Today marks the 36th Anniversary of the final day of one of the most remarkable weeks any major leaguer ever had at the plate – and, this “Week of the Hitter” came in the midst of the 1968 season, often referred to as the “Year of the Pitcher.”
Between May 12 and May 18 of that hurler-dominated season, Washington Senators’ hulking first baseman Frank “Hondo” Howard made history by banging out a record 10 home runs in a single week (six games). In that span, Howard went 13-for-24 (.542), homered in all six games, drove in 17 runs and scored 10 times. His 13 hits included the ten homers, one double and two singles, for a slugging percentage of 1.833. Howard struck out four times in the six games and, surprisingly, despite the hot streak, was walked only once.
A few notes on Howard’s streak.
- Five of the six contests were on the road (Detroit, Cleveland, Boston) – only the first game was at home.
- Washington had a 3-3 record during the streak.
- Both the first home run and last home run (last two, actually) in the streak were hit against the Tigers’ Mickey Lolich.
- Howard’s 17 RBI represent 59 percent of the runs scored by the Senators during the streak.
- Howard’s HR-victims were: Mickey Lolich (3 HRs); Sam McDowell (2 HRs); Jose Santiago, Fred Lasher, Ray Culp, Joe Sparma, Lee Stange.
- Howard would finish 1968 with an MLB-leading 44 home runs, eight more than AL runner up Willie Horton and NL leader Willie McCovey.
Over his 16-season MLB career, Howard hit .273, with 382 HRs and 1,119 RBI. He was the 1960 NL Rookie of the Year (.268-23-77 in 117 games for the Dodgers), a four-time All Star (AL – consecutive 1968-71), twice led the AL in HRs (1968, 1970) and topped the AL in RBIs once (1970).
