Howard Earl

Howard J. Earl (Slim Jim)

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
• Height 6' 2", Weight 180 lb.

• Debut April 19, 1890
• Final Game September 27, 1891
• Born February 27, 1869 in Palmyra, NY USA
• Died December 22, 1916 in North Bay, NY USA

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Biographical Information

Howard "Slim Jim" Earl was an all-purpose back-up for the 1890 Chicago Colts of the 1890 National League. At age 21, playing for manager Cap Anson, Earl was the team's fourth outfielder (he had 49 games in right field while Jim Andrews had 54), the second-most-utilized second baseman (he had 39 games there while Bob Glenalvin had 66), and a back-up first baseman and shortstop. The team went 83-53 and finished in second place.

In spite of his versatility, he played only one year for Chicago, and the next season found himself in the 1891 American Association with the 1891 Milwaukee Brewers, in the last year that the American Association was a major league. The Brewers played 36 games as a major league team, and Earl at age 22 was their regular right fielder. He was also on the Brewers' minor league entry that year in the Western Association.

Earl had begun playing minor league ball in the mid-1880's in the New England League and was still playing ball in 1907 at age 40 in the New York State League.