Bob Howsam
Encyclopedia
Robert Lee Howsam was an executive in American
professional sport who, in 1959, played a key role in establishing two leagues — the American Football League
, which succeeded and merged with the National Football League
, and baseball's Continental League
, which never played a game but forced expansion of Major League Baseball
from 16 to 20 teams in 1961-62. Howsam later became well-known as the highly successful general manager
and club president of the Cincinnati Reds
during the "Big Red Machine
" dynasty of the 1970s.
Born in Denver, Colorado
, Howsam served as a U.S. Navy pilot during World War II
. In 1959, he founded the Denver Broncos
– one of the eight charter members of the AFL – along with his brother, Earl Howsam, and father, Lee. (The Howsams and the seven other original owners called themselves the "Foolish Club
" for daring to take on the established NFL.) The Howsams also built Bears Stadium, a minor league baseball
park which, after renovation and expanded capacity, became famous as the Broncos' noisy, raucous and perpetually sold-out home from 1960-2001, Mile High Stadium
.
The Broncos played in the AFL from 1960-69 and then joined the NFL with completion of the NFL/AFL merger in 1970. Apart from a 7-7 season in 1962, the team suffered from poor results on the field, and the Howsam family sold the Broncos in 1964 to Gerald
and Alan Phipps. But it was developing a loyal fan base, and since its first Super Bowl
appearance in 1977, the Broncos have become one of the most successful operations in the NFL.
executive. He led the family-owned Denver Bears of the Class A Western League
and Class AAA American Association
from 1947-62. For building one of the most successful minor league franchises of the 1950s, Howsam was twice (1951 and 1956) named Minor League Executive of the Year by The Sporting News
.
In an attempt to bring Major League Baseball to Denver, Howsam was one of the founders of the Continental League, which in 1959 planned to become the "third Major League" following the epidemic of franchise shifts during the 1950s. MLB magnates, nervous about the possible rescinding of baseball's antitrust
exemption by the U.S. Congress after the National League
abandoned New York, agreed to study (and perhaps support) the formation of the new loop. Denver was one of the CL's eight founding cities, with Howsam in line to become owner and operator of his hometown franchise.
As events unfolded, the Continental League never got off the drawing board; it was doomed once three of its key cities gained Major League franchises in 1961-62 (New York
and Houston
got expansion National League franchises, while the American League
Washington Senators
moved to Minneapolis-St. Paul
). However, the CL president, Branch Rickey
, the venerable, pioneering executive who had revolutionized baseball in his earlier career with the St. Louis Cardinals
and Brooklyn Dodgers, took notice of Howsam for the second time. (Howsam and Rickey had first worked together when Rickey's Pittsburgh Pirates
had a working agreement with the Bears during the early 1950s.)
, Rickey (then 82) was semi-retired but still in baseball as a top advisor to St. Louis owner August "Gussie" Busch. In mid-August 1964, with the Cardinals seemingly about to finish well behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies
, Busch fired general manager
Bing Devine
and replaced him with Howsam — reputedly at Rickey's urging. But the team Howsam inherited ended up winning the NL pennant and the 1964 World Series
when the Phils collapsed in late September.
Howsam's two full years as Cardinals' general manager (1965-66) were not successful. The team fell back to .500 and many St. Louisans felt that Devine, a well-liked hometown figure, had been wrongly fired. Howsam installed popular Red Schoendienst
as manager and he rebuilt the Redbird infield
, trading away veterans Ken Boyer
, Bill White and Dick Groat
in a bid for more pitching help. In 1966, he acquired future Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman
Orlando Cepeda
from the San Francisco Giants
in midseason and right fielder
Roger Maris
from the New York Yankees
during the winter interleague trading period. The Cardinals were poised to win back-to-back pennants in 1967-68, but when the opportunity arose to start fresh with the Cincinnati Reds
as their general manager in January 1967
, Howsam departed.
, and his manager, Sparky Anderson
) behind "The Big Red Machine," which captured NL titles in 1970
and 1972
and world championships in 1975
and 1976
.
Although many key parts of the dynasty — such as Pete Rose
, Johnny Bench
, Tony Perez
, Lee May
and Tommy Helms
— were already in place or in the organization in 1966, Howsam boldly promoted young pitchers such as Gary Nolan
, Don Gullett and Wayne Simpson
to the major leagues. He replaced a popular incumbent manager, Dave Bristol
, with a then-unproven but a future Hall-of-Fame skipper in Anderson. He ensured that the fruitful Cincinnati farm system continued to churn out young position players, such as Dave Concepción
, Ken Griffey, Ray Knight
, César Gerónimo
and Bernie Carbo
. He also acquired two talented young outfielders, Bobby Tolan
and Alex Johnson
, from the Cardinals — ultimately swapping Johnson for pitcher Jim McGlothlin
, who would win 14 games for the 1970 Reds
.
Then, in two masterful 1971 trades, he acquired second baseman
Joe Morgan
(in a deal that included May and Helms) from the Houston Astros
and outfielder
George Foster from the Giants (for utility infielder
Frank Duffy). In Cincinnati, Morgan would win the NL Most Valuable Player
award in 1975-76 and earn credentials as a member of the Hall of Fame. Foster would hit 52 home run
s for the Reds in 1977
— the only player to crack the half-century HR mark in the 1970s or 1980s.
The '76 Cincinnati club, which won 102 regular season games, then swept both the Phillies in the 1976
National League Championship Series
and the Yankees in the 1976 World Series
, is considered one of the strongest in baseball history. The Sporting News named Howsam Major League Executive of the Year for 1973
— ironically, a season in which the powerhouse Reds dropped the NLCS
to the underdog New York Mets
.
Howsam had considerably more authority than most general managers of the time. The team's owners during his tenure (first Francis Dale, then Louis Nippert
) largely left the team's day-to-day operations in his hands, and he added the title of club president of the Reds in 1973. He even represented the Reds at owners' meetings. Although the Reds' uniform-wearing guidelines and no-facial-hair policies were more visible, Howsam was especially known for his conservatism regarding labor relations; under him, the Reds were among the hardliners during the 1972 strike.
. But the Reds' success ended when Howsam stepped aside. With the free agent
era dawning, and with the Reds' stubborn refusal to play the big-money game, "The Big Red Machine" began to lose key players. Howsam had already traded Perez to the Montreal Expos
in the months following the 1976 title. Gullett, Rose and Morgan were allowed to leave via free agency. Nolan developed arm problems. Wagner fired Anderson after Sparky refused to scapegoat his coaching staff when the Reds finished second in the NL West in both 1977 and 1978
.
Howsam resigned as president in 1978, and Wagner was blamed by many for the team's decline, although Howsam, one of the most conservative voices in the game at that point, helped set fiscal policy for the club. Howsam returned to the club presidency in 1983 after Wagner's firing, with the team in last place. He hired Rose as player-manager, and helped restore the Reds to respectability. Howsam was elected to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2004.
In retirement, Howsam served on the Colorado Baseball Commission, which succeeded in bringing the Colorado Rockies
to Denver as an MLB expansion team in 1993
. He had been elected to his home state's Sports Hall of Fame in 1971. He died from a heart ailment at age 89 on February 19, 2008, in his Sun City, Arizona
, home.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional sport who, in 1959, played a key role in establishing two leagues — the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
, which succeeded and merged with the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, and baseball's Continental League
Continental League
The Continental League was a proposed third major league for baseball, announced in 1959 and scheduled to begin play in the 1961 season...
, which never played a game but forced expansion of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from 16 to 20 teams in 1961-62. Howsam later became well-known as the highly successful general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
and club president of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
during the "Big Red Machine
The Big Red Machine
The Big Red Machine is the nickname given to the Cincinnati Reds baseball team which dominated the National League from 1970 to 1976, recognized as among the best in baseball. Over that span, the team won five National League Western Division titles, four National League pennants, and two World...
" dynasty of the 1970s.
Born in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Howsam served as a U.S. Navy pilot during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1959, he founded the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
– one of the eight charter members of the AFL – along with his brother, Earl Howsam, and father, Lee. (The Howsams and the seven other original owners called themselves the "Foolish Club
Foolish Club
The Foolish Club was the self-imposed name taken by the owners of the eight original franchises of the American Football League . When Texas millionaires Lamar Hunt and Bud Adams, Jr. were refused entry to the established NFL in 1959, they contacted other businessmen to form an eight-team...
" for daring to take on the established NFL.) The Howsams also built Bears Stadium, a minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
park which, after renovation and expanded capacity, became famous as the Broncos' noisy, raucous and perpetually sold-out home from 1960-2001, Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the...
.
The Broncos played in the AFL from 1960-69 and then joined the NFL with completion of the NFL/AFL merger in 1970. Apart from a 7-7 season in 1962, the team suffered from poor results on the field, and the Howsam family sold the Broncos in 1964 to Gerald
Gerald Phipps
Gerald Phipps was a businessman, President of Gerald H. Phipps, Inc., a construction company, and owner of the Denver Broncos American football club from 1961 to 1981....
and Alan Phipps. But it was developing a loyal fan base, and since its first Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
appearance in 1977, the Broncos have become one of the most successful operations in the NFL.
