Ryan Howard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ryan Howard |
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Howard with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: November 19, 1979 Florissant, Missouri, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 1, 2004, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 2, 2016, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .258 | ||
| Home runs | 382 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,194 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Ryan James Howard (born November 19, 1979), also known as "the Big Piece", is a former professional baseball first baseman. He played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the Philadelphia Phillies, from 2004 to 2016. Ryan Howard is famous for being one of the fastest players in baseball history to hit many home runs. He holds several records for the Phillies team.
Howard started playing in MLB in 2004. He won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award in 2005. The next year, in 2006, he won the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. He was chosen as an NL All-Star three times (2006, 2009, 2010). He also won the Silver Slugger Award and the Hank Aaron Award. In 2009, he was named the NL Championship Series MVP. Ryan Howard was known for his amazing power when hitting the ball. He was a two-time NL home run champion (2006, 2008). He was also the fastest player to reach 100 and 200 home runs in MLB history.
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Ryan Howard's Early Baseball Days
Ryan Howard was born in Florissant, Missouri. He went to Lafayette High School and then to Missouri State University. There, he played college baseball for the Bears from 1998 to 2001. During his college career, he hit 50 home runs and had 183 runs batted in (RBIs). His batting average was .335. In 1999, he was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. Missouri State honored him by retiring his jersey number in 2010.
Starting His Professional Career
Playing in the Minor Leagues
The Philadelphia Phillies picked Ryan Howard in the 2001 draft. He started playing for their minor league teams. He quickly moved up through the Phillies' minor league system. In 2003 and 2004, he won awards in different leagues. He also set a record for the Reading Phillies team by hitting 37 home runs in just 102 games. He hit 46 home runs in the minor leagues in 2004. This was one of the highest totals in all of baseball that year.
Joining the Philadelphia Phillies
First Games in 2004
Ryan Howard played his first MLB game on September 1, 2004. He got his first MLB hit on September 6. On September 11, he hit his first MLB home run, which also brought in his first RBI. In 2004, he played 19 games for the Phillies. He had a .282 batting average, with two home runs and five RBIs.
Rookie of the Year in 2005
In 2005, Ryan Howard became the Phillies' main first baseman. This happened when Jim Thome, another great player, got injured. Howard was named the National League (NL) Rookie of the Month in September. He hit 10 home runs and had 22 RBIs that month.
Howard led all major league rookies with 22 home runs. He also had a .288 batting average and 63 RBIs in only 88 games. He was rewarded for his great performance by being named the NL Rookie of the Year. He was the fourth Phillies player to win this award. After the 2005 season, the Phillies traded Jim Thome to make sure Ryan Howard had a permanent spot on the team.
MVP Season in 2006
Ryan Howard started the 2006 season as the Phillies' starting first baseman. On April 23, he hit a home run that traveled about 496 feet (151 meters) into Ashburn Alley at Citizens Bank Park. This was his first game with two home runs.
Howard was chosen for his first All-Star game. He also took part in the Home Run Derby before the game. He won the contest by hitting 23 home runs! He was the second Phillies player in a row to win the Derby.
On August 31, Howard hit his 49th home run of the season. This broke Mike Schmidt's record for the most home runs in a single season for the Phillies. On September 3, he hit three home runs in one game. This made him the first Phillies player and only the 24th player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs in a season. He ended the 2006 season with a .313 batting average, 58 home runs, and 149 RBIs. His 58 home runs were the most by any player in their second season.
In November 2006, Ryan Howard won the National League MVP award. He became one of only a few players in baseball history to win the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards in back-to-back seasons.
2007 Season Highlights
On June 27, 2007, Ryan Howard hit a home run that traveled about 461 feet (140 meters). This made him the fastest player in MLB history to reach 100 home runs. He did it in only 325 games, which was much faster than the previous record holder.
Howard finished the 2007 season with a .268 batting average, 47 home runs, and 136 RBIs. He helped the Phillies win their division title, which meant they made it to the postseason for the first time since 1993.
World Series Champion in 2008
Ryan Howard started the 2008 season slowly, but he improved as the year went on. He hit his 100th RBI of the season on August 11. This was his third year in a row with at least 100 RBIs.
He finished the 2008 season with 146 RBIs and 48 home runs. His strong play helped the Phillies win their division again and reach the postseason. In the 2008 World Series, Howard hit three home runs, including two in Game 4. The Phillies won the series in five games, bringing Philadelphia its first World Series championship since 1980! Howard finished second in the voting for the 2008 NL MVP award.
2009: More Records and Awards
In February 2009, Howard signed a new contract with the Phillies. On May 30, he hit his third grand slam of the season. This grand slam was his eighth career grand slam, setting a new record for the Phillies team, passing Mike Schmidt.
Howard was again named to the 2009 National League All-Star team and competed in the Home Run Derby. On July 16, he hit his 200th career home run. This made him the fastest player ever to reach 200 home runs, doing it in only 658 games.
He finished the 2009 season tied for the major league lead in RBIs with 141. In the 2009 National League Division Series, Howard played a key role. He later won the NLCS MVP award. However, he struggled in the 2009 World Series, striking out a record 13 times.
2010 Season
On September 8, 2010, Ryan Howard hit his 250th home run in only 855 games. This made him the quickest player in history to reach that milestone. On September 18, he hit his 30th home run of the season. This set a new Phillies record with five years in a row of hitting at least 30 home runs and 100 RBIs.
2011 Season and Injury
In 2011, Ryan Howard had a .253 batting average, 33 home runs, and 116 RBIs. This was his sixth year in a row with at least 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, which is a Phillies team record.
However, in Game 5 of the 2011 National League Division Series, Howard tore his Achilles tendon while running to first base. This injury required surgery, and he missed the start of the 2012 season.
Later Career (2012-2016)
Ryan Howard returned to play in July 2012. He hit his 300th career home run on September 22. However, his season ended shortly after due to a toe injury. In 2013, he had another injury, a torn meniscus in his knee, which ended his season early.
In 2014, Howard hit his 1,000th RBI. He became the fastest player in MLB history to reach 1,000 RBIs, doing it in only 1,230 games. He finished the 2014 season with 23 home runs and 95 RBIs.
In 2015, he hit 23 home runs and had 77 RBIs. In 2016, he hit his 375th home run. The Phillies decided not to keep him for the next season, making him a free agent for the first time in his career.
After the Phillies
In 2017, Ryan Howard signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. He played a few games for their minor league team but was released in May. Later that year, he signed with the Colorado Rockies and played for their Triple-A team. He announced his retirement from baseball on September 4, 2018.
Ryan Howard's Life Outside Baseball
Ryan Howard has a twin brother named Corey, an older brother, and a sister. He was the smallest of the Howard sons. Growing up, his favorite baseball team was the St. Louis Cardinals. He has a son named Darian Alexander.
Howard played the trombone in high school. He is a representative for brands like Under Armour and Subway. He also appeared on the cover of the video game MLB 08: The Show.
He appeared as himself in TV shows like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Entourage. He also appeared in the final season of The Office. One character on The Office is named Ryan Howard, and in one episode, he pretended to be the baseball player Ryan Howard.
Ryan Howard married Krystle Campbell, a former cheerleader, in 2012. They are Catholic. In November 2014, a lawsuit between Howard and his family about money was settled.
In January 2016, Howard filed a lawsuit against Al Jazeera for defamation. This was after a documentary linked him and other athletes to a clinic that was said to have distributed certain substances.
In May 2017, Howard became a partner at SeventySix Capital, a company that invests in new businesses. He has also written six children's books with his wife, Krystle Howard, and Erwin Madrid.
In February 2019, Howard joined ESPN as a baseball analyst for Baseball Tonight. In April 2019, he announced that he and his wife were expecting a baby girl.
On March 24, 2023, President Joe Biden appointed Ryan Howard to be a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.
Ryan Howard's Amazing Records
Ryan Howard holds many impressive records in Major League Baseball and for the Philadelphia Phillies:
- He hit 58 home runs in 2006, which is the most by a Phillies player in a single season.
- He was the fastest player to reach 100 home runs (in 325 games) and 200 home runs (in 658 games).
- He holds the Phillies record for career grand slams with 15.
- He is tied for the most career home runs by a player whose last name starts with H, with 382.
- He is also known for having the most career "Golden sombreros" (games with at least four strikeouts) with 27.
Ryan Howard was considered for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022, but he did not receive enough votes to be included.
Images for kids
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Howard with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015
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An example of Howard's signature stance before taking a pitch.
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Howard swinging at a pitch
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Barack Obama talks with Howard and Prince Fielder (left), before the start of the MLB All-Star Game.
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Howard injured his ankle on August 1, 2010.
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Howard at bat during a Phillies game
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Howard holding Cardinals outfielder Stephen Piscotty in 2016
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Howard as a member of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition
See also
In Spanish: Ryan Howard para niños
