Howie Judson

Howard Kolls Judson

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 195 lb.
• School University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• High School Hebron (IL) High School
• Debut April 22, 1948
• Final Game September 25, 1954
• Born February 16, 1926 in Hebron, IL USA
• Died August 18, 2020 in Winter Haven, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Howie Judson,, still fresh from a tour of duty with the United States Navy during World War II, signed as an amateur free agent with the Chicago White Sox in 1946. The twenty-year-old pitcher was assigned to the Waterloo White Hawks of the class B Three-I League where he had just enough time to appear in seven outings and go 2-2 in his first look at pro baseball. He was back in Waterloo in 1947 where he put together his best numbers in his eight seasons in the minors, going 16-8 with a 2.58 ERA while pitching 202 innings.

Howie came up with the White Sox in 1948 and had four wins and eight saves, working mainly in relief. He moved into the starting rotation the following year and struggled to a 1-14 record and a 4.58 ERA. He stayed with the Comiskey Park club for the next three seasons (1950-1952), being used primarily in relief, winning seven and losing ten, and was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds on December 9, 1952. He spent enough time at Crosley Field with the Reds in Reds and 1954 to go 5-8, concluding his seven-year stay in the majors with an overall 17-37 record and a 4.29 ERA, appearing in 207 games.

Howie had a lot better success with the Tulsa Oilers of the Texas League, during his time there in the 1953 season, when he went undefeated at 11-0 with a 1.80 ERA. On the other hand, in this same season, he spent enough time with the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association to appear in 10 games and win but one and lose four.

Howie had a solid year in 1955 going 10-9 for the Seattle Rainiers helping them to the Pacific Coast League pennant. He spent the last four years (1956-1959) of his minor league run in AAA ball with a 30-38 record. In 1959, the 33-year-old right-hander, who was also suffering from a retina infection, called it a career with a 70-61 record and a 3.69 ERA while pitching 1,088 innings in his eight seasons in the minors.

After baseball Judson worked for many years as the head of the shipping department for the Stulper Company in Walworth, Wisconsin and retired in Winter Haven, FL.

Sources

• Baseball Players of the 1950s
  

Related Sites

• Howie Judson at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors page
• Northwest Herald obit