Lot # 1396: 1971-1972 Frank Howard Game-Worn Final Season Washington Senators/First Season Texas Rangers Home Jersey - Phil Wood LOA

"Hondo" saddled up and headed west with this 1971-1972 Washington Senators/Texas Rangers game-worn home jersey. Also known as the "Washington Monument", slugger Frank Howard was the main power supplier for the Senators from 1965-1971, and though he was in the twilight of his career when the franchise relocated to Texas, he still put up impressive power numbers in 1972. On a historic note, Howard hit the last regular-season home run for the Senators at RFK Stadium, in his final at bat of 1971 In 1972, he also hit the first ever Texas Rangers home run. The window was open for Howard to have worn this jersey when he launched the final Senators bomb, but not so for the Rangers inaugural blast, as the accompanying LOA cites the jersey was repurposed for Spring Training in 1972, though it's a good bet he knocked some balls out of the park during training games.

A Wilson factory label inside the collar is embroidered with the size 52, as Wilson reportedly did not stock jerseys with preprinted sizes larger than 46. Embroidered on the left-front tail is the identification 1971 - Set 1, for the season and uniform set number. An outline of the removed Senators name lettering is clearly discernible on the breast, with the new Rangers lettering applied over the former team nickname. Howard wore number 33 for the Senators from 1969-1971, after giving up his number 9 out of respect for newly hired manager Ted Williams in 1969. The number 33 patches on the back are carryovers from the 1971 Washington season. Approaching the size of a horse blanket, this gargantuan jersey shows moderate signs of age/wear but remains very attractive.

Phil Wood LOA.