Howser Stadium Dedication, Kansas City Royals and Rain

By Jim Joanos

Dick Howser died in June of 1987. Dick had been FSU’s first All-American baseball player, an honor he achieved in 1957 and 58 as a shortstop. In the major leagues he had a very successful career and then became a major league coach. He left his job as a coach of the New York Yankees to serve as FSU’s head coach during the 1979 season. He then returned to the majors as the manager of the New York Yankees and later the Kansas City Royals. At Kansas City, he managed the team that won the World Series in 1985. The following year he was diagnosed with brain cancer. In later years an award named after him has been presented to the “national college best player of the year.”

Shortly after Dick’s death, FSU invited the Kansas City Royals to play FSU in an exhibition game at FSU’s stadium in memory of Dick. They accepted and the date for the game was set for March 3, 1988. In addition, the Royals volunteered that they would come at their own expense. Also at that time, FSU was renovating “Seminole Field” into a greatly improved stadium. It was decided to name the improved facility as the “Dick Howser Stadium” and the 1987 Florida Legislature authorized it. FSU President Bernie Sliger appointed a committee to plan an appropriate dedication ceremony for the stadium. He asked me to serve as chairman. The rest of the committee was made up of several university officials and some friends of Dick. They were Mike Fields, Gerry Gilmer, Trevor Grubbs, Pat Hogan, Nancy Key, Andy Miller, Charlie Miner, Nick Nixon, Larry Pendelton, and Harvey Sweeney. Marty Burke of the university president’s office served as secretary for the committee. At its first meeting, the committee set the dedication to be on March 3, 1988, to be held in conjunction with the exhibition game at the stadium as it was suggested by President Sliger. The committee met monthly thereafter to iron out the details and develop the program for the dedication. Working with the committee was very enjoyable as there was great support for what we were doing. It was especially easy to line up the program participants as they considered it to be an honor to participate in the tribute to Dick.

The dedication ceremony was one to be remembered. The stadium was packed with state government and FSU officials, Royals and American League representatives, as well as a huge turnout of FSU fans. Among the dignitaries present were the governor of Florida, Bob Martinez, and the Chairman of the Florida Board of Regents, Charlie Reed. Fred White, the Broadcaster for the Royals, was the master of ceremonies. The invocation was delivered by the Reverend Jerry Gerrard of Tallahassee’s Celebration Baptist Church. The main address was done by Dr. Bobby Brown, President of the American League. Florida Secretary of State Jim Smith then made the presentation of the stadium which was accepted by Board of Regents member Duby Ausley and then Dr. Sliger in behalf of the university. This was followed by remarks from John Schuerholz, General Manager of the Royals. After which third baseman George Brett, in behalf of the Royals, and Barry Blackwell, FSU’s catcher, unveiled a sculpture of Dick. The final response was given by Dick’s wife, Nancy Howser.

After the ceremony, the game between the Royals and FSU took center stage. As the visiting team, the Royals batted first. Left handed senior pitcher, Rod Byerly, was on the mound for the Seminoles. Byerly held the Royals in check for two innings and then in the third inning, the visitors’ designated hitter, Jim Eisenreich hit one over the fence. It would be the only run scored that day. While the Royals got six hits, FSU’s skilled infield managed two double plays to erase other scoring threats. There were a lot of exciting plays. One was Byerly striking out the Royals’ Bo Jackson in the 3rd inning. Another was a spectacular catch by the Royals’ outfielder, Willie Wilson, of a long ball hit by FSU freshman first baseman, Brad Parker, on the warning track in center field. Then there was a double by FSU freshman outfielder Marc Tomayo. At the end of the fourth inning, the skies opened and a heavy rain came. There would be no more baseball that day.

Although the game was cut short by the rain, there was still fun to be had. Many of the fans, dignitaries, and most of the Royals and FSU players retreated from the weather into the former athletics facility that stood next to the stadium where the Moore Center is today. The facility included an indoor basketball practice court. Sides were chosen and some of the players and fans commenced to play basketball. One of my fondest memories is of George Brett beaming with delight over his team’s victory in the pickup game. While he was a veteran baseball player, he still had a wonderful spirit of youth about him.

Often, I think about that day. It was fun, special, and meaningful, mainly because of the man, Dick Howser, who was honored.

About the author:

Jim Joanos

Memories of Garnet and Gold

Jim Joanos and his wife Betty Lou have deep roots at Florida State University. Avid sports fans, they have literally seen, and done, it all. Fortunately for us, Jim loves telling first-hand accounts dating back to FSU’s first football game, a 1947 clash with the Stetson Hatters on Centennial Field, where Cascades Park is today.

The Osceola will run a series of these colorful stories written by the former Tallahassee lawyer and judge, which we feel our readers will find enlightening and/or nostalgic.

Jim and Betty Lou, who was Associate Director of the FSU Alumni Association (1991-2003), have been married 65 years and are each listed as one of FSU’s 100 Distinguished Graduates. The couple were enshrined in the FSU Hall of Fame in 2015 as Moore-Stone Award Recipients. Ironically, both Deans Moore and Stone were instrumental in the Joanoses career development.

“Both Jim and Betty Lou Joanos have been exemplary fans and supporters of Florida State University, both academically and athletically,” said Andy Miller, retired President and CEO of Seminole Boosters, Inc. “You can’t go to an athletic event of any kind that you don’t see both Jim and Betty Lou Joanos together. They love their university as much as they love each other.”