Cincinnati Reds hired 48-year-old Bob Howsam

Cincinnati Reds hired 48-year-old Bob Howsam

on January 22, 1967. TheCincinnati Reds hired 48-year-old Bob Howsam to a three-year contract as vice-president and general manager.

A native of Colorado, Howsam started in baseball in the 1950s with the Denver Bears of the minor league American Association. He was the original owner of the Denver Broncos in the AFL in 1960. Howsam’s first major league job was as general manager of the Cardinals in 1964. He was disenchanted with front office interference in St. Louis and owner August Busch willing let hom go to Cincinnati. The Cards won the World Series in 1964 but Howsam dismantled the club with a series of trades and the club out of contenetion in 1965 and 1966. The trades he made helped the Cards win the NL pennant in 1967 and 1968. The Reds hired Howsam in part because he helped the Cards open a new stadium in 1966, and Cincinnati had one on the drawing boards. Howsam inherited a great deal of talent when he came to the Reds, but built on it and led the franchise to four NL pennants and two world championships in the 1970s.