McFarland had played in the minor leagues from 1932 to 1937, spending the latter season with the Class A1 Chattanooga Lookouts, a Senators' farm system affiliate. He then left pro ball for nearly eight full seasons. In July 1945, the Senators, battling the Detroit Tigers for the American League pennant and "desperate for players," signed McFarland to a big-league contract. He was used by Washington manager Ossie Bluege in six games, with one start in right field against the Boston Red Sox on August 4. Six days later, he collected his only MLB hit, an RBI single off Thornton Lee of the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park. His last appearance for Washington came on August 16, when he flied out as a pinch hitter against the Tigers' Hall of Fame left-hander, Hal Newhouser.
In his six games in the majors, McFarland had 11 plate appearances, with one hit, no runs scored, no bases on balls, and two career runs batted in. He batted .091. He didn't play pro ball in 1946, but returned to the minor leagues in 1947 for one last season, batting .362 for Odessa in the Class D Longhorn League.
Howard McFarland died in Wichita, Kansas, aged 83, in 1993.

Return to Howie McFarland Autograph Profile