Howie Moss

Who was Howie Moss?

Howard Glenn Moss was an American professional baseball player, an outfielder and third baseman who was a prodigious home run hitter in minor league baseball but who struggled in three Major League trials during the 1940s. Listed at 5 feet, 11½ inches tall and 185 pounds, Moss batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Gastonia, North Carolina.

Moss — nicknamed "Howitzer" — built his legacy as one of the most feared sluggers of the International League in the 1940s. In 1944, his batting prowess drove the Baltimore Orioles to the Governors' Cup championship title after he led the league hitters with 27 home runs, 141 RBI and 178 hits, while batting .306 with 122 runs and a .549 slugging percentage. For his heroics, he received the IL Most Valuable Player Award.

In 1945, Moss served for one year for the United States Coast Guard during World War II. After being discharged from service, he again led the league in home runs for three consecutive seasons, hitting 38 in 1946, 53 in 1947, and 33 in 1948. His single-season home run mark of 53 has not been reached since then in the International League. He also is the only player in IL history to lead the circuit in home runs four times. In 1960, Moss was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame.