Cal Howe

Calvin Earl Howe

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 3", Weight 230 lb.

• Debut September 26, 1952
• Final Game September 26, 1952
• Born November 27, 1924 in Rock Falls, IL USA
• Died May 5, 2008 in Grand Rapids, MI USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Baseball had always been in Cal Howe's blood. As a child growing up in Rock Falls, IL, Howe and his fourteen siblings built their own ballpark on the family farm. Most evenings and week-ends the brood would make their way to the diamond with Cal on the pitching mound. Howe took the skills he had learned in his own backyard to the professional level in 1942 when he was signed as an amateur free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals. The seventeen-year-old pitcher was farmed out to the LaCrosse Blackhawks of the Wisconsin State League where he went 6-8 with a 3.45 ERA. He also spent part of 1942 with the Union City Greyhounds of the Kitty League where he had a 2-5 recod with a 6.17 ERA.

The young left-hander's baseball career was temporarily put on hold in 1943 when he was inducted into the United States Army, serving during World War II. On his return he found he had been released by the Cardinals before the 1943 season so as a free agent he signed with the Chicago Cubs before the 1948 season. The Cubs assigned Cal to the team's affiliate, the Clinton Cubs of the Central Association, where he went 18-4 with a 2.40 ERA as a starter. Cal's 18 wins tied him for the league lead and put him on the All-Star team. His fine performance also helped his team to the league pennant and playoff championship.

For the next four seasons, Howe made his way through the Cubs' minor league system making stops with the Decatur Cubs, Des Moines Bruins, Grand Rapids Jets and finally with the Macon Peaches in 1952, where he had a solid year and earned the late-season call he had been waiting for. On a warm autumn day on September 26, 1952 Howe stepped onto Wrigley Field and headed to the mound as a relief pitcher to face the St. Louis Cardinals... This is his recollection some fifty years later: "The first batter I faced was Red Schoendienst and he flew out to left. I struck out Dick Sisler then Stan Musial grounded to second. The next inning I got them all out except for a walk to Solly Hemus." This is the sum total of Howe's major league career.

Not done just yet, Cal continued in the minors for another five seasons, having two fine years, both for the Macon Peaches. The first came in 1953 when Cal was 11-7 with a 2.50 ERA and the second in 1954 when he went 15-7 with a 3.16 ERA and was picked to pitch in the South Atlantic League All-Star game. He stayed on the mound through 1957 with the Nashville Volunteers of the Southern Association, where he won 19 and lost 14 in a three season effort, closing out his eleven-year minor league career with a record of 99 wins and 70 losses with a 3.49 ERA.

After baseball Howe worked on maintaining football fields and baseball diamonds for the Grand Rapids, MI Public School District for 35 years. He was retired in Holland, MI at the time of his death on May 5, 2008.

Sources

Baseball Players of the 1950s
Photo credits to Skip Nipper, author of the book: Baseball in Nashville

Related Sites

• BR Minors page