The man who broke the Yankees' color barrier and redefined catching
In short: In 1955, Elston Howard became the first African American to play for the New York Yankees. Beyond the historic milestone, he evolved from an outfielder into a record-breaking catcher, eventually becoming the first Black player in American League history to win the MVP award.
Howard's journey to Major League Baseball was marked by significant versatility and resilience. After turning down college football scholarships from institutions like Michigan and Illinois in 1948, he signed with the Negro American League's Kansas City Monarchs for $500 a month. Following a stint in the U.S. Army during 1951 and 1952, he joined the Yankees organization, where he was famously converted from an outfielder into a catcher to compete with the legendary Yogi Berra.
His defensive prowess was nothing short of elite. During 1964, Howard established new American League benchmarks for total chances and putouts within one season. A lifetime catching fielding percentage of .993 held the major league mark between 1967 and 1973. This defensive reliability, combined with his offensive contributions, earned him 12 All-Star selections and a Gold Glove Award in 1963.
The pinnacle of his individual success arrived in 1963. That year, Howard was named the American League's Most Valuable Player after finishing third in slugging average and fifth in home runs. This made him the first Black player in the history of the American League to receive the honor. Even after his playing days ended, Howard continued to influence the game, serving as the American League's first Black coach for the Yankees from 1969 to 1979.
Howard's legacy is also tied to his tactical innovation. He is credited as the first player to use the extended index and pinky finger—a gesture known as the 'corna'—to signal two outs, a movement more visible to outfielders than the standard index and middle finger signal.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Elston Howard
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