Efforts to bring Major League Baseball to Denver
The Broncos may have struggled in the early 1960s, but Bob Howsam would prove himself to be a highly successful baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
executive. He led the family-owned Denver Bears of the Class A Western League
Western League (defunct minor league)
The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
and Class AAA American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
from 1947-62. For building one of the most successful minor league franchises of the 1950s, Howsam was twice (1951 and 1956) named Minor League Executive of the Year by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
.
In an attempt to bring Major League Baseball to Denver, Howsam was one of the founders of the Continental League, which in 1959 planned to become the "third Major League" following the epidemic of franchise shifts during the 1950s. MLB magnates, nervous about the possible rescinding of baseball's antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
exemption by the U.S. Congress after the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
abandoned New York, agreed to study (and perhaps support) the formation of the new loop. Denver was one of the CL's eight founding cities, with Howsam in line to become owner and operator of his hometown franchise.
As events unfolded, the Continental League never got off the drawing board; it was doomed once three of its key cities gained Major League franchises in 1961-62 (New York
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and Houston
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
got expansion National League franchises, while the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
moved to Minneapolis-St. Paul
Twin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
). However, the CL president, Branch Rickey
Branch Rickey
Wesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball executive elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967...
, the venerable, pioneering executive who had revolutionized baseball in his earlier career with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and Brooklyn Dodgers, took notice of Howsam for the second time. (Howsam and Rickey had first worked together when Rickey's Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
had a working agreement with the Bears during the early 1950s.)
Reversal of fortune in St. Louis
In 19641964 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over New York Yankees ; Bob Gibson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 7 at Shea Stadium: National League, 7–4; Johnny Callison, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Minnesota...
, Rickey (then 82) was semi-retired but still in baseball as a top advisor to St. Louis owner August "Gussie" Busch. In mid-August 1964, with the Cardinals seemingly about to finish well behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Busch fired general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Bing Devine
Bing Devine
Vaughan Pallmore "Bing" Devine was an American front office executive in Major League Baseball. In the prime of his career, as a general manager, the executive who is responsible for all baseball operations, Devine was a major architect of four National League champions and three World Series...
and replaced him with Howsam — reputedly at Rickey's urging. But the team Howsam inherited ended up winning the NL pennant and the 1964 World Series
1964 World Series
The 1964 World Series pitted the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals against the American League champion New York Yankees, with the Cardinals prevailing in seven games. St...
when the Phils collapsed in late September.
Howsam's two full years as Cardinals' general manager (1965-66) were not successful. The team fell back to .500 and many St. Louisans felt that Devine, a well-liked hometown figure, had been wrongly fired. Howsam installed popular Red Schoendienst
Red Schoendienst
Albert Fred "Red" Schoendienst is an American Major League Baseball coach, former player and manager, and 10-time All-star. After a 19-year playing career with the St...
as manager and he rebuilt the Redbird infield
Infield
Infield is a widely used term in sports terminology, its meaning depends on the sport in which it is used.- In baseball :In baseball the baseball diamond plus a region beyond it , has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-covered outfield...
, trading away veterans Ken Boyer
Ken Boyer
Kenton Lloyd Boyer was an American Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During a 15-year baseball career, he played for 1955-1969 for four different teams, playing primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals...
, Bill White and Dick Groat
Dick Groat
Richard Morrow Groat is a former two-sport athlete best known as a shortstop in Major League Baseball. He played for four National League teams, mainly the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player in after winning the batting title with a .325...
in a bid for more pitching help. In 1966, he acquired future Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Orlando Cepeda
Orlando Cepeda
Orlando Manuel Cepeda Pennes is a former Puerto Rican Major League Baseball first baseman.Cepeda was born to a poor family. His father, Pedro Cepeda, was a baseball player in Puerto Rico, which influenced his interest in the sport from a young age. His first contact with professional baseball was...
from the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in midseason and right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Roger Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
from the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
during the winter interleague trading period. The Cardinals were poised to win back-to-back pennants in 1967-68, but when the opportunity arose to start fresh with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
as their general manager in January 1967
1967 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox ; Bob Gibson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 11 at Anaheim Stadium: National League, 2-1 ; Tony Pérez, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Arizona State...
, Howsam departed.
Engineering the 'Big Red Machine'
In Cincinnati, Howsam flourished. During his 11 years (1967-77) as general manager, he was one of the key figures (along with his predecessor, Bill DeWittBill DeWitt
William Orville DeWitt Sr. was a longtime executive in Major League Baseball whose career spanned more than 50 years in the game. His son William DeWitt, Jr. is currently the principal owner and managing partner of the St. Louis Cardinals, while grandson William O...
, and his manager, Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
) behind "The Big Red Machine," which captured NL titles in 1970
1970 in baseball
-Major Leagues:*World Series MVP: Brooks Robinson*All-Star Game, July 14 at Riverfront Stadium: National League, 5-4 ; Carl Yastrzemski, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Navegantes del Magallanes *College World Series: USC...
and 1972
1972 in baseball
-Labor strife and more moving:1972 was tainted by a players' strike over pension and salary arbitration. The strike erased the first week and a half of the season, and the Leagues decided to just excise the lost portion of the season with no makeups. As a result, an uneven number of games were...
and world championships in 1975
1975 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Boston Red Sox ; Pete Rose, MVP*All-Star Game, July 15 at County Stadium: National League, 6-3; Bill Madlock and Jon Matlack, MVPs-Other champions:...
and 1976
1976 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees ; Johnny Bench, MVP*All-Star Game, July 13 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 7-1; George Foster, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Naranjeros de Hermosillo...
.
Although many key parts of the dynasty — such as Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
, Johnny Bench
Johnny Bench
Johnny Lee Bench is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame...
, Tony Perez
Tony Pérez
Atanasio Pérez Rigal , more commonly known as Tony Pérez, is a former Major League Baseball player. He was also known by the nickname "Big Dog," "Big Doggie," and "Doggie."...
, Lee May
Lee May
Lee Andrew May is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball. From through , May played for the Cincinnati Reds , Houston Astros , Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals . He batted and threw right-handed. He is the brother of former Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees outfielder...
and Tommy Helms
Tommy Helms
Tommy Vann Helms is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Over a fourteen year career , Helms played for four different teams, including eight seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, four with the Houston Astros, and one apiece with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox...
— were already in place or in the organization in 1966, Howsam boldly promoted young pitchers such as Gary Nolan
Gary Nolan (baseball player)
Gary Lynn Nolan is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played with the Cincinnati Reds and California Angels . He was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1983.Nolan's first Major League ballgame was at the early age of 18...
, Don Gullett and Wayne Simpson
Wayne Simpson
Wayne Kirby Simpson , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1970-1977. He played for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, and California Angels. Hank Aaron got his 3,000th career hit off Simpson.Simpson was 14-3 with a 3.02 Earned...
to the major leagues. He replaced a popular incumbent manager, Dave Bristol
Dave Bristol
James David Bristol is a former manager in Major League Baseball in the 1960s and 1970s. He managed the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, and San Francisco Giants during this period....
, with a then-unproven but a future Hall-of-Fame skipper in Anderson. He ensured that the fruitful Cincinnati farm system continued to churn out young position players, such as Dave Concepción
Dave Concepción
David Ismael Concepción Benitez , better known as Dave Concepción, is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball. He was born in Ocumare de la Costa, Aragua State, Venezuela...
, Ken Griffey, Ray Knight
Ray Knight
Charles Ray Knight is a former right-handed Major League Baseball third baseman best remembered for his time with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets...
, César Gerónimo
César Gerónimo
César Francisco Gerónimo Zorrilla , known as César Gerónimo, is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball, who was a member of the famed Big Red Machine of the Cincinnati Reds during the 1970s. He batted and threw left-handed....
and Bernie Carbo
Bernie Carbo
Bernardo 'Bernie' Carbo is a former outfielder and designated hitter who played from through for the Cincinnati Reds , St. Louis Cardinals , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Brewers , Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
. He also acquired two talented young outfielders, Bobby Tolan
Bobby Tolan
Robert Tolan is a former center and right fielder in Major League Baseball. Tolan, who batted and threw left-handed, played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Cincinnati Reds , San Diego Padres , Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates...
and Alex Johnson
Alex Johnson
Alexander Johnson Alexander Johnson Alexander Johnson (born December 7, 1942, in Helena, Arkansas is a former professional baseball player. He was an outfielder and designated hitter over parts of 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, California Angels,...
, from the Cardinals — ultimately swapping Johnson for pitcher Jim McGlothlin
Jim McGlothlin
James Milton McGlothlin , nicknamed "Red", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He graduated from Reseda High School in 1961...
, who would win 14 games for the 1970 Reds
1970 Cincinnati Reds season
The 1970 Cincinnati Reds season consisted of the Reds winning the National League West title with a record of 102-60, 14½ games ahead of the runner-up Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in three straight games in the 1970 National League Championship Series to win their...
.
Then, in two masterful 1971 trades, he acquired second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
(in a deal that included May and Helms) from the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
and outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
George Foster from the Giants (for utility infielder
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
Frank Duffy). In Cincinnati, Morgan would win the NL Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
award in 1975-76 and earn credentials as a member of the Hall of Fame. Foster would hit 52 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s for the Reds in 1977
1977 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers ; Reggie Jackson, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None*National League Championship Series MVP: Dusty Baker...
— the only player to crack the half-century HR mark in the 1970s or 1980s.
The '76 Cincinnati club, which won 102 regular season games, then swept both the Phillies in the 1976
1976 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees ; Johnny Bench, MVP*All-Star Game, July 13 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 7-1; George Foster, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Naranjeros de Hermosillo...
National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
and the Yankees in the 1976 World Series
1976 World Series
The 1976 World Series matched the defending champion Cincinnati Reds of the National League against the New York Yankees of the American League, with the Reds sweeping the Series to repeat. The Reds became the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason. The Reds are also the last National...
, is considered one of the strongest in baseball history. The Sporting News named Howsam Major League Executive of the Year for 1973
1973 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Oakland Athletics over New York Mets ; Reggie Jackson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 24 at Royals Stadium: National League, 7–1; Bobby Bonds, MVP-Other champions:...
— ironically, a season in which the powerhouse Reds dropped the NLCS
1973 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 6, 1973 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe starting pitchers, New York's Tom Seaver and Cincinnati's Jack Billingham, produced a classic pitcher's duel in Game 1. The Mets threatened in the first, loading the bases with one out, but Cleon Jones grounded into a...
to the underdog New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
.
Howsam had considerably more authority than most general managers of the time. The team's owners during his tenure (first Francis Dale, then Louis Nippert
Louis Nippert
Louis Nippert was majority owner of Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds from to .Nippert was an heir to the Procter & Gamble fortune. In , he bought into the Reds as part of the ownership group led by Francis L. Dale. He bought majority control in 1973, and was at the helm for the Reds'...
) largely left the team's day-to-day operations in his hands, and he added the title of club president of the Reds in 1973. He even represented the Reds at owners' meetings. Although the Reds' uniform-wearing guidelines and no-facial-hair policies were more visible, Howsam was especially known for his conservatism regarding labor relations; under him, the Reds were among the hardliners during the 1972 strike.
After the dynasty
Approaching his 60th birthday at the close of the 1977 season, Howsam turned over his general manager responsibilities to a longtime assistant, Dick WagnerDick Wagner (baseball)
Dick Wagner was a sports, entertainment, and broadcasting executive who spent twenty-five years in Major League Baseball. He was best known for running the Cincinnati Reds during the 1970s and the Houston Astros during the 1980s.-Early Life and Careers:Born in Central City, Nebraska, Wagner’s...
. But the Reds' success ended when Howsam stepped aside. With the free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
era dawning, and with the Reds' stubborn refusal to play the big-money game, "The Big Red Machine" began to lose key players. Howsam had already traded Perez to the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in the months following the 1976 title. Gullett, Rose and Morgan were allowed to leave via free agency. Nolan developed arm problems. Wagner fired Anderson after Sparky refused to scapegoat his coaching staff when the Reds finished second in the NL West in both 1977 and 1978
1978 in baseball
-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Indios de Mayagüez *College World Series: USC*Japan Series: Yakult Swallows over Hankyu Braves *Little League World Series: Pin-Kuang, Pin-Tung, Taiwan-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player...
.
Howsam resigned as president in 1978, and Wagner was blamed by many for the team's decline, although Howsam, one of the most conservative voices in the game at that point, helped set fiscal policy for the club. Howsam returned to the club presidency in 1983 after Wagner's firing, with the team in last place. He hired Rose as player-manager, and helped restore the Reds to respectability. Howsam was elected to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2004.
In retirement, Howsam served on the Colorado Baseball Commission, which succeeded in bringing the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
to Denver as an MLB expansion team in 1993
1993 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Philadelphia Phillies ; Paul Molitor, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series MVP: Curt Schilling...
. He had been elected to his home state's Sports Hall of Fame in 1971. He died from a heart ailment at age 89 on February 19, 2008, in his Sun City, Arizona
Sun City, Arizona
Sun City is a census-designated place and unincorporated town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 38,309 at the 2000 census...
, home.