| Howie Fox | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1921-03-01)March 1, 1921 Coburg, Oregon, U.S. | |
| Died: October 9, 1955(1955-10-09) (aged 34) San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 17, 1944, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 25, 1954, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 43–72 |
| Earned run average | 4.33 |
| Strikeouts | 342 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Howard Francis Fox (March 1, 1921 – October 9, 1955) was an American professionalbaseballpitcher, who played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theCincinnati Reds,Philadelphia Phillies, andBaltimore Orioles, in 9 seasons, between1944 and1954. During his playing days, Fox stood 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m), weighing 210 pounds (95 kg). He batted and threwright-handed.
The year after Fox's last big league appearance, he bought a local tavern inSan Antonio, while he pitched for theMissions of theDouble-ATexas League; a month into the offseason, he was stabbed to death at age 34 during a disturbance at that establishment.
Fox was born inCoburg, Oregon. He played baseball and basketball at theUniversity of Oregon.[1] Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as a free agent in 1943, he played for aPioneer League team inOgden, Utah, in1943, followed by stints with minor league teams inBirmingham andSyracuse.[2]
A hard thrower with a sharpcurveball, Fox debuted in MLB in1944 with the Reds, playing seven years before joining the Philadelphia Phillies, in1952, and the Baltimore Orioles, in1954. His most productive season came in1950, for Cincinnati, when he went 11–8, a year after his 6–19 record gave him the most losses of any pitcher in the major leagues. In1951, Fox collected nine victories, with a 3.83earned run average (ERA), in a career-high 228 innings, but suffered 14 losses.
Before the 1952 season, Fox was dealt to Philadelphia in a seven-player transaction that includedSmoky Burgess,Niles Jordan,Eddie Pellagrini,Connie Ryan,Andy Seminick, andDick Sisler. In1953, he played forTriple-ABaltimore, and he appeared in 38 games for the MLB Orioles in 1954, their first year in MLB since 1902.
In nine major league seasons, Fox posted a 43–72 record, with 342strikeouts, a 4.33 ERA, in 248 appearances, including 132starts, 42complete games, fiveshutouts, sixsaves, and1,108+1⁄3 innings of work. In 253 games, Fox hit .189, with twohome runs, and 25runs batted in (RBI).
Fox also played in theVenezuelan Winter League (1953–1955) and in the1954 Caribbean Series. In the Venezuelan Winter League, he was pitching for Pastora when popular playerLuis Aparicio, Sr., of Gavilanes took himself out of a 1953 game and allowed his son,Luis Aparicio, to pinch hit for his first professional baseballat bat. The younger Aparicio became a star MLB player and member of theBaseball Hall of Fame.[3]
While he was a minor league pitcher in theTexas League for theSan Antonio Missions in 1955, Fox purchased a San Antonio tavern. That October, he was attempting to kick three men out of the bar when a struggle ensued in front of the tavern. Fox was stabbed three times and died as he was trying to crawl back to the door of the establishment. ASan Antonio College student, John Strickland, was arrested and two other men were held as material witnesses.[4] Strickland was charged with murder with malice and another man was indicted on an aggravated assault charge in the stabbing injury of Fox's bartender, who was critically injured.[5]