Howie Fitzgerald

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Howie Fitzgerald

|position=Outfielder

|image=

|bats=Left

|throws=Left

|birth_date={{Birth date|1902|5|16|mf=y}}

|birth_place=Eagle Lake, Texas, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|1959|2|26|1902|5|16}}

|death_place=Matthews, Texas, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=September 17

|debutyear=1922

|debutteam=Chicago Cubs

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=August 6

|finalyear=1926

|finalteam=Boston Red Sox

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.257

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=0

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=14

|teams=

Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|1922}}, {{mlby|1924}})
Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1926}})

}}

Howard Chumney Fitzgerald (May 16, 1902 – February 26, 1959) was an American professional baseball outfielder. Born in Eagle Lake, Texas,{{cite web |url=https://www.fold3.com/file/627386134/ |title=Draft Registration Card |agency=Selective Service System |via=fold3.com |url-access=subscription |date=February 1942 |accessdate=October 29, 2024}} he batted and threw left-handed.

Biography

Fitzgerald's professional baseball career spanned 1922–1933, most of it in the minor leagues. He played in the major-leagues for two teams: the Chicago Cubs in 1922 and 1924 and the Boston Red Sox in 1926.{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/F/Pfitzh101.htm |title=Howard Fitzgerald |website=Retrosheet |accessdate=October 29, 2024}}

In a three-season major-league career, Fitzgerald posted a .257 batting average (36-for-140) with 14 runs batted in (RBIs) in 48 games. He did not hit a home run. Defensively, he appeared primarily as a left fielder, making 21 of his 34 starts there.

Fitzgerald died in 1959 in an automobile accident in Matthews, Texas,{{efn|Matthews appears as "Mathews" in some sources.}} at age 56.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-colorado-county-citizen-death-claims/158095647/ |title=Death Claims Eagle Lake Man at Accident Scene |newspaper=The Colorado County Citizen |location=Columbus, Texas |page=1 |date=March 5, 1959 |accessdate=October 29, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}

In 2005, Fitzgerald was selected to the Texas League Hall of Fame.{{cite press release |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/six-former-san-antonio-players-named-to-texas-league-hall-of-fame/n-3184893; |title=Six former San Antonio players named to Texas League Hall of Fame |website=oursportscentral.com |publisher=San Antonio Missions |date=June 28, 2005 |accessdate=October 29, 2024}} He played nine seasons in the Texas League, primarily with the Wichita Falls Spudders.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=fitzge001how |title=Howard Fitzgerald Minor League Statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |accessdate=October 29, 2024}}