Art Howe

Lore & Background

Howe was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Shaler Area High School. After graduating he attended the University of Wyoming on a college football scholarship, but played baseball after injuries ended his football career. He signed his first playing contract, aged 24, with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971. He came to the major leagues as a part-time player with Pittsburgh in 1974–75, before a trade to the Astros for infielder Tommy Helms on January 6, 1976. He played all four infield positions, mostly as a third baseman and second baseman, for Houston from 1976 to 1982. While playing in only 125 games in 1977, and alternating among 2B, SS, and 3B, Howe committed just eight errors. On May 7, 1980, he suffered a fractured jaw when hit by a pitch from Expos pitcher Scott Sanderson. In the 1980 National League West tie-breaker game, he hit a home run in the third inning to increase the lead of the Astros to 4–0 against the Dodgers. He later hit a two-run single in the fourth to make it 7–0. Five innings later, the Astros won 7–1 to clinch their first division title in franchise history. In May 1981 he won the Player of the Month Award, the only Astros third baseman to win it until Alex Bregman in June 2018. After missing the entire 1983 season with an injury, he finished his playing career with the St. Louis Cardinals (1984–85). The right-handed hitter appeared in 891 games over all or parts of 11 seasons, compiling a lifetime batting average of .260 with 43 home runs. In 1986, Howe began his coaching career as an aide to Bobby Valentine with the Texas Rangers. After three seasons, he was hired by his old team, the Astros, as manager for 1989, succeeding Hal Lanier. Howe enjoyed a successful first season in Houston, but the team was rebuilding with young players such as Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, and suffered losing years in 1990–91. In 1992 and 1993, the Astros improved to .500 and then to a winning record, but Howe was fired in favor of Terry Collins at the close of the '93 campaign. During the 1994–95 Dominican Winter League season, Howe led the Azucareros del Este to their first championship. After a year as a major league scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers and spending 1995 as bench coach for the Colorado Rockies, Howe was chosen to replace future Hall of Famer Tony La Russa as manager of the Athletics for 1996.

Reader's Guide

Art Howe managed the Oakland Athletics from 1996 to 2002, with a record of 600–533 (.530). His A's teams won 91, 102, and 103 games in 2000, 2001, and 2002 respectively, making the playoffs each year but losing in the Division Series. His immediate successor as A's manager was Ken Macha (2003–2006).

Did You Know?

• Howe managed the Houston Astros from 1989 to 1993, not the San Diego Padres.
• Howe's A's teams had two 100-win seasons (102 in 2001 and 103 in 2002), not three.
• Howe was portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the 2011 film Moneyball.