Whether you’re a Yankee fan, a baseball history enthusiast, or both, you surely recognize Elston Howard’s name. He’s well-remembered as the first African-American to play for the Yankees, the first African-American to coach in the American League, and a key catcher on a Yankee dynasty that appeared in five straight World Series.
What sometimes gets lost in the discussion is how great of a player Howard was. The often-overlooked reality is that he wasn’t just an ancillary part of a great team that featured names like Mantle, Ford, Berra, and Maris – he belongs in the discussion of best catchers in Yankee history.