Jay Howell (2018) - CU Athletic Hall of Fame - University of Colorado Athletics

Jay Howell

Induction:
2018
Class:
1976

An imposing figure on the mound (6-3, 210), he earned three letters as a starting pitcher for the Buffaloes from 1974-76 … He compiled some impressive career numbers, appearing in 30 games and recording an 18-8 record with a 2.98 career earned run average … He pitched 166.1 innings and allowed just 141 hits and 55 earned runs, striking out 150 while walking just 62 … As a junior in 1976, he had a 10-4 record with a 2.41 ERA, with a school-record 89 strikeouts with only 29 walks … Had six games where he allowed four hits or less, including a 4-hit gem in a 3-0 win over third-ranked Oklahoma in Oklahoma City; the Sooners would finish 62-19 for the season and were one of the top five teams in the nation … He also had a two-hitter in a 2-0 win over Kansas State in the Big Eight tournament … Started 28 games overall with 13 complete games, two shutouts and five games with 10 or more K’s (career-high of 14 versus Wayne State as a junior) … He earned first-team All-Big Eight as a sophomore and junior, when he also garnered honorable mention All-America honors … Also pitched for the Boulder Collegians, where his catcher was current Chicago Cub manager Joe Maddon … He was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 12th round of Major League Baseball’s 1973 June Draft out of Fairview High School; the Reds came back and selected him again in the 1976 Draft (31st round) after he completed his junior season and he opted to turn pro … He would played 15 seasons in the majors with seven teams: Cincinnati, Chicago (Cubs), New York (Yankees), Oakland, Los Angeles (Dodgers), Atlanta and Texas … He appeared in 568 regular season games over the course of his career, finishing with a 58-53 won-lost record with 155 saves; his earned run average was 3.34 with 666 strikeouts … Ranked in the top 10 in saves in seven different years, fifth in 1985 with 29 (A’s) and fourth in 1989 with 28 (Dodgers) … He also pitched in four postseason games with a save, which he recorded for the Dodgers in game four against Oakland in the 1988 World Series (the Dodgers won in five games,