#113 Thomas Howard

About the Front: Thomas Howard is going full extension for a fly ball in the Cleveland Municipal Stadium outfield. Hopefully he doesn't open his glove too late.

About the Back: Howard was born in Middletown, OH. Also from Middletown: pitcher Charlie Root, who won 201 games for the Cubs in the pre-WWII years.

Triple Play:

1. Thomas was a three-sport athlete at Valley View High School, as he also quarterbacked a league champion football team and played power forward for a league champion basketball team.

2. While serving as the fourth outfielder for the 1995 National League Central-winning Reds, he batted .302 and stole 17 bases, but was caught eight times.

3. On April 11, 2000, Howard hit the first grand slam at Enron Field (now known as Minute Maid Park), erasing a three-run St. Louis deficit with one swing of the bat. It was one of eight pinch-hit homers in his career, and his only grand slam.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: When I looked at this card back in 1993, I probably noticed the clear-as-day white Nike swooshes on Thomas Howard's cleats. I had no way of knowing that Nike (and its competitors) would soon splash their trademarks all over every part of the uniform. Cherish the relative lack of logo creep, young Kevin!

Bill James Said: "I don't remember what I wrote about Mike Felder, but whatever it was, it probably applies here too."

On This Date in 1993: November 22. I'm really enjoying following the player movement of the winter of 1993-1994. Today, Will Clark made headlines by signing a five-year, $30 million contract with the Rangers.