Steve HoweIn the summer of 1991, Steve Howe - once among the best young relievers in baseball - was making his major league comeback with the Yankees, after a four year absence following numerous suspensions for drug use. After one game, I was loitering around the Yankees clubhouse with my press credentials around my neck and my velvet yarmulke on my head. Howe cheerfully walked by and said to me: "Wanna talk to me?" I politely declined.
By the 1992 season, Howe had been suspended yet again and was making yet another comeback. After watching batting practice on the field, I walked into the dugout with a friend for whom I had gotten press credentials. (The dugout led to the locker rooms, the press area and the elevator to the press box.) As we entered the dugout, Howe spit out some tobacco juice, a bit of which landed on us. After a slight pause, Howe sort of apologized. Then, we talked for around a minute with Howe and Yankees coach Frank Howard, before exiting for the press box.
For whatever reason, these rather innocuous encounters always left me with a positive impression about Howe, and I was sorry to read of his death at the age of 48 after a car accident a few days ago. We offer condolences to his family.
posted on 5/01/2006
