Frank “Hondo” Howard, the Capital Punisher himself, will join longtime Orioles catcher and broadcaster Rick Dempsey alongside noted sports reporter and SABR member George Michael during the July 31 player panel. The panel runs 10:30 a.m.-noon.

Hondo. The Capital Punisher. The Gentle Giant. Frank Howard had many nicknames during his playing days. A native of Columbus, Ohio, he was an All-American in both baseball and basketball at The Ohio State University and was actually drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors out of college. However, Howard went with his first love, baseball, and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers just before the 1958 season. As the NL Rookie of the Year in 1960, he hit 23 home runs with 77 RBI.

He was traded to the Washington Senators for the 1965 season and stayed with the club until 1972, becoming one of the team’s best-loved players. A four-time All Star (1968, 1969, 1970, and 1971), his 382 career home runs were the eighth most by a right-handed hitter when he retired in 1973. Some of those home runs are legendary. In May 1968, Howard hit a record-setting 10 home runs in 20 at-bats over six games. He is one of three players (along with Harmon Kellebrew and Cecil Fielder) to have hit a ball onto the left field roof at Tiger Stadium, and is reportedly the only player ever to hit a fair ball out of Yankee Stadium (it was ruled a foul but Yankee outfielder Bobby Murcer reportedly later said it was fair).

Howard’s last regular season home run for the Senators in RFK Stadium came in his final at bat on September 30, 1971, against the Yankees. Howard still calls it the biggest thrill of his career. He stayed with the team for a season after the Senators move to Texas and was later traded to the Detroit Tigers, where he finished out his playing career. After retiring as a player, Howard moved into coaching and managing. In addition to managing the 1981 San Diego Padres and the 1983 New York Mets, he also coached for the Milkwaukee Brewers, the Mets, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. His most recent position has been in player development for the Yankees.