Steve Howe (baseball)

Steve Howe
Howe in 1981
Pitcher
Born: (1958-03-10)March 10, 1958
Pontiac, Michigan, U.S.
Died: April 28, 2006(2006-04-28) (aged 48)
Coachella, California, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 11, 1980, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Last MLB appearance
June 21, 1996, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics
Win–loss record47–41
Earned run average3.03
Strikeouts328
Saves91
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Steven Roy Howe (March 10, 1958 – April 28, 2006) was an American professional baseball relief pitcher. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, spanning 1980 to 1996. His baseball career ended in 1997 after a stint with the Sioux Falls Canaries of the independent Northern League.

A hard-throwing left-hander, Howe was the Rookie of the Year in 1980, saved the clinching game of the 1981 World Series, and was an All-Star in 1982. However, his career was derailed by problems with alcohol and cocaine abuse. He was suspended seven times by MLB for drug-policy violations, and in 1992 he received a lifetime ban from baseball that he was able to overturn with an appeal. After each disciplinary action, he returned to show flashes of his former brilliance. He died in a single-vehicle accident in 2006, after which an autopsy identified the presence of methamphetamine in his system.