Art Howe was 23 and playing baseball in the Pittsburgh Federation League when he got the chance to try out as a walk‐on for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Two days later, the 1965 Shaler Area High School graduate signed a professional contract with the team. Since then, he has built a career as one of the most respected players and managers in baseball.
The youngest of six children— with three brothers and two sisters— Howe’ s love of the game began when he was living with his family in the Shalercrest area of Pittsburgh.
“ Like a lot of guys my age, I was outside playing ball, no matter what season it was,” Howe says by phone from his home in Texas.
He credits his neighbor, Deb Rupert, as the one who encouraged him to start playing ball when he was a child.
“ He was a real mentor for me,” says Howe, 69.“ He’ s the one who got me playing organized sports when I was very young.”
At Shaler, Howe excelled in baseball and football. Unfortunately, he suffered a slipped disc while playing football as a sophomore. Forced to wear a brace for almost a year, he assumed that his playing days were over. They weren’ t. A year later, as a junior at Shaler, Howe was the winning pitcher in the 1965 WPIAL Championship game against Monongahela. Despite his serious injury, Howe was offered scholarships to play quarterback for Nebraska and Miami, ultimately settling on the University of Wyoming to play as a quarterback, split end and defensive back. During his freshman year of college, however, he re-injured his back. He was told that if he continued to play football, his back might never recover. He turned his attention to baseball. Despite being a standout player, he graduated with no professional prospects.
After graduation, he returned home and found work as a systems analyst for Westinghouse. At the same time, he was playing with the Federation League’ s now‐defunct North Side Mets when his friend, Bill Howser, convinced him to try out for the Pirates.
“ It was a long shot, for sure. It was a little embarrassing, being so much older than the other kids,” he says, pointing out that most
Art Howe( left) and actor Philip Seymour Hoffman portraying Howe in the 2011 move " Moneyball."
athletes who try out for the big leagues are in their teens, but there he was, married with a baby on the way.
Howe says he spent six hours on the turf that day. Two days later, the Pirates called, offering him a contract as a free agent. The salary? Only $ 500 a month, less than half of what he was making at Westinghouse.
“ My wife, Betty, told me I had to give it a chance. She said I couldn’ t pass it up. I can’ t give her enough credit,” he says. He played in the minor leagues for a few years before getting to the Pirates for the 1974-1975 season. He was 27 when he played his first Major League game.
“ To be playing for my hometown team... you can only imagine what it’ s like being in that clubhouse with players like Willie Stargell and Richie Hebner,” he says.“ It was a pinch-me moment. I was living my dream. I’ ve been very fortunate.”
After that first season playing in the big leagues, Howe was traded to the Houston Astros,
where he stayed until 1982. In 1984, he went to the St. Louis Cardinals. After 11 years, 891 games and 43 home runs, he finished his playing career with the Cardinals in 1985.
“ I was 39 years old, and my playing days were numbered,” he says. He decided to play out that last year, and let the organizations
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Howe finished his playing career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985.
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