Travis Howard

Travis Buford Howard


Born:
July 31, 1917
Mississippi

Died:
May 1, 1975
Spartanburg, SC


Career
1944-45 Corvair Bombers - Nashville (Independent)
1946-47 General Shoes - Nashville (Independent)
1947-48 Nashville Vols (SPBL)
1949-50 Burton - Nashville (Independent)
1953-54 Nashville Veterans (Independent)

Howard served in the U.S. Navy for seven years, being discharged in 1944. He immediately went to the baseball diamond, signing to play with the Nashville Vols baseball team as a first baseman. He had been offered a deal with the Yankees' farm team in Norfolk, Virignia, but chose to stay in Nashville. He was sold to Lockport in the PONY league before being released. From there, he moved to play with Kinsport in the class-D Appalachian League.

Howard's athletic dreams were hampered by numerous run-ins with the law. In spring of 1945, he confessed to multiple burglaries and larcenies. He would escape from the county jail in 1952, only to be captured a short while later.


Minor League Baseball Stats:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=howard001tra


Source:
The Tennessean, March 30, 1945
The Tennessean, December 2, 1951

Stats: