958 and pitchers usually finished what they started. ...Howard's number 32 has been retired by the Yankees. The count went to 2-2 when Howard sent a Burdette sinker (spitball?) back from whence it came. The ball went through the box, over second, into center for a clutch single. Berra scored and the Yankees led by a run. Howard's single was the key hit. It seemed as if that was it, and it was. Andy Carey reached on a hit off third baseman's Eddie Mathews' glove, and then Bill Skowron blasted a shot over the fence in left center field to finish off Burdette and the Braves. Howard's catch in Game 5 and his hit in Game 7 were two of the greatest clutch plays in World Series history. Many forget that the year before, with the Yankees leading the Series in games, 2-1, they were trailing Game 4 by three runs in the top of the ninth inning. The tying runs were on base with two outs and Elston Howard was at bat with a full count. Braves starter Warren Spahn delivered and Howard hit one of the great clutch home runs in World Series history to tie the game at 4-4. The Yankees went ahead by a run in the tenth, but pinch hitter Nippy Jones led off for the Braves and when Tommy Byrne's first pitch was in the dirt, Jones claimed it hit his foot. He showed umpire Augie Donatelli a spot on the ball, which Donatelli interpreted to be shoe polish. Jones was awarded first base; the Braves tied the game, and then won it when Eddie Mathews hit a home run. Howard's clutch home run is remembered as often as those of Tino Martinez, whose two out, ninth inning home run tied Game 4 of the 2001 World Series, and Scott Brosius, whose two out, ninth inning home run, tied Game 5 of the same World Series. Elston Howard's number 32 has been retired by the Yankees. Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, and Thurman Munson have had their numbers retired. Howard, in his quiet Yankee way, was as brainy as Dickey, as clutch as Yogi, and in his own quiet Yankee way, as competitive as Munson. Enough said. The Pinstripe Press: https://www.angelfire.com/ny5/pinstripepress The Highlander: https://www.angelfire.com/ny5/thehighlander Editor's Email: StlrsFan1@aol.com Copyright © 2002-2003 Pinstripe Press. All Rights Reserved. This online newsletter is not affiliated with the New York Yankees. The opinions expressed solely represent the contributor's and not the Pinstripe Press.

The Highlander Vol.5 May 2003 Questions or comments in regards to a specific article should be sent directly to that writer's email. All questions, comments, advertising inquiries etc. should be sent to the Pinstripe Press at StlrsFan1@aol.com. Best when viewed with latest Internet Explorer or Netscape browsers in 1024x768. How ya' doin? Best sites on 'da 'net! Pinstripe Press Baseball-Almanac Baseball Fever Brad's Ultimate New York Yankees Land of the Mighty Yanks Yankeesmania Behind The Bombers Unofficial NY Yankees Take Him Downtown.com Fast Facts: Betcha' didn't know Billy Martin His .333 lifetime World Series batting average is fourth with at least 75 ABs on the all-time series list. Phil Rizzuto Known as "The Scooter", he played in the World Series 10 out of his 13 MLB years. "If you weighed 50 more pounds, I'd punch you." Babe Ruth to Miller Huggins "If I weighed 50 pounds more, I'd have punched you!" Miller Huggins to Babe Ruth Everyfan.net has taken up the cause of the average NY sports fan who cannot access the Yankees on their cable system. www.everyfan.net Trivia: Who was the first NY Yankees pitcher to hit a home run and when did he hit it? Answer In Next Issue Have a trivia question? Email it to us and maybe we'll use it in an upcoming issue.