T79 #62: Howard Johnson “Hotel and Lodge”

This five-foot-eleven-inch, former third baseman is spacious, bright, and cheery. With convenient locations in Detroit, New York, Colorado, and Chicago, there is always availability at #62 on The Top 79 Cub Killers of My Time.

Be impressed with the .257/.343/.518 line put up against the Cubs by Howard Johnson throughout his fourteen-year career. Howard Johnson also offers five-star accommodations, including 27 home runs and 90 RBIs in only 128 games against the Cubs.

Howard Johnson was originally established in 1979 in Detroit. The first-round class pick formally opened in 1982 with rousing success and a .316/.384/.426 line.

The most well-known Howard Johnson, however, is the New York Howard Johnson, established prior to the 1985 season in exchange for Walt Terrell. Be forewarned. The New York Howard Johnson does not welcome citizens from Chicago, in particular pitchers. The New York Howard Johnson had more doubles (28), triples (5), home runs (27), and RBIs (90) when entertaining Cub pitching than any other pitching.

The Howard Johnson in Wrigley Field has a lakeside view, and in it you, too, might bat .275/.374/.574 and collect more hits (98), hit far more home runs (27), drive in far more runs (77), and score more runs (69) at than at any other ballpark.

Please call for availability.

Why You Should Hate Him: While Greg Maddux rarely got lit up in his early career as a Cub, it was never fun to watch him do so, particularly not with Cub-killing Dwight Gooden on the mound opposite him. September 8, 1988, was no different, especially since Howard Johnson, who entered the game hitting a meager .239, went 5-5 with a double and four RBIs, including a 3-run home in the 7th inning that blew a 7-6 Mets lead into a 10-6 disaster in a game that the Mets would eventually win 13-6. Johnson could be seen twirling the ends of his wanna-be-Keith Hernandez mustache and laughing diabolically shortly after the game.

Did You Know? Howard Johnson held the single-season home run record for a switch hitter with 38 until it was broken by the King of the B126, Todd Hundley with 41 in 1996. The two were former Mets teammates. And Johnson had a secretary named Hundley, and Hundley had a secretary named Jack Daniels.

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