Howie Bedell

Howard William Bedell (born September 29, 1935 in Clearfield, Pennsylvania) is a former Major League Baseball player. An outfielder, Bedell played for the Milwaukee Braves in 1962 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 1968. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.

In his career, Bedell played in 67 games and registered 28 hits, three runs batted in and scored 15 runs. His batting average was .193. 58 of his 67 games played, all 15 of his runs scored, 27 of his 28 hits and 2 of his three RBIs were with the Braves.

Bedell’s lone RBI as a Phillie came in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 8, 1968. Pinch-hitting in the top of the fifth inning, Bedell hit a sacrifice fly to score Tony Taylor for a run that broke Don Drysdale’s string of 58²⁄₃ consecutive scoreless innings. Earlier that game, Drysdale had broken Walter Johnson’s streak of 56 counsecutive scoreless innings, set in 1913.

After his playing career ended, Bedell served as a manager in the Phillies' farm system from 1969-1971 and from 1973-1974. He was also a coach with the Kansas City Royals in 1984 and the Seattle Mariners in 1988, and the farm director of the Cincinnati Reds in 1990 and 1991.

While in the American Association in 1961 Bedell recorded a 43-game hitting streak, which ended up tied for the league record after the league folded in 1997.