Howard Francis Fox (March 1, 1921 – October 9, 1955) was an American professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Baltimore Orioles, in 9 seasons, between 1944 and 1954. During his playing days, Fox stood 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m), weighing 210 pounds (95 kg). He batted and threw right-handed.
Quick Facts MLB debut, Last MLB appearance ...
Howie Fox |
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Pitcher |
Born: (1921-03-01)March 1, 1921 Coburg, Oregon, U.S. |
Died: October 9, 1955(1955-10-09) (aged 34) San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
Batted: Right Threw: Right |
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September 17, 1944, for the Cincinnati Reds |
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September 25, 1954, for the Baltimore Orioles |
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Win–loss record | 43–72 |
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Earned run average | 4.33 |
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Strikeouts | 342 |
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The year after Fox's last big league appearance, he acquired a local tavern in San Antonio, while he pitched for the Missions of the Double-A Texas League; a month into the offseason, he was stabbed to death at age 34 during a disturbance at that establishment.
A hard thrower with a sharp curveball, Fox debuted in MLB in 1944 with the Reds, playing seven years before joining the Philadelphia Phillies, in 1952, and the Baltimore Orioles, in 1954. His most productive season came in 1950, for Cincinnati, when he went 11–8, a year after his 6–19 record gave him the most losses of any pitcher in the major leagues. In 1951, Fox collected nine victories, with a 3.83 earned run average (ERA), in a career-high 228 innings, but suffered 14 losses.
Before the 1952 season, Fox was dealt to Philadelphia in a seven-player transaction that included Smoky Burgess, Niles Jordan, Eddie Pellagrini, Connie Ryan, Andy Seminick, and Dick Sisler. In 1953, he played for Triple-A Baltimore, and a year appeared in 38 games for the MLB Orioles during their first year in MLB since 1902.
In nine major league seasons, Fox posted a 43–72 record, with 342 strikeouts, a 4.33 ERA, in 248 appearances, including 132 starts, 42 complete games, five shutouts, six saves, and 1,108+1⁄3 innings of work. In 253 games, Fox hit .189, with two home runs, and 25 runs batted in (RBI).
Fox also played in the Venezuelan Winter League (1953–1955) and in the 1954 Caribbean Series. In the Venezuelan Winter League, he was pitching for Pastora when popular player Luis Aparicio, Sr., of Gavilanes took himself out of a 1953 game and allowed his son, Luis Aparicio, to pinch hit for his first professional baseball at bat. The younger Aparicio became a star MLB player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.[3]