Stuck on a Crossword Puzzle? Crack the Clue on Yankee Great ___ Howard!

As a detective, my first inclination is to examine the context of the clue. “Yankee great” immediately informs me that this is likely a reference to a famous baseball player from the New York Yankees. I then observe the missing part of the clue, “___ Howard“. This offers me a few clues, as it likely indicates the first name of this famed athlete. With my knowledge of baseball history, I consider notable figures from the Yankees’ past, attempting to think of players who could fit the description. With a little research, I soon discover that Elston Howard was a legendary Yankee who was a 12-time All-Star and helped the team win two World Series titles. The answer seems to be Elston, whose first name perfectly fits the missing blank in the crossword, making “Elston Howard” the solution to this mystery